Bathinda, March 16
The long wait for grants for Government Rajindra College finally got over on Saturday when Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Sarup Chand Singla announced an aid of Rs 5 lakh for the development of the auditorium on the college premises. The CPS made the announcement during the annual prize distribution function of the college being organised here today.

The Education Minister of Punjab, who had visited the college last month, had pointed out that the college required funds to upgrade its infrastructure. He had also asked the college authorities to complete laying underground wires on time. Yet, the minister had not announced any grant and instead, asked the college authorities to prepare an estimate budget for it and send it to the government.

Earlier, after getting no response from the government about the release of funds required to complete the construction of its library, the college authorities decided to spend Rs 30 lakh from its own funds for the work.

Principal of the college Vijay Goyal said the college authorities had requested the CPS to release grants for the development of the college auditorium. "When we went to invite him, we brought it to his notice that the college required funds. He had promised us that all help will be extended to the government college," he said.

The college will now use the Rs 5-lakh grant and its own funds to begin the work of fixing chairs in the auditorium. Till now, the couches, used to seat the guests, were brought on rent. The college auditorium has a capacity to seat 300 persons on the ground floor and 200 in the balcony.

"The movable chairs will be shifted to the balcony and new chairs will be fixed on the ground floor. Bringing sofas on rent will not be required," said vice-principal Ramesh Chander Pasrija.

Bathinda, March 16
One person was killed and another injured in two serious accidents in the city.

A pedestrian, Bikramjit Singh of Raisinghnagar in Rajasthan, was killed after being hit by a speeding truck near Liberty Chowk. As per reports, he was trying to cross the road.

Investigating officer in the case, ASI Partap Singh said the family members of the deceased have been informed about the mishap.

The relatives would come tomorrow after which their statements would be recorded. He said the victim had arrived in Bathinda and was going to Burj Sema village near Talwandi Sabo where he was supposed to attend a marriage.

The relatives said the deceased was to be a part of the wedding party which was supposed to leave tomorrow in the morning.

A case in this connection would be registered tomorrow. The body has been kept in the mortuary of the Civil Hospital.

In another accident that took place near DAV College, Anoop Dhillon (23) sustained fractures after his motorcycle was hit by a speeding Army truck. As per reports, Anoop, a resident of Jhujhar Singh Nagar, was taken to the Civil Hospital.

Meanwhile, volunteers of NGO Sahara Jan Sewa said a labourer was crushed under a speeding tractor trolley last night at around 10 pm on the Bathinda-Mansa road. The labourer was sitting at the edge of the tractor trolley, which was loaded with fodder. The deceased was identified as Vakeel Singh, a resident of Neelianwali village near Dabwali in Haryana.

Bathinda, March 16
A widow today committed suicide by setting herself on fire. Reshma Devi, 55, lived in Parasram Nagar with her three children, including two young daughters and a son who had recently married. Her husband had died in an accident around four years ago.

The family members said the daughters left home for work in the morning and the woman poured kerosene and set herself afire.

Volunteers of the NGO Naujawan Welfare Society rushed to rescue the woman but she could not be saved. Deputy Superintendent of Police (City) Gurmeet Kingra and Canal Colony SHO Karamjit Singh visited the site of the incident and tried to enquire about the reason behind the woman's death. Police said inquest proceedings under section 174 of the CrPc would be initiated in this connection.

Bathinda, March 16
A 46-year- old man shot dead his 20-year-old daughter in Rajgarh Kubbe village for marrying a boy belonging to a lower caste. The incident is said to have taken place on Friday.

The father, Mithu Singh, a resident of Khokhar village in Mansa, went to the house of his daughter with his licensed rifle and shot his daughter.

According to the police, the father was upset over the inter-caste marriage and the family background of the boy. The girl belonged to a Jat family. The boy, Ramphal, works as a bus conductor and the girl fell in love with him and married him.

The girl was residing with her family in Khokhar village and came in contact with the boy while pursuing

her graduation in a college in Bathinda. They got married in September last year.

The girl's family tried to get their daughter to marry somewhere else when they came to know about the relationship. The girl, however, eloped with the boy and married the bus conductor.

Maur SHO Jaswinderpal Singh said the father did not repent killing his daughter. "The father was upset with the poor background of his son-in law and the locality in which his daughter had been residing. The girl refused the advice of her parents asking her to come back," the SHO said. The girl's father owns eight acres of land near Khokhar village.

A case under sections 452 and 302 of the IPC and various sections of the Arms Act has been registered against the father, Mithu Singh.

Bathinda, March 16
The case between a teacher couple and owner of a cloth near Mehna Chowk today took an interesting turn when family members of both sides hold separate press conferences to accuse each other over their past deeds.

The husband of Rekha Rani, a Hindi teacher posted at Chak Heera Singhwala village, demanded immediate arrest of the shop owner. On the other hand, the family members of the shop owner demanded a fair trial by preventing his arrest for the time being.

The shop owner, Satpal Grover, who has a cloth shop near Mehna Chowk for the past 20 years, was booked under Sections 354, 499, 306, 376, 511 and 116 of the IPC, including rape, at the Kotwali police station, on the complaint of Sumant Kumar, husband of the teacher (Rekha Rani).

The complainant said that his wife was repeatedly harassed by Satpal Grover. Sharing mobile phone recordings, written letter and mobile SMSes, the husband said his wife consumed some poisonous substance on March 10.

"He (Satpal Grover) is using his contacts with higher officials and politicians to harass my family, including wife, children and brother-in-law. No further action in the case is testimony of his links with senior police and politicians," said Sumant Kumar.

Rekha's husband Sumant Kumar is an English teacher posted at Dyalpura village. He accused Satpal Grover of eyeing his wife, molesting her and physically and mentally torturing her. The husband said Satpal came in contact with his family after his wife got her a transfer close to his house using his "contacts".

"Since we felt indebted to him, he took advantage of it and started harassing my wife by sending vulgar SMSes,” the husband said.

Ravi Grover, wife of the shop owner, said the couple had been visiting their house and shop for the past five years. "Rekha used to treat my husband as her brother and we never had any institution of levelling such allegations against anybody. The couple was upset after somebody lodged a complaint against them for obtaining a fake caste certificate over which they got a government job," Ravi said.

She accused the couple of maligning their image by garnering grudge over wrong things.

ASP City Alka Meena said the police is not under any pressure and efforts are being made by them to arrest the accused at the earliest. "I was not in the town for the past few days and will check the progress of the case soon," Meena said.

The case On March 10, a woman teacher Rekha Rani consumed some poisonous substance. Her husband Sumant Kumar accused a shop owner, Satpal Grover, for harassing and torturing Rekha. A case has been registered under Sections 354, 499, 306, 376, 511 and 116 of the IPC The wife of the shop owner has also accused the couple of maligning their image

Bathinda, March 16
The Government Rajindra College today organised its annual prize distribution function. Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sarup Chand Singla was the chief guest on the occasion while the MLA from Bathinda Rural, Darshan Singh Kotfatta, was the guest of honour.

The function, which was scheduled to begin at 10.30 am, started well past 12 noon as the dignitaries arrived late.

The ceremony began with the release of the annual report, following which prizes were given to the meritorious students. While two Rolls of Honour were awarded in the academic category, eight were given away in the sports category. As many as five College Colours were given in the academic category, 34 in the cultural category, 52 in sports category, six in NCC and one in NSS.

As many as 40 merit certificates were given away in the academic category, nine in the cultural category, nine to the editors of the college magazine and 84 to the students who appeared meritorious in the house examinations.

Addressing the gathering, CPS Singla said the college has been working since 1904 towards spreading education and its students have acquired top positions in the country and abroad.

Urging the students to rise and shine, he said, All of you should strive to use the power of knowledge to rid society of its ills."

Citing the example of Punjab University, he said out of the total of 16,000 students in the university, 11,000 are girls. He pointed out that the number of girls in the college was less than the boys. "The number of girls in higher educational institutions should increase. The education of women is important for the development of society,” Kotfatta said.

Registrar of the college, Jyotsna Singla, proposed a vote of thanks.

Bathinda, March 16
The Ayurveda and Homeopathy Department of the state health ministry, in association with Shaheed Jarnail Singh Memorial Welfare Society, organised a free medical check-up camp in the city.

The camp was organised in the Shaheed Jarnail Singh Memorial Park.

Dr Sanjeev Pathak, Dr Rupinder Kaur, Dr Vijay and homeopathy medical officer Dr Gurjit Singh examined as many as 400 patients and gave them free medicines.

The patients were advised by the doctors to monitor their health regularly to prevent the onset of diseases. — TNS