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2 booked for entering unoccupied house Chandigarh, November 30 Two residents of Mohali, a woman and a man, armed with allegedly a forged will enter the unoccupied house this afternoon. The woman was also carrying a court order. The house is said to be locked since 1997. The two accused, Jiwan Jyoti and Mohinder Pal, both residents of Phase VII, Mohali, are now cooling their heels in Sector 19 Police Station. The two have been booked under Sections 420, 465, 468, 471, 452, 447 and 120B of the IPC. The house was originally owned by Dr D.R Grover. He died in a road accident in 1996, while his wife Usha Grover was murdered in the house and her skeleton was found buried in the house by the police in 2000. Dr Grover’s daughter, Ms Vandana, is settled in the USA, while the whereabouts of his son is not known. Mr Dalip Singh, warden of a hostel at DAV College, Sector 10, was appointed the caretaker of the house by Ms Vandana and it was on his complaint, Jiwan Jyoti and Mohinder Pal were arrested, said the police. Mr Dalip Singh received a telephone call that a man and a woman had entered the house by breaking the locks this afternoon. When he reached the place, he found Jyoti and Mohinder Pal in the house. When he confronted them to know how they gained entry into the house, the woman produced a will signed by Dr Grover. The “will” stated that Dr Grover treated Jyoti like his own daughter and drilled the house in her favour. The xerox copy of the will, however, did not bear the signature of Dr Grover. “She told me that Dr Grover had given the house to her in 1995, while she was staying in a house in Sector 20’’, said Mr Dalip Singh. Meanwhile, Mr Dalip Singh called the police. The woman reportedly produced a photo copy of a court order dated November 25, 2003 regarding status quo of the house. Jyoti had made Ms Vandana a party in her case. “As per the papers presented by Jyoti, the court had ordered a status quo. The house was under locks for the past many years. So as per the order, the house should remain locked, but Jyoti and Mohinder Pal entered the house by breaking the locks”, said a police official. The police was yet to verify whether the court order produced by Jyoti was real or forged. Mr Dalip Singh said the house had been locked since 1997. “It was opened when skeleton of Usha Grover was dug out”, said Mr Dalip Singh. He also informed that a theft had also taken place in the house and he had later replaced all the locks. According to the police, Ms Vandana had not visited India for the past many years and because of it being unoccupied there had been a few attempts of theft in the house. The police said Jyoti’s claim that she had stayed in House No. 630, Sector 20, was false. Jyoti, a divorcee, has three daughters and a son. Mohinder Pal used to drive a taxi owned by Jyoti. The two were living together in a house in Phase VII, Mohali.
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Kalam arrives today amid tension Mohali, November 30 Even as more than 1,000 police personnel have been put on duty for the President’s visit, special teams have been constituted to keep vigil on SAD leaders, who might try to use the President’s visit to gain attention by blocking traffic. While the Ropar SSP, Mr Surinder Pal Singh, who is also the investigating officer in the case against Mr Badal, confirmed that 28 persons had been rounded up, sources stated that a number of SAD leaders in the town and Kharar had gone underground. A part of the police force is busy with the security arrangements for the VVIP, while other personnel are trying to pick up SAD activists to foil their plan to descend on Ropar. According to sources, 10 companies of the police, including PAP men, have been requisitioned from other Punjab districts for the President’s inauguration of the Army Institute of Law in Sector 68. Twenty senior officers from different police units have also been ordered to join the security operation. The police carried out checking of houses, which fell on the route to be taken by the President. They enquired in particular whether any new person had begun living in the area recently. Asked about the possible traffic problems due to the President’s visit, Mr Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, Mohali SP, said efforts would be made to ensure that there were only minor diversions and traffic was not blocked for more than five or 10 minutes at a time. The aim would be to ensure that public was not put to inconvenience, he added. Meanwhile, the President’s visit has been advanced by two hours, according to a security force spokesman. He will be reaching at the law institute around 1.55 pm. The Deputy Commissioner, Ms Seema Jain, said on the phone from Ropar that additional police force had been requisitioned to tackle any untoward incident in the district tomorrow. Four Duty Magistrates from Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib and other neighbouring districts had been called in this connection. She said various preventive measures had been taken apart from the imposition of orders under Section 144, Cr PC. However, the SSP, contradicting the statement of the Deputy Commissioner, said no additional force had been called. He said full use was being made of the available police strength. The Ropar police continued its raids on the houses of SAD leaders and activists today. Mr Sukhvir Badal, told Chandigarh Tribune on the phone from an undisclosed place that 10,000 to 15,000 party workers had been rounded up in the state. He said the state government was frustrated. Police raids were also continuing relentlessly
SAD sources said in Mohali the police again raided the houses of Mr Kiran Bir Singh Kang, senior vice-president of the Youth Akali Dal, Mr Amrik Singh Mohali, senior vice-president of the Ropar district unit of the SAD, Mr Harsukhinder Singh Badal (Babbi Badal), Mr Arjan Singh Shergill and Mr Jodhbir Singh, president of the Mohali circle of the SAD. Mr Harsukhinder Singh Badal said on the phone that the police reached his home here around 6.30 am, but could not find him. He said the government was trying to round up SAD activists to show that the former Chief Minister was isolated in his own party. However, Mr Parkash Singh Badal’s supporters would join him in Ropar tomorrow. |
How her daughter escaped from cruel Surajpur (Panchkula),
November 30. Reena had been believed to have been murdered six years ago, till she was found living a life of obscurity in Barnala subdivision of Punjab last month. After she had gone missing in August 1997, the police had found a decomposed body in Madhana village of Morni since the body was of the same height and physical structure of Reena, the police assumed Reena to be dead. Her husband, Raj Singh, and his cousins- Nakli and Mahipal — were booked for Reena’s murder. It was in the first week of this month that Reena and her second husband, Jaipal, had visited her parental home here. It was then that she unravelled her saga of woes. Bimla Devi says that her daughter’s first husband, Raj Singh, had compelled her to initiate a physical relationship with his cousins after marriage. “When she refused, he would assault her. Even on the first day of her marriage, Raj’s cousin, Nakli had attempted to molest her, but she raised an alarm. Similar efforts were made several times.She was assaulted for showing resistance,” alleges the victim’s mother. She says that Reena also disclosed that the provocation for running away from her husband, and then living a life of anonymity, was her husband’s attempts to sell her off. “ She had earlier ran away from his husband’s house and come here. But we forced her to go
back after repeated assurances by Nakli and Raj. However, Raj took her to his native village of Gogwa in Muzaffarnagar and tried to sell her off. He had struck a deal with a trader there. But in the meantime, we asked Nakli to send Raj and Reena on the occasion of 'Teej' festival here. He then contacted Raj in the village and asked him to postpone the deal,” she added. It was while they were coming here by bus, they got down to change a bus at Dosadka. There she managed to give him a slip on August 8, 1997. After roaming about aimlessly for several days in Panchkula and Chandigarh, she met her second husband, Jaipal Singh. She told him that she was an orphan and had nowhere to go. Jaipal took her to his sister’s house and after a few days got married. Later, they shifted to Barnala.” “We have suffered so much because of Raj Singh and his cousins. In fact, Nakli and Mahipal had concealed the facts at the time of marriage, and had said that Raj was an adopted son, and had an equal share in their property. Though Raj is their first cousin, they had kept him for looking after their farms. They married him to my daughter, thinking that his wife would also “accommodate them in each and every way”. They have not only played with my daughter’s life, but also caused great anguish to the entire family. But God has been kind and Reena has now found a good husband, who loves and takes good care of her. My agony of not knowing if my daughter was dead or alive is over, I can now die in peace." Bimla Devi said. |
Admn forgets Major Vats’
sacrifice Panchkula, November 30 Mr V Shandilya, President of Anti-Terrorist Front of India, said it was shameful that everybody had forgotten the martyr so soon. Major Navneet Vats of the 4/3 Gorkha Rifles, was killed in a suicide attack in Srinagar on November 20. He was on deputation to 32 Rashtriya Rifles and was posted in Srinagar. He was involved in an Army operation of evacuating a building in Srinagar, where two militants had holed up for two days. When the sharp-shooters from the Army tried to enter the area, they came under heavy fire from the militants, in which Major Navneet Vats and four soldiers were wounded. The Major, later, succumbed to his injuries. Mr Shandilya said he would also meet the Defence Minister next week and request him to give a government job to Major Vats’ wife and name a road in Sector 4 after
the martyr. |
Police foils robbery bid, one held Chandigarh, November 30 The Police Control Room had received a call that armed persons had barged into the house of Mr Chander. The complainant asked the police for immediate help. According to police sources, three men, two of them carrying pistols, aimed the weapons at Mr Chander, who deals in currency exchange, and robbed him of $ 4,794 this afternoon. However, the police reached the scene of the crime well in time and arrested Roopinder Singh, who was carrying the money. Later the police seized six cartridges from him. Mr Chander reportedly told the police that his brother had earlier in the day informed him that three persons would be coming in the afternoon to exchange Indian currency with US dollars. The three robbers reportedly reached the house of Mr Chander at around 1 pm and asked him for $ 5,000. However, they left the house on the pretext of verifying the exchange rates of the dollar. At around 1.15 pm, the three again returned to Mr Chander’s house. Instead of discussing the deal, one of them aimed a pistol at Mr Chander and demanded all the cash in the house. Mr Chander
‘‘I told them that I have only dollars and gave these to them.” said Mr Chander, while talking to The Tribune. One of the robbers snatched a gold bracelet from Mr Chander and bangles from his wife. The loot was deposited in a bag and Roopinder was carrying it. After committing the loot, the three left the house. ‘‘I thought they had left, but suddenly I heard shouts from outside’’, said Mr Chander. Actually, a police party had arrived and a Home Guard jawan, Mr Harnek Singh, had caught hold of Roopinder. A crowd had also gathered at the place. It is learnt that while the drama was being enacted in the house, one of the children of the house, went upstairs and made a call to the police. Later in the evening, Roopinder, a Sector 40 resident, is learnt to have told the police that he owed Rs 1,700 to Tota and he took part in the robbery to clear the debt. He said he was called at the Banur bus stand by Tota where the plan for robbery was given to him. Later, Tota dropped him near Mr Chander’s house on a Hero Honda motor cycle. After sometime, Tota returned with the third robber who had not been identified till the reports last came in. |
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SHO shifted in stabbing case Panchkula, November 30 The woman was stabbed by Manjit Singh at her residence on November 24. The police had identified the assailant hours after the crime, but till date it has failed to arrest him. Though four relatives of
the accused — father Kundan Singh, uncle Alam Singh Negi and cousins Manbir Singh
and Parveen — were booked by the police on charges of harbouring the accused
yesterday, the accused has managed to evade arrest so far. All four relatives were later released on bail. Meanwhile, Mr Rajinder Singh, in charge of the Sector 7 police post has been transferred vice Mr Mahinder Singh. |
AIDS scene grimmer than figures convey Chandigarh, November 30 The most glaring example of this “false” picture is the state of Jammu and Kashmir, where, according to National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) data, only two AIDS cases have been reported till the end of October this year. “Worryingly, not enough is known about HIV spread in the vast populous interiors of Uttar Pradesh and other northern states, where current surveillance has failed to project the real picture,” says the latest AIDS Epidemic Update brought out by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. The fact that Jammu and Kashmir, with a population of over 1 crore, has a mere two cases, clearly points towards the poor surveillance and reporting. Even the health officials in the state are candid enough to admit that the number is definitely higher. The state has only three Voluntary Counselling and Confidential Training Centres, even though the Union Health Ministry has committed that every district in the country would have at least one such centre. What raises doubt about the gross underestimation is that while the figure for the neighbouring state of Rajasthan is 892, the figures for Haryana and Punjab are 313 and 248, respectively. Many patients from Rajasthan and other states seek treatment at the PGI because of stigma and ostracisation and at times due to denial of treatment. “We come across almost 40 to 50 new AIDS cases every month from the region and the fact that very few can afford to reach the PGI only confirms the doubt that the present data is giving a false picture,” says a PGI doctor. “We cannot be complacent and seek comfort in the fact that the northern states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh still figure in the list of low-prevalence states as the scenario is not as pleasing as it appears to be,” is how a senior PGI doctor feels. He says there is a need to focus on generating awareness among women, whose number is rapidly increasing. According to NACO’s own surveys, another area of concern is the low level of awareness among rural women, putting them at high risk. “The need for providing special care and treatment to children afflicted with the killer disease has still not been recognised,” feels Prof Gurdev Singh, Project Director,
SOSVA. |
Roadshow on
AIDS control Chandigarh, November 30 The three-hour show also entertained the crowds with a dance group and specially recorded audio jingles on AIDS awareness. Another interesting feature of the show was the signature campaign, where people were invited to sign their pledge to fight the deadly disease on the signature board. A team of volunteers also went around Sector 17 pinning up the AIDS red ribbons on the people symbolising solidarity to fight the disease. According to Anu Vala, one of the organisers of the roadshow held under the auspices of Big Bang, the event management outfit, ‘‘People must be educated about the preventive measures against AIDS. This show is not about entertainment, but about addressing a serious health issue.’’ The State AIDS Society (UT) invited the public to call their toll-free AIDS helpline, 1097, to ask any questions on the disease without hesitation. |
MC decision on
tenders may delay project Chandigarh, November 30 Sources in the corporation said floating global tenders was not an easy process and required expertise of a professional agency. The entire process could take a few months. In the last meeting of the general house of the corporation, the recommendations of the 11-member committee constituted by the Mayor were rejected by a majority. The committee had proposed the plasma technology advanced by M/s Terrasafe Technologies for setting up the treatment plant. |
Marriage parties see
heavy rush on Zirakpur road Zirakpur, November 30 There was chaos on the road and the vehicles remained stranded for a few hours on both sides of a narrow bridge connecting the highway. The movement of heavy vehicles was restricted on the Zirakpur-Panchkula road. Heavy vehicles heading towards Panchkula and Kalka from Patiala and Chandigarh were diverted to the Zirakpur-Chandigarh-Panchkula route or Zirakpur-Mubarikpur-Ramgarh while the light vehicles moved at a snail’s pace. The police had made arrangements to control the heavy volume of traffic on the road and had even put plastic road dividers on either ends of the bridge. The situation worsened when the cavalcade escorting Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, Deputy Chief Minister, Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Punjab Governor Justice O.P. Verma (retd) and many Congress leaders descended at the venue this afternoon. They had arrived at the marriage palace to attent the marriage party of the daughter of Mr Jasjit Singh Randhawa, Minister of State for Public Health. Similar was the situation outside the marriage palace where a reception party of the marriage of a grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh was organised on
Saturday night. |
READERS WRITE It gives me pleasure to inform you that I have been reading “The Tribune” for over 25 years. I have seen the times when “The Tribune” used to carry a comic script feature of James Bond and the sports mails. The simple black and white newspaper has switched on to coloured printing and photography, making it more attractive. I wish you to please start a jokes corner. AMAN JAIN, Ambala City Rly booking woes I want to highlight the problems of those wanting to travel by train. It is inconvenient for those living in the southern sectors to get reservations for trains at the only reservation centre at the ISBT since it is far. There should be another centre as Chandigarh has expanded. The rail reservation centre is situated on the first floor and causes inconvenience to senior citizens and the physically challenged. The place is poorly lit and has no provisions for ventilation. The counter is mostly unmanned. Also, there is no seating arrangement, making it difficult to fill forms for reservations. There is no facility for foreign tourists who find it difficult to find their way around and can hardly understand the English spoken by staff at the counter. The schedule of trains is outdated and there is no provision for drinking water. Lastly, the staff at the counters is rude and uncooperative. For a city that hopes to boost its tourism potential and also strives to provide better amenities to its residents, it makes a poor statement. REETIKA,
Admn blind to students’ needs The Administration has turned deaf to ‘students’ demand regarding the increase in college fees. I am a former president of the GCG-42 students council I am surprised to know that the Administration is not responding to the problem. Chandigarh is famous all over India for its academic standards. The hike in college fees will not make any difference in the Administration’s funds. The Administration should not generate funds at the cost of education. HARPREET KAUR,
Dignity of labour must be upheld The full blown visual coverage of shoe-shining students (Chandigarh Tribune, November 13, 2003) shows our lack of respect for dignity of labour. There may be a valid reason for students to protest against the policies of education adopted by the Punjab Government, UT Administration, and the Central Government. Education, including higher education, requires and deserves greater support from the state and society than the meagre funding it has received in the past five decades. Lack of adequate facilities for education has deprived a large number of children of school education. Such children are forced to adopt professions such as shoe shining for their livelihood. Shining shoes is far more respectful than being a corrupt bureaucrat of politician. I believe the students must empathise with the plight of the less fortunate. Dr I.M. JOSHI,
Garbage problem remains unsolved It is unfortunate to see that the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC) has washed its hands off the responsibility of collecting garbage and disposing it of. It has now passed the “assignment” to house owners. Being a social worker and residing in Chandigarh for the past four decades, I am interested in keeping the city clean and beautiful. In the beginning the administration followed the guidelines of planner Le Corbusier, and arranged for garbage to be picked up from the door steps and made efforts to arrange for sweeping of roads and public places. Under the new scheme, sanitation of roads and public places is not being given the priority they deserve. Garbage and debris can be seen lying near garbage dumping sites. The sites are neglected and are creating nuisance for residents. Garbage dumping sites in Sectors 18-A and 18-D are some examples. Safai karamcharis appointed by the MC are rarely seen at work. No one seems to be there to supervise their work. It is time for the authorities to review the scheme and revert to the old system of garbage collection. Bant Singh,
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Youth Cong submits
memorandum to DC Chandigarh, November 30 They urged the administration to allow schools in the residential areas as they catered to students hailing from the economically weaker section. |
Aggarwal retires Chandigarh, November 30 Mr Aggarwal was given a warm farewell yesterday by the staff that was attended, among others, by Mr H.K. Dua, Editor-in-Chief and Mr R.N. Gupta, General Manager.
— TNS |
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China beckons Indian
software companies Chandigarh, November 30 Speaking at a seminar on IT potential in China organised by the India-China Centre, Mr Chai said, a number of Fortune 500 companies had already invested in that country. He admitted that China was far behind India in the field of software and the Indian companies could work in tandem with their Chinese counterparts.The South Asian countries, which had a huge potential in software and other sectors, had just 2 per cent exports share, the newly formed China-India Software Association would strive to increase the regional software export share to 5 per cent of the total world exports, he added. Mr Choi said a delegation of Chinese software companies would participate in the Software 2004 exhibition, to be organised in February next year in New Delhi. Similarly, about 30 companies were expected to participate in the China Software Exhibition to be organised from April 5 to 7, 2004 at Chainju city. The Chinese companies were willing to invest in India in media, automobile and agriculture sectors. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Piyush Bahl, Executive Director and CEO, India China Alliance Centre, said there was an enormous potential for trade between India and China especially in the areas of automotive, bicycle components, textiles, foundry, information technology, agriculture, fashion, entertainment and cuisine. Mr S.C. Aggarwal, Principal Secretary, Department of Industries, Punjab appealed to the Chinese companies to invest in Punjab as the state government was now offering all sorts of facilities and incentives to the investors. Mr Vivek Attrey, Director, IT, Chandigarh, claimed that Chandigarh was also emerging as a major destination for software companies. At the Kishangarh Software park, he said, the DLF company was expected to start construction by next month. Earlier, Mr Choi called upon the Punjab Governor and Chandigarh administrator, Justice O.P. Verma (retd), and disccused the issues of education, culture and health. |
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Massive
response to bike festival Chandigarh, November 30 Results: Bike festival: Dharamraj Mauriya-DAVSSS-8 1, Priya Verma 2, Himanshu Tripathi-DAVSSS-8 3. Consolation prize: Parul Bhutani-Mount Carmel, Deepa Kumar-DAVSSS-8, Mainak Pal- Mount Carmel, Akul Tandon-DAVSSS-8 and Reema- GMSSS-10. Chandigarh creterium cycle races: Ajit Singh 1, Ajay Trehan 2, Himmat Singh 3. Decorate your bike contest: Rishita Katyal 1, Varun Gandhi 2, Jasmine Preet 3. Slow-cycling contest: (boys): Rahul 1, Rupinder 2, Kedar 3. Bike/Tire Toss: Gurmail Singh 1, Akram 2, Pawan Kumar 3. Wheelie Wheelie: Rahul 1, Aman Sharma 2, Dhruv 3. Backward Cycling: Sukhdev Singh 1, Saba Rohan 2, Nikhil 3. Largest team on a bike: Chandigarh Cycling Club team of seven riders on a bike. Let’s make a wheel treasure hunt: GMSSS-35 (Rahul and Rohan) 1, DAVSSS-8 (Mukul and Parminder) 2, KV-31 (Kapil and Pawan) 3. Tricycle race: DAVSSS-8 (Nikhil Sharma 1, Rohit 2, Sandeep Singh 3). |
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Workshop
on electrical equipments Chandigarh, November 30 About 100 professionals from the field of power utilities attended the seminar. Later, an exhibition of power equipments was held, in which among others M/s Ashida Electronics, M/s Schneider Electric Pvt Ltd and Toshniwal Industries displayed their products. |
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