J A L A N D H A R    E D I T I O N

HC facilitates return of 8 Indians from Baghdad
Chandigarh, August 31
Intervention by the Punjab and Haryana High Court has resulted in the homecoming of eight Indians from Baghdad. Another 11 are on their way back. The Punjab Police also told the High Court that eight criminal cases have been registered so far against travel agents “in relation to nine youths”. Further investigations were on.

Four sustain burns in mishaps
Jalandhar, August 31
Four cases of burn injuries have been reported from the city in the last 24 hours. While two namesakes Sunita, were admitted to the hospital with burn injuries, a resident of Dhuman village near Adampur, was admitted with 55 per cent injuries to the local Civil Hospital.

Three months on, no trace of missing Class X boy
Jalandhar, August 31
There is no trace of Rahul Thakur, a student of Class X, Sain Dass School, who went missing three months ago. The boy had gone to meet his friends on May 30 but did not return, said his father Krishan Chand.

Installation of Guru Granth Sahib to be celebrated today
Amritsar, August 31
The SGPC and other Sikh religious bodies have made arrangements to mark the 407th anniversary of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib tomorrow. A nagar kirtan would begin from Gurdwara Ramsar, where the Guru Granth Sahib was compiled and installed, at 7 am tomorrow.

2 killed in accidents
Nakodar, August 31
Sukhwinder Singh, 32, a resident of Saidowal village in Kapurthala, was killed in an accident near Malsian in Shahkot today. The bike on which the victim and his pillion rider Sanjeev Kumar of the same village, were riding collided head-on with a rashly driven tractor trolley while trying to overtake another vehicle.

Woman, paramour commit suicide
Tarn Taran, August 31
Karamjit Kaur (32) of village Bhullar and her alleged paramour Harjit Singh of village Naurangabad committed suicide by consuming poison. While Karamjit died on the spot, Harjit died in the hospital yesterday.

Tributes paid to Beant Singh Pathankot, August 31 The Congress leaders paid tributes to former Chief Minister Beant Singh at a function organised by the District Congress Committee at Congress Bhawan here today. — OC Congress leader Gurkanwal Kaur, along with her party workers, pays tributes to her father Beant Singh on his 16th death anniversary in Jalandhar on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Sarbjit Singh

HC facilitates return of 8 Indians from Baghdad
Another 11 on their way back
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
Intervention by the Punjab and Haryana High Court has resulted in the homecoming of eight Indians from Baghdad. Another 11 are on their way back. The Punjab Police also told the High Court that eight criminal cases have been registered so far against travel agents “in relation to nine youths”. Further investigations were on.

A letter by Joint Secretary (Consular) PM Meena addressed to Union of India’s counsel OS Batalvi was also placed before the Bench of Justice MM Kumar and Justice Gurdev Singh.

The letter said 26 workers were brought to Baghdad and the embassy has taken charge of them by arranging for their food and accommodation.

Taking up the matter, the Bench made Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs an additional respondent, while expressing satisfaction on the progress made for “bringing back the Indian workers whose services were sought to be exploited for clearing the remnants of the 2003 gulf war- bombs and missiles from the agricultural fields”.

The Bench also expressed the hope that the good work being done by the respondents would “hopefully” continue and “all these workers would be brought back to the motherland with the assistance of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs and if need be by spending some amount from the Indian Community Welfare Fund meant for emergency services.

The Bench also asked amicus curiae Anil Malhotra and Haryana Additional Advocate-General Piyush Kant Jain to prepare a report after interacting with the workers brought back.

Four sustain burns in mishaps
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 31
Four cases of burn injuries have been reported from the city in the last 24 hours. While two namesakes Sunita, were admitted to the hospital with burn injuries, a resident of Dhuman village near Adampur, was admitted with 55 per cent injuries to the local Civil Hospital.

Sunita, a resident of Takhran village in Phagwara, is struggling for life after she was admitted to the hospital with 80 per burn injuries.

She sustained burns when a stove busted while she was cooking this morning. Her condition is stated to be critical, a doctor at the hospital said.

Her brother-in-law Paramjit Singh also sustained injuries on his face and hands while trying to save her.

Village sarpanch Praveen Bagga said Sunita was taken to the Civil Hospital, Phagwara, but the doctors referred her to the Jalandhar hospital after giving her preliminary care.

She got married to NRI Santokh Lal of Takhran almost one-and-a-half years ago. Her parents have been informed, he added.

In another case, Sunita, a resident of Lohian, sustained burn injuries when the stove caught fire in the morning today. She was also admitted to the Civil Hospital with 10 per cent burns. Sunita, a resident of Talban village, and Gurpreet Singh of Lohian, had got married six months ago.

Balbir Singh, a resident of Dhiman village near Adampur sustained burn injuries on Tuesday night. Balbir Singh said he put diesel in his stove to cook for his guests when he ran out of kerosene and the stove burst.

Three months on, no trace of missing Class X boy
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 31
There is no trace of Rahul Thakur, a student of Class X, Sain Dass School, who went missing three months ago. The boy had gone to meet his friends on May 30 but did not return, said his father Krishan Chand.

A resident of New Railway Road, Chand said Rahul had gone with his friends for two days without informing them but came back after a couple of days. He later left home on May 30 and has not returned so far. The father said a daily dairy report was lodged in Division No 3 police station on June but the police has failed to make any headway in the case.

Chand suspects that Rahul was allured for employment by some anti-social elements who might have taken him along. He has appealed to the public to inform at phone numbers-9876511220, 9815499931 and 0181-2232587 if anyone has any information about Rahul.

Installation of Guru Granth Sahib to be celebrated today
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 31
The SGPC and other Sikh religious bodies have made arrangements to mark the 407th anniversary of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib tomorrow. A nagar kirtan would begin from Gurdwara Ramsar, where the Guru Granth Sahib was compiled and installed, at 7 am tomorrow.

Devotees chanting hymns would pass through various markets of the city before the culmination of the nagar kirtan at the Golden Temple. Many shabdi jathas, religious sabha societies, Gatka parties, school bands and Sikh religious organisations would take part.

A seven-hour long Shabad Vichar programme would be organised at Gurdwara Diwan Hall Manji Sahib from 7 pm tomorrow. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, Golden Temple head Granthi Maan Singh, SGPC president Avtar Singh and leading personalities would also take part.

Jalaon, a display of rare articles from the past, would also be held at the Golden Temple, Akal Takht and Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai. The shrine would be illuminated at night. Celebrations would culminate with a display of fireworks.

2 killed in accidents
Our Correspondents

Nakodar, August 31
Sukhwinder Singh, 32, a resident of Saidowal village in Kapurthala, was killed in an accident near Malsian in Shahkot today. The bike on which the victim and his pillion rider Sanjeev Kumar of the same village, were riding collided head-on with a rashly driven tractor trolley while trying to overtake another vehicle.

The victim was declared brought dead by doctors while Sanjeev sustained critical injuries and is stated to be out of danger, according to the police. The driver of the tractor fled from the spot. No case has been registered so far.

Hoshiarpur: Motorcylist Kamaljit, son of Gurdas Ram of Pandori Beet, died on the spot when a speedy car No DL-6-0739 hit the motorcycle on which he was going to Garhshankar last evening. According to the police sources, the Garhshankar police has booked the driver of the car Subhash, the son of Gurdas Ram of Mehandowal, under Sections 279 and 304 A of the IPC.

Woman, paramour commit suicide

Tarn Taran, August 31
Karamjit Kaur (32) of village Bhullar and her alleged paramour Harjit Singh of village Naurangabad committed suicide by consuming poison. While Karamjit died on the spot, Harjit died in the hospital yesterday.

The deceased Karamjit Kaur’s husband objected to Harjit’s frequent visits to the house and left in a huff after a tiff with the deceased. Following this Karamjit called Harjit and both consumed some poisonous substance. When his condition deteriorated, Harjit called his parents who reached the spot and took him to the Civil Hospital. The couple had known each other for a year and a half. Karamjit Kaur had two minor sons. The bodies were handed over to the families after a post-mortem. — OC