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Probe begins in custodial death
Gursar Sudhar (Ludhiana), January 14
The SDM Raikot today began a magisterial inquiry into the Saturday night’s custodial death of an alleged car thief in Jodhan police post under the Jagraon police district even as it remains unclear whether the youth had committed suicide or had died due to police torture. Expressing distrust with the sequence of events, the youth’s parents have demanded a CBI inquiry into the whole episode.

• Police blamed for man’s death

Mr Nirbhai Singh (third from right), father of the deceased youth who had died allegedly due to police beating and harassment, along with relatives and neighbours waits outside DMCH to receive the body of his son. — Photo Inderjit Verma

Fleecing under hospital authorities’ nose
Ludhiana, January 14
Throwing all medical ethics to the winds, medical stores inside private hospitals in the city are fleecing patients by selling medicines at exorbitant rates as the hospital authorities sleep.

Traditional touch missing in ‘new age’ Lohri
Ludhiana, January 14
Lohri was celebrated with gusto in the city yesterday but the traditional camaraderie, typical of the festival, was missing. The day started on a hopeful note, especially for the kite sellers , who registered a record sales of kites yesterday. The kite flyers too were happy as a moderate east wind made their task much easier but occasional gusts of the east wind presented some challenges also, which made the task at hand slightly difficult.

‘Drunk’ youths threaten residents
Ludhiana, January 14
Two ‘inebriated’ youths riding a motor cycle created nuisance at Malerkotla House, opposite Old DMC, falling under the jurisdiction of the Kailash Cinema police post, last night. One of the youths, who posed himself as Sub-Inspector, threatened local residents of dire consequences.

Man shot at by cop dies
Ludhiana, January 14
Ganga Ram, a rickshaw-puller, who was shot at by a policeman, who was reportedly drunk, near Doraha yesterday, died at the local civil hospital this afternoon.

COMMUNITY

Parties mobilise activists in run-up to Assembly poll
Ludhiana, January 14
The District Congress Committee (U) president, Mr Surinder Dawar, and a former Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Mr Harnam Das Johar, the Congress nominees from Ludhiana East and Ludhiana West, respectively, today formally launched their election campaigns. While Mr Dawar went round some of the localities in his constituency and addressed meetings of party workers and supporters, Mr Johar held consultations with party activists at his residence and later participated in meetings.

INTUC to contest a few seats
Ludhiana, January 14
The Indian National Trade Union Congress has decided, at a meeting held here today, that its candidates will file nomination papers for the forthcoming state Assembly elections from some constituencies. The state president of INTUC, Dr Subahash Sharma, said in a press note that the cashier of the Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee, Mr Moti Lal Vohra, had promised INTUC workers at the party office on December 7 that they would be given a chance to contest the elections.

Black ‘magic’ reigns supreme  
Ludhiana, January 14
Black is bold and beautiful. And this winter black has taken over the minds of Ludhianvis. Be it a dance party or an evening get-together black dominates the scene. Even the upbeat showrooms and boutiques are offering various dresses in black only.

CITY SCAN
Battle between faith, doubt
IT is election time again. The nation in general and the region in particular are watching the political scenario of Punjab. It is changing day by day. A battle between faith and doubt is on. Inter-party show of force and lack of resources are in focus. Comparative position in under critical study. Intra-party wranglings are emerging. Party-sponsored candidates look visibly triumphant . The next stage will unfold real problems. Things are becoming more fluid, confusing and uncertain day by day. Politics has turned into a profession. It is the road to power. It is a game of power and more power.

Kirtan darbar organised Ludhiana, January 14 A kirtan darbar was organised by the Dhan-Pothohar Brotherhood, Punjab, at Gurdwara Bhai Mohar Singh Nagar here today to celebrate Maghi Day. It was dedicated to the memory of Amar Singh Wadhera, senior vice-president, who had died recently. Famous ragis, Bhai Davinder Singh, Bhai Harpal Singh Nimmana and Bibi Manjit Kaur, recited Gurbani kirtan and highlighted historical facts of this day.

Mr N.S. Nanda being presented with ‘Pothohar Rattan’ award by the Dhan-Pothohar Brotherhood in Ludhiana on Monday.

Workshops on traffic awareness
Ludhiana, January 14
Gulzar Trading Company, a two-wheeler dealer, will organise traffic awareness workshops in schools and colleges in association with the local traffic police. Mr Raj Kumar Bansal, organiser of the programme, disclosed that they had selected five schools and five colleges to educate the youth on traffic rules and safe driving techniques. He said: “We will arrange lectures, video and slide show with the help of the police.

PNB camps on traffic safety
Ludhiana, January 14
The Punjab National Bank is participating in the Traffic Awareness Week, organising camps and distributing reflectors among cyclists and owners of trolleys, rehras and tractors.

YOUNG VOICE
Working hard to attain her goal
THERE is no substitute to hard work, believes Meera Nagpal, an undergraduate student. She wants to become a bureaucrat. For her psychology is a subject which improves one’s ability to tackle issues people call impossible.

Services lauded
Ludhiana, January 14
The Punjab Cultural Promotion Council has hailed the election of the Union Minister, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, as president of the Punjab Olympics Association. The council also appreciated Mr Dhindsa’s services in highlighting Punjab’s sports and cultural heritage in the National Games held recently in Ludhiana.

CRIME

Labourer killed as car hits cycle
Jagraon, January 14
Ajay Kumar, son of Ram Chander Yadav, a labourer, was killed when his bicycle was hit by a Maruti car coming from Ludhiana, while on his way to Sardar Rice Mills. According to the complaint by Om Parkash, the driver of the car fled the scene after the accident. He was taken to the Civil Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries this morning. The police has registered a case under Sections 279, 427 and 304-A, IPC.

2 held in theft case 22 bags of rice recovered Eight booked Illicit liquor seized Suicide

Teasing case Attacked with knife Wounded Beaten up

Arms Act case Liquor seized Man attacked Dowry case

BUSINESS

BIZ CLIP
Franchisee appointed

AGRICULTURE

Remit loans, demands BKU
Ludhiana, January 14
The Bhartiya Kisan Union has blamed wrong and anti-farmers policies, being pursued by the government, for pathetic conditions of farmers. The factors like unremunerative prices of farm produce, unrealistic prices of farm inputs and agricultural machinery and high interest rates of agricultural loans were the main culprits for deteriorating economic condition of farmers, which at times forced them to commit suicides.

EDUCATION

Discrimination in appointments alleged
Mandi Gobindgarh, January 14
Interviews for appointment of ETT/JBT and B.Ed. teachers for 7,230 vacant posts were conducted by the selection committees formed in each district as per the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in August last year, the merit lists were sent to the DPI (Primary) for approval. On the basis of merit lists, the B.Ed. teachers were given appointment letters and they joined their respective schools, in all districts of the state except Fatehgarh Sahib district.

Don’t avoid stress, manage it: experts
Ludhiana, January 14
Modern lifestyle, increasing demands of profession, a lack of security in the times of recession and uncertain socio-political environment are some of the factors responsible for stress in life. More than 70 per cent of the patients who visit general practitioners suffer from stress that causes hypertension, diabetes, and various other problems of the heart and the digestive system.

Health camp at Humbran village
Ludhiana, January 14
A health camp for heart, chest and bone diseases was organised at Humbran village by Dayanand Medical College and Hospital and Hero DMC Heart Institute. About 400 persons attended the camp.

SPORTS

PAU to honour top athletes
Ludhiana, January 14
Punjab Agricultural University will give cash awards to athletes, who attain top three positions in the Annual Athletics Meet of the university scheduled to be held on February 20 and 21.

• Sports festival

Plan to combat pollution
Ludhiana, January 14

The ongoing project of the Sutlej Action Plan, when completed by the end of 2003 at an estimated cost of Rs 164 crore for Ludhiana component, will not only save the Sutlej from pollution, but will combat underground water pollution in the city, in addition to providing treated sewerage for irrigation of more than 27,500 acres, with almost 50 trolleys of dried sludge to be used as manure every day and producing around 1650 KW of power through generating sets to meet 30 to 40 per cent energy requirement of the three sewage treatment plants being set up around the city.

Work in progress at a main pumping station for a sewage treatment plant under the Sutlej Action Plan in Ludhiana. IV