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March 18, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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Mystery death of Natasha at Hyatt
New Delhi, March 17 The body, which was discovered by a mechanic, Virender of the Hyatt Regency Hotel on the first floor terrace garden, has been sent for a post-mortem examination. The preliminary examination of the body revealed that she had suffered multiple injuries. There was also a big bruise on the nape of the neck indicating that she might have been attacked with a blunt object. The initial reports had suggested that the body had both stab and gun shot wounds. However, the police later said that there were neither bullet nor stab wounds on the body. The police said that efforts were being made to ascertain if Natasha was murdered in the terrace garden or the body thrown over there from a higher floor after being done to death. Senior police officers, along with the crime team, sniffer dogs and forensic experts rushed to the spot as soon as the news of the discovery of the body was received. The police said that a case of murder had been registered and efforts were being made to trace the weapon used in the murder. A mobile telephone of Natasha was recovered from the spot. The estranged husband, Mr Jagat Singh, was also called to the hotel where he identified the body. He said that he still loved her even though they had filed for divorce and were living separately. He denied any involvement in the incident and said that such allegations were scandalous. Natasha's parents were also summoned to the spot and they too identified the body. There was considerable flutter at the five-star hotel when the news of the murder spread. Shocked guests of the hotel tried to see the spot from where the body was recovered but were kept away by the police and hotel guards. The entire terrace garden was cordoned off to facilitate the forensic experts and police investigators. While the police informally claimed that it was a clear case of murder, what has added to the confusion is the claim of some of her close friends that they had received SMS messages from her mobile phone suggesting that she was contemplating suicide. The messages said that she was planning to go to another world. Ms Malvika, a friend and an advocate who received such messages, told the police that another message said that she was being taken to Najafgarh. Natasha, mother of two, was married to Mr Natwar Singh’s son Jagat Singh, but had been living separately for a long time. The couple had reportedly applied for separation about a year ago as a prelude to divorce. Mr Natwar Singh, who went to the Safdarjung Hospital mortuary to see the body along with his wife and daughter, said that he was shattered by the news and wondered what would happen to the two children, aged five and six. The father has the custody of the two children. Mr Natwar Singh said that even though his son and daughter-in-law were living separately, they had cordial relations and were constantly in touch. In fact, they used to attend the parent-teacher meetings together in the school of their children. Investigations so far have revealed that Natasha had earlier in the evening attended a party thrown by a fashion house and returned home at around 8 pm. She then left her house at around midnight. It was about this time that some friends received the SMS message from her mobile. When her friends were unable to contact her, they lodged a missing person report at the Greater Kailash police station. In December last year, Natasha had filed a report with the police that some unknown persons were harassing her. Security was then provided to her, withdrawn only recently. It was also in December last year that an unidentified woman attacked her with a knife. Natasha at that time escaped unhurt. These incidents, it was alleged, were a sequel to the murderous assault by some unidentified persons on Vinay Kapoor, a senior executive of a multinational, here for his reported friendship with Natasha. Vinay Kapoor sustained serious injuries and had been admitted to a local hospital for well over a month. Mr Taj Hassan, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West), said that the exact reason and time of her death could be known only after the post-mortem. Police teams visited the residence of Mr Natwar Singh at Vasant Vihar and Natasha’s residence at Greater Kailash Part-I near Archana Cinema complex. Efforts were also on to ascertain if she had gone to the hotel to meet someone or that someone had called her there. The guest list of the hotel was being checked. |
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‘She had no suicidal tendencies’ Ms Malvika Raj Kothari, an advocate and friend of Natasha, claimed that “she had no suicidal tendencies” and that is why her friends were concerned when they received the SMS message late Saturday night. Ms Kothari, who represented Natasha in her separation case, said that she was in Ranchi on Saturday night when she got a call from her assistant Sushmita Deb that some of Natasha’s friends had received the disturbing SMS message. She then directed Sushmita to find out what the matter was. Sushmita reportedly went to Natasha’s house and when she did not find her there, lodged a missing person report at the Greater Kailash police station. The lawyer also said that both Natasha and her estranged husband, Jagat Singh, shared the custody of the two children. While the children stayed with Natasha from Monday to Thursday, the father had them with him from Thursday to Sunday.
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MCD POLL New Delhi, March 17 ‘Old war horses’ Madan Lal Khurana and Sahib Singh Verma of the (BJP) today addressed public meetings in their respective constituencies even as the Congress got actress Reena Roy to canvass for its candidates in key wards falling in Hastsal assembly constituency. With barely a week to go for Sunday’s poll, Mr Khurana joined the senior party leader, Mr Sahib Singh Verma, and others in undertaking a tour of key wards falling in their constituencies. Mr Khurana campaigned in Kirti Nagar and adjoining areas while Mr Verma spent the day canvassing for the party’s candidates in
Narela, Nangloi and Mahipalpur. While Mr Raj Karan Khatri of the BJP and Mr Ram Gopal Sharma of the Congress are locked in a fight in
Narela, Mr Manoj Kumar Shaukeen (BJP) and Mr Bijender Singh (Congress) are fighting it out in
Nangloi. In Mahipalpur, reserved for women, the BJP has fielded sitting councillor Bimla Choudhri while Rajendri Sehrawat is contesting on the Congress ticket. Besides the BJP and Congress, the other parties in the fray also held election meetings. Nationalist Congress Party’s national general secretary Tariq Anwar, while campaigning for the party’s candidate Sheila Rani in Greater
Kailash-II, said both the BJP and the Congress had failed to address the people’s concerns. The BJP, he said, stood exposed for its corruption and communalism. In the years gone by, he added, both the parties had “ruined” the Capital by their misrule. The Congress, meanwhile, has to contend with rebel candidates contesting as independents. The party had yesterday expelled five such workers for anti-party activities. According to the party spokesperson, the message that was intended to go out was that the Congress would not brook indiscipline and that others would meet with a similar fate if they did not desist from such actions. |
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200 houses razed in
Ghaziabad Ghaziabad, March 17 On the first day of the campaign, launched in the Vijay Nagar area, 200 kuchha and concrete pucca houses were demolished, according to the Chief Nagar Nigam Officer, Mr Rambodh Morya. The district administration and police had fully cooperated in the campaign, he said. About 50 officers of the Nagar Nigam and a large posse of policemen who were involved in the work reached Bodh Vihar Colony and pressed JCB and bulldozers into service. Some persons, who were mostly involved in rehabilitating these people on government land illegally, put up some resistance but could not succeed in stalling the operations. The presence of political bigwigs from almost all parties, who, residents alleged, were known to be sheltering some of the land mafia, did not surprise anybody. Their efforts to stall the anti-encroachment drive, however, did not succeed. The residents said that the property dealers who had sold them the land in these places had been advising them to build houses early. Otherwise, the land would be taken back by the authorities, they had warned the buyers. Apart from demolishing 200 houses, over 100 bighas of Nagar Nigam land, the market value of which is estimated at Rs 10 crore, were also freed. These pieces of land had been illegally grabbed during the assembly polls and the Nigam now planned to use the freed land in such a way that it won’t be possible to encroach on it again, Mr Morya said. The Chief Nagar Nigam Officer said that this campaign against encroachment would continue for quite sometime. Encroachments in Arthala, Nand Gram, Shalimar Garden and many other localities were likely to be the next target, he said and added that the localities and the encroachments in them had already been identified. The encroachers and those who abet them would not go scot-free, he said. The administration and the Nigam authorities proposed to deal strictly with them under the provisions of law. Besides, various city roads, including the road passing below an under-bridge to goshala, would also be cleared off of all encroachments. The police would register cases against those who try to occupy the land freed from encroachment again, Mr Morya said. The authorities were also determined to take on the land mafia, howsoever influential they maybe, in an effective manner, the chief officer said. |
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Development zilch in Jhajjar Jhajjar, March 17 The situation has come to such a pass that the committee is not in a position to foot the electricity bills, which have piled up to Rs 40 lakh. The HVPN had reportedly disconnected the supply at one time, to put pressure on it for clearing the arrears but of no avail. While admitting that almost all the development projects had to be shelved, the president of the committee, Ms Usha Bansal, blamed the non-arrival of funds from the government for such a disappointing year in terms of performance. Whatever be the reason, the ultimate sufferers are the residents of this historic town who were crying for basic amenities, cleanliness and sanitation facilities. It may be mentioned here that Ms Bansal enjoys a wafer-thin majority with only seven members supporting her in the 15-member committee. She has had to face the wrath of the members in the meetings on account of such a poor report card. The committee has an annual budget of Rs 1.23 crore for the year 2001-2002, which included Rs 13 lakh as house tax, Rs 18 lakh as stamp duty, Rs 10 lakh as rent from around 250 shops, Rs 8 lakh from cattle fair being organised here and Rs 26 lakh as development charges and around half of the total expenditure as establishment expenses. The committee had passed many resolutions on the beautification, cleanliness and civic amenities projects. But almost all the proposals had been gathering dust for the whole year, as the committee could not get support from any agency concerned in terms of money. The secretary of the committee said that even the proposed revenue from the land sale did not come, as it owned no such land that could be put on sale. For example, the MC passed resolutions with regard to construction of two big commercial complexes at an estimated budget of Rs 2 crore and sent the proposals to the NCR Development Board, but could not proceed further. Another proposal for the development and maintenance of the Sahidi Park could not be undertaken as a grant of Rs 22 lakh for the purpose had arrived only earlier this month. Some other projects like setting up a fire brigade at the district headquarters and development of a couple of other parks remained just on paper as the committee failed to acquire the land which was to be transferred from the Rehabilitation Board. At this juncture when the financial health of the civic body is in the doldrums and the government grants are difficult to come by, the committee is facing an uphill task in providing sanitation facilities and maintaining civic amenities in the town. The most challenging task is maintaining cleanliness. |
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There’s more to Punjabi culture than just New Delhi, March 17 As a first step, the International Council of Punjabis is organising a concert by Wadali brothers next month. The singers, known for their sufia kalam songs, would give a new perspective to the audience about the true vibrance of the musical richness of the region, the president of the council and a member of the DSGMC, Mr Manjit Singh Greater Kailash, said. He said, “Punjabi pop did spread ‘something Punjabi’ even to the remote corners of the world, but the stuff used in such music has not been central to Punjabi culture in the literal sense of the word.” The newly created ICP has pledged to promote Punjabi culture, literature and art in their “very traditional genres — without opposing
pop”. Mr Manjit Singh said that there was need to break the myth that the language belonged only to the Sikh community. “Punjabi existed even much before Guru Nanak, but unfortunately politics associated it with the Sikh community. In this regard, one of the ICP’s aims will be to promote the language so much so that it gets national as well as global recognition.” The ICP also decided to award scholarships to the outstanding students of Punjabi and announced the formation of a cultural committee to organise events in and outside India. The council has decided to honour prominent citizens with the ‘Jathedar Santokh Singh Award’ and would give ‘Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir’ scholarship for students excelling in the Punjabi language. The council has also decided to promote the language. The body plans to open chapters throughout the country and abroad. |
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Tent house godown gutted
New Delhi, March 17 Owner of the godown, Mr Ramji, said he received the information of fire at 1.15 pm when he was at home in Bhogal. He has his tent house in the same area. Goods worth lakhs of rupees were kept in the godown. Eight to 10 employees were always put on duty here to save the goods. But how the fire broke out it could not be imagined, he said. He said when the fire broke out, the employees was sitting at the front of the godown. One of them noticed smoke coming from a pile of woods. He tried to douse it by pouring water but could not succeed. Finally, he dialed the DFS. Most of the material stored in the godown had been gutted, he said. “Thank God, there is no casualty. Just after the fire broke out, kar sevaks in Bangla Sahib Gurdwara came to salvage the property and my employees. They also helped the fire brigade to douse the fire,” he said. TNS
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Schoolgate: CBSE rules
given the go-by Faridabad, March 17 It has been alleged that primary schools having a plot of land measuring about 1.5 acres, had upgraded their schools to matric and plus two standard illegally over the years. It is claimed that the CBSE rules permit only a primary grade school on a plot size of 1.5 acres while the requirement for a high or senior secondary level school was the plot size of at least five acres, so that the required infrastructure including classrooms, library, laboratories and playground could be made available to the students. However, several schools of matric and plus two had been running on a plot size of 1.5 acres. According to association, the upgradation had been done illegally as the plots were originally meant for a primary level educational institution. The price or the rate of the plot for a school allotted by HUDA had been quite low as compared to the plots for residential or commercial use. |
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THE ACHIEVERS
New Delhi, March 17 But it took an innocuous query to change all that. Her domestic helper asked if he should throw away some used car tyres lying in the garage. Anand’s instinctive response was typically Indian: no, maybe something useful could be fashioned out of them. Still weak from medication, she somehow put together a trolley of tyres, placing one on top of the other and attaching wooden planks and small wheels at the bottom. And so began a unique experiment at producing eco-friendly, eye-catching furniture that took Anand closer to her long-cherished dreams of “doing something and being someone”, buried under long years of being a good homemaker to a successful business family. Encouraged by the response to her furniture line, she has set up a charity organisation, the Ramanand Trust, to which the proceeds of her work will go. That’s when she discovered her true calling in the world of art. She transformed the worn-out tyres into the state-of-the art furniture that could do any drawing room proud. High stools, round centre tables with black glass tops, plant holders, sofa sets, office chairs, coffee bars, clocks, mirrors and painting frames. Welcome to the world of woodless furniture fashioned out of discarded tyres. In the hands of Rama, tyres in wood and brass colours serve as frames for exquisite paintings, they make excellent cushions for office chairs, function as plant holders attached to wrought iron stands. Three-wheeler tyres serve as seats for bar stools and garden chairs with legs and back support made of wrought iron. Cut into halves, tractor tyres form ornate backs for sofas or bedsteads or just decoration pieces placed against a wall. Sketching out her ideas, Rama has sought to convert these ‘no longer valuable bits of ugly rubber’ into products that are eminently desirable and stand proudly inside your house rather than lay forlorn in garages. “When I first made these pieces of furniture I was overjoyed. Not just because I was creating something out of the ordinary, but because I was making a contribution to protecting the environment. I was making eco-friendly products from environmentally hostile material,” Rama explains. She was also conscious of the fact that she would need to sanitise these tyres that must have travelled over all kinds of bugs. Rama decided to take some precautions to improve their acceptability. “Before being transformed into state-of-the-art objects, these tyres are treated with chemical solvents to remove any hazardous substance that may be sticking to them. Besides, they are washed several times over to do away with their rubber smell,” says the creative lady. Tyre furniture, besides being eco-friendly is also cost-effective. Stockpiling of used tyres is a major environmental concern the world over, particularly because tyres do not bio-degrade so quickly. As a result, they stockpile landfills and are generally disposed of by setting them on fire, thus releasing thick black toxic fumes and chemicals into the air. Undisposed stockpiles provide fertile grounds for mosquito breeding and are a major health hazard. Rama feels that sofas, chairs and tables made from tyres can easily replace traditional furniture and also help the cause of the environment. Fewer trees felled translates into a more sustainable green earth cover. Converting tyres into furniture not only addresses the challenge of their disposal, they are easy on the pocket especially since wooden furniture prices have been spiralling upwards. Furniture manufactured from tyres is economically priced. “It costs 40 per cent less than wood furniture. While photo frames cost between Rs 400 and Rs 700, sofas are priced at Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,500. Price differences are primarily because of the finishing material used. For example, cotton fabrics used in the upholstery work out cheaper in comparison to leather. Tyre furniture is highly durable, sturdy and can last a lifetime. It does not wear or tear with use as does other wood-based furniture. When painted dark brown, it closely resembles wooden furniture, and its grooves can be dressed up to appear like intricate carvings. But unlike wooden pieces that are generally unwieldy, difficult to reposition and drag across the room, tyre furniture is both light in looks and load. It is also safe and well-balanced, especially for the elderly and the children. Rama has further improved the mobility of her tyre furniture by mounting pieces on chrome-plated steel wheels. “With coasters, the furniture is easy to move from one location to another,” she opines. Although she’s been into art since her schooldays, it was only after marriage that she converted this into a full-time profession. She set up a society of art and exhibited paintings of old Bengal masters. Her tyre ideas have satisfied her creative instincts and aspirations. Winning the 2001 Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Award for Pollution Control and Energy Conservation, she says, is a recognition of her contribution to the environment. At present, Rama operates from her residence in Delhi’s Sainik Farms, but soon plans to set up a full-fledged production unit at Noida. She has patented her innovations and acquired overseas copyrights. “Tyre furniture has enormous export potential and can be a major foreign exchange earner,” she says.
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NCR BRIEFS Rohtak, March 17 Two Killed Faridabad Life term awarded A fast track court of the district has sentenced a murder accused to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 20,000. In case of non-payment of the fine, he will have to undergo an additional one year in jail. According to reports, the accused Madan Lal of Shramik Vihar had stabbed to death his neighbour, Lal Chand, after a dispute over the disconnection of a power connection. The wife of the deceased was also injured in the incident.
Women’s college Sonepat The Inspector General of Police (IG), Rohtak Range, Reshan Singh, the Deputy Commissioner, S. N. Roy and the Superintendent of Police, Paramjit Singh Ahlawat, were among those who were present on this occasion. |
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Murder accused remanded in police custody Sonepat, March 17 |
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Crane operator killed in Badarpur New Delhi, March, 17 Ramesh was a resident of Ajronda in Faridabad. It is learnt that the assailants have been identified by the police. Police sources said that the victim was stabbed on a trivial matter. Subsequently, a murder case has been registered by the police. The police have launched a manhunt to nab them and investigation into the various angle of the case is being looked into, police said. |
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Youths try to snatch question papers Rohtak, March 17 Purse snatched
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Corporate office of US co launched Gurgaon, March 17 This development is yet another example of the importance that Gurgaon has come to acquire in the corporate world. A Non-resident Indian (NRI), Vinod Gupta, founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said during the launch of the Indian office that it was a matter of pride for him that Indian professionals have come of age as they were increasingly hired by overseas organisations for their skills and talent. The infoUSA is billed to be a leading provider of sales and marketing support products for all types of business, from small Mom and Pop shows to large corporations. The company claims to compile the world’s finest database of 14 million business and 250 million consumers under one roof in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. The products derived from these databases include sale leads, mailing lists, diskettes, business directory, DVD products, mapping products, and also delivery of data on the internet. This helps its clients to find new customers, increase revenue, cut selling costs, and increase their profits. The company has 37 offices across USA, Canada and London, he added. The company will operate here by outsourcing the service of call centres to keep updating its data base and with the aim of providing services to its clients in India. The corporate office will interface with the hired call centre’s working for the company and at its headquarters in USA. Mr Asutosh Dayal Sharma, son of the late President, Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma and who is the President of the Indian office of infoUSA Inc, said that the possibility of the company setting up its own call centres in India could not be ruled out. |
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SHOW CASE The Dali line of fragrances has been launched in the country. The fragrances would be retailed by the House of Baccarose through exclusive counters at all leading shopping destinations. The fragrances are an inspiration of the surrealistic work of the noted Italian painter, Salvador Dali. With the Dali line of fragrances, Cofinluxe now offers to the Indian consumers the “perfumes of art”. Each product in the Salvador Dali fragrance universe is inspired by the Dali creations and masterpieces, each bottle a reflection of Dali’s work and hence is an art form in its own way. Lip liner Lakme, the leading cosmetic company, has launched the perfect lip liners. The liners glide easily over lip contours, precisely emphasising or inconspicuously correcting them and assuring that lipstick doesn’t run. The lip liners are vitamin-E enriched, hypoallergenic and water resistant The main constituent of the liner is Californian cedar, which makes it stable and avoids breakage. Its soft tip pencil ensures effortless and smooth application both for filling in as well as defining the lips. The shades of liners which the company has launched are Irish Coffee, Walnut, Blackcurrant, Very Cherry and Almond Crunch.
Spring collection The legendary alligator, Lacoste, has unveiled its latest spring/summer collection designed by world famous designer Christope Lemaire. The themes vary from casual golf wear outfits with a combination of dense colours to a modernised nautical style with revisited classical colours – a combination of two colour stripes, sailor shirts and wide fitting trousers for weekend wear. The collection unveils exciting new designs and colours in Polo T-shirts, Capri’s for women, Singlets, trousers and spaghetti tips. The collection has been created under four different ranges – sports universe, sports wear universe, club universe and essential. The sports universe has three themes – tennis, active and golf. The sportswear range has five themes, club universe has four new entrants to the natural, chic and contemporary club wear and the essential consists of ever-popular range in a stunning variety of 40 colours.
Tooth powder Surya Herbal has launched the first microbiologically approved and tobacco-free manjan in the country. The product contains clove oil, neem, babool and a new flavour. The manjan is grinded under a special process. So this is more fine and therefore not harmful for teeth layer and gums. This is found effective in pyrrohoea and all types of diseases of teeth and gums.
Herbs for the body The producer of leading household brands Liv 52 and Ayurvedic Concepts, the Himalaya Drug Company has launched a new range of healthcare products, Himalaya Pure Herbs. The pure herbs are a range of 12 specially selected individual herbs that can be used individually to solve specific problems and maintain wellness of the body. The pharmacological activities of the individual herbs are well defined. Those featured in the pure herbs range have remarkable benefits. The herbs have been used for centuries as special food to eliminate excesses and minimise deficiencies. The value of using herbs lies particularly in their mildness to the body. While herbs may provide nutrition to the body, their primary function is to stimulate or improve body functions.
Superior sockets Su-kam has launched a range of superior quality, highly functional products that include 3+2 way round pin type multiple socket, 4-way universal type multiple socket and cable reels (6 Amp & 16 Amp) and computer connection (10 Amp, 8 connector, 2.5 Amp). With these state-of-the-art products, one can use up to five different appliances simultaneously – be it computer, printer, modem, scanner, fax, medical equipment, TVs, VCRs, stereo or other appliances.
Casual & trendy With the onset of summer, Allen Solly has launched ‘Hawaiian Conference’ collection of shirts, T-shirts and Bermudas. The collection offers a formal yet relaxed style for fashion conscious executives this summer. The collection is made with 100 per cent cotton fabric and the designs originate from the relaxed yet lively spirit prevailing in the Hawaiian Islands. The sparkling colours used include elegantly blended oranges, yellows, greens and blues. The collection captures the essence and free spirit of Hawaii with the use of bright flowers, clear blue skies, beaches of white sand and images of the crimson sun setting across the ocean. The collection aims to brighten up the work place by infusing boundless enthusiasm and fun. |
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