Amritsar, October 23
In spite of intensive police patrolling, rumour mongers today managed to get shops and business establishments closed in the city.

However, the police prevented any untoward incident in view of tense situation after the murder of two young brothers in the Anngarh area yesterday.

The mob damaged shops, cars and private hospitals in the Gate Hakima and Hathi Gate areas last night. The police sealed the area and diverted the traffic.

The protesters today took out a procession from Gate Hakima to Durgiana Temple to lodge their protest against the killings. The bodies were cremated this afternoon after post-mortem examinations.

Meanwhile, Mr Rajkumar Verka, Parliamentary Secretary for Education, said he had talked to the Chief Minister in this regard and announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh each for their family. He said the SDM (I) was directed to conduct an inquiry into the damage caused by the protesters.

Mr S.S. Srivastava, district police chief, said the situation was under control. He said the main accused, Anil, against whom the case was registered was arrested. He said the role of other accused was being verified.

Mr Kaustubh Sharma, SP (City), said the police deployment was not reduced in the Anngarh and Gate Hakima locality.

Jalandhar, October 23
Two doctors posted at the local Civil Hospital were today suspended after the demonstration by the district unit of the SAD, led by Mr Charanjit Singh Channi.

Confirming the suspension, the SMO, Mr Ranbir Singh, told The Tribune that Dr Alfred and Dr Kuldip Singh Aneja were provisionally suspended on charges of irregularities in record keeping. They were suspended after getting verbal order from the Director.

Earlier, the SAD demonstrated in front of the hospital, alleging corrupt practices in the issuance of medico legal report (MLR).

According to information, four persons were injured in a clash between two groups at Kaboolpur village. Both parties reached the hospital but doctors issued the MLR to one of them.

Mr Channi said the other party was admitted to the hospital in the morning but no MLR was issued till 6 pm. 

Jalandhar, October 23
Tyre manufacturers are feeling the pinch due to the entry of imported tyres in the market and rise in the prices of rubber.

The local market is flooded with Chinese and Japanese tyres. The imported tyres has triggered off a price war among manufacturers.

With a price tag ranging between Rs 17,000 and Rs 20,000, a pair of Chinese truck tyres is giving competition to MRF tyre (Rs 20,000-Rs 23,000), Apollo (Rs 22,000-Rs 24,500) and JK (Rs 19,500-Rs 23,500).

Local manufacturers attribute the rise in tyre prices to the steep hike in the prices of rubber in the recent past. The rubber prices went as high as Rs 130 per kg a few months back and is now at Rs 100 per kg. It was between Rs 30 and Rs 35 per kg about four years ago.

Reacting to the dumping of tyres by the foreign companies, Sunny Sumra, an MRF dealer at Shastri Market, said a customer, other than the transporter, needed not just a price tag but also choice.

There is no plan of MRF to reduce the prices as foreign tyres posed no challenge to Indian tyres in terms of technology. For Indian roads the Indian tyres are perfect, he added.

Bhupinder Juneja, who is dealing in Chinese tyres, said: “Transporters are preferring foreign tyres due to the price tag. But still the Indian tyres have a market because of their worthiness.”

Mr Mandeep Singh, vice-president (technical), Speedways, a local tyre manufacturing company, said due to rise in rubber prices the industry was being adversely affected.

Regarding the influx of foreign tyres, he said Chinese tyres had captured 4 to 5 per cent share of Indian companies. Dealers said over two-third of the imported tyres are reaching Punjab, Haryana, J&K and Himachal Pradesh.

“The profit in selling the foreign tyres is much higher. The profit is between Rs 700 and Rs 800 per truck tyre, while the Indian tyre gives only Rs 300,” they said.

Sanjay Sood, who is in tyre retreading business in Himachal Pradesh, said the retreading factor of Chinese tyres is quite low, but still the transporters prefer foreign tyres due to low price.

Mr Juneja said with the imposition of anti-dumping duty on cross-ply truck and bus tyres the price of imported tyres had increased by Rs 800 per pair. 

Jalandhar, October 23
The Revenue Patwar Union, Punjab, will organise a rally at all district headquarters on October 26, according to a press note of the state vice-president of the union, Mr Baldev Singh. The union has 4,708 patwaris as members.

The union is asking for, among other demands, the implementation of a basic pay scale of Rs 5,480-Rs 8,925 from January 1996, office rent, stationery allowance, “basta” carriage allowance and filling of vacant posts.

Mr Baldev Singh said at present 600 posts were vacant in the state and most of the patwaris were involved in the child labour census in Jalandhar district. He demanded a special allowance for the patwaris involved in the census work.

Jalandhar, October 23
The 15th National Tug-of-War Championship will be held at Guru Nanak National College for Girls, Nakodar, on October 28 and 29. Thirty two teams will participate in the various categories. The championship will be organised by the Punjab Tug-of-War Association.

The meet will be inaugurated by Mr Amarjit Singh Samra, Cabinet Minister, while Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, President, Punjab Olympics Association, will distribute the prizes.

Punjab would organise the meet for the 12th time.

Fifteen teams in the men’s section, eight teams in the women’s section and eight teams from various clubs will fight for the title.

Nawanshahr, October 23
The Badminton Academy, Mukandpur, will organise the fifth Surjit Kaur Shergill Memorial Prize Money Open Tournament from October 24 to 26 at Mukandpur.

Nearly 125 badminton players from various districts will participate in the U-13 boys and U-19 boys and girls categories, said coach Rajinder Singh Gill.

NRI Joginder Singh Chhoker will inaugurate the meet and the Deputy Commissioner will give away the prizes.