J A L A N D H A R    E D I T I O N

Police-rehri union row resolved
Nawanshahr, January 8
A row between the police and the Rehri-Rickshaw Workers Union, which was triggered by the drive to remove traffic bottlenecks from the main roads and chowks to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the town, was resolved today.

Nigerian held with 8 kg heroin
Amritsar, January 8
The state special operation cell today arrested a Nigerian and seized 8 kg of heroin worth Rs 40 crore in the international market from him. Felix Odemole, alias Sam, was caught near the railway station.

Felix Odemole, a Nigerian, in police custody. Photo: Vishal Kumar

Price rise dampens the Lohri fun
Hoshiarpur, January 8
The skyrocketing prices of essential commodities and recent all-time high increase to Rs 45 in the rates of sugar has made Lohri this year a damp squib.  Lohri is celebrated on January 13 every year during the chilly weather by families where marriages have been solemnised or which have been blessed with sons or daughters. 

Family Suicide Case
Body of JE’s daughter fished out
Hoshiarpur, January 8
The body of Pawanpreet Kaur, daughter of deceased junior engineer of the BBMB, Talwara, Gurmail Singh, who ended his life along with four of his family members by plunging the car in the Shah Nehar (canal), Talwara, on January 2, was fished out from gate No 1 of the Mukerian Hydel Project last evening.

One hurt in firing incident
Phagwara, January 8
Three unidentified armed motorcyclists shot at and wounded scooterist Sat Paul Puri (44) in Baba Gadhia locality tonight. The bleeding Puri drove himself to Gandhi Hospital in bloody condition. Dr Satnam Singh Parmar said that Puri had critical bullet injuries in his head and chest. He was referred to the DMC Hospital, Ludhiana, said Dr Parmar.

Body of infant found in plot
Phagwara, January 8
The decomposed body of a male infant was found buried in a barren plot at Adarsh Nagar Colony here yesterday. BJP councillor Sarita Sood said some children playing in the plot noticed the body of the infant wrapped in a towel and informed their parents, who then came to her.

Police-rehri union row resolved
Our Correspondent

Nawanshahr, January 8
A row between the police and the Rehri-Rickshaw Workers Union, which was triggered by the drive to remove traffic bottlenecks from the main roads and chowks to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the town, was resolved today.

Under the traffic management drive, the police and MC officials had acted tough against the rehriwalas on Thursday. The rehris parked between Ambedkar Chowk and Chandigarh Chowk on the Jalandhar-Nawanshahr-Chandigarh main road were seized. The Rehri-Rickshaw Workers Union organised a demonstration in front of the MC office here to get back their rehris but the DSP, Satpal Singh Bhangu, refused to relent on the plea that the rehris, which did not possess proper licence from the MC would not be allowed. Besides, the MC would be asked to rationalise the procedure of issuing licences to the rehiwalas by making it area-wise so that all licence holder rehriwalas should not put their rehris on the main highway causing hindrance in the smooth flow of traffic.

The Rehri-Rickshaw Workers Union had threatened to organise a massive protest dharna in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner today. Keeping in view the threat, the police had rounded up 27 activists of the union, including Bitta Sabharwal, president, Rehri Union, and Kulwinder Singh Warraich, president, All-India Federation of Trade Unions (AIFTU), while they were holding a meeting to chalk out a plan in connection with the protest dharna. But, the police action failed to deter the activists of the Rehri-Rickshaw Workers Union.

The Union in collaboration with other unions today held a dharna in front of the district administrative complex in the morning and then took out a protest march and reached in front of the office of the SSP and held a dharna there.

At last, the row between the police and the union was resolved and the rounded up activists of the union were released in the evening. DSP Satpal Singh Bhangu said the rehri workers union had promised to cooperate with the administration in better traffic management. No rehri would be allowed without having proper licence, he said.

Kulwinder Singh Warraich, AIFTU leader, said the ongoing row between the police and the union was resolved and for resolving the issue of better traffic management comprehensively, the Deputy Commissioner would convene a meeting in which the SDM and Executive Officer, MC, would also be present.

Nigerian held with 8 kg heroin
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 8
The state special operation cell today arrested a Nigerian and seized 8 kg of heroin worth Rs 40 crore in the international market from him. Felix Odemole, alias Sam, who was on study visa in New Delhi, was caught near the railway station when he was to board a train or bus to Delhi after receiving the consignment from a person whose identity is yet to be ascertained.

The student visa of Odemole had expired in 2006. He had been living in New Delhi since 2004.

SSP P.K. Rai said Sam developed close contact with Pak smuggler Abad Ali, residing in Kasur through his contact in South Africa. He revealed that the consignment was to be routed to foreign markets via various channels.

Answering media queries, he denied any terrorism link. “During preliminary investigations it has come to light that he had entered into illegal trade through his South African conduit who is in close relation with the accused,” said Rai, adding that the police would also look into his past record through various agencies operating in Delhi.

The cell was tracing the telephone calls to unearth the whole nexus and network of smugglers. The SSP added police parties had been sent to various places to track other accomplices of Odemole.

A case under sections 21/29/61/85, NDPS Act has been registered.

Price rise dampens the Lohri fun
Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, January 8
The skyrocketing prices of essential commodities and recent all-time high increase to Rs 45 in the rates of sugar has made Lohri this year a damp squib. Lohri is celebrated on January 13 every year during the chilly weather by families where marriages have been solemnised or which have been blessed with sons or daughters. Children, in groups, go to houses to greet households and families provide them money, groundnuts, rewris, gachak, chirve, fruits, etc. on the occasion.

Entertainment programmes, followed by dinner or cocktail parties, are arranged during the night as people sit around bonfire to warm themselves.

But the prevailing price hike has acted as a dampener among for this traditional festival.

Dhian Singh, who has been in this business for the past 50 years, said the skyrocketing prices were the major reason of the debacle due to recent heavy increase in the rates of sugar.

Due to the high rates of rewri at Rs 90 per kg, gachak Rs 100 per kg, groundnuts Rs 70 per kg, these have gone beyond the reach of poor people.

JD(U) holds Pawar, Punjab Goverment responsible

Expressing concern over the prices of sugar, which have reached an all-time high at Rs 45 per kg, state president of the Janata Dal (United) Inderjit Singh Saini alleged that the policies of Union Minister for Agriculture and Food Sharad Pawar and the SAD-BJP government of Punjab were behind the unprecedented price hike.

The present price rise in sugar prices and other commodities have burdened the common man who had already been crushed by skyrocketing prices of essential commodities.

In a press release here yesterday, Saini stated that on account of continuous irresponsible statements of Sharad Pawar, the rates of essential commodities, including sugar, were constantly increasing. His statement regarding the shortage of sugar and further enhancement in its rates was the major cause for the increase of Rs 18 per kg in sugar rates within the last two months. On account of such irresponsible statements, black marketeers were hoarding the stock of sugar and after creating an artificial shortage, selling it at higher rates. The state governments have not initiated any action against the hoarders.

He urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to stop Pawar from issuing such statements and instruct the state governments to take action against the black marketeers and make arrangements for providing essential commodities, including wheat flour, sugar, pulses, edible oils, etc. at subsidised rates to save the common man from possible starvation.

Criticising the Punjab government for remaining silent on the issue, Saini said the government of neighbouring Himachal Pradesh had been providing essential commodities like pulses, wheat flour, rice, sugar, oil, etc. at subsidised rates through fair price shops to all ration card holders. He urged the CM of Punjab to withdraw 4 per cent entry tax on sugar which would decrease its rates to Rs 2 per kg. He also urged to take strict action against hoarders.

Family Suicide Case
Body of JE’s daughter fished out

Hoshiarpur, January 8
The body of Pawanpreet Kaur, daughter of deceased junior engineer of the BBMB, Talwara, Gurmail Singh, who ended his life along with four of his family members by plunging the car in the Shah Nehar (canal), Talwara, on January 2, was fished out from gate No 1 of the Mukerian Hydel Project last evening.

According to police sources, search for the body of Kamal Pal, son of the JE, is being carried out in the Shah Nehar by the divers of the BBMB, Nangal.

It may be recalled that the JE, along with his wife, two sons and a daughter, committed suicide by plunging his car into the canal following the alleged harassment of the former by his Executive Engineer K.C. Rana on the evening of January 2. The bodies of Gurmail Singh, his wife Mandip Kaur and son Jatinder Pal along with the car have already been fished out of the canal. — OC

One hurt in firing incident

Phagwara, January 8
Three unidentified armed motorcyclists shot at and wounded scooterist Sat Paul Puri (44) in Baba Gadhia locality tonight. The bleeding Puri drove himself to Gandhi Hospital in bloody condition. Dr Satnam Singh Parmar said that Puri had critical bullet injuries in his head and chest. He was referred to the DMC Hospital, Ludhiana, said Dr Parmar.

DSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh, who rushed to the site, said late tonight that Puri was working with a property dealer and was returning home on his scooter when three unidentified assailants opened fire on him. Khakh said constable Ram Parshad, residing near the site of firing, came out from the house after hearing the shots, but could not see anything due to poor visibility caused by thick fog.

The DSP described the firing incident as a result of enmity among two groups of property dealers. He said a few empty cartridges of revolvers were found at the site of firing. — OC

Body of infant found in plot
Our Correspondent

Phagwara, January 8
The decomposed body of a male infant was found buried in a barren plot at Adarsh Nagar Colony here yesterday. BJP councillor Sarita Sood said some children playing in the plot noticed the body of the infant wrapped in a towel and informed their parents, who then came to her.

The body of the infant was being eaten by spray dogs.

The police has registered a case under section 318 of the IPC. DSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh said perhaps an unmarried woman had thrown the infant after delivery. Khakh said police teams would soon be sent to different nursing homes and midwives to find the truth.

Senior Medical Officer Dr Rajiv Gupta said all nursing homes and midwives of the town had been instructed to keep formal records of all the delivery cases.