 |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Desire to remarry cost him life
Ludhiana, December 1 DSP Simratpal Singh Dhindsa and SI Gurpreet Singh, SHO, division No. 8 police station told mediapersons today that Pyare Lal Behl, whose badly decomposed body was found from his house in Civil Lines, Vrindavan road, on November 13, was killed by two persons, one of whom had been arrested. The accused has been arrested Satpal Satti, while Banke Bihari has absconded. Both had masqueraded as managers of a marriage bureau. The police said Pyare Lal, wanted to marry again after he had started
living separately from his sons. His matrimonial ads, however, attracted the two-member gang who promised him a good match. Pyare Lal ran a hosiery products shop at Dal Bazar here. He had enough money and resources but craved for company. The two accused met him and offered the match of a fictitious woman, Sunita. The police said both met the victim several times in his house and consumed liquor also. Banke Bihari was an expert in mimicry. He posed as Sunita and talked several times with the hosiery trader on the telephone. After some days of chatting Pyare Lal insisted on meeting the woman. DSP Dhindsa said the accused had already decided on getting rid of the aged man as they had learnt about the valuables and cash kept in the house. On November 13 evening, they gave him drug-laced food after consuming which he fell unconscious. The accused then decamped with gold jewellery, a Rado watch and about Rs 1.86 lakh. Before leaving, they stabbed the man in the chest with an icepick. Satpal Satti later told the police that they had killed the man as he could have easily identified them. DSP Dhindsa said the accused had been arrested earlier too on similar charges.
|
|
Taari’s denial threatens to derail investigation
Even though he has been questioned by senior officials, including the SSP and above ranks, for his involvement in the crime, Taari is learned to have maintained his innocence in the case. Police sources said despite strenuous questioning, Taari had denied that he was the contract killer hired by Micky Jain, the only accused arrested in the case so far. Sources, however, added that the police had not lost heart and was trying to confront the accused with more evidence in the case. With Taari’s denial, the investigation into the case has hit a major stumbling block. Though the police had listed it as a traced and solved case, it seemed more true in theory as the police had not been able to find the body of the allegedly murdered businesswoman. The police had been hinging on the arrest of Taari for tracing the body and answers to several other questions regarding the case as well as plugging the loopholes to tell the public complete story about the murder of one of the most talked about women in the city. According to Micky Jain, he had hired Taari for Rs 25 lakh to eliminate Reema Jain. He had said that Taari and four other accomplices had reported to him that they had kidnapped Reema from outside Sutluj Club on July 29. He claimed that he had no knowledge about what had happened to her after that. The police was hoping that Taari would speak and the sequence of events would unfold. It was, however, still unclear how Reema’s car reached New Delhi airport in six hours on July 29. The identity of the other accused in the case was also not clear. There were several other missing links in the story. The family of Reema Jain, including her mother and her three children, had already refused to admit she was murdered till they saw her body. Incidentally, her eldest son, Bhanu Pratap, who, interestingly, had announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh just a few days before Micky Jain’s arrest, had so far refrained from announcing the recipient of the reward for the same reason. Taari had also not admitted to role in the attack on Makhan Singh, a former ally-turned-foe who was allegedly an important witness against him in the Reema Jain case.
|
|
Rallies, camps mark World AIDS Day
Ludhiana, December 1 The camp was inaugurated by Mr George Paul, chief of the factory, in the presence of Dr P.C. Gupta, Medical Superintendent, ESIC Model Hospital.
Addressing the gathering, Mr Paul said at United Breweries, an ISO 14001-2004 and ISO 9001-2000 certified unit, health of its employees was one of the top priorities just like the quality of all its products. As many as 150 employees, and their dependents were examined by a team of doctors comprising Dr I.P.S. Chabra, Dr P.K. Sikka, Dr Raman Sagar, Dr Mahender Singh, Dr Rajender Gulati, Dr Anshu Tandon, Dr Arundeep and Dr Meenu Salaria. All employees were tested for blood group. Dr Rajender Gulati apprised the employees of the risk factors related with HIV/AIDS infection and preventive measures against the disease. He said around 49 lakh people would be affected with the disease worldwide during the current year. The district health administration organised an awareness camp on AIDS at SDP College for Women. Presiding over the function, Mr Priyank Bharti, ADC (Development), sounded a note of caution against an alarming rise in the number of persons infected with HIV/AIDS in the country, as also in other parts of the world. The students recited poems, performed skits and delivered speeches on the disease. An exhibition, focusing on AIDS was also held. The college students, Nidhi, Balwinder, Shilpa and Shallu took part in a skit, duet and poems-recitation. Dr Ajit Singh Chawla, District Epidemiologist, Dr Rajinder Singh, District Health Officer, and Ms Santosh Bhatia, District MEIO, addressed the students and cautioned them against the infection which was mainly transmitted through unsafe sex. A quiz contest on “awareness of AIDS” was also conducted in which Ms Nisha of BA-III, Ms Ashima of BA-I and Ms Isha of BA-III won first, second and third prizes respectively. Earlier, more than 300 students of the college took part in a rally to apprise the people of the surrounding localities of the serious threat posed by AIDS. Starting from the college the rally passed through Killa Mohalla, SAN Jain School, Daresi Ground, Ghati before culminating at the college. The students were carrying placards and mottos with messages on AIDS. The Indian Health Foundation organised a lecture on AIDS awareness for school children in BRS Nagar. Interacting with the students, senior Ayurveda consultant Anil Dhir said comprehensive sex education at the school-level should be introduced. He said more and more Meanwhile, Volunteers of the NCC and NSS units at Master Tara Singh Memorial College for Women held a rally in collaboration with SDP College, Ramgarhia College, Guru Nanak Girls College, Khalsa College for Women, Government College for Women and Khalsa School. The in charge of the NCC contingent was Monica Sharda while Indermohan Kaur was the in charge for the NSS unit. The rally was flagged off by Mr Swaran Singh, president, managing committee, and Ms Sahota,
Principal. It commenced from the college campus and passed through Clock Tower, Chaura Bazar, Books Market, Karimpura, Field Ganj, Jagraon Bridge before culminating at Ramgarhia college. Slogan-writing and poster-making competitions were organise besides a series of lectures by eminent persons. Lieut-Col Avtar Singh, Commanding Officer, 3rd Punjab Girls Batallion, and Lieut Kulbinder Sandhu were also present. Dr Amita Jain dwelled upon the need for joining hands together in the AIDS Control Education Campaign. Dr Madanjit Kaur Sahota, Principal, stressed upon the need for changing social attitude towards AIDS infected patients, removing the irrational myths associated with this communicable disease, treating them with compassion and standing up in solidarity to protect everyone to herald an AIDS-free era. Budding artistes of Arya College for Boys enacted an one-act nukkad play with the message of ushering into an AIDS-free society. To observe the World AIDS Day, ISTE student chapter and NSS unit of the Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology organised a seminar on AIDS awareness. Col H.S.Singha, Director, GNIMT, welcomed the guest speaker. The students of National Institute of Fashion Design also took a pledge to carry out a anti-AIDS campaign in a most solemn manner. The students held a poster-making contest. Around 35 students participated in it. The first, second and third prizes were bagged by Sandeep Mankoo and Akarshi (joint first), Manjot Kaur and Nidhi Kundra respectively. Mandi Gobindgarh: Desh Bhagat Ayurvedic College and
Hospital here organised an AIDS awareness seminar on the college complex on Thursday. Principals, staff members and students, from neighboring institutions, were also present. Dr Loveleen Kaur Ahuja, Principal of the college, said with the advancement in the field of medicine, we were not having with us the consolidate management against the disease. She stressed the people be educated on adopting preventive measures to check the spread of the disease. Dr Ramesh Kundal, Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, and Dr Vineet Sehgal, Junior Resident, both from Government Medical College, Patiala, were the guest speakers. Dr Kundal spoke about the investigations required and the role of prevention and medication in AIDS. Dr Bhupinder Singh and Dr Harbans Singh highlighted the history, causes, symptoms and management of AIDS. Dr Zora Singh, Chairman, Desh Bhagat Group of Institutes, said the aim of the seminar was to create awareness among the people about AIDS and to propagate the simple and complete information regarding the prevention of the disease. A skit was performed by Dr Dinesh Sharma. Poster-making and declamation competitions were organised. A cultural programme was presented by the students. Dr Zora Singh gave away prizes to outstanding students.
|
|
Another criminal escapes from court complex
Ludhiana, December 1 The Ludhiana police has put a constable Ravinder Singh, who was on duty at the time of his escape, under suspension. He has also been booked for dereliction of duty. Police sources said that Baba was brought to the district courts for his presentation before a judge. There were different versions about the sequence of his escape. The police, however, said that he hoodwinked the cop and escaped. Baba was arrested by the Jagraon police on May this year when he was allegedly planning to kill an office bearer of Khalsa Panchayat for waging a war against self-styled Babas and saints. He had accepted some amount also for killing the leader. Baba is allegedly a hardcore criminal and has more than half a dozen criminal cases pending against him. He has been criminally active for the past more than five years. Being the leader of a gang, which was responsible for around 35 cases of crime, Baba ran it more like a corporate organisation with him acting as the chief executive officer. He gathered the rest of his gang members from here and there, and would use them in different combinations for different crimes. Most of the gang members were residents of villages falling in the jurisdiction of police district Jagraon. With his escape, the police has lost a potential criminal. The potential of this gang can be gauged from the kind of incidents already committed and from those which were being contemplated by the gang. Among the biggest and most sensational crimes committed by his gang included a robbery at Raikot market where Rs. 4.85 lakh were looted from a moneychanger after inflicting a Similarly, the gang had robbed a jeweler of Rs. 35,000 at gunpoint in Ghumar Mandi area. Using a different modus operandi, the gang stole Rs. 50,000 from a scooter glove compartment at Focal Point area last year only. This gang had also robbed a woman of her entire jewelry at gunpoint when she had come to attend a marriage near the Railway Station. There are dozens others of similar nature but the amount of property looted is less in those cases. The gang intended to kidnap for ransom a wealthy industrialist’s son based in Ludhiana. They had earmarked the hideout for this purpose in the outskirts of Ludhiana city. Amarjit Singh had also taken Rs 1.5 lakh as supari for killing of one Channi of Khalsa Panchayat.
|
|
|
Sale of woollens at peak
Ludhiana, December 1 There has been craze for latest woollen items among people in the city. Hosiery items like ladies cardigans, pullovers, jackets and open sweaters, jackets for men are selling like hot cakes at big shopping malls. Not only big showroom owners but small rehriwalas in the interior city, too, are having a field day. Mr Varinder, a manufacturer at Subhash Nagar, said that the season, this year was good. The winters were on and marriages were taking place, so there was quick clearance of stocks. “The girls are preferring short pullovers, jackets and cardigans to be worn with jeans. Young women prefer to buy something trendy and designer. Black and red colours remain all time favourite and youngsters prefer formals to casual”, said Mr Varinder. Mr Malkiat working at a showroom at Sherpur Chowk said that buyers were making a beeline at the showroom. He said,” at times, it becomes difficult to handle so many customers. Almost every second day new stock is added but it gets cleared within hours”, he said. Neeraj, another shopkeeper in Ghumar Mandi said that heavy sweaters were not much in demand. People prefer light weight sweaters which gave a formal look. There was a great demand for computerized and striped designs with embroideries and motifs among young girls. The elderly preferred plain cardigans of sober shades. The upper strata of the society prefer branded sweaters from Monte Carlo, Casablanca, Pringle, Creative Like, LWS and Priknit. Men prefer jackets and open sweaters to pullovers this time, said another showroom owner at Mall road. The cotton-ribbed, lamb’s wool, cashmere, sand blasted pullovers are the latest among the city residents. “For those, who get inspired by branded stuff, major players like Lee Cooper, Blackberry’s, Monte Carlo, Allen Solly, Van Heusan etc have also launched their designer winter collection”, said a showroom owner on College Road. The branded sweaters are available between Rs 1,000 and Rs 4,500 whereas the middle class prefer anything between Rs 500 and Rs 1000. The sweaters, inners, jackets are available at a price of Rs 250 also for a common man in the Chaura Bazaar or Field Ganj
markets.
|
|
Terrorist owns land at Latala
Mandi Ahmedgarh, December 1 Harjit Singh Latala is the most wanted terrorist who has been booked under Section 120-B of the IPC in a case registered at the Jagraon police station against Manpreet Singh of Dhulkot and Chamkaur Singh and Bhagwant Singh of Maqsudra village. Harjit went to Canada in 1992 and was to betrothed to a girl of Mohi village. An active member of the Babbar Khalsa International, Latala was declared a proclaimed offender by a CBI court in connection with the Beant Singh assassination case. Latala had been instrumental in giving shelter to Dimple, who along with other terrorists had gunned down five government schoolteachers for not obeying dress code of terrorists. He was also close to Balwant Singh of Rajoana, a terrorist-turned-cop. Though the state police had been trying to trace him for long, sources at Latala village revealed that the proceeds of cultivation on a piece of land measuring 120 bighas at Majra village, near here, had been reaching him through a local family. Contrary to observations of the police, his mother According to the police record, it was somewhere at the local town that Balwinder Singh of Brundi introduced Balwant Singh, a former policeman and a PO in the Beant Singh assassination case, to Manpreet Singh Dhulkot who took him to his home then. The police had seized arms and ammunition, including 28 kg of RDX from Manpreet. Records further reveal that at least three terrorists wanted in the Beant Singh case had taken shelter at villages surrounding the town before striking at the target. Manjinder Singh of Narangwal Kalan, now an escapee, was instrumental in arranging meetings of these terrorists here at nearby villages.
|
|
CM, Badal playing religion card
Mandi Ahmedgarh, December 1 Referring to the controversy regarding participation of Mr Avtar Singh, President, SGPC, in a function organised under the banner of Shaheed Parivar Fund established by publishing group, Mr Maan apprehended that Mr Avtar Singh had been asked to do so by Mr Badal obviously to win the sympathy of a particular community and pocket their votes in forthcoming Assembly elections. On the other hand, Captain Amarinder Singh had used the DSGPC President to divert the Sikh vote bank in the favour of the Congress. “When Captain Amarinder Singh could not please Hindus of the state by lodging me in jail on the basis of framed cases, he played another game by using DSGPC President through a religious procession accompanying the golden palanquin,” said Mr Maan. On the controversy over symbolic handing over of palanquin to Mr Parvaiz Elahi, Chief Minister of Pakistan Punjab, yesterday Mr Maan said as the palanquin was not a holy structure, directly concerned with the religious ethics there was no sacrilege. “We should not give undue importance to petty things and start living a wider society,” suggested Mr Maan. Mr Maan urged Presidents of the DSGPC and the SGPC to not to be puppets of Captain Amarinder and Mr Badal, respectively, as they had been throned on their prestigious posts by virtue of their supporters and on the mercy of these two leaders who obtained their orders from Sonia Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He said while Captain Amarinder was a failure as a CM, Mr Badal has failed to justify the role of an Opposition leader.
|
|
BJP leader ‘hurt’ at
MP developments
Ludhiana, December 1 The senior leader, who has spent most of his life in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), recalled the commitment and sincerity of workers and leaders during the earlier days. He said: “I agree that we should change with time, but not the way we have changed,” while referring to the growing personal ambitions in the party. Asserting that the BJP was still a party with a difference, he maintained that certain isolated developments should not be generalised. He hoped that the better sense prevailed among leaders and they stuck to discipline. Without making a direct comment on the attitude of any particular leader, he said mistakes took place everywhere. “Nobody can be a perfectionist but we must not take things too far”, he said, hoping that the crisis would be resolved soon.
|
|
The right man to head SGPC
Ludhiana, December 1 In this regard Mr Avtar Singh Makkar fits the bill quite satisfactorily. He has been associated with the gurdwara administration for the past two decades and raised one of the most religious institutions of Ludhiana, besides establishing a school affiliated with the CBSE. His clean image has helped him in raising huge donations for these projects. It is gathered that at one stage Mr Parkash Singh Badal and a few other Akali leaders considered him for appointment as Jathedar of Akal Takht. He has political ambitions but as a devout Sikh his preference has remained for the service of gurdwaras. Because of this fact he had to contest elections of the SGPC. His candidature at that time was hailed by the people of Ludhiana and he was elected without much difficulty. His elevation has not come as a surprise. What is revealing is that the generation next in the Shiromini Akali Dal found him acceptable for the post of president of the SGPC. The local member the Parliament, Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, floated his name and it was discussed seriously with Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal whose writ runs in the SAD now. He gave his consent unhesitatingly. The image of the SGPC is that it is the central institution of Sikhism. The policy adopted by his predecessor Bibi Jagir Kaur towards Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee had resulted in erosion of the importance of the SGPC and the space was taken by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGNC) president Mr Paramjit Singh Sarna. Mr Avtar Singh faces a huge task of retrieving the position. Although he could not do much in the march of the golden palki nagar kirtan from Delhi to Nankana Sahib, he should be able to deal with the Pakistani Sikhs in a reassuring manner.
|
|
Bank staff to observe strike
Ludhiana, December 1 The employees, on a call given by the All India State Bank of Patiala Employees’ Federation, observed all-India demands day today and also held a demonstration outside the regional office of the State Bank of Patiala in Miller Ganj here. The rally was addressed by Mr Naresh Gaur, joint secretary, Mr A.K. Chhibber, vice-president, Mr Ashok Malhan, organising secretary and Mr K.K. Jaggi, regional secretary. The leaders of the federation said that even after completion of the first phase of agitation by employees, which included hunger strike and state-wise strikes on different days, the management had not pay heed to their demands. Alleging that the management ‘s attitude was highly negative and no initiative was being taken to resolve issues raised by employees, the federation said that instead of working for the development of the bank, the management was the focussing only on the profit motive “by making recoveries and deductions from the wages of employees.” The federation said in the second phase of its agitation. Dharnas will be held from December 5 to December 9. From December 16 to December 23, employees will observe full day strikes on different dates in different states.
|
|
Khalsa Dal welcomes World Sikh Convention
Ludhiana, December 1 He said that the Panthic institutions had become victim of narrow political interests and lost their vision and corrupt political forces had reduced these to their family enterprises. He said the said convention would address the problems faced by the Sikhs and the degradation in the social fabric of the Sikh community. He regretted that the present-day leadership of the Panth had deviated from the path of service as shown by the Sikh scriptures and instead they were leading the community to the deep well of corruption and other vices. He declared that his party would extend the support to make this convention a success.
|
|
No clue to girl’s disappearance
Mandi Ahmedgarh, December 1 Yadvinder Singh of Navi Abaddi Akalgarh village had informed the Sudhar police that his daughter had disappeared under mysterious circumstances on Monday. According to the complaint lodged at the police station, the girl had left her house for the school. She was seen boarding a PRTC bus from the village bus stop but failed to return in the evening. Preliminary investigations by the police revealed that the girl had attended classes at Central School, Baddowal, and was last seen at the school only. “As the area where she was last seen fell under the jurisdiction of the Sadar Police Station, Ludhiana, further action would be taken by authorities there,” said SHO, Sudhar police, Shawinder Singh. However, the Sudhar police would cooperate with the Sadar police as and when required, claimed the SHO.
|
|
Body donated as per deceased’s wishes
Ludhiana, December 1 The donation was made to the Department of Anatomy, CMCH, escorted by the son of the samaritan. Also accompanying was secretary of the Taraksheel Society, Dalbir Khatania. This is the seventh body donated through the efforts of the society to the medical college, which will used it for imparting education to medical students. Head of the Department, Dr Molly Paul expressed her gratitude to the family of the deceased for the gesture.
|
|
Union protests retrenchment of workers
Ludhiana, December 1 Alleging that the unit was flouting labour laws, union’s secretary Mahinder Singh said: “Workers are being forced to put in more than 10 hours of work every day but they are not even given minimum wages in accordance with the law.”
|
|
Sahit Sabha to hold kavi darbar
Amloh, December 1 Mr Shansher Singh Dhilwal from Shamashpur will inaugurate and Ms Shalini Gupta, Director Desh Bhagat Institution of Management and Computer Sciences will be the chief guest.
|
Three booked for assault
Ludhiana, December 1 SHO Jaskiranjit Singh told reporters that the three accused — Daniel Masih, Nikku Masih and Chhindu — have been booked for attempt to murder a resident, Vakil Chand. The accused had stabbed him after a heated argument over some issue. Daniel Masih was recently in the news for threatening a city journalist for daring to report against him. He had even led a group of miscreants and anti-social elements to the journalist’s house two weeks ago.
|
|
Garments shop burgled
Ludhiana, December 1 The shopowner, Mr P.D. Sharma, complained to the police that he found the locks of the shop broken when he had gone to open the shop this morning. He found the racks empty and clothes, especially designer jeans, etc, were missing. The police has registered a case.
|
|
Couple dies
in mishap
Jagraon, December 1 According to a press note released today, a Maruti car (PIL 9900) was on its way towards Ludhiana, whereas the bus (PB-29E-5166) of Malwa Bus Service was coming from the Ludhiana side towards Ferozepore when the bus hit the car, killing Harpal Singh of Ghalkala on the spot whereas his wife Parminder Kaur who was taken to the local Civil Hospital also died later.
OC
|
|
|
Councillor booked
Jagraon, December 1
|
|
PNB disburses Rs 65 crore
as loan
Ludhiana, December 1 He said the bank planned to disburse loans to the tune of Rs 1,100 crore under retail lending by March, 2006, of which Rs 488 cr had already been disbursed. He also told customers about various lending schemes being offered by the bank. Mr K.C. Salota, Deputy General Manager, Mr R.K.Sharma, Senior Regional Manager, Mr Anil Sama, Chief
Manager, and other senior offices of the bank were also present.
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Ludhiana, December 1
