Ludhiana: Bomb threat at court, ED raids minister, Lions advance
A bomb threat email claiming links to Khalistan National Army threw Ludhiana's District Court into lockdown on September 12, while the Enforcement Directorate raided premises linked to a Punjab minister and the city's cricket team marched into the Sher-E-Punjab T20 semi-finals.
🗳️ Bomb Threat Email Puts Ludhiana Court on High Alert
A major security alert was triggered at Ludhiana's District Court complex on September 12 when the District and Sessions Judge received a bomb threat via email during the ongoing National Lok Adalat. The threatening message was sent from the account deniseseward01@gmail.com to the judge's official email address. The sender explicitly claimed connections to two militant organisations — the Khalistan National Army and Babbar Khalsa (Parmar-Canada) — and warned that a bomb blast would occur at 1:11 pm, placing hundreds of court staff, lawyers, judges, and members of the public at risk during the active proceedings. The Ludhiana Police responded immediately: dog squads were deployed and bomb disposal teams conducted a thorough sweep across the entire court complex, including all courtrooms, corridors, and surrounding areas. The District and Sessions Judge informed police the moment the email was received, enabling rapid deployment of security personnel to contain potential threats. The threatening email was not limited to the court complex. It also named Mohali-Halwara Airport as a target and warned of violent attacks against certain unnamed political leaders, suggesting a coordinated intimidation campaign rather than a single-point threat. Security arrangements at the airport were reviewed in parallel. Although no explosive device was found during the searches, police took the threat seriously given the involvement of the named extremist groups. A case was registered and investigators began tracing the email's origin, focusing attention on the persistent challenge of extremist communication targeting Punjab's public institutions. [6]
🎓 CJP's School of Eminence Visit Sparks Political Debate
Punjab's Schools of Eminence — the AAP government's flagship premium government schools — became the centre of a sharp political debate on September 12 when the Chief Justice of Punjab (CJP) visited and publicly praised these institutions during an audit of government schools in Ludhiana. The CJP's favourable assessment of the Schools of Eminence, which are designed to deliver enhanced learning environments and modern facilities, was welcomed by the ruling AAP government as validation of its education agenda. However, the praise drew an immediate political response from the opposition. Congress in-charge for Punjab Sachin Pilot was also present in Ludhiana conducting a separate audit of government schools, and he challenged the framing of the visit. Pilot argued that Punjab should be audited with the same critical eye across all institutions, not only the selected showcase schools. His remarks pointed to the gap between the state's elite-tier Schools of Eminence and the broader network of government schools that continue to face problems including inadequate infrastructure, teacher vacancies, and poor learning outcomes. AAP leader Manish Sisodia escalated the exchange further, throwing down a challenge to conduct comparative audits of government schools in both Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, implicitly defending AAP's education model in both states. The debate underscored how education policy, once a defining political asset for AAP, has become a contested battleground in Punjab, with opposition parties arguing that headline achievements must not obscure systemic challenges across the wider school system. [9]
🎬 Ludhiana Lions Seal Sher-E-Punjab T20 Semi-Final Berth
The Ludhiana Lions secured their place in the semi-finals of the Mankind Pharma Sher-E-Punjab T20 League on September 12, defeating Amritsar Soormas by five wickets in a match played at the I.S. Bindra Stadium in Mohali. The Lions impressed with their bowling in the first half of the game, picking up early wickets to put the Amritsar side under pressure and restrict their scoring opportunities. The disciplined bowling performance was backed by an equally measured run-chase, with the Lions batsmen successfully guiding the team to victory within the required overs, sealing the win with five wickets in hand. The Sher-E-Punjab T20 League, organised in association with Punjab Kings and backed by Mankind Pharma, has become one of the premier regional T20 competitions in the country, offering young and experienced Punjab cricketers a competitive domestic platform with high visibility. Ludhiana's progression from the league stage to the knockout rounds generated strong excitement among the city's cricket fans, who see the Lions as representatives of the city's sporting pride. The tournament has drawn attention to the rich pool of talent within Punjab's cricketing ecosystem, and the Lions' strong campaign has reinforced the region's reputation as a fertile ground for developing top-level domestic players. As the semi-finals approach, the Ludhiana Lions will be looking to maintain the form and team cohesion that has powered their run through the competition. [2]
Sources: [6] Punjab Newsline · [9] ETV Bharat · [2] ANI News