Bathinda, July 16
In the decade old death case of a 26-year-old kabaddi player, Pal Singh of village Bhai Bakhtaur, the district fast track court today convicted five persons including four policemen on charges of abetment to commit suicide and wrongful confinement.

Justice Sanjay Kumar Sachdeva, passing the order, announced six years of imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 6,000 for each of the former policemen for the crime registered under section 306 of the IPC.

Further, a civilian accomplice, Gurjant Singh of village Bhai Bakhtaur, has been awarded five years of imprisonment along with fine of Rs 5,000 under the same section.

Of the four convicted former policemen, one was sub-inspector Iqbal Singh of Dharmkot (Moga), who was posted as SHO Kotfatta at that time. The other was sub-inspector Surat Singh of Kapurthala who was the CIA in-charge. The third was an assistant sub-inspector Darshan Singh of Chadewan (Muktsar) and the fourth was PHG Saudagar Singh of village Kotda. As per the information, during the pendency of the case, all had retired from service, whereas one constable Darshan Singh, who was also an accused, had died due to some heart ailment.Confirming the details, public prosecutor Jasdeep Singh Walia said that on August 29, 1997, Gurjant Singh had accused Pal Singh of committing a theft of household articles worth Rs 2 lakh, which took place at his house. A case was registered at Kotfatta police station.

Then the next morning, three policemen, Darshan, Saudagar and Jaswinder, without disclosing anything to his family members, took him from his house and confined him at the house of Gurjant, the complainant.

Family members of the deceased, in their statement, alleged that they heard his cries from inside the house and then after some time, they took him in a vehicle, in a state of unconsciousness. During their attempts to trace his whereabouts, they came to know about his death.

At civil hospital, Maur, the policemen took their thumb impressions on blank papers. The postmortem was conducted at Bathinda on August 31, 1997 and in the report, the cause of death was mentioned as the consumption of insecticide.

Receiving a writ petition, the Punjab and Haryana High Court marked the inquiry to Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Bathinda, who sent the report to the high court. Then the High Court instructed the then SSP Bathinda to register a case against the six accused. Initially, police moved a challan only against Gurjant but later, all were booked under the same sections.

It may be mentioned that during this period, a number of agitations were also carried out to protest the alleged delay in disposing of the case and the partial attitude of the police. 

Bathinda, July 16
Another girl of Bathinda district has brought laurels to the region by excelling in academics.

This time a girl from Maur Mandi, Shelly Garg, made the district proud and secured first position in the M.Sc Mathematics (Honours) from the Panjab University, Chandigarh. Shelly scored 94 per cent marks in the examination to figure at top in the merit list.

Talking to The Tribune over phone on Wednesday, Shelly said that perseverance and determination were the factors that brought success to her. "Although I put extra efforts during examination time, I study regularly," she said and added that quality of study was more important than quantity.

Shelly, who has always been excelling in study, said that she now wants to do P.hD. "I want to be a lecturer," she revealed and said that developing a child or a youth was like developing one's country.

Talking about her hobbies, she said that besides study, dance and listening music were her hobbies.

Giving credit of her success to her parents and teachers, she said, "My family has always been a constant support to me while teachers always provided me proper guidance and advices whenever I needed."

Upbeat over the success of her daughter, father of Shelly, Purushottam Das Garg, said that name of her daughter had always been figuring in the merit list since class X.

He said that Shelly secured second position in BA from Punjabi University, Patiala. For performing well in academics, the Government Rajindra College, Bathinda had once given prize to her.

Bathinda, July 16
The Technical Services Union organised protest rallies at sub-divisional offices of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) here today against the lathicharge on the PSEB workers at Patiala yesterday.

Union’s mandal president Nikka Ram, secretary Narinder Kumar and cashier Jagjit Singh Mehta said that the workers protested, while wearing black badges, and raised slogans against the state government. The union said, through a press note, that no attack on the union would be tolerated. It also asked for reinstatement of dismissed workers and stopping of the privatisation of the Board.

While addressing the workers at different places, various leaders of the union including, sub-urban president Paramjeet Singh, city president Siripal, cantonment president Narain Dutt, Sangat secretary Rakesh Kumar and vice-president Ram Nath, advised the workers to be ready to oppose the CM with black flags.

Circle Bathinda’s president Satwinder Singh and secretary Resham Kumar said in a press release that the release of workers, immediately after their arrest, at Patiala, was the victory of their strength. They alleged that the lathicharge was ordered on the orders of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. They asked for intensifying the joint struggle and keeping up the tempo. 

Barnala, July 16
Thanks to the indifferent attitude of medical authorities of the Civil Hospital, Barnala, it took 19 hours to eject the bullet from the body of a patient.

Medical experts opined further delay in it might prove fatal for the injured.

A dispute took place at Bhdaur, about 22 km from here, yesterday evening over land. One Abhay Kumar went to Jasmail Singh's shop and allegedly opened fire at Jasmail. In this firing, Jasmail received bullet injuries and died immediately. While Rajiv Kumar alias Tony,who was present in the same shop as a client, accidentally received a bullet in his shoulder. Rajiv's family took him to the civil hospital at Bhadaur,but sensing the gravity, Rajiv was shifted to the civil hospital, Barnala.

Rajiv's family alleged that he was admitted to the hospital around 9 pm on Tuesday, but even after 19 hours, the doctors at emergency ward failed to extract the bullet from his body. Family members of Rajiv demonstrated at the hospital and raised slogan against the doctors but to no avail. Finally, press reporters reached the site and raised the matter with the civil surgeon and asled him to take stock of the situation.

Meanwhile, Bhadaur SHO Kulawnt Singh said that the doctors asked him to give a written request for extracting the bullet, which he gave in writing in the morning. So the police had no role in delaying the operation.

It was only when Balbeer Singh, civil surgeon, talked to the doctors concerned, that the staff at the hospital came into action. And after an operation, the bullet was ejected out. Balbeer Singh,when contacted, said that the operation could be conducted only after the X-ray and other paper work

Ujjagr Singh Bihla, president of the Lok Chetna Manch, demanded an inquiry into the matter regarding the non- responsible attitude towards the patients by doctors at the civil hospital.

Meanwhile, the Bhadaur market remained closed in protest against the shooting incident. 

Ferozepur, July 16
Former MLA and president DCC, Gurnaib Brar, today said that the Akali MPs should keep the national interest foremost and support PM Manmohan Singh, as he had given a new identity to the Sikhs all over the world.

Brar said that Manmohan Singh is the first Sikh PM of the country and had done the community proud. So, it was the duty of the MPs from Punjab to support in his pursuit for N-deal.

Regarding the recent attack on Raj Baksh, son-in-law of Hans Raj Josan, who was minister of state for forests during the previous Congress regime, he said that it was a testimony to the fact that the Akalis were indulging in the politics of vendetta. 

Ferozepur, July 16
The Punjab Private Un-aided Medical and Dental Colleges Association has ridiculed the state government's decision of reducing the fees of special management quota seats in these colleges.

Kamal Baghi, spokesman, on behalf of the association, said that the fees had been reduced by Rs 1 lakh in medical colleges and Rs 77,000 in dental colleges across the state which would cause a revenue loss of Rs 75 lakh in medical and Rs 50 lakh in dental colleges respectively.

Baghi said that if the government really wanted to help meritorious and needy students, they should scrap 34 MBBS and 7 BDS seats in government colleges, which are at present comes under the NRI category, and bring them under general pool.

Baghi appealed that the government should allow the colleges to charge the fees on average basis for all categories as per the Supreme Court judgment in TMA Pai versus PA Inamdar case, which comes out to be Rs 1.91,176 for MBBS and Rs 131,941 for BDS course.

It is pertinent to mention that there are four private medical colleges and 10 private dental colleges in the state.

Chief Minister, under pressure from the parents of students appearing in PMT examination, had recently set up a committee to reduce the fee structure in these colleges, which was enhanced last year only. After deliberations on the issue, the state government had announced to reduce the fee structure of special management quota seats (left over from NRI quota), however, the fee structure for other quotas including general and management seats had not been touched so far, Baghi said.

The association had cautioned the government not to reduce the fees in case of general and management quota now; otherwise these colleges would not take part in the counselling, stated Baghi.

Mansa, July 16
Students of the Shiv Shakti College of Nursing, Bhikhi under Mansa district have written a letter to health minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla drawing her attention towards their problems.

B.Sc first year students of the college alleged that there were 40 seats for B.Sc nursing for which 38 girls and two boys had taken admission but the college management had not appointed required teachers and staff for the purpose. They alleged that even after passing of five months, the management had not appointed even a single teacher with the qualification of M.Sc. nursing and P.hd in nursing.

Students also alleged that whenever they raised their voices against the "irregularities", the officials of the institution threatened them with dire consequences. The institute had no hospital for giving training to the students and all students were send to Civil Hospital, Mansa, they alleged.

Students said that the director had not submitted fee of all students for training. Students demanded action against the management for ignoring the norms set by the Nursing Council of India.

Director of the college, Somnath Mehta, said that the charges levelled by the students were baseless. He said that the institution had set strict rules to maintain discipline and students were not following those rules and complaining against the authorities of institution. 

Abohar, July 16
The Army has started conducting psychological tests to access the psyche of the soldiers on the pattern of the OLQ (officer like qualities) test which was mandatory for the officers, informed Brigadier D.P. Singh, deputy director general (recruiting), in-charge Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir states.

During interaction with media persons after flagging off 1.6 km run for the candidates as part of the PFT (physical fitness test) at the local Military Station here today, Brigadier Singh said more than 3,000 youth had reported for recruitment which was confined to residents of Ferozepur, Faridkot, Muktsar and Bathinda districts. Successful candidates in the PFT and Physical Measurement Test (PMT) would undergo the medical examination, which is to be completed by July 18. There will be finger printing, biometric authentication to avoid impersonation. The candidates will have to appear in the Common Entrance Examination (CEE) to be held here on July 27. Efforts would go a long way in meeting the aspirations of youth of the region, who wished to join the army, he assured.

Brigadier Singh further informed that to ensure transparency and flaw less recruitment, senior officers had been drawn from different places. Colonel K.J. Singh from Srinagar, Colonel Surendra Singh from Jammu and Colonel K.K. Kiren from Ferozepur are here to conduct the rally.

Brigadier Bhupinder Singh,commander at the military station and civil administration here, deserved gratitude for providing excellent support in arranging the recruitment rally, he said.

NCC A certificate holder, brilliant sportsmen and kin of ex- servicemen would be given bonus marks in the evaluation for the recruitment, Brigadier Singh added.

Mansa, July 16
Although the Punjab and Haryana High Court had stayed the election for chairmanship of Zila Parishad, Mansa, 15 members of Zila Parishad today held a meeting at Zila Parishad Hall here and elected Dilraj Singh Bhunder as their chairman.

At the meeting, district president of SAD Harbant Singh Datewas, former MLA Sukhvinder Singh Aulakh and youth leader Gurpreet Singh were present. However no district official was present at the meeting.

Dilraj Singh Bhunder said that they had full respect for the order of the court but in democracy representatives of people had a right to elect their leader. He alleged that those people who moved to court in fact had no interest in development of the region.

Deputy Commissioner Surjit Singh Dhillon said that officially no election for the chairman of Zila Parishad was conducted because of the order of the High Court.

Ajitinder Singh Moffar on whose petition the High Court had ordered stay on the election said that he was not against the Dilraj Singh Bhunder becoming the chairman but he had done all to protect the rights of women. 

Ferozepur, July 16
The Zira police has registered a case against four persons including two women for allegedly duping a person on the pretext of sending his son abroad.

According to the information, Major Singh, a resident of Nabha, said that he met Jugraj Singh, Gurbachan Kaur, Umardeep Kaur and Jagroop Singh at village Malsian, who claimed that he could arrange to send his son Gurpreet abroad, provided he pays an amount of Rs 12 lakh to him.

Major Singh further said that he agreed for the same and gave Rs 7.65 lakh to Jugraj as part of the payment with an assurance that the rest of the money would be paid to him after his son was sent to England.

However, instead of reaching England, Gurpreet was sent to Dubai, from where he came back after a fortnight.

Enraged over the breach of commitment, Major Singh and his son Gurpreet went to Jugraj Singh and demanded their money back, but Jugraj refused to oblige and did not give back the payment. Later, Major Singh lodged a complaint with the police.

The police registered a case under section 420/120 of the IPC Act against the accused. 

Ferozepur, July 16
The Zira police registered a case against Makhan Singh, who was recently elected as panchayat member, for contesting the elections allegedly concealing the fact that he was employed with the BSNL.

After he was elected, his rival Jatinder Pal Singh reportedly lodged a complaint with the election commission that Makhan contested elections without tendering resignation from his job, as he was with BSNL. After a complaint by Jatinder Pal, the police investigated the matter and registered a case under section 420 of the IPC Act against the panchayat member at the Zira police station. — OC

Moga, July 16
A three-day training programme to contain bird flu conducted by the state animal husbandry department and sponsored by the union government concluded here today.

During the training, MK Paeta, Tarsem Kumar and Maninder Singh delivered their lectures on different aspects of the bird flu. However, they all stressed upon the need to take precautionary measures well in time so that the disease could be prevented before its possible outbreak.

PC Mittal, local deputy director of the animal husbandry department, while addressing the trainees, asked them to be sincere in delivering their duties in handling and controlling the outbreak of bird flu.

FEROZEPUR: The animal husbandry department organised a daylong training session on bird flu for a rapid response team under the guidance of Arun Kumar, deputy director, animal husbandry, Ferozepur here on Tuesday. Officials from various departments including health, PWD, revenue, municipal committee besides the leading poultry farmers of the region attended the workshop. — OC