Hoshiarpur, October 4
With the arrest of two persons, identified as Rajinder Singh of Khera and Sukhdev Singh of Khanoor, the district police claims to have unearthed an inter-state fake currency racket operating in the district.

The police seized Rs 16.35 lakh fake currency notes of Rs 1,000 denomination (Rs 9.25 lakh from Rajinder Singh and Rs 7.10 lakh from Sukhdev Singh). Addressing mediapersons here today, Hoshiarpur SSP Rakesh Aggarwal said two more members of this gang, identified as Surinder Singh Gill of Majari (Ropar), presently residing at Mohalla Deva Nagar JCT Shehar, Patna, and Sikander of Behtia (Bihar) were still at large.

Rajinder Singh borrowed Rs 2.7 lakh from Karnail Singh, son of Amar Nath of Seena village for a week. But he did not return the borrowed money on the assured time for which Karnail Singh started pressing him to return the same at the earliest.

On the night of October 1, Rajinder Singh along with Sukhdev Singh went to the house of Karnail Singh and enticed him by offering fake currency in huge amount against the borrowed money. They also handed him over Rs 5,000 fake currency notes of Rs 1000 denomination and told him to encash the same from the market and if Karnail Singh succeeded to get them encashed, informed them accordingly and then they would provide him huge fake currency.

Instead of getting the said notes encashed, Karnail Singh informed the CIA headquarter Inspector Sukhwinder Singh about the matter.

On his statement, an FIR No 82 under sections 420 and 489 (A), (B) and (C)of the IPC had been registered in Chabewal police station against the accused.

After investigating the case, the police arrested the duo and seized the aforesaid fake currency from them.

Amritsar, October 4
There is a rapid increase in the number of people using injections for taking drugs as the trend of administering intoxicants and narcotics are changing. This was revealed by Dr N.M. Sharma, Additional Project Director of the Punjab AIDS Control Society.

He was here to participate in the inauguration of Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) centre set up at de-addiction centre of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital here today.

He pointed out that people especially youth who used to take brown sugar or smack had now shifted to injecting pharmaceutical drugs used in combination due to its easy accessibility in chemist shops which is also cheaper besides using low quality of smack.

He said these people inject drugs in groups using same syringes that increase risk of contracting blood borne infections HIV and hepatitis.

Quoting data, Dr Sharma disclosed that new cases of HIV infection were at steady increase in the state. He said there were approximately 22,961 drug users in the state.

The HIV prevalence amongst this group is at an alarming 26.1 per cent as compare to national prevalence of 9.16 per cent. Ironically, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Ropar are amongst the highly affected where the rate is 25 to 50 per cent of HIV prevalence.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla inaugurated the state’s first OST centre here while the project launched by Government of India in collaboration with NACO was also launched in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Tarn Taran and Batala.

“The progress of the project would be documented and the experience attained through it would help in implementing the project in other parts of the country,” said Aradhna Johri, joint secretary, NACO. She called upon the society especially the medical community not to stigmatise the AIDS patients and deliberately avoiding the treatment.

Tarn Taran: The OST services were inaugurated at the local Drug De-addiction Centre by Aradhna Johri, Joint Secretary, Health Department of the Union Government here today.

Amritsar, October 4
Teachers, health officials and paramedical staff from the government centres were found absent from their duties during sudden raid conducted by Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Zila Parishad, here today.

Rakesh Kumar, Deputy CEO, conducted raids at as many as 21 schools, 16 subsidiary health centres (SHC) and eight veterinary hospitals falling under Panchayati Raj Institutions.

Steps have been initiated by the department to take departmental action against the erring teachers and staff members who remained absent from their duties.

Confirming this, Rakesh Kumar while talking to The Tribune disclosed that an ETT teacher Rajwinder Kaur was absent from Government Elementary School, Dhariwal while Amit Kumar, Sanjiv Kumar, Sukhjit Singh all ETT teachers posted at Government Elementary School, Kohali were not present on their duties. Another ETT teacher Aarti Chauhan, posted at Government Elementary School, Wadala Khurd was also absent from school during the unexpected checking at these schools.

During the raids at SHC Devidas Pura in Jandiala Guru Block, Dr Chinki Thukral, Rural Medical Officer (RMO) absent besides Ranjit Kaur, Auxiliary Nursing Midwives (ANM) and Ajit Pal Singh, Multipurpose Health Worker (MPW) were found missing from their duties. While Subsidiary Health Centers at Gahiri and Wadala Bhitewid (Verka Block), Jarmanjit Singh (MPW), Manjinder Singh, Pharmacist, Bikram Singh, Health Worker were respectively found absent. Rohit Sharma, Pharmacist, Sawinder Kaur, ANM, Satpal Singh and Gurtaj Singh posted at SHC, Mahal. Another, Rural Medical Officer, Dr Rahul Arora posted at SHC Rattangarh, Rayya block was also not present at his centre during the raid.

Rakesh said that Rural Development Department was committed to stem the problem of absenteeism from schools and hospitals being run under the Panchayati Raj Institution.

Hoshiarpur, October 4
Two persons were killed in separate road accidents in the district during the past 24 hours.

According to the police sources, Kuldip Singh of Sibli died on the spot when a speedy bus (PB 30 D 7501) hit his motorcycle (PB 54 D 6553) while he was going from Mansar to Bhangala last evening. In another accident, Sewa Dass of Balgan was killed when a speedy tractor hit his scooter (PB 21 A 5989) near his village.

The Mukerian and Dasuya police stations have booked bus driver Devinder Singh of Khatra and tractor driver Gurpreet Singh of Jhingra, respectively, under relevant sections of the IPC for the accidents.

Nakodar: Assistant Sub-Inspector of the Nakodar police, posted in nearby Mehatpur, was killed in a road mishap last night. Confirming this, Nakodar DSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh said the deceased was returning to his Nakodar residence on a scooter, when he met with an accident as three persons on evening walk suddenly struck with the scooter and two persons, including ASI sustained serious injuries. Both were sent to Jalandhar Hospital but the ASI succumbed to his injuries on the way, while the other injured Vinod Kumar was admitted in a Jalandhar hospital.

Nawanshahr:Pawan Kumar, a havaldar with the Vigilance Department, was seriously injured in a road mishap here on Monday. Pawan was travelling in a bus (PB 46 H - 9744) of Punjab Roadways from Chandigarh. As per the available information, when he got down from the bus here near Gurdwara Singh Sabha on Chandigarh Road, he suddenly lost his balance and fell down on the road and his legs were badly crushed under the rear tyre of the bus. He was immediately taken to a nearby private hospital for treatment. The police has impounded the bus and started further investigation.

Amritsar, October 4
With regard to the visit of President Pratibha Patil to Amritsar, the police has made a detailed plan for smooth flow of traffic in the city. All those heading towards Khalsa College, the venue of the function, will have to follow the bypass route.

The vehicles coming from Jalandhar will take right turn from T-Point Sultanwind/ Daburji and will travel to Milk Plant Chowk, Chowk Majitha Road Bypass, Chowk Fateh Ghar Churian Bypass, Gumtala flyover, Chowk Mahal Crossing towards India Gate. They will take left turn to Chheharta, Guru Nanak Dev University and will reach Khalsa College.

The light vehicles will be parked in Khalsa School adjacent to the residence of Principal Khalsa College. Buses/heavy vehicles will be parked along the roadside i.e. on one side of the road between Khalsa College and Putlighar Chowk.

The other half of the road, going from Railway Station to Chheharta, will be used for vehicular traffic. The traffic on this stretch will be diverted from 22 No Fatak to Kot Khalsa via Mohini Park and Kabir Park towards Chheharta.

The traffic restrictions will apply on the route to be followed by the VVIP for which the commuters are requested to take alternate route. — TNS

Tarn Taran, October 4
Hundreds of anganwari workers and helpers under the aegis of the Angenwari Mulazam Union, Punjab, gheraoed the office of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) here today to demand pay hike.

Beant Kaur, the district president of the of the Union, condemned the Union Government for ignoring their genuine demands . She warned that in case the Centre failed to accept their demands, lakhs of anganwari workers and helpers would gherao Parliament in the winter session. The Union also presented a memorandum to the district authorities to be forwarded to the Prime Minister and the Union Minister for Women and Child Welfare.