Bathinda, April 18
High drama was witnessed today near the gurdwara of Model Town Phase-1 when police detained five women accused of stealing construction material. The women were, however, released later as the police did not receive any formal complaint against them.

Those who had got the women arrested initially accused them of stealing iron and other costly material from houses under construction in the area. A large number of policemen besides two PCR motorcycles and WASP units reached the place.

Irate residents of the area demanded stringent action against the women who were taken to the Cantonment police station along with the stolen material but the women were released in the evening. The police said the accused women were let off due to lack of complainant.

The police had initially made the women sit in an auto-rickshaw accompanied by a male cop. Later, they were shifted into a police vehicle accompanied by female cops. The stolen material, including electric motors, wood, water taps and other iron material, was taken to the police station separately in a three wheeler.

Model Town residents vent their ire on the women and blamed them for the rising number of thefts in the area.

"There has been a sharp rise in theft incidents and people could not leave their houses unguarded," said Varinder Kaur, a resident of the area. She rued that water taps, iron pipes, cooler and other costly material were stolen from the house of one of her relatives a few days ago. "Despite the fact that we do not allow such women to enter our premises they would squat outside for the entire day over the pretext of begging," Varinder said.

She claimed that on an earlier occasion also, the police had rounded up some women who wander aimlessly in the area but did not take action against them.

Bathinda, April 18
Following a blast in Bengaluru on Tuesday, the police today launched a special combing operation at public places in the city.

The police conducted a surprise checking at the main bus stand, railway station and some other public places. Passengers' belongings were checked at the main bus stand and the railway station.

A team of officials from the Bus Stand Police Post and the Kotwali police station launched the combing operation in the afternoon. DSP Gurmeet Kingra, Kotwali SHO Jaspal Singh and Bus Stand Police Post in-charge Assistant Sub-inspector Gurmel Singh led the operation.

However, the police did not come across any unscrupulous element during the day-long checking.

Meanwhile, the police recovered six gram of smack from the possession of two youths who were roaming aimlessly near the bus stand. The accused were identified as Manjit and Dharma.

The police said both the accused were in the age group of 20 to 22 years and were residents of Bir Talab Basti. The police officials said in the past, illicit liquor and other forms of drugs in large quantity had been recovered from the Bir Talab area.

The police said the combing operation would continue during the coming days and night vigil would also be intensified.

Bathinda, April 18
The 'kanjak pujan' on 'Ashtami', an occasion of worshipping little girls on the eighth navratra, gave tough time to those who could not get enough number of girls below 10 years of age to be served 'prasad' today.

In the Jujhar Singh Nagar area, women were seen making a beeline to their neighborhood asking little girls' parents to send them for the ‘pujan’. “We face this problem every year. There was not just enough number of girls around to sit for the ‘puja’. As the pooja could not complete without the requisite nine girls, we then requested our maid servants to bring their children from slum areas,” said Archana, a resident of Jujhar Singh Nagar.

If Archana's predicament is an indicator, the situation reflects the poor sex-ratio the city has.

As per the 2001 Census, the number of girls in the age group of 0 to 6 years was mere 785 against 1000 males, which improved to 854 in the 2011 Census.

However, Dr Nidhi Gupta, who served 30 'kanjaks' today, said the issue was not of getting lesser 'kanjaks' as there were lesser female children. “These festivities have now been restricted to the lower or lower middle class families. Families belonging to the 'elite' class are not ready to send their daughters to someone's place for having food,” she said. — TNS

Bathinda, April 18
It is time for flexing muscles in the first arm wrestling competition being held in the state.

Organisers of the Ambuja BIG Panja League addressing a press conference in Bathinda on Thursday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

Punjabis are second to Keralites in the game of strength and a statewide 20-day championship, the Ambuja BIG Panja League, aims at bringing the best talent to compete at national and international-level events.

The Arm Wrestling Foundation along with the Ambuja Cements and the Big FM (92.7) is organising the championship beginning tomorrow. The event will see grapplers fighting in below 70 kg and above 70 kg categories that carry prize money of Rs 51,000 each.

Sahil Dhingra, marketing manager of the BIG FM, Rajesh Jha, zonal head (South Punjab) of the Ambuja Cements, Amarjeet Singh Alagh, branch head of the Ambuja Cements, and Lakhbir Singh, general secretary of the Arm Wrestling Foundation while addressing mediapersons said the competition would be open for all.

The Ambuja BIG Panja League will witness on-ground activities and auditions being conducted across 17 towns, including Talwandi Sabo, Rampura Phul, Bhagta, Barnala, Tapa Mandi, Mansa, Dhuri, Ahmedgarh, Malerkotla, Sunam, Bhawanigarh, Sangrur, Nabha, Samana, Patran, Patiala and Sirhind.

By the end of the about 30-day initiative, the winner will be crowned as the 'Panja Champion' of Punjab and awarded with a cash prize of Rs 51,000.

Bathinda, April 18
The Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) today released its schedule of carrying out fogging in the entire city to control mosquitoes and subsequent control of vector-borne diseases like malaria.

In a press statement issued here today, assistant municipal commissioner Kamal Kant Goyal said fogging in the city began on April 15 and will continue till April 30. Fogging will start in the earmarked areas from 5:30 pm onwards and if any area has been left out due to some problem, it would be covered on a Sunday.

On April 19, the areas to be fogged include the localities to the left and right sides of Adarsh Nagar, NFL Colony, Mandar Colony (ward number 1), right side of Amrik Singh Road, Arya Nagar, Ahata Niyaz Mohammad, Nai Basti street number 1 to 6, Birla Mill Colony, Malviya Nagar (ward number 21 and 48), Guru Gobind Singh Nagar, Balla Ram Nagar-- both left and right side streets-- Bank Colony and National Colony (ward number 4).

On April 20, the streets of Ajit Road on both sides till Ghode Wala Chowk and Power House road, Bibiwala Road and the area to its right (ward number 14 and 15), Ahata Madhokpura and the fish market, Ahata Sakandpura, Veer Colony and Namdev Nagar (ward number 47), Model Town phase III, Baba Farid Nagar, Barnala bypass and Vishwkarma Market (ward numbers 8 and 5) will be fogged.

On March 21, the areas to be fogged include the fire brigade up to Mall Road, railway station, Taar Bazar, Sirki Bazar, Purana Thana, Qila Road and the inner areas comprising ward numbers 35 and 36 and the railway colony.

On April 22, the areas to be fogged include Bharat Nagar, Patel Nagar, Green Avenue near Bibiwala Chowk and Jujhar Singh Nagar-area to the left in ward number 6, Green Avenue near Rose Garden Chowk, Panchvati Nagar, Vishal Nagar phase 1, 2 and 3, Shakti Nagar, New Shakti Nagar and Tagore Nagar area of ward number 49, Thermal Kachi Colony, Kheta Singh Basti, Hardev Nagar, Kothe Kame Ke, Kothe Giane Ke, CISF Colony, Oriya Colony and the Janta Nagar area (ward number 50) area.

On April 23, the areas to be fogged include Sarabha Nagar, Harpal Nagar, Basant Vihar and Aggarwal Colony area of ward number 16, Prajapat Colony, Azad Nagar, Shiv Colony, left side of Sarabha Nagar, Brar Bandhu area under ward number 19, Arjan Nagar, Gurukul Road, Gopal Nagar, 80 feet road and right side of 80 feet road and Jogi Nagar areas of ward number 44 and 45.

On April 24, the areas to be fogged include Pukhraj Colony, Manocha Colony, Ghanaiya Nagar, Valmiki Basti, Gali Khaddar Bhadar Wali area of ward number 17, left side of Bhatti Road, Ganesha Basti, Thakar Colony, Dheevar Colony area of wards 19 and 20, Alam Basti, Dubey Colony, left side of Paras Ram Nagar and area to the right of Pratap Nagar in wards 43, 44 and 46.

On April 25, the areas to be fogged include the right side of Power House Road, civil station, Mini- secretariat and district courts, new bus stand, PRTC workshop, wards 14 and 23, area around DC residence, Model Town phase 2, Beant Nagar, Dhobiana Basti, wards 9 and 11, left side of Pratap Nagar, Bachittar Singh Gurudwara area, Harbans Colony, SAS Nagar, Labh Singh Chowk area and Hans Nagar-- wards 37 and 40.

On April 26, the areas to be fogged include Chandsar Basti, Bank Colony, North Estate, Kamla Nehru Colony and Dr Narang Road area, wards 6 and 17, Model Town phase I, Radio Colony, Harbans Nagar, industrial area wards 12 and 30, Surkhpeer Road and the right side of Multania road, Bir Talab road, Subhash Basti and police quarters of ward 39.

On April 27, the areas to be fogged include the Municipal Colony, sewerage board office, Mata Jeevi Nagar and Hazura Kapura colony till street number 9, Sanjay Nagar, Awa Basti, Kala Singh Sidhu Colony and 80 feet road of ward numbers 34 and 35, Hari Nagar, Preet Nagar, Lal Singh Basti, Sanguana Basti, Naruana Road streets, Dasmesh Nagar and Pratap Dhillon Basti, wards 31 and 32.

On April 29, the areas to be fogged include Bhagu Road and nearby streets of Civil Lines, Shant Nagar area and the area to the right side of Dhobiana Road, Police Lines, wards 10 and 14, Guru Ki Nagri, women's hostel, civil hospital, Haji Rattan link road area, regional centre, Amarpura Basti, Mehna Basti, Bangi Nagar, Udham Singh Nagar and Ganpati Enclave.

On April 30, the areas to be fogged include Power House road, right side of Ajit road right, Guru Arjan Dev Nagar and Shiv Mandir Wali Gali areas of ward 8, Pujjan Wala Mohalla, right side of PRTC road, Kalia street, Ayurvedic Hospital road, from Rajindra College to the right side of grain market, Purana Thana road to Pujjan Wala Mohalla area of wards 23, 24 and 25, Baba Deep Singh Nagar, Balraj Nagar, Bhai Mati Dass Nagar, Nachhattar Nagar and dump area in wards 26, 27 and 29.

Bathinda, April 18
The Northern Railway Men's Union (NRMU) and Northern Railway Employees Union held a rally today ahead of the union elections scheduled from April 25 to April 27.

Branch secretary Thakur Singh from the NRMU, Shavinder Kumar, assistant secretary, Ashok Kumar, president, NRMU, Harbhajan Singh and others were present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, the members of the NRMU said the All India Railway Men's Federation was founded in 1924 and since then, the union has raised issues related to the northern railway employees.

They said during the NRMU strike, hundreds of railway employees lost their jobs, but were taken back after the union pursued the matter. They called upon the gathering to vote for the NRMU during the elections to be held from April 25 to April 27.

The speakers at the event claimed that the NRMU has worked on restricting the duty of the driver and the guard for short trips up to 120 kms, got railway sports stadium constructed in the city, got canal water filter plant worth Rs 2.20 crore installed in the railway colony, created a TTE lobby in Bathinda and laid the passage for luggage porters from platform number 1 to the parcel office.

They also claimed that under the luggage scheme, the union facilitated jobs for 580 employees and the physical test was abolished from the scheme. The NRMU claimed that compensation for rail accident victim was increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 20 lakh, 3 tier AC passes whose validity was extended from four to five months were issued for the employees and tuition fees for two children was raised to Rs 30,000.

The NRMU leaders also promised a gym for the railway employees and their families and said that their other demands were also fulfilled.

Bathinda, April 18
Police has registered a case against six persons for injuring a resident of Dadu village. In a complaint to the police, Kulwant Singh said he along with a teacher, Bheem Sain, were on way from Jogewala village to a school and were intercepted by the accused and seriously injured. The complainant said the accused attacked him as he is the follower of a sect leader which the accused did not like.

Police has arrested Preetam Singh, Hardeep Singh and Tejinder Singh and efforts are on to nab Jagdeep, Mohan and Baljeet Singh. A case under sections 341, 323, 506, 120-B and 34 of the IPC has been registered at the Talwandi Sabo police station.

Bathinda, April 18
Police has registered a case against four persons and arrested two of them for gambling. Police said the accused were cheating people with false claims of doubling their money by betting on international cricketers.

Investigating officer Nirmal Singh said the accused had been betting on the win and loss of cricket teams from different countries. Four mobile phones and Rs 3,800 in cash were recovered from the possession of the accused. Gurjeet Singh and Ramesh Kumar were arrested by the police while efforts are on to nab Mohit and Pawan Kumar.

Bathinda, April 18
Baba Farid Group of Institutions (BFGI) is organizing a mega job fair for its students and those belonging to the nearby areas.

The job fair is open to the final year students as well as experienced candidates who seek better career opportunities. More than 40 companies are visiting the BFGI campus and some of the big giants coming on April 20 are Havells, Trident Ltd., Axis Securities, Bajaj Capital, Mahindra Finance and Reliance ADA, among others.

The job fair will bring opportunities to the students belonging to different fields of study such as finance, marketing, hotel management and engineering. A special feature of the job fair is that more than 10 companies are visiting the BFGI campus, especially aiming at polytechnic students. This way, the polytechnic students will get better chances of being hired under one roof.

Bathinda, April 18
The Great Bombay Circus, established in the year 1920, is in the city. Mayor of Bathinda, Baljit Singh Birbehman, will inaugurate the first show of the circus on April 19 at 7: 30 pm.

The circus, with its staff strength of 200, is all set to entertain the people of Bathinda. A Tribune photograph

Manager of the circus, RP Sharma, who hails from Amritsar, said the circus has staff strength of around 200. The circus has three elephants, five horses, three camels, ten dogs and 10 African parrots.

The circus has earlier performed at Mani Majra and before that at Ludhiana. The circus had last visited Punjab in 1987 when Punjab was passing through a turbulent phase. "In 1987, we had performed at Pathankot, Ludhiana, Rajpura and Samana," said manager RP Sharma.

The circus was founded by Bala Gopal from Kerala. Currently, his two sons, Sanjiv Kumar and Dalip Kumar, are running the affairs. — TNS