TOP STORIES

Gupta murder case suspect secured bail to commit crime
New Delhi, September 18
With the arrest of another suspect, the Delhi Police today claimed to have achieved a major breakthrough in Atma Ram Gupta murder case. Mr. Gupta, the Tri Nagar Councillor, was allegedly shot dead after being whisked away by another councillor on August 24, soon after the Congress rally in the Ferozeshah Kotla grounds here.

Delhi, Haryana cops join hands to rescue kidnap victim
New Delhi, September 18
In a rare instance of co-operation between the Delhi and Haryana police, a young entrepreneur, who was kidnapped for a ransom of Rs 2 crore, was rescued in Agra today in a joint operation. A Mitshubishi Lancer, which was used to kidnap the victim, and one revolver with seven cartridges, a holster and two mobile phones used in the crime were recovered from their possession.

FOLLOW-UP
Abducted student’s father blames cops
New Delhi, September 18
The death of an abducted Meerut student, allegedly in a police encounter with the kidnappers, has stirred up a controversy with the father, a local businessman, blaming the police for the death and demanding an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

NCR Special
No more haze over Bhatti mines

New Delhi, September 18 The flora is flourishing and the fauna is returning. Suddenly Neelgai (bluebull) can be seen nibbling at saplings and the elusive peacock, another pleasant sight, strutting in the rain. It seems the ecological balance is on the verge of being restored in Bhatti mines, a much ravaged part of the National Capital region. The ecological balance is on the verge of being restored in the ravaged part of Bhatti mines

Students roped in for eco-friendly ‘visarjan’
New Delhi, September 18
Close on the heels of campaigns like ‘smoke and pollution-free Diwali’ and an ‘eco-friendly Holi’, the NGOs are now moving on to more such collaborative efforts with school students to ensure the protection of the ecosystem.

AN EYE FOR AN EYE: Sohini Jaitly, a Mumbai face of the year, launches a brand of contact lenses in the Capital on Wednesday. Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

Co-operation is ok, but circulars must go: Sheila
New Delhi, September 18
“That’s all right,” Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit reacts to Deputy Prime Minister L. K. Advani’s attempts to play down the differences between the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government of NCT of Delhi after flagging off Tuesday’s trial run of Delhi Metro. “But the circulars are still not withdrawn,” she reminds.

Tap water that raises a stink sky high
New Delhi, September 18
Valmiki Marg 17 A lane, Karol Bagh, has been deprived of potable water for the past one week. The residents are getting sewage water in taps that raises a stink sky high. All requests made to the Delhi Jal Board authorities have fallen on deaf ears. Some DJB men visited the colony to collect samples but the DJB officers are not aware of this.

COMMUNITY

Chautala’s promises a gimmick: JD(U)
Sonepat, September 18
The Haryana Pradesh Janata Dal (U) President, Mr Ved Prakash Vidrohi, has criticised both the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, and the Haryana Vikas Party chief, Mr Bansi Lal, for giving false promises to the educated jobless youth.

Waive farmers’ loans, HVP urges govt
Rewari, September 18
Mr Anil Rao, state general secretary of the Haryana Vikas Party, has flayed the state government for the inordinate delay in providing relief and assistance to the farmers of south Haryana which, he said, was the worst drought-stricken region of the state.

‘Chautala not serious about solving farmers’ problems’
Jhajjar, September 18
Union Agriculture Minister and Rashtriya Lok Dal supremo Ajit Singh today alleged that the Chautala government was not serious towards the problems of the farmers of the state. This was evident from the fact that the state government did not send its report on the drought-affected areas in time, demanding compensation for the damaged crops, he said.

Rain may have damaged wheat stocks
Sonepat, September 18
A large quantity of wheat stock worth several lakhs of rupees, packed in gunny bags and lying in the open in godowns of various procurement agencies, is feared to have been damaged during to the heaviest downpour of the monsoon this year in this city and elsewhere in the district.

A lawyer of the poor and a priest of brotherhood
New Delhi, September 18
A lot of people still recall the name of Dinesh Kumar Goswami with a lot of respect. After all, he was the one who had helped the Delhi Police in recovering a large number of shares, valued at several crore of rupees, way back in June 1992 from a house in New Friends Colony in what came to be known as the Harshad Mehta stock scam.

Stree Kosh inaugurated to help women in distress
New Delhi, September 18
The Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, inaugurated the first Gender Resource Centre, christened Stree Kosh on Wednesday. The Centre has been set up as part of a new scheme under the 10th Five-Year Plan by the Department of Social Welfare.

‘Holistic approach needed to build people-friendly image’ New Delhi, September 18 The Delhi Lieutenant-Governor, Mr Vijai Kapoor, asked the Delhi Police to take a “holistic approach” to reduce crimes and build a people friendly image. Police officers stand guard outside the newly inaugurated Police Bhawan in the Capital on Wednesday. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal.

DELHI DIGEST
300 fined for giving alms at red lights
New Delhi, September 18
The Delhi Police have so far challaned 300 motorists for giving alms to beggars at red lights in the Capital. Maximum motorists were challaned at the ITO crossing, ITO red light on Ring Road, Connaught Place, Paharganj and other busy crossings. Most of the people were challaned in the morning and evening hours.

• JNU strike continues

• Councillor’s brother held

NCR BRIEFS
Open darbar
Faridabad, September 18
The district administration will hold an open darbar at Bagpur Khurd village in the district tomorrow. Grievances of the residents of the villages located on the eastern side of Mathura Road between Ballabgarh and Palwal towns in the district will be heard at the darbar. 

• CPM appeals for speedy aid

CRIME

Pickpockets’ gang busted in special drive
New Delhi, September 18
The North district police have arrested three members of ‘Gora Gang’ of pickpockets and recovered a button- actuated knife from one of the accused during its ongoing special drive to nab pickpockets operating in city buses.

• TSR snatchers held

Four killed, 20 hurt as truck rams van
Rewari, September 18
Four persons, including a girl child, were killed and at least 20 others injured, several of them seriously, when a speeding truck rammed a tempo on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway near Bawal, about 15 km from here, today. All the victims were passengers of the tempo.

• Youth falls into well, dies

Groups exchange fire in cars
Sonepat
Three persons sustained bullet injuries when two groups of persons travelling in separate cars exchanged fire near a school in the Model Town area here last night. An old enmity is stated to be the main cause of the clash.

BUSINESS

National award for Sonepat sugar mill
Sonepat, September 18
The Sonepat Cooperative Sugar Mill has bagged the Cane Development Award 2001-2002 and the first prize for development of sugarcane. Giving this information, Mr S. N. Roy, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the mill, told mediapersons here today that these awards were given every year by the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories in the fields of technical efficiency, financial management and cane development. 

Ice creams add zing to cash registers
New Delhi, September 18
Coffee homes, the erstwhile addas where the intelligentsia and the commoners found a meeting ground, are no longer the staid spaces with coffee, smoke and banter.

Phdcci roots for SEZs
New Delhi, September 18
Phdcci has urged the need for development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) with private sector participation within the state as this would provide a platform for integrating the state economy with the global market place.

EDUCATION

Conclave to harness soft skills among students

THE Association of International Education in Science, Economics and Commercials (AIESEC), the world’s largest student-run organisation boasting of a network of over 30,000 students from 800 universities, is organising a conference on ‘leadership development’ at Sterling Resorts in Puri, Orissa. The Oxford Brookes University students during the brunch.

Sunday brunch Indo-German venture Media training

Risk management A Kiwi fair

Irked by cuts, patients move NHRC
New Delhi, September 18
Irked by what they allege are “cuts in medical facilities”, patients have filed a complaint against a charitable hospital in Sarai Kale Khan with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

SPORTS

Top Indian juniors tee off at Jaypee Greens

Greater Noida, September 18 The first Jaypee Greens-sponsored junior and sub-junior open golf championship, an Indian Golf Union (IGU) categorised tournament, started under bright weather condition with as many as 59 participants turning up today for display of their talent at the Greg Norman designed Jaypee Greens golf resort at Greater Noida. Jaskirat Singh in action in the Junior Golf Tournament at Jaypee Greens in Noida.

Young enter quarter-final
New Delhi, September 18
An unbeaten half-century by Kshitiz Rohtagi (57, 8x4) helped Young Friends Club beat Pahari Dhiraj Gymkhana by nine wickets to enter the quarter-final of the second C L Gupta Memorial Cricket Tournament for the Prem Lata Trophy at the Mohan Meakins ground, Mohan Nagar.

• Himanshu, Esha lift TT titles

• Shankaracharya Sarvodaya win
  

Indian captain Baichung Bhutia goes for a sliding tackle against Uzbek midfielder Pirmatov Ottabek in the exhibition football match between India and Uzbekistan at the Ambedkar Stadium in the Capital on Wednesday. Uzbekistan won the match by a lone goal.  — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

Prizes galore in Super Selector
New Delhi, September 18
Film actor Manoj Bajpai along with Apple Singh is all set to play Super Selector with Navjot Sidhu in the first Live game show on ESPN Star Sports on Thursday at 7 pm. The all-new Super Selector show now comes with prizes on offer for all cricket fans playing and watching the show. A car, a motorbike and more exciting prizes are on offer.

Army beat Mira Model
New Delhi, September 18
Army Public School beat Mira Model School, Modern School (Vasant Vihar) beat Ramjas School (R K Puram) and Springdales School, Pusa Road beat DAV, Shershta Vihar, in the eighth Ramjas Inter-School Basketball Tournament, which began on Wednesday.

ADMINISTRATION

Committee vetting reforms needed for statehood
New Delhi, September 18
A team of bureaucrats is studying the administrative reforms that statehood for the Government of NCT of Delhi will demand. The committee constituted by the Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit comprises officials from the departments of Planning, Finance and Urban Development. Chief Secretary Shailja Chandra is heading the committee that will likely submit its report by the weekend.