TOP STORIES

First day sell-out at Metro
New Delhi, December 25
Delhi’s sold out on Metro! Wednesday morning all roads led to the six stations on the Tis Hazari-Shahdara corridor as uncles and aunts with kids in tow made a beeline for the ticket counters to catch a ride on the much-hyped Delhi Metro.

The scramble for the Metro train at Tis Hazari station in the Capital on Wednesday. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

HOW BRAZEN CAN BRAZEN CAN BE
Bid to hustle schoolgirl into car
Noida, December 25
Four youths in a Santro car allegedly harassed and teased a schoolgirl. As she repulsed their advances, they reportedly tried to molest and drag her into the car. One of the culprits has since been arrested. On a report by the principal of the school, police registered a case of eve-teasing against the four.

FARIDABAD
MLAs take up the cudgels for Sangwan
Faridabad, December 25
Two MLAs of Haryana have come out in support of the former IAS officer, Mr Jaipal Singh Sangwan, who has been booked in a corruption and fraud case by the vigilance department of the state.

Festival that sets cash registers jingling New Delhi, December 25 If the ever-popular Christmas carol, ‘Jingle bells,’ were to be rewritten, it would make more sense to go ‘jingling all the way to the cash registers’. While the spirit of the season remains, the occasion like all other festivals is just the right time to sell, from cakes to Christmas trees. With the ‘attractive’ gifts that are being offered, though very scrupulously for a price that the consumer fails to register, Santa might have to face some competition.

Teachers fail to get their salary 
Rohtak, December 25
Nearly 500 teaching and non-teaching employees of three institutions for higher education being run by the prestigious Jat Education Society here have not got their salaries for the last month. According to report, the staff of All India Jat Heroes Memorial College, Maharani Kishori Jat Kanya Mahavidyalaya and C.R. College of Education have not got their salaries for November to be paid in December so far.

A child Santa comes calling at the Gol Dakkhana church in the Capital on Wednesday. Tribune Photo.

200 Dalits switch over to Christianity
Meerut, December 25
More than 200 members belonging to 40 families converted to Christianity in the St Joseph Church here on December 25. All the converted persons belonged to the Dalit community. 

Suspended varsity HoD reinstated
Rohtak, December 25
The ailing Head of the Sanskrit Department of Maharshi Dayanand University, Prof Yajanvir Dahiya, who had been suspended by the Vice Chancellor, Maj Gen (Retd) Bhim Singh Suhag, on September 30 due to his ``unbecoming behaviour’’ as a university professor, has been reinstated. The orders to reinstate Dr Dahiya were issued after office hours on Tuesday when the Vice Chancellor learnt about the illness of the Professor who is admitted at the PGIMS here and is said to be critically ill.

COMMUNITY

SONEPAT
Fire incidents cause loss of Rs 9 crore in Sonepat
Sonepat, December 25
The incidents of fires had caused a loss of about Rs 9 crore in this city and elsewhere in the district during the first 11 months of the current year. According to report, as many as 280 cases of fires, small and big, have so far been reported though there was no loss of life. Short circuits in the electricity lines were the main causes of the fire.

SPECIAL FOCUS ON PANIPAT
Neem-coated urea, a boon for farmers 
Panipat, December 25
A new variety of urea (the Neem-coated urea) developed by the National Fertilisers Limited (NFL) and introduced during the Kharif season this year, is proving to be a boon for the farmers of Haryana and UP. The farmers of the two states have reported a growth in average production ranging from 12 per cent to 16 per cent.

THE ACHIEVERS
Theatre is first love of down-to-earth Anis Azmi
New Delhi, December 25
Azam Garh, a small district in Uttar Pradesh, has attained a unique distinction of producing a number of intellectuals and writers. Anis Azmi, the recipient of the Award 2002 for his contribution to Hindi and Urdu literature, also hails from there. A well-known personality in the world of theatres, Anis belongs to a highly educated family which moved to Delhi. Anis was then five years old only. A resident of Okhla, he is a down-to-earth person devoting most of his time to his first love, theatre.

Sewing machine company helps patch up lives

New Delhi, December 25 Poonam Devi was just another housewife in her colony till recently when her husband lost his job in a factory. Maintaining the family became an ordeal. A semi-literate migrant from Bihar, she was ill-equipped to take up any job that could bring home the bacon. Life seemed like an unending nightmare with a sulking jobless husband at home and a six-month-old child in her lap. Bringing home the bacon: Women at a sewing school in Patparganj.

Sikhs upset at acquittal of Sajjan Kumar
New Delhi, December 25
The president of Shiromani Gurdwara Sewadar Committee, S Tehal Singh Taneja, today strongly flayed the acquittal of senior Congress leader, Mr Sajjan Kumar and others in the 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases.

SONEPAT
One killed, 12 injured in road accidents
Sonepat, December 25
One person was killed and 12 others sustained injuries in different road accidents that occurred on the G T Road near here yesterday. According to a report, the victim was identified as Mr Nand Lal and he died when he was hit by an unknown vehicle while passing through the G T Road near Ganaur, about 20 km from here last night.

‘Dargah’ caretaker threatened 
Panipat, December 25
The controversy regarding the demolition of two ‘mazars’ near the Vir Bhavan Chowk allegedly by some anti-social elements, took a new turn today when three unidentified persons threatened to kill Babu Khan, the ‘khadim’ (Caretaker) of the ‘mazars’.

CRIME

Two held for theft, vehicle recovered
Rewari, December 25
Planned action by the Rewari Sadar police enabled it to apprehend two persons, Raghbir, son of Bhola Ram and Ashok Kumar, son of Sher Singh, both residents of Mandhia Khurd village of Rewari district.

5 held for abduction, sodomy
New Delhi, December 25
With the arrest of five persons, the Rajouri Garden police today claimed to have worked out an abduction-cum-sodomy case. The suspect was identified as Rajesh, his brother Praveen Kumar, brother-in-law, Manoj Kumar, Puran Chand and Ganesh Chaudhary.

Four killed in road accident
New Delhi: Four persons were killed and three injured, one of them seriously, when their vehicle hit an open body truck (Dumpar) from behind on Dasna-Najafgarh Road. One of the deceased was identified as Mahender (40) while others could not be identified.

BUSINESS

Forty years of excellence at NCB
Faridabad, December 25
The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB), an autonomous body under the Union government, celebrated its 40th anniversary here yesterday. Speaking on the occasion, the chief guest, Mr J N Kaul, brought to the fore the role of science and technology in the development and upliftment of the nation and society.

EDUCATION

CAMPUS
DUTA in high dudgeon over Reader’s killing

The brazen killing of a reader of Botany, M. N. Singh, in Delhi University’s Shradhanand College, has evoked shock and anger in the academic fraternity. Ashok Malik, a former student, who had been caught cheating in an examination by Mr Singh, carried out his vendetta on the college premises raising concern about the safety of the teachers. Irate teachers are now pointing out that such incidents are not just threatening, but also demoralising, especially for those who believe in carrying out their duties without any fear or favour. Ashok Malik: Seems unabashed by the cold-blooded murder. Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

DU students move ST/SC Commission Students’  conference Training for  business results

MIM offers a  new degree PAF’s project  for Vietnam

CULTURE

Winter carnival gets under way in Meerut
Meerut, December 25
Four day long winter carnival, organised by the cantonment board in association with the Army Wives welfare Association, began here at the Gandhi Park. The AWWA and some local media organisation are actively involved in the carnival. The funds collected from the carnival would go to the AWWA fund. The theme is “Mera Meerut Meri Shan, Ek Salam Fauj Ke Naam”.

HEALTH

Blood helpline launched by BJP
New Delhi, December 25
The Delhi state BJP launched Blood helpline on Wednesday to mark the 79th birthday of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. Inaugurating the Helpline at the party’s office, the BJP president, Mr Venkaiah Naidu, said henceforth, Mr Vajpayee’s birthday would be observed as “Sewa Aur Vikas Parv” (Day of service and development).

121 students donate blood
Sonepat, December 25
As many as 121 students, both boys and girls, donated blood at a blood donation camp organised jointly by the District Red Cross Society and the Lions Club on the premises of the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) here yesterday.

Escorts Heart Institute holds health camp 
New Delhi, December 25
A team of doctors and technicians of the Cardiology Department in the Escorts Heart Institute have organized a health camp today on the premises of National Book Trust, to provide free health and heart check-up services to the employees of the trust.

SPORTS

N D Heroes scrape past Stars
New Delhi, December 25
New Delhi Heroes scraped past Buddisht Blue Stars 1-0 in a Group A Preliminary League match of the Delhi Soccer Association (DSA)-SAIL Open Clubs Senior Division Football League Championship at the Jawaharlal Nehru East ground on Wednesday.

Delhi Colts down Paragon in DDCA League
New Delhi, December 25
Delhi Colts defeated Paragon Club by 37 runs in a DDCA A-II Division League match at the Kotla II ground. Scores: Delhi Colts: 303 for 6 in 40 overs(Anirudha Tripathi 188, 14x4, 12x6; Raj Kumar 45, Devender Singh 2 for 42).

Palash Joshi bowls Clintus to victory
New Delhi, December 25
A devastating 5 for 19 medium pace spell by ten-year-old Palash Joshi steered Clintus Packers and Movers to a comfortable eight-wicket victory against KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in the Clintus Cup cricket match at the Teri Oval.

Hudco beat Royal

Sunit hits ton

Sunil elected secretary for the veterans New Delhi, December 25 Delhi and District Cricket Association club secretary Sunil Khanna has been elected secretary of the Veterans Cricket Association of Delhi at the Annual General Meeting held at 9, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi.

Delhi defeat Punjab & Haryana
New Delhi, December 25
A brilliant all-round performance by Rakesh Chahar (3 for 32 and 33 n o, 3x4) helped Delhi beat Punjab and Haryana by five wickets in a league match of the sixth All-India High Court Lawyers’ Cricket Tournament at the Roshanara Club ground. Chief justice of the Delhi High Court Mr Justice Devendera Gupta inaugurated the tournament.

Delhi rout Orissa in Mankad tourney 
New Delhi, December 25
A deadly spell of 3 for 5 by Ashutosh Sharma and an all-round performance by Shrey Chaudhary (2 for 20 and 26) helped defending champions Delhi trounce Orissa by eight wickets in a league match of the 48th National School Games Vinoo Mankad Cricket Tournament at the Bharat Nagar ground.

ADMINISTRATION

HC orders publicity for CGHS pact 
New Delhi, December 25
Taking note of the fact that most of the CGHS card holders continue to remain unaware of the pact between the Centre and private hospitals, the Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to give due publicity to the scheme.