The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Jeweller, son shot at in daylight robbery Robbers aged between 20 and 23 years flee with gold ornaments worth lakhs on display at the shop PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 21 Armed robbers shot a jeweller and his son in broad daylight here today. They decamped with all the jewellery displayed in the shop, Sona Chandi Jewellers on Majitha road. The victims, identified as Ramesh Chander and his son Rahul (23), were rushed to a private hospital where their condition is stated to be critical. The incident took place at 3.15 pm when six unidentified accused armed with pistols and one with sharp-edged weapon allegedly barged into the shop and asked Ramesh Chander and Rahul to handover all the jewellery and cash at gun-point. The robbers shot at Ramesh when he tried to resist. He got shot in the centre of his chest. According to eyewitnesses, the accused had brought bags with them in which they put the jewellery. They pulled Rahul out of the shop and shot at his back and stabbed him before fleeing. Victim Ramesh's elder son Sumit had a narrow escape as he left for the adjoining shop Chawla Cloth Centre just a few seconds before the robbery. Fear writ large on the face of an employee of the shop Sahil who was inside the shop at that time. “The six persons who had their faces covered with handkerchiefs entered the shop between 3.15 and 3.20 pm and asked for the jewellery to be handed over to them before shooting the father and then Rahul," said Sahil. He was sitting at the back of the counter. He said jewellery worth 5-6 lakh was taken away from te shop. Harish Chawla, another eyewitness and the owner of adjoining Chawla Cloth Centre said when we tried to come out of our shop, the robbers fired at us too. “Sumit had come to our shop to make a phone call. We tried to come out when we heard voices of glass counters breaking. The robbers fired near our feet and shouted at us not to come out. We went back inside our shop. We immediately informed the police which reached within 30-mintues," said Harish. According to the eyewitnesses, the robbers parked two of their motorcycles in a street across the road and in front of the shop leading to Indira Colony. They fired 4-5 gunshots while fleeing from the spot. Senior police officials, including Police commissioner, RP MIttal, ADCP Bahadur Singh and ACP Gurnam Singh reached the spot. They also visited the hospital where the victims were admitted in critical condition. The police team also interacted with the victims Sahil and Harish Chawla. The police also recovered a couple of empty bullet shells from the spot. Mittal told media persons that investigation was on into the case. "I have visited the spot and hospital where the victims are admitted. I have talked to the family members who were still in a state of shock and asked for some time. As per the doctors attending at the hospital, Rahul has stab wounds while Ramesh has gunshot injury and will have to be operated upon. It is yet to be ascertained the quantity of jewellery looted from the shop,” Police commissioner said. Young face of crime The six armed robbers in their early twenties bore a dark complexion and long hair, according to eyewitnesses.
	Woman, paramour kill man Bury the body in the house before throwing it into a canal; admit to the crime P K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 21 Woman and her paramour allegedly killed a rickshaw puller, who had been missing for more than two months. The accused first buried the body of the deceased identified as Sakatar Singh in the house but when the stench of the decomposed body started emanating from the house they disposed it off in a canal passing through the village. Mukhtiar Kaur, mother of the deceased and a resident of Jathunangal village lodged a complaint with the Jhander police while alleging that Sarabjit Kaur and her paramour Paramjit Singh, both residents of Harsha Chhina village got her son Sakatar Singh abducted. The police had registered a case under Section 364, 34 IPC following the complaint. Sukhwinder Singh Randhawa, in-charge CIA staff and the investigation officer in the case said the accused have confessed to their crime. He said Sakatar Singh had come to know about the alleged illicit relations between his wife Sarabjit Kaur and Paramjit Singh who even visited his house in his absence. He added the deceased often objected to their relationship and had even caught two in an objectionable position in the house. The accused allegedly strangled the victim to death before burying his body in the house on the intervening night between July 2 and 3, he said. On July 12 Sarabjit lodged a missing person's complaint with the police. Unable to bear the stench emanating from the house, the accused decided to dispose the body in Harsha Chhina canal by exhuming the body, he added. Randhawa said both have been taken in police custody and the search was on to recover the body. Unholy alliance The deceased often objected to the alleged illicit relationship between the accused, according to the police.
	Over a dozen booked in firing case Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 21 The Civil Lines police has booked Pardeep Kumar, a resident of Jhabal, Tarn Taran and Manpreet Singh of Josan Colony, Airport Road, here besides more than a dozen unidentified persons in connection with the firing incident at the district shopping complex at B-Block of Ranjit Avenue here yesterday. A case under Section 307, 323, 160, 148, 149 IPC and 25, 54, 59 Arms Act has been registered in this regard on the basis of the statement of Sanjiv Kumar, SHO Civil Line police station. According to the complaint, the police received information that there was a clash between students of Gray Centre in the shopping complex in which members of both the groups allegedly attacked each other and injured them with sticks and sharp- edged weapons and fired gunshots. No arrest has been made so far. y Pardeep Kumar, a resident of Jhabal (Tarn Taran) and Manpreet Singh of Josan Colony, Airport Road, here among those booked in the case.
	Now, 25 years and below can take part in varsity youth festival Matriculation certificate required to prove age of the participants GS Paul Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 21 Guru Nanak Dev University authorities have fixed 25 years as the age bar to take part in the Inter-Zonal University Youth Festival 2011-2012. The matriculation certificate would be the only valid document accepted to ensure their eligibility. The authorities have decided to scrap its earlier criteria to consider the attestation of the respective college principals regarding the age of the participating students for festival, which witnesses students from 150 Guru Nanak Dev University-affiliated colleges. The move comes to stop professional artists being hired as participants for the youth festivals. One such incident had come to light during the festival held in October last, when fingers were raised over the age of some team members of Khalsa College, who had taken part in the bhangra contest. Khalsa College students had disrupted the proceedings by capturing the dais and stopped only when the police was called in. Thereafter, a blanket ban had been imposed on Khalsa College students from taking part in any youth festival. Though, some relaxation was granted later, after varsity authorities reviewed the entire episode. According to Principal of Khalsa College Dr Daljit Singh confirmed that till date, no communication has been received from the Guru Nanak Dev University authorities about allowing their Bhangra team to take part in the forthcoming festival.
	‘Wanted’ father-son duo commits suicide at courts complex The deceased were facing 14 cases of duping people at ATMs Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 21 Bodies of father-son duo Rajesh Gupta (40) and his son Sajan Gupta (17) were found inside an advocate's chamber in the district courts complex here in the morning today. The deceased were residents of Krishna Nagar here and are suspected to have committed suicide. The two had stayed at the advocate's chamber belonging to Digvijay Singh and consumed alcohol there last night. The duo were allegedly involved in duping innocent people of their money by exchanging their ATM cards at the ATMs. More than 14 criminal cases were pending against them in various courts in Amritsar and adjoining districts. Al of 17, Sajan had already earned the nickname of Chota (Junior) Natwar Lal for himself for duping people. In a recent incident they were booked for stealing over Rs two lakh from an ATM machine in Jalandhar. The footage of the CCTV installed at the ATM machine had recorded them while committing the crime. Advocate Digvijay Singh told the police that he had allowed the two to stay at the chamber for the night. Digvijay Singh was a legal counsel for the duo in most of the cases against them. However, the permission to stay at the chambers amounts to a violation of instructions, according to which advocates are required to vacate their chambers by eight in the evening. Insiders at the courts complex said the duo had developed a friendship with the advocate during their long association with him as their counsel. The police team also found that both had consumed alcohol last night before committing suicide. The police also found a portable (folding) bed and a pillow from the chamber. Inspector Sanjeev Kumar, in charge, Civil Lines Police Station, said the police has booked Sukha Bedi, Kala and Nanu Vasdev for alleged abetment to suicide on the basis of the statement of Rajni Gupta, wife of Rajesh Gupta. He said the deceased's wife has claimed that the trio had been harassing her husband because of some financial dispute. He said the bodies were handed over to the family after a post-mortem examination. Amritsar Bar Association president Pradeep Kumar Saini said they had earlier received an order from the Registrar, Punjab and Haryana High Court, that no one should be present in the advocates chambers after eight in the evening. Saini said the notice was displayed at all notice boards in courts complex. Crime file The duo were allegedly involved in duping innocent people of their money by exchanging their ATM cards at the ATM kiosks.
	Polluting auto-rickshaws continue to ply on city roads Government’s move to prohibit registration of diesel-run auto-rickshaws has little impact Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 21 Auto-rickshaws, emanating poisonous gasses, ply on the city roads without impunity. It seems that the Punjab Government’s move to prohibit registration and renewal of registration of diesel-run auto-rickshaws about five months back had a little impact. Environmentalists and citizens, who were earlier happy with the Punjab Government for enacting a law to keep a tab on auto-rickshaws, blame absence of adequate LPG and CNG filling stations in the city besides less number of LPG and CNG autos. As per the new law, all the district transport offices were directed not to renew the mandatory annual permit of diesel-run auto-rickshaws. Currently, over 20,000 auto-rickshaws ply in the city. At present, the city has only one LPG filling station on the Tarn Taran road, and there is no CNG filling station at all. Deepak Babbar, executive director, Mission Aagaaz, an organisation for environment, said there was no sign of reduction of pollutants in the environment. He said the law was incomplete. He said many auto-rickshaw drivers run their vehicles on adulterated fuel, which profusely produces harmful gases. Majority of drivers, who run rented auto-rickshaws, resort to adulteration in order to cut their investment cost. Satwinder Singh, president, Pink Plaza Auto-Rickshaw Union, said the move was laudable but the government did not ensure adequate availability of LPG filling stations in the city. Besides, he demanded that the government must extend a helping hand to the auto-rickshaw drivers for switching over from diesel to LPG by offering soft loans. There was not a much gap of price between a diesel and LPG-run auto-rickshaw. Both categories are available at Rs 1.6 lakh. However, middle aged auto-rickshaw drivers face difficulty carrying the change due to paucity of funds. DTO Vimal Setia said no more than 200 LPG-run autos had been registered with his office during the past four months. He said while no CNG auto had got registered as no CNG filling station was available in the city. Setia said the Union Government-controlled PSUs were authorised to issue CNG and LPG filling station. He added that even then he had written to the state government to take up the matter with the Union Government on the need for opening more LPG, CNG filling stations in the city.
	UK’s society of dyers promotes textile education in GND University Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 21 Two officials from Society of Dyers and Colorists (SDC), UK, visited the Department of Applied Chemical Sciences and Technology of the Guru Nanak Dev University here on Tuesday. Abhijit Naikdesai, General Manager (Operations), narrated the objectives of the SDC to the faculty and students and informed them about various other activities in order to promote textile education. He also encouraged students to become members of the SDC to gain access to their databases and other technical resources. Naresh R Bhatt, honorary secretary of the SDC, also delivered a lecture on ‘Quality management in textile industry’ and also interacted with students. Dr Kamaljit Singh, Professor and Head of the Department, said the department is planning to have future collaboration with the SDC for promotion of textile sciences in the region. Collaborative projects and symposia will be organised in Guru Nanak Dev University in future.
	Investigation into suicide case suspended for two days Police gives the Punjab Swarnkaar Sangh 48 hours to establish that debt was the reason behind the suicide GS Paul Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 21 Even as the police is on a lookout for persons whose names figured in the suicide note left by a local jewellery craftsman and his wife, who committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance three days ago at a resort here, yet the police has temporarily suspended the probe after the intervention of the jewellers’ association. A delegation of the Punjab Swarnkaar Sangh met the Police Commissioner, Jalandhar, RP Mittal, urging him to investigate the ‘business dealings’ the deceased had with his clients, who apparently were named in the suicide note. On the insistence of the association, the police commissioner has granted them a period of two days to establish the facts that the deceased was debt-ridden and that he and his wife ended their life because of depression. The deceased had mentioned the names of seven persons, including a Congress councillor, in the suicide note. Te note stated that those named used to threaten to kill him and his family and that he and his wife are ending their lives for being under pressure. On the basis of the suicide note, the police has registered a case against them for abetment to suicide. All of them are absconding. Nevertheless, the sangh members insisted that the deceased who used to operate from his house in the Namak Mandi area was involved in organizing ‘on-call credit committees’ and that he himself was in heavy debt. It has been learnt that the business of credit committees are generally run on frivolous names on the basis of ‘katchi parchi’ (temporary ledger) and does not hold any legal sanctity. Now, on what grounds the association is going to prove its point is yet to see. The president of the Punjab Swarnkaar Sangh Jagjeet Singh Sehdev confirmed that the sangh members had intervened in the matter to urge for a fair investigation. “After the statement of the police in the matter, fear and anxiety gripped us because most of our trade is based on mutual relationships. It has less legal value and more of face value for us. We just wanted that police should take into consideration all the aspects before reaching any decision,” he said. Police Commissioner RP Mittal told that the sangh members have been given a two day period to prove their point and that fair investigation would be done in the case. “I trusted them and gave them 48 hours to bring in the documents which could testify that the deceased was under debt. Nevertheless, the persons who were to take back their money should also come forward to face the investigation proceedings. It is certain that those who were mentioned in the suicide note are subject to undergo interrogation lawfully. Till date, no arrest has been made so far. But I can assure that investigation would be done in a transparent manner,” he said.
	Health workers hold protest Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 21 The ANM (Auxiliary Nursing Midwives) and LHV (Lady Health Visitor) union today held a protest in the Civil Surgeon office premises demanding implementation of revised pay grades. Their protest has taken a toll on immunization drive for newborn children. They held the state government responsible for problems caused to the public. Tripta Kumari, district president of the ANM and LHV Workers Union said, "The health workers have remained absent from their duties because of the strike." She said as the union had given a notice to the state government about today's protest on September 15, the responsibility for problem caused to the general public lies with the state government. She said workers were forced to adopt the agitation path because of the state government's apathy. The health workers said the director, Health Services, had been unjust in not recommending the pay grades suggested by the Fifth Pay Commission. The union members felt that as the responsibility and workload on the ANMs and LHVs has increased manifold because of new schemes initiated by the state and the union government. The Pay Commission report should be implemented in toto, they said. Tripta said ANMs are demanding a grade pay of Rs 3,000 and LHVs have Rs 4,800. She said these workers are not getting uniform allowance, board and meal allowance and washing allowance as applicable to them.
	Coaching classes for teaching entrance launched Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 21 Khalsa College has decided to start University Grants Commission-sponsored coaching classes for NET/SLET as well as civil services. College principal Dr Daljit Singh announced that these classes would provide valuable guidance to the students belonging to the OBC, SC, ST and the minorities. He hoped that the students of the college would immensely benefit from this opportunity and add to the prestige of the college. He thanked the UGC for the initiative and offer of a special grant. He said the center would be a boon for the students of the border areas who are students of the college. Several publishers exhibited books related to NET, IAS and PCS at the main library of the college.