Jalandhar, March 11
In a drive against the marriage palaces along the GT Road, which had reportedly been functioning without adequate parking space, the municipal corporation, Jalandhar, today, in an early morning initiative, sealed the premises of three such palaces.

A team of the town planning section sealed the gates of Hollyhock Gardens, Nandini Resorts and Victoria Gardens for allegedly violating the building byelaws laid down in 
the MC Act.

Since a marriage function was scheduled for the day at Victoria Gardens, it was allowed to be held on the demand of the bride’s family.

The two main gates of the palace remained sealed as another gate on the side lane was opened for holding the function. The parking of vehicles was allowed for today in the lane and a vacant plot close by.

Municipal town planner Murari Dutt Sharma said the marriage function was allowed today in the palace on humanitarian grounds. The palace owner, however, would not be allowed to hold any function thereafter, he said.

Even as the action has come at the time of the year which is rather considered to be a lean period for marriages, it was a long-desired demand of the harried residents. The issue had been raked up several times in the public grievances committee meetings since the last two years with hardly any steps taken.

Due to lack of proper parking space, the visitors were forced to park their vehicles all along the GT Road, making the highway accident-prone. The visitors often found their vehicles stuck up in the middle of the disorganised parking area without any option but to wait for the function to be over so that they could move their cars out of the mess. Today’s action has acted as a warning for the owners of those dhabas, theme resorts and shopping malls along the road, which do not have ample parking space.

MC commissioner CS Talwar had held meetings with marriage palace owners two months back asking them to adopt some remedial measures or get ready to face an action.

Meanwhile, the officials of the town planning section also sealed Shoe Corporation, a shoe store near Jyoti Chowk. Sharma said the owner of the building had undertaken an unauthorised basement construction. 

Amritsar, March 11
Even as SGPC-run Guru Ram Dass Medical College has failed to give salaries to its employees for the past two months, a near complete strike was observed in the hospital, which led to paralysing of its functioning, thereby causing a lot of inconvenience to patients.

Taking strict view of the strike, the SGPC has reportedly placed three employees, who allegedly engineered the strike in the college, under suspension. The agitating employees closed the main gate of the college and did not allow senior professors and doctors to go out after the duty hours.

On this, the SGPC sent its task force to suppress the strike. Later, the management called the police. Today’s strike may have its adverse effect on the forthcoming inspection by the Medical Council of India.

Earlier, Dr U.S. Dhaliwal, was forced to quit as principal of the college when he had reportedly pointed out to the SGPC authorities that it would be difficult to pay salaries to the employees if immediate corrective measures were not taken. However, instead of streamlining the functioning, Dr Dhaliwal was placed under suspension in January for the second time. Later, Dr Dhaliwal was forced to tender his resignation.

Hoshiarpur, March 11
Humiliation of an ex-serviceman, Parminderjit Singh Cheema, resident of 69-R, Model Town, by employees of Rohan-Rajdeep Tollways at Nangal Shaheedan, 5 km from here, today led to the arrest of assistant manager of the toll plaza Parminder Singh of Garhdiwala.

According to the police sources, ex-serviceman Parminderjit Singh Cheema, who was going to Chandigarh in his Innova car (PB-08B-6060), was stopped at the toll plaza. Parminderjit Singh showed his identity card of ex-serviceman and told them that ex-servicemen were exempted from paying toll tax. But the staff did not allow him to cross without paying the toll tax and allegedly misbehaved him.

Later, Cheema reported the matter to Sadar police station and lodged a complaint against assistant manager Parminder Singh and two other employees. In the complaint, Parminderjit Singh Cheema stated that he had to go to Chandigarh for an urgent work, but due to his alleged humiliation by employees of the toll plaza, he could not go to Chandigarh.

A case under sections 341, 506 and 34 of the IPC has been registered against Parminder Singh and two employees, Parminder was arrested and later released on bail. — OC

Hoshiarpur, March 11
A 23-year-old widow of ward No.11, Ramgarhia Mohalla, Hariana was gang raped by assistant manager of the State Bank of India (SBI) Surinder Mohan and his three unidentified accomplices on the night of March 7, 2008.

A case under sections 342, 363, 366, 376 - II (G), 392 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at the Model Town police station in this connection.

According to police sources, the victim stated that she came to Hoshiarpur to meet her aunt on March 7. In the evening, her aunt's son left her at the local Naloyian Chowk.

While she was waiting for a bus, an Indica car stopped near her and the occupants inquired about the way towards Dasuya side.

One of the three occupants of the car gagged her mouth and they bundled her up in the car and moved towards Chintpurni (Himachal Pradesh) side.

On the way they assaulted her with a dagger, snatched her mobile phone and ear rings (weighing about half a tola).

Later, they took her to a room in the SBI bank branch building, Gagret (HP), where a middle aged person was also present. She came to know about his identity as assistant manager of SBI, Surinder Mohan.

They allegedly gang raped her there for many times. Later, in the night (at about 2 pm) she left the room on the excuse to relieve herself. After coming from the room, she sprinted to the adjoining jungle and strode to her house, which she reached at about 9 am in the morning.

SSP, Hoshiarpur, Dr Sukchain Singh Gill said police parties had been dispatched to nab the culprits.

Hoshiarpur, March 11
A postgraduate girl student has accused a youth of her village of eve-teasing her. Police said Kulbir Kaur (23) of Mananhana stated in her complaint that while she was returning home after attending her classes, she was confronted by Paramjit Singh, aliasTota, son of Bant Ram, near the Radha Swami Satsang Ghar.

When the accused allegedly started eve-teasing her, the girl called up her father Joginder Singh from her mobile.

The latter immediately rushed to help his daughter. Meanwhile, Tota also called one of his friends Ravi Kumar, son of Lakhbir Chand, to the spot. The duo later thrashed the girl and her father and ran away, said the complaint. Police has registered a case.

Hoshiarpur, March 11
A deputation of citizens’ welfare council, Hoshiarpur, including Om Parkash, principal D L Anand (retd.), Satish Bansal and Dr Harminder Singh Pal met deputy commissioner N K Wadhawan at his office here today and presented him a memorandum relating to the unjustified increase in the rates of milk from Rs 18.50 per litre to Rs 25 per litre.

In the memorandum, they stated that the unwanted increase in the milk rates had created great unrest among the city residents.

It would further lay a burden on their monthly budget as they were already suffering with the prevailing skyrocketing prices of essential commodities. The increase in the milk rates would also make all the dairy products costlier.

They urged the DC to impose a complete ban on the preparation of milk products like khoya, cheese etc. from April 1 to September 30 keeping in view the advent of the summer season and to ensure the regular supply of milk.

They also wanted the DC to take strict action against the dairy owners and halwais who had enforced an unwanted hike in milk rates.

They pointed out that earlier milk rates were increased by Rs one to Rs 1.50 per litre only after the permission of the district administration. But this time the heavy increase had been made without taking district administration into confidence.

Hoshiarpur, March 11
To conduct the panchayat elections in Hoshiarpur district on April 7, elaborate arrangements have been made by the district administration.

According to official sources here today, as many as 1,500 polling booths have been set up in the district for conducting election of 1,347 panchayats. As many as 9,39,000 electorates would exercise their right to vote to elect more than 6,000 panchs, members of 10 Block Samitis and members of 24 zones of zila parishad, Hoshiarpur.

As many as 102 returning and 112 assistant returning officers, under the supervision of additional deputy commissioner, and more than 10,000 officials from various government departments would conduct the elections. Elaborate security arrangements have also been made for holding peaceful and fair elections.