J A L A N D H A R

Scuffle at Women’s Police Station leaves three injured
Jalandhar, August 19
It was ‘free for all’ at the high-security Women’s Police Station here that got converted into a battleground and remained so for well over two hours, when supporters of two parties not only allegedly hurled abuses at one another, but also exchanged blows today afternoon.

Protesting students allege lathi charge
Phagwara, August 19
The Goraya police allegedly resorted to a mild lathi charge on the students who were protesting against the alleged callous attitude of the Punjab Roadways and the Pepsu Roadways Transport Corporation employees here on Friday evening.

40 NCC cadets to attend All-India Thal Sainik Camp
Jalandhar, August 19
Prize distribution function of inter-state level Pre-Thal Sainik Camp was held at Kapurthala New Cantonment yesterday. A release issued here today said the function was presided over by Brig D.C. Katoch, Deputy Director General of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh NCC Directorate. He awarded prizes to 40 NCC cadets out of 136 participating in the camp who would now be further taking part in the All India Thal Sainik Camp to be held in New Delhi next month.

Martyrs’ memorial at Sainik School
Jalandhar, August 19
The Sainik School Kapurthala Association represented by alumni, teachers and administration held a quarterly meeting here to discuss the proposal of the construction of War Martyrs’ Memorial on the campus as approved by the Ministry of Defence.

11 hurt in bus-truck collision
Jalandhar, August 19
As many as 11 persons were injured when an Amritsar-bound Punjab Roadways bus (Kilometre Scheme) collided with a truck that allegedly came in the way of the bus as it approached Lidran village on the Jalandhar-Amritsar Highway tonight.

Scuffle at Women’s Police Station leaves three injured
Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 19
It was ‘free for all’ at the high-security Women’s Police Station here that got converted into a battleground and remained so for well over two hours, when supporters of two parties not only allegedly hurled abuses at one another, but also exchanged blows today afternoon.

Three persons sustained injuries, and all this happened in the presence of two inspectors.

Kamaljit Kaur, 30, a resident of Nussi village near here, had complained to the District Police Chief, Mr Ishwar Singh, that she had been married to one Sukhbir Singh from Langrian village near Goraya for the past about eight years. In her complaint, she had alleged that she had been a victim of harassment inflicted upon her by her in-laws in the absence of her husband, who had left for Korea after three years of their marriage. Mr Ishwar Singh had referred the complaint to the Women’s Police Station, with instructions that a thorough probe be conducted into the matter and justice be given to the victim, if anybody was found guilty.

The authorities at the Women’s Police Station, in turn, had summoned Kamaljit Kaur and her in-laws who reached the police station along with their respective supporters.

Everything went well till some time. The situation deteriorated when passions flared up over some point of discussion, and the people from two sides started blaming one another. The last straw proved to be the alleged slapping of Buta Ram, a resident of Abadpura locality here and “uncle” of Kamaljit Kaur, by her brother-in-law in the presence of Inspectors Manjit Kaur and Sita Rani.

This sparked a full-fledged fight, and most of the people from both sides participated in it amid allegations by certain relatives of Kamaljit Kaur that Inspector Manjit Kaur was favouring the in-laws of Kamaljit Kaur. The ‘free for all’ allegedly continued for some time, and Paramjit Singh, a brother of Kamaljit Kaur, and one of her cousins also sustained injuries. Kamaljit Kaur’s cousin was allegedly attacked with a knife. Injured Paramjit Singh alleged that the police officials there not only favoured the other party openly, but also tried to prevent them from getting admitted to the Civil Hospital for treatment of their injuries. The inspectors, however, denied all allegations against them.

The incident took an interesting turn when Mr Subhash Sondhi, a local Dalit leader, tried to intervene, and alleged that Inspector Manjit Kaur was taking undue sides. A verbal duel between Mr Sondhi and Ms Manjit Kaur ensued. While Mr Sondhi alleged that caste-indicative language was used against him by the inspector, the latter said the former was interfering in her working and was pressurising her. The matter remained unresolved till late evening. However, the Jalandhar Police, according to the police officials, has booked Mr Sondhi under Sections 353 and 186 of the IPC. No arrest, however, has been made.

Mr Sondhi, meanwhile, has reportedly moved the National Commission for SCs and STs. He has faxed a letter to the commission alleging that he was subjected to caste-indicative language by Inspector Manjit Kaur when he went to the Women’s Police Station here to enquire about a complaint filed by Ms Kamaljit Kaur today.

Protesting students allege lathi charge
Tribune News Service

Phagwara, August 19
The Goraya police allegedly resorted to a mild lathi charge on the students who were protesting against the alleged callous attitude of the Punjab Roadways and the Pepsu Roadways Transport Corporation employees here on Friday evening.

The students alleged that though they had valid roadways bus passes, the roadways authorities stopped the buses at a distance from the main bus stop, thus inconveniencing the students. They also said that as there was no government college in Goraya, they had to board the buses to go either to Phagwara or Jalandhar for studies.

It was also reported that Ravinder Kumar, a student of Boparai village, sustained serious injuries when he tried to board a PRTC bus in Goraya on Thursday. He was later admitted to a hospital in Ludhiana.

Protesting against the “callous” attitude of the roadways employees, the students blocked the main highway, and shouted slogans against the roadways authorities. They also staged a dharna on the GT Road. The students alleged that they had hardly sat on the road when a police team headed by an ASI started beating them up.

“The policemen resorted to lathi charge and ran after us in the streets, using abusive language,” alleged the students. “Around 15 of us sustained severe injuries in the lathi charge,” they further alleged.

It took the policemen about half an hour to clear the busy highway.

On the other hand, Goraya DSP, Mr Gursharan Jit Singh, denied any lathi charge on the students, and said the students were only asked to disperse to make way for the traffic flow on the highway. 

40 NCC cadets to attend All-India Thal Sainik Camp
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 19
Prize distribution function of inter-state level Pre-Thal Sainik Camp was held at Kapurthala New Cantonment yesterday. A release issued here today said the function was presided over by Brig D.C. Katoch, Deputy Director General of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh NCC Directorate. He awarded prizes to 40 NCC cadets out of 136 participating in the camp who would now be further taking part in the All India Thal Sainik Camp to be held in New Delhi next month.

The 40 chosen cadets included 33 senior division cadets from colleges and seven junior division cadets from schools. He said that competitions for hiking, trekking, mountaineering, para sailing and rifle shooting would be held at all-India level.

The Pre-Thal Sainik Camp that began on August 15 and will continue till August 26 is being conducted by 21 Punjab Battalion, NCC, Kapurthala, with the guidance of Commanding Officer, Col M.A. Chaudhary. The cadets are being trained in rifle shooting, advance shooting, cross country marches in the night using maps and battle obstacles crossing. Educational tours have also been arranged to the Rail Coach Factory and Pushpa Gujral Science City.

Martyrs’ memorial at Sainik School
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 19
The Sainik School Kapurthala Association represented by alumni, teachers and administration held a quarterly meeting here to discuss the proposal of the construction of War Martyrs’ Memorial on the campus as approved by the Ministry of Defence.

Major Jagmohan Singh Nagpal, general secretary, requested the members to raise funds for the project estimated at a cost of Rs 7 lakh.

The members also welcomed the new Principal, Col A.K. Tyagi. 

11 hurt in bus-truck collision
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 19
As many as 11 persons were injured when an Amritsar-bound Punjab Roadways bus (Kilometre Scheme) collided with a truck that allegedly came in the way of the bus as it approached Lidran village on the Jalandhar-Amritsar Highway tonight.

All injured, including nine passengers of the bus, truck driver and a motorcycle rider, have been admitted to Sacred Hospital, where they were stated to be out of danger.