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Incessant Flash Floods Ravage Manali

By LokMarg 12th July 2023

Incessant rain, which has led to flash floods and landslides, has caused significant damage in Himachal Pradesh’s Manali.

Himachal Pradesh Minister Jagat Singh Negi said that the flash floods have damaged the national highway and disrupted water and electricity supply.

“The Manali Vidhansabha constituency has suffered significant damage due to flash floods. Houses, land, and gardens have been destroyed, and the national highway is damaged due to flash floods. The link road adjacent to the bridge is also badly damaged. There is no net connectivity, electricity and water. We have made arrangements to provide food to the stranded tourists,” Negi said.

Due to incessant rainfall in the region, many tourists have been stranded in Manali.

Internet services and electricity supply have been disrupted due to the flood in the area.

Neha, a tourist from, Ludhiana, Punjab said, “We want to go home. We were scheduled to return on Sunday but we are stuck due to flood.”

Another tourist, Sanjeev Arora, said they have been trying to go back for the past two days.

“We are here in Manali since 5th July. The main track is damaged. We have been trying to go back for the past two days. The internet services and electricity supply is disrupted,” he added.

Meanwhile, Himachal Chief Minister’s Office informed that 2000 people stranded in the Kasol area have been evacuated so far.

“So far 2000 people stranded in the Kasol area of Kullu district have been evacuated. On the way at one point named Dunkhara, there is a heavy landslide and one poclain and two machines have been deployed round the clock to clear the Kasol-Bhuntar road. A team of the district administration has reached Kasol. More than 2200 vehicles have passed through Kullu from Manali so far and food is being distributed to them at Ramshilla Chowk. CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is closely monitoring the situation”, the CMO statement said.

Speaking on the relief and rescue operations being conducted in the state amidst heavy rainfall, acting DGP of Himachal Pradesh Satwant Atwal Trivedi said that evacuation procedure is underway with 1000 vehicles already having left from Kullu – Manali and are enroute to Chandigarh.

The Nurpur police on Wednesday informed that water will be released from Pandoh Dam (Mandi) from 6 pm today to 3 pm tomorrow due to incessant rains in the district.

“People are urged not to go near low-lying areas like rivers, drains and dam areas for the next few days”, the Nurpur Police said.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA from Manali Bhuvneshwar Gaur hit out at the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) over the poor construction of the highways which were washed away during the flash floods. (ANI)

Ludhiana Gas Leak Incident: Death Toll Rises To 11

By LokMarg 30th April 2023

The death toll in the gas leakage incident that occured in Giaspura in Ludhiana district on Sunday has risen to 11.

‘A total of 11 persons are dead. There are five females and six males including 2 male children of 10 years and 13 years,” the official said.
The two deceased at SPS Hospital have been identified as Naveent Kumar (39) and Neetu Devi (39), they said.

Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed deep sorrow and anguish at the gas leakage.

“The incident of a gas leak in the factory in the Giaspura area of Ludhiana is very sad. Police, government and NDRF teams are present at the spot. All possible help is being extended to the affected. Rest details soon,” Punjab CM Mann tweeted.

NDRF teams have been rushed to the factory and a team of doctors and a fire brigade also reached the spot.

“Definitely, it is a gas leak case. The NDRF team is present at the spot to evacuate the people and will conduct the rescue operation. 9 people died in this incident and 11 are sick,” said Swati, SDM Ludhiana West.

“Exact reason will only come when we will go to the incident spot. We are waiting for the NDRF, they are specialized in this,” another officer said.

Further investigation is underway. (ANI)

Ludhiana: Anti-Sikh Riot Victims Burn Rahul’s Effigy

By LokMarg 12th January 2023

On the arrival of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Ludhiana, members of the 1984 Sikh Massacre Riot Victims Society, raised slogans and burnt an effigy of Rahul Gandhi at the Ghantaghar Chowk.

The protesters alleged that the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib was on the orders of Rahul Gandhi’s grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. They also pointed out that Sikhs were massacred during the time of Rahul’s father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. They claimed that the Bharat Jodo Yatra has again cut open their wounds.
The protesters demanded that Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi should apologize for the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib and the massacre of Sikhs.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra is just a drama, they claimed.

However, in view of the apprehension of protests from the riot victims, adequate security arrangements had already been made by the police. The demonstration took place under police supervision.

The yatra will cover several parts of Punjab over eight days before reaching Jammu and Kashmir, its final stop, on January 19

The yatra, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, will end at Srinagar on January 30, where Rahul plans to hoist the Tricolour.

The foot march has so far covered Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and is presently in Punjab. (ANI)

Ludhiana Blast Conspirator Harpreet Arrested From IGI

By LokMarg 2nd December 2022

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested absconding December 2021 Ludhiana Court building blast conspirator and wanted terrorist Harpreet Singh from Delhi airport soon after his arrival from Kaula Lumpur, Malaysia, the agency said on Friday.

An associate of Lakhbir Singh Rode, a Pakistan-based self-styled Chief of the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), Harpreet was one of the conspirators of the December 2021 Ludhiana Court Building blast along with Rode. One dead and six were injured in the massive bomb blast.
Harpreet, a resident of Punjab’s Amritsar district, was arrested on Thursday at Indira Gandhi International Airport here soon after he arrived from Malaysia.

The case was initially registered on December 23, 2021, by Punjab Police and NIA re-registered it on January 1 this year.

“Investigations revealed that Harpreet Singh alias Happy Malaysia, an associate of Lakhbir Singh Rode, was one of the conspirators of the Ludhiana Court Building blast, along with Rode,” said the NIA in a statement.

Acting on the directions of Rode, Harpreet coordinated the delivery of the custom-made Improvised Explosive Device (IED), which had been sent from Pakistan to his India-based associates, that was used in the Ludhiana Court Complex blast, said the NIA.

Harpreet was also involved and wanted in various cases, including the smuggling of explosives, arms, and narcotics.

Earlier, NIA had declared a reward of Rs 10 lakh on Harpreet Singh against whom a non-bailable Warrant from the Special NIA court had been issued and a look-out circular was opened. (ANI)