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Murdered woman was a call girl

Driver held; suspect’s sketch to be released today Chandigarh, December 11 The woman murdered last evening in the top government-run Hotel Shivalikview has been identified as Ravinder Kaur (30), alias Muskan, a known name in the call girl circle of the city. Police investigation today got a boost when it arrested an auto rickshaw driver who dropped Muskan at the hotel along with a person who is now the prime suspect.

A file photo of Muskan

PU to offer M. Phil degree only in subjects with over 10 students
Chandigarh, December 11
The Panjab University Syndicate today decided to offer an M Phil degree only in subjects which had more than 10 students opting for it, at a meeting held on the campus. However, there was no unanimity on phasing out the M Phil degree.

Bay site auctioned for Rs 4.01 cr
Chandigarh, December 11
A day after the prices of residential plots created history in the real estate market of the city, the prices of commercial property did not see a similar hike as the prices were steady and almost on a par with those of last year.

Yellow card must for free treatment at PGI
Attested income certificates won’t do
Chandigarh, December 11
Teething problems engulf the newly introduced system of making yellow card (indicating the below poverty line status) mandatory at the PGI as eligibility criteria for getting free treatment, with many patients harbouring the idea that the attested income certificate would be an accepted proof.

Zirakpur bypass may ease traffic
Dera Bassi, December 11
The revival of the old Kalka-Ambala highway as the Zirakpur “bypass” may avoid the nightmare of thousands of commuters following the closure of the Ghaggar bridge on the Kalka-Ambala highway recently. Shown as 220 feet in the Punjab revenue records, the old highway joins the Chandigarh-Ambala road at Mubarakpur, near the railway flyover here, but lies virtually abandoned.

Sahgal challenges original tapes’ authenticity
Chandigarh, December 11
Colonel Anil Sahgal, who is facing trial by court martial in the Tehelka case today challenged the authenticity of the "original" video tapes produced before the court by the secretary of the erstwhile Phukan Commission of Inquiry, terming them to be recordings and edited versions instead.

Common man getting disillusioned with judiciary, says SC Judge
Chandigarh, December 11
A Supreme Court Judge, Mr Justice Ashok Bhan, today remarked that the common man, for whom the judicial system was put in place, is getting disillusioned by it. "For him, judiciary stands for delays, which are inexplicable to him, and expenses are such he cannot bear. No institution can take for granted the respect of the community," he quoted.

COMMUNITY

Rodrigues favours institute for seafarers
Mohali, December 11
The Punjab Governor and Administrator of Chandigarh, Gen S.F. Rodrigues (retd), today called for the setting up of an institute in the region for training seafarers.

Gita Jayanti celebrations end today
Chandigarh, December 11
As a part of the Gita Jayanti celebrations, the local chapter of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) organised a three-day, “Preaching and sankirtan programme” at Shiv Mandir, Sector 45.

Weekend rush at Chrysanthemum Show

Chandigarh, December 11 The three-day Chrysanthemum Show at the Terraced Garden, Sector 33, attracted a large number of visitors today. The weekend rush at the garden saw families and youngsters reach the garden early in the day and the public continued to pour in till the evening. Visitors at the Chrysanthemum Show displayed at Terraced Garden in Sector 33, Chandigarh, on Saturday. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Air Marshal cautions against complacency
Chandigarh, December 11
World air powers, including the United States, France, South Africa and Singapore, with whom the IAF has held joint exercises recently, have been immensely impressed by its performance in operational and maintenance fields.

Chandigarh Club general body meeting in Jan
Chandigarh, December 11
The new executive committee of the Chandigarh Club, led by Mr Mukesh Bassi, said today that the club will hold general body meeting in January.

Controversy over body left at hospital
Mohali, December 11
A controversy has arisen over whether a person left on a stretcher by the police at the local Civil Hospital last evening was alive or dead and the circumstances that led to his death. The police personnel left the hospital allegedly without informing any doctor on duty.

Man assaulted with axe, lathis
Panchkula, December 11
A resident of Hangoli village was allegedly assaulted by four persons in the village fields today. He had gone to the fields for some work, when he was waylaid by the accused, who charged at him with an axe and lathis. His family later found him in the fields and rushed him to the General Hospital.

Police, community interface today
Mohali, December 11
A two-day national consultation on police and community interface is being organised by the Institute for Development and Communication (IDC) in Chandigarh from tomorrow. The workshop is being organised in association with the IPS Association, Punjab, and is supported by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), New Delhi.

Association observes Human Rights Day
Mohali, December 11
The Human Rights Day was observed by the Leprosy Welfare Mission, Chandigarh, at Mohali on Wednesday. Leprosy patients and disabled persons from different parts of the region took part in the function.

Want your licence?
Chandigarh, December 11
The District Courts authorities seem to have devised a novel way to increase the number of cases to be decided at the Lok Adalat to be held here on December 18.

Dalit writers to be honoured today
Chandigarh, December 11
Dalit writers will be honoured by Dr Ambedkar International Mission at Dr Ambedkar Bhavan here tomorrow.

CRIME

Motor cycle, car stolen
Chandigarh, December 11
A car and a motor cycle were reportedly stolen from the city, the police said here today.

Superintendent caught accepting bribe
Chandigarh, December 11
The UT Vigilance Department today caught a superintendent in the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (South) red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000.

Cheating case filed against property dealer
Mohali, December 11
The police has registered a case against a property dealer on charges of cheating and criminal conspiracy.

Five teenagers nabbed after wild chase
Panchkula, December 11
It was after a wild chase for over 30 minutes that the police managed to nab five teenagers out on a joyride. The revellers had broken two police barricades and had the cops from Ramgarh and Police Control Room vehicles after them, before they were finally nabbed.

Couple detect fraud in ATM accounts
Panchkula, December 11
A local businessman has been duped of Rs 30,000, which was withdrawn from his and his wife's ATM account, even though he claims that they had the ATM cards in their possession. The incident took place on December 4, when Rs 10,000 was reportedly withdrawn from the ATM account of Mr Pawan K. Katia in HDFC Bank, Sector 7, Panchkula.

BUSINESS

Wheat Gluten launched
Chandigarh, December 11
Rai Agro Industries Limited today launched textured vital wheat gluten which is a substitute for meat products. Addressing a conference here today, representatives of the company gluten was a pure vegetarian substitute for meat and was made of nutrients that tasted like non-vegetarian products. Also it was cholesterol free.

EDUCATION

PU to condone up to 50 lectures

Chandigarh, December 11 The Panjab University Syndicate today decided to condone not more than 50 lectures of students of the Department of Statistics, Law and Sociology. The Syndicate also recommended amendment to a rule which counts lectures from the beginning of the academic session and not from the day the student is given admission. Students of the Law Department seeking condonation of lectures protest outside the venue of the Syndicate meeting at Panjab University in Chandigarh on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

Appointments, affiliations to figure on Senate agenda
Chandigarh, December 11
Approval to appointments, recommendations of the Board of Finance and affiliations to colleges will dominate the meeting of the Panjab University Senate slated for December 19.

Students of Ajit Karam Singh International Public School, Sector 41, Chandigarh, perform at their annual function on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

Lift ban on student bodies poll: BJYM
Panchkula, December 11
The state incharge of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), Mr Jaiveer Godara, today demanded that the state government lift the ban on holding elections to student bodies in colleges and universities of Haryana.

Students present thematic show
Chandigarh, December 11
A thematic show, “The Sands of Time”, was organised by students of Ajit Karam Singh International Public School, Sector 41, here today. The students presented the dysfunctional relationship with parents and the inability of the older generation to understand the needs of teenagers.

Classes X, XII exams start from March 1
Chandigarh, December 11
At least 1,50,000 students from Chandigarh region will appear for Classes X and XII board examinations at 308 examination centres, beginning March 1 next year. There is an increase of around 10,000 candidates as compared to this year's number of candidates who appeared in the board examination.

Programme schedule upsets teachers
Chandigarh, December 11
Teachers of government schools in Chandigarh have complained about the schedule of an in-service training programme being run by the Chandigarh Education Department. The programme began in phases from December 1 and will continue till December 24.

JB Modern School holds annual day Chandigarh, December 11 Students of JB Modern School, Sector 27, here celebrated its annual day by organising a cultural show. The function was presided over by M.D.S. Mangat, DPI (School). Students of JB Modern Public School, Sector 27, Chandigarh, wait for their turn during a cultural programme organised on the school campus on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

COURTS

Dist Bar Assn calls for indefinite strike
Panchkula, December 11
The District Bar Association has decided to go on an indefinite strike from Monday, following the alleged inability of the local police to take action against the Chairman of the Haryana Staff Selection Commission, Mr Amir Chand Chawla, who is accused of assaulting, intimidating and trying to kidnap a lawyer yesterday.

Judicial remand for Brigadier
Chandigarh, December 11
The Judicial Magistrate First Class(JMIC),Mr Jaswinder Singh, today remanded Brig MP Singh(Retd) and his son Harkirat, booked by the police on dowry charges, to judicial custody.

Case of minor’s marriage adjourned
Chandigarh, December 11
The Chief Judicial Magistrate(CJM), Ms Neerja Kulwant Kalson, today changed the inquiry officer in a case of alleged marriage of a Sector 25 minor girl, Bimla, to Sushil Kumar.

CULTURE

Burst of youthful spirit
ARINDAM CHAUDHARY’S “Rok Sako To Rok Lo” has a youthful spirit. Posing a challenge to sleazy “Musafir”, the management guru-turned-author-turned-director has tried to tackle the youth with his insight. It has no storyline but has been packaged well to draw the youth.

LIFESTYLE

Bobby Cash performs at St Xavier’s School
Bobby Cash, a pioneer of country music in India, has one mission to make Hindi pop music popular in the western world. He was in the city to perform at St Xavier’s Senior Secondary School, Sector 44, Chandigarh, on Saturday.

Strong will must to make it big, says Hussain Hussain , host of game show “Khul Ja Sim Sim” captivated the crowds in Chandigarh today. He was here to promote the game show and oversee auditions being conducted in the city by the team. Hussain interacted with participants at Rock Garden, Ebony, Fun Republic and DAV College. TV actor Hussain interacts with fans at Rock Garden in Chandigarh on Saturday. — Tribune photo Manoj Mahajan

An actor should be selfish: Anupam Kher

AN actor must be an individual, straight and selfish to accomplish his goal. An optimistic attitude towards life is imperative to sustain and secure success in the struggle for stardom which you fight alone,” film star Anupam Kher, an alumnus of the Department of Indian Theatre, Panjab University, Chandigarh. Film star Anupam Kher interacts with students of the Indian Theatre Department, Panjab University, Chandigarh, on Saturday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Punjabi album released
‘Mein Deputy Di Saali’, a Punjabi audio and video cassette was released at the Punjab Kala Bhavan in Chandigarh on Saturday. Produced by RDX Company, the cassette has eight Punjabi songs by Baljit Kaur Mohali.

SPORTS

Stepping Stones School celebrates sports day

Chandigarh, December 11 The annual sports day of Stepping Stones School, Sector 38, here was held today at the Sports Complex, Sector 7, where students from pre-nursery to Class X took part. The drills, dances, gymnastics and aerobics were the main attractions. Gagandeep Kaur was declared the best athlete of the year. Children of Stepping Stones School, Sector 38, Chandigarh, take part in athletics events during the annual sports day of the school held on Saturday. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Youths make a beeline for speedster show

Chandigarh, December 11 It was a carnival-like atmosphere at the lawns of DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, here when more than 1,000 youths above the age of 16 years assembled to take part in the ESPN Scorpio Speedster show. The hunt will continue tomorrow also. The unprecedented rush of youths for the nationwide fastest bowler contest held at DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, Chandigarh, on Saturday. — Tribune photograph

Yoga federation office-bearers
Chandigarh, December 11
K.C. Sharma and Ashok Kumar Aggarwal were re-elected president and secretary-general, respectively, of the Yoga Federation of India at the general meeting held recently in Chennai.