Punjab govt hoardings vandalised in Ludhiana, mischief not ruled out

Two hoardings featuring deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on the newly installed unipoles on Club Road were allegedly burnt by unidentified persons. The incident has raised many speculations.

The local SAD leaders claimed that these hoardings of deputy CM, Sukhbir Singh Badal were recently installed with authorisation to showcase the achievements of the SAD-BJP government in Punjab.

Councillor from ward 59 and spokesperson of Youth Akali Dal, Tanvir Singh Dhaliwal alleged that the hoardings were intentionally torched. It is responsibility of the municipal corporation (MC) to keep check on hoardings as the government is paying for the display, he said.

“I suspect that it is the work of opposition parties and the police should lodge an FIR against the accused persons,” said Dhaliwal.

A homeless person who stays on the footpath near Durga Mata Mandi said, “When I came here on Monday morning, the two hoardings were found burnt. It seems these hoardings were torched last night. I had also seen an empty bottle dumped near one of the unipoles.”

Sources said that the burnt hoardings were recently replaced. Many unauthorised hoardings displaying the pictures of SAD leaders are also being installed at various places in the city.

Short circuit could be the reason behind burning of hoardings, said Harvinder Singh, MC superintendent (headquarters).

A sub divisional officer of MC is looking into the matter, he said. When contacted, station house officer (SHO) at police station division Number 8, Jagdeep Singh said he has no information regarding the same. He said the police will look into the matter.

According to MC, the state government will pay `1.25 crore for advertisements on 80 unipoles for five months. Besides, MC has also allowed the government advertisements on gantries and foot over bridges.