TOP STORIES

AHULANA  KNOT UNTIED
Haryana orders reopening of mill
Sonepat, December 22
The Haryana Government has ordered the reopening of Ch Devi Lal Sugar Mills in Ahulana village with immediate effect.

Ghaziabad Court murder: Teenager not sorry for killing gangster
Ghaziabad, December 22
Sixteen-year-old Sonu Tomar, who had shot dead a dreaded history-sheeter Lokesh Pandit in broad daylight just outside Ghaziabad Court complex yesterday, has no regrets in killing the gangster.

Alleged killer of DU Reader held

New Delhi, December 22 With the arrest of Ashok Singh Malik (23), a former student of Swami Shardhanand College, the police today claimed to have solved the sensational daylight murder of a Reader of the Department of Botany on the college premises on December 20.

Ashok Singh Malik, accused in the murder of Reader M. N. Singh, being produced in Tis Hazari courts in the Capital on Sunday. Tribune Photo

The beat of the nation: The CRPF Band performs on the India Gate lawn here today as part of various programmes of 63rd CRPF Day celebrations. 38 Brass Band and 36 Pipe Band played under the command of their band masters. While the Brass Band was led by Inspector Raj Kumar, the Pipe Band was led by Head Constable Parasu Ram. The combined bands played the tunes of popular Hindi and English songs. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

HC notice to Apollo on CGHS scheme
New Delhi, December 22
The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to Apollo Hospital here for allegedly seeking advance payment from the patients coming to it for treatment under the Central Government Health Services (CGHS) scheme, now extended to various private hospitals.

SURAJKUND FEST BEGINS
Permanent fair site to beat Pragati Maidan
Faridabad, December 22
The Haryana Government proposes to develop an industry and business fair site of international standard on a permanent basis at Surajkund. It would beat even Pragati Maidan as the best trade fair site. This was stated by the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, while inaugurating the ‘Trade Fest-2002’ at Surajkund here yesterday evening.

Blind Assn march turns violent, 16 cops hurt 
New Delhi: Over 16 policemen were injured by a mob of activists of the Blind Association and the Indian Student’s Association who tried to march to Khalsa College on Mall Road in North district demanding one per cent reservation in Class 3 and 4 posts in Delhi University.

MEERUT
Rs 4.6 lakh snatched from petrol pump owner
Meerut, December 22
Four armed men snatched Rs 4.60 lakh from a petrol pump owner here and fled in a white Maruti car after firing in the air. According to the Superintendent of Police (City), Mr D. K. Chaudhary, the owner of Dayal Brothers Petrol Pump, Mr Ashok Saxena, and his manager, Mr Ravindra Sharma, were going to deposit Rs 4.60 lakh in the Oriental Bank of Commerce at 11.15 am.

COMMUNITY

Vajpayee govt exposed in petrol pump allotment: CPM
Rohtak, December 22
The CPM, Haryana, has said that the decision of the Supreme Court on the controversial allotments of petrol pumps has further exposed the scandal-tainted Vajpayee government and has put the Prime Minister in the dock.

NOIDA
No security for senior citizens in Sector 41
Noida, December 22
Unhappy are those senior citizens and government pensioners who have made Sector 41, Noida their home. The sector is quite vulnerable in terms of security. As most of the house/flat owners are senior citizens and government pensioners, the need of security is all the more great here.

SPECIAL FOCUS ON SONEPAT
Smart approach to encroachment by residents
Sonepat, December 22
Encroachment of public land seems to be the order of the day here, thanks to the failure of the authorities to check it effectively. According to a report, there is a large-scale encroachments of public land by the residents of the city, particularly in Model Town, Eight Marla Colony, Indira Colony, Sectors 14 and 15 and some other posh colonies.

Mrs Chautala, grandchildren attend Trade Fest 
Faridabad, December 22
The wife of the Haryana Chief Minister, Mrs Snehlata Chautala, attended the inauguration ceremony of the Trade Fest. She visited some of the stalls along with her grandchildren in a special battery operated jeep. The SDM of Ballabgarh, Ms Anju Chaudhary, escorted Mrs Chautala during her visit to the Trade Fest.

Police Medal for Gallantry to five Delhi cops 
New Delhi, December 22
The President of India has awarded the Police Medal for Gallantry to four officers and a Head Constable of the Delhi Police. They are Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajbir Singh, Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma and Head Constable Anil Tyagi, now ASI, all with the Special Cell, Sub Inspector Vinod Kumar Yadav (posthumously) and Head Constable Balram, the police said.

Rally demands CBI probe into scribe’s death
Jhajjar, December 22
Local journalists took out a procession in the town yesterday demanding a CBI inquiry into the murder of Mr Ram Chander Chhatrapati, editor of Sirsa-based ‘Poora Sach’, allegedly by the followers of Dera Sacha Sauda.

Achievers honoured at national seminar 
New Delhi, December 22
The Indian Economic Development and Research Association (IEDRA) and International Integration and Growth Society (IIGS) jointly organised a national seminar on ‘Individual Achievement and National Development’ at India Habitat Centre.

CRIME

Noida police claim success in arresting crime
Noida, December 22
The Noida police claimed a decline of 21 per cent in crime rate in the district than last year’s figures. SSP Rajeev Kishan said that there was a perceptible improvement in the crime scenario and crimes -- murders, dacoities, road hold-ups and looting -- have come down considerably in Gautam Budh Nagar.

Four of family commit suicide
Faridabad, December 22
A government schoolteacher committed suicide along with with his wife and two childern by jumping before a speeding train near Alawalpur village of Palwal subdivision yesterday.

• Murder witness shot 

SHOWCASE
This ‘Studio’ enables efficient water utilisation 
Hindustan Sanitaryware and Industries has launched ‘Studio’, an innovative European water closet with duel flush system, which enables efficient utilisation of water. The cistern has two push buttons– one can press the large button for a total flush of six liters and the small button for a partial flush of three liters.

EDUCATION

SCHOOL BUZZ
These riders win hands down

Bhatnagar International School, Vasant Kunj, organised its annual horse show. The Lt-Governor of Delhi, Mr Vijai Kapoor, attended the show. The riders from ages four to 16 displayed determination and unwavering competence. From plain racing to aerobics on horsebacks, the performance left the audience thrilled and exhilarated. HOLD YOUR HORSES: Little equestrians in action.

An open window to the parents Seminar on self-defence Free medical camp

Scholar badge ceremony For special  children Conclave for teachers

PRINCIPALSPEAK Integrity alone can combat conflict and corruption As the year draws to a close, a quick flash back at the events makes us shudder. It has been a time when terrorists played death-games with hostages, troops were mobilised, human lives went up in flames, banks trembled, scams shook the nation, corruption gripped it and governments appeared paralysed. Value systems were seen to splinter and crash, and the lifeboats of family, religious institutions and state were hurtled about.

MDU to get grants
Rohtak, December 22
The Physics and Bio-sciences Department of Maharishi Dayanand University will receive grants from the Ministry of Science & Technology. The grants would be provided under the ‘Fund for Improvement of Science and Technology Infrastructure in Universities and Higher Educational Institutions (FIST)’ scheme.

COURTS

Worm in a beer bottle, man gets Rs 2,000 
New Delhi, December 22
How much do you claim for agony on finding a dead worm in your bottle of beer? A consumer moved court seeking a compensation of Rs 2,00,000 on account of distress, which he claimed was caused by finding a worm in the bottle of beer.

SPORTS

Air-India academy — a boon for Indian hockey

New Delhi, December 22 Indian hockey would have been in dire straight had not Air-India stepped forward to set up the National Hockey Academy, in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India (SAI), at the Maj Dhyan Chand National Hockey Stadium in Delhi. Mr Michael Mascarenhas, former managing director of Air-India, honouring Indian goalkeeper Devesh Chauhan, a product of the SAI-Air-India National Hockey Academy.

Nivia outwit Frontiers
New Delhi, December 22
Former league champions Nivia Mughals Sports Club scored a 2-0 fluent victory over Frontiers Club to collect three full points in group-A preliminary league match of the Delhi Soccer Association (DSA)-SAIL Annual Open Clubs Senior Division Football League Championship being played at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here today.