Ludhiana: Two labourers were killed after a factory wall collapsed during a dust storm in Ludhiana's Nanak Pura locality on Saturday night, triggering fresh outrage among residents over the presence of allegedly illegal multi-storey industrial units in the residential area.The victims — Niranjan, 35, and Ram Bhajan, 40 — both from Gonda district in Uttar Pradesh originally, had been working in Ludhiana for several years. The men were employed at a dyeing factory located in the Focal Point area but had gone to another factory in Nanak Pura to deliver and collect goods when the incident occurred.Sub-inspector Balwinder Singh, station house officer (SHO) at Daresi police station, claimed that the men had loaded goods into their pickup vehicle and were leaving when a wire became entangled in the vehicle and snapped.

Local residents stopped the duo and confronted them about the damage. As they stood outside the factory, a section of the fourth-floor wall of the building collapsed suddenly, striking both men.Niranjan died on the spot. Ram Bhajan was moved to Christian Medical College Hospital, where he later died during treatment. "The victims lived alone in Ludhiana, and their families in UP have been informed. The bodies have been kept at the Ludhiana civil hospital's mortuary.

Further action will be taken after recording the families' statements," SHO Balwinder Singh said.Residents protest illegal unitsOn Sunday, residents of Nanak Nagar staged a peaceful protest, claiming the area — zoned for residential use — had been overtaken by unsafe, multi-storey factories operating illegally. Local resident Jaspal Singh said warnings had been issued to authorities for years but no action was taken.In response to the incident, the residents sent formal complaints to the police commissioner, assistant town planner, and Punjab Pollution Control Board, demanding the immediate shutdown of industrial units operating in violation of zoning rules. The tragedy has reignited debate over industrial safety and urban planning lapses in Punjab's industrial hubs.