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Lawyer killed by client
Ludhiana, May 10 It seemed that the deceased had been tortured since both his hands had been broken and his body bore bruise marks. It is also likely that acid had been forced down his throat. The body was so battered that it had to be referred to Patiala for a post mortem examination. Rakesh Kumar (30), who practised at the local courts, was allegedly done to death by Prithivi Raj Rana and his accomplices at Guru Arjun Dev Nagar, Gali No. 8. Rana suspected that the lawyer had illicit relations with his sister who had retained the services of the deceased for securing the bail of her brother in a bank dacoity case some months ago. Sources said the lawyer left his home on Sunday saying that he was going to the residence of his client Prithvi Raj Rana for collecting remaining fee in the case but he never returned home. When he did not come back till late at night, his family members enquired about him and ultimately informed the police. Rana was earlier booked by the Sarabha Nagar Police in an unsuccessful bank robbery bid. This lawyer had represented him in the court for securing a bail. Today, a brother of the lawyer, Mr Pawan Kumar, went to the house of client of his brother. The house was empty and a pungent smell emnated from a room. Sensing the worst, he informed the police. The police swung into action and reached at the spot. When they entered the room, the body of deceased lawyer was found there. Following investigations, the Division No 7 police station booked Prithvi Raj Rana, his sister Taniya and mother Kirpal Kaur alias Lovely, under Section 302 and 34 of the IPC, on the complaint of Pawan Kumar, brother of deceased. Police sources said Rana suspected that the lawyer was having illicit relations with his sister and used to frequent his home in his absence. That’s why Rana, along with others, murdered his brother mercilessly. Till the filing of report, the family members had not
received the body after conducting the post-mortem examination at Civil Hospital, Ludhiana. The police claims to have raided several suspected hideouts of the accused but with no success. |
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Jhuggi dwellers hold city
residents to ransom
Ludhiana, May 10 Functionaries of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar Action Committee have claimed that the issue of removing jhuggis all around the colony
and clearing other encroachments had repeatedly been taken up with the LIT authorities, including former Chairman Ashok Singh Garcha and Wg Cdr Paramjit Singh Sibia, who had succeeded him, without any action till now. Mr Pran Bhatia, chairman of the action committee said that Mr Sibia, along with other officials of the trust, had visited the affected areas in January this year and given an assurance that unlawful settlers would be removed within one month. “Now the authorities have changed their stand and rather than taking steps
to remove the illegal jhuggis from the colonies, they are saying that PUDA authorities have been approached to construct one room sets
so that jhuggi dwellers can be shifted to the proposed dwellings with ownership rights.” The residents of the affected colony further lamented that the squatters had not only made their life miserable by creating insanitary conditions in the entire area, but their continued presence would prove to be a blot on the Rs 300 crore prestigious ‘city centre’ project, proposed to be constructed by the LIT at this site. Mr Bhatia termed it most unfortunate that even though being
fully aware of the situation, the trust officials were being oblivious to the genuine problem of bonafide residents of the colony. He said the district administration had also agreed in principle to provide adequate police assistance to the LIT to carry out the task of removing encroachments and clearing jhuggis from the colony. “What is needed now is the will and determination on the part of the trust authorities.” The action committee chairman made it clear that in the event of the LIT authorities continuing their indifferent and apathetic approach, the residents would be left with no other alternative than to resume their agitation to seek justice which might include holding protest demonstrations, sitting on dharna and even gherao of the trust officials responsible for law enforcement. The executive officer of the LIT Mr D.C. Garg, when contacted, told the Ludhiana Tribune that the issue of providing police support to the trust in its proposed drive against encroachments in many city localities was, for the time being, stuck due to administrative and procedural wrangles. “As and when adequate police force is made available
to us, we shall move to clear encroachments," he added.
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Minor girl untraced
Ludhiana, May 10 Usha Rani has an entirely different story to tell. She disclosed that on the night of April 24, her land lady, Sukhwinder Kaur, told her that her daughter Shivani, was on the terrace and she had noticed her (Shivani) stealing something. According to Usha Rani, the land lady admitted having hit Shivani with a stick which broke into pieces. Usha Rani apprehends that her daughter might have been fatally injured by the landlady She said, for the last two weeks, there was no trace of her missing daughter. She fears that she might have been killed and her body disposed off clandestinely. With tears rolling down her cheeks, she said being a single parent, it was very difficult to bring two daughters. “I am separated from my husband. Shivani was my elder daughter. She was an introvert and studied in seventh standard in New Senior Secondary School, Civil Lines. On April 24, I was sleeping on terrace with both my daughters. Around midnight, my younger daughter felt uncomfortable and I took her to the room downstairs. But I did not disturb Shivani, who was sleeping peacefully on the terrace. If the landlady had any problem, she could have straightway come to me, instead she went to call another girl, who stayed a few houses away from ours”, said Usha Rani. The mother further complained that land lady was threatening her, telling her to leave the room. Meanwhile, Mr Simrat Pal Singh Dhindsa, DSP City II, when contacted said that there was no clue of the missing girl. He said the police had contacted all those who had association with the family but nothing could be found. Her photograph and details were flashed to various police stations and they were hopeful of tracing the girl, added Mr Dhindsa. |
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DC orders probe into forged letter
Amloh, May 10 As per version of Mr Sukhdeep Singh, Komboj, Executive Officer (EO), Amloh, the letter number LFA/FGS/2005, 686 dated March 11, 2005, was received through a messenger from the DC office which was entered in the receipt register of the council. Mr. Sandeep Hans, SDM, Amloh, after preliminary enquiry found it forged one and sent the report to the DC, Fatehgarh Sahib. Sources said the Director, Local Government Punjab, has also sought a report of this matter from the Executive Officer. When contacted, the EO alleged the hand of a councillor in the episode. He said the purpose was to defame him because he had objected to the alleged illegal demands and interference in office work by the councillor. He said that he would file a suit in the court and claim damages amounting to Rs 10 lakh from the councillor. Mr Komboj has also written letters to the Director local government and other high ups “on the basis of documentary evidence” seeking the expulsion of the councillor if found guilty. The Council Chief, Mr Baldev Singh Aulakh said that the matter was being investigated.
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Disability fails to dampen their spirits
Ludhiana, May 10 The inmates of Vocational Rehabilitation Centre, Kichlu Nagar, Deaf and Dumb School, Tagore Nagar and other schools for disabled get themselves busy during summer. They are given training in tailoring, stitching, embroidery, craft-making, candle making etc by their teachers. Ms Johnson, Deputy Director Vocational Rehabilitation Centre said more than 225 students were on the rolls of the centre. And majority of them are visually impaired. Ms Johnson said, “ We want all of them to be self employed and teachers teach them a lot many things. The students can make beautiful candles, office files, coasters, envelopes, kitchen and floor dusters, hospital sheets, drawer sheets, towels etc. The centre organises exhibitions of their art at places like ladies clubs and schools and they get a very good response,” said Ms Johnson. Not only this, with the help villagers, the centre has initiated many training projects in the villages like Rampur (Doraha), Chaminda, Bhanohar and Rakba. Training is given to these children by the trained teachers of the rehabilitation centre. “Many of them are financially independent”, claimed Ms Johnson. Ms Suvarsha Kalra, honorary general secretary, Ludhiana Educational Society, said the Deaf and Dumb School, Tagore Nagar, had 200 students out of which about 70 were hostellers. Their activities are almost like normal human beings. They learn computers, home science, craft, painting, tailoring, cutting, stitching and embroidery. “It is not that formal summer schools are organised for them. They are given training throughout the year and their grasping power is excellent. We try to collect the products made by them and exhibit them during festival days,” said Ms Kalra. Similarly schools like Aashirwad, Ek Prayas and Nirdosh train their students to make them financially independent, according to their disability. These children also make beautiful cards which are sold easily .
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2,100 booths set up for pulse polio drive
Ludhiana, May 10 The District Vaccination Officer, Dr Kuldip Kaur Sahni, said for the coverage of nearly 5.26 lakh eligible children in the district under the national programme for polio eradication, the health department had set up 2,100 booths in urban and rural areas. In addition, 50 mobile teams had been formed, 72 check posts on roadsides and another 24 had been put up at railway stations in the district in an attempt to reach out to all eligible children and save them from the crippling disease.
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Passing Thru
Where does Hindi film music stand today?
Hindi film music is staging a come back on a grand scale. We have a brilliant breed of young music directors who are throwing up great numbers. Luckily people have started liking the latest film music again and the film directors are also taking a keen interest in good music. Why are we not able to compete with the Golden Era? It is impossible to draw parallels with the Golden Era. We had music maestros and legends who remain unrivalled. It is because of for their genius that their music still lives on and is providing tough competition to us even now. But we cannot say that there are no good music directors now. What about the provocative remix videos? This is quite an unfortunate trend. But see the positive aspect. The great melodies and the great music of the Golden Era is being packaged again — may be in a different format. Let us not be hostile to it and let us reconcile our selves to its existence. But the only thing I would suggest is that the original composer and the music director must get due credit. — Vimal Sumbly |
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Cong leaders regret DYC’s
factional clashes
Ludhiana, May 10 On Saturday morning when the newly appointed president of the District Youth Congress, Mr Dimple Rana reached the local Congress Bhavan to assume charge, he was allegedly resisted by supporters of the ousted president, Mr Komal Khanna. The ensuing clashes resulted injuries to several workers on both sides. Mr Khanna and his supporters have been alleging that money changed hands for his removal. He has also criticised the local MLA and Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Surinder Dawer, blaming him for his removal. Mr Dawer has already made it clear that he had nothing to do with the change of guard in the DYC as he had neither any interest in the matter nor any authority to do so. He pointed out that it was a matter restricted to the Youth Congress and only the YC leaders could explain it better. The incident could not have come at a worse time for the party. No party activity has taken place in the district for a long time. And when the party came into news, it came for all the wrong reasons. The ousted president, Mr Khanna, has already announced that he would protest against his removal and could even stage a dharna in front of the Chief Minister’s residence. A former District Youth Congress president suggested that there should be a fixed tenure for the DYC president and also a specific procedure to prevent such ugly situations. He expressed surprise as to what was the provocation for each of the groups to try to use physical force to outdo each other. The post does not offer any lucrative prospect either. However, he admitted, some active party worker should have been inducted as the DYC president as the party was starting to prepare for the Assembly elections scheduled after one and a half years. Another party leader observed that anybody who sponsored the violent protest had set a wrong precedent. He said the party should take a strong notice of the situation and identify and punish the guilty.
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Labour unrest politically motivated, say associations
Ludhiana, May 10 They said such incidents were crippling the industry and would ruin it if continued unabated. Last evening, a worker in Rockman Cycles, had a tiff with a supervisor following which a case was registered. It may be recalled that earlier in the month of April, Hero Cycles workers had undergone a strike for a week. The last couple of months witnessed incidents of labour unrest in various units, including Avon Cycles, Highway Cycle Industries, Ralson India and several others. While labourers have been blaming management for not giving them their due emoluments, the associations today said these problems were much deeper than what they appeared. Referring to the Rockman Cycles’ incident, Mr
P.D. Sharma, president, Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “It is not a problem pertaining to the labour unrest. Anti-social elements are using labourers for their own vested interests.” Addressing mediapersons, Mr Sharma, alongwith Mr Varinder Kapoor, general secretary, United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers Association, and Mr
G.L.Pahwa, president, United Cycle and Parts Manufactures Association, blamed the Centre of Indian Trade Unions
(CITU), backed by the CPM, for these incidents. “Merely for getting political mileage, they are stooping to this level,” he alleged. The associations said it had become their common problem and they would take it up collectively. However, they expressed unhappiness over “government and police inaction” on these issues. “The government is well aware of the root cause of the problem. It is sad that neither the Ludhiana police nor the Congress has taken any concrete measures to save the industries,” said Mr Kapoor. He said the associations would meet the DGP tomorrow and would also hold meetings with the government regarding the issue. The associations also said such incidents of violence had created panic among the industries and would result in creating an industrial environment that was not conducive to work. It would affect industry not only in Ludhiana but throughout the state, they said. They said an industrial security wing be formed on the pattern of Delhi. Strong political and administrative measures to save industries were also demanded. Meanwhile, a spokesperson of Rockman Cycles said Mr Alok Srivastava of the HR Department, was issuing a show-cause notice to “Defaulting” workers, when he was beaten up by the workers on the factory premises.
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Punjab should follow Haryana: Sarabha
Ludhiana, May 10 It had created two
categories of teachers Panchayati Raj body teachers were given fixed and less salary and even at times they were not paid regularly which had affected educational standard. Mr Sarabha, urged the Punjab Government to study the decision of the Haryana Government, and drop the idea of handing over Government-School to private managers and start regular appointments of teachers against 30000 vacant posts, and regularise the services of contract leased E.T.T. teachers. Mr Sarabha, regretted that in Punjab, the Chief Minister, was trying to conceal his Government’s decision of handing over Government-School to industrial houses, by giving distorted statements here and there.
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Cop’s remarks against judicial officer decried
Jagraon, May 10 According to the information Sub-Inspector Shaminder Singh Dhillon, SHO, Police Station, Sudhar appeared in the court of Mrs Jitender Walia, Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate Jagraon and moved an application for the issuance of warrants of arrest of an accused absconding for more than a decade. The Judicial officer when asked S.I. Shaminder Singh Dhillon about the police file of the cases in which warrant was sought. The police official informed the court that he had not brought the file and when the court declined the request the police official used indecent remarks against the presiding officer. The matter has been reported to the District and Sessions Judge, Ludhiana and the Bar Association Jagraon and today condemned the police official and resolved to send copies of the resolution to the Chief Justice, Punjab and Harayana High Court, District Sessions Judge, Ludhiana and Senior Superintendent of police, Jagraon with a request to take action against the police official.
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Sikh leaders angry over denial of visas
Ludhiana, May 10 Baba Daljit Singh said that they would soon see the US ambassador in India and the US foreign secretary Ms Condolecaezza Rice in this regard. At the meeting, he said, the Sikh leaders would stress upon the US officials to stop this discrimination against the Sikhs as functionaries of all other religions are provided visas without any objection or condition by the same embassy. In reply to a question Baba Daljit Singh revealed that they would form a committee of prominent Sikhs living in the USA to monitor and assure the return of these Sikhs who are allowed visa on religion grounds return in time.
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Shed in martyr’s name to be
inaugurated
Rachhin (Ahmedgarh), May 10 The old parents of the martyr feel proud of his sacrifice even today, but they are somber that none of the officials of the successive governments in the Center and the state bothered for the rehabilitation of the family. Disappointed over the role of the government, the parents and the villagers have now got a rain shed constructed at the village bus stand, which would be inaugurated by Mr Partap Singh Bajwa, a Cabinet minister, on Wednesday. Mr Chand Singh (70) said his son, Jagjit Singh, had sacrificed his life along with seven other soldiers while saving the life of the Commanding Officer.
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Minor boy sodomised
Khamano, May 10
The Truck driver was identified as Chhinderpal Singh a resident of Panaichan village, near here and the boy Pankaj belongs to Khamano Town of Ward No 9 at 8.30 pm. Yesterday, the driver of truck No PB-12A-4027 returned from Khanna in the truck with the boy. When they reached Khamano, the driver took liquor and also forced the boy to drink. After drinking he sodomised the boy. The boy tried to escape but failed. In the meantime a passerby heard the cries of the boy and when he reached near truck, the driver escaped. according to SHO police station Khamano, a case under section 377, 506 of the IPC was registered against the driver but he is absconding yet. Dharna by traders: The speakers termed the policy of privatization as anti-people and said that poor students will fail to get education. They said that about 35000 posts of teachers are lying vacant all over Punjab. They said that teachers are given more duties other than education sector and they are not given time to teach the students. This rally was addressed among others by G T Us Senior Vice President Sukhwinder Singh Chahal, block President Rajan sharma, GTU District President Gurcharn Singh Virdi, DTF leaders Mr Yashpal Balvir Singh Bagi and leaders of some other unions.
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