Jalandhar, October 31
Coming to the aid of eight young Punjabi boys deported from the UK recently, the Navjeevan Charitable Society, run by the Jalandhar Diocese, today gave them cheques for 1,500 pounds each for rehabilitation and starting some business in the country.

The youths, aged between 22 to 28 years, who had tried to make an entry into the UK through illegal means, had landed in the police net there and they were deported back to India a few months back. Having wasted lakhs of rupees of their parents for their immigration, the hapless youths said they were jobless and had no money to start some business.

Inder Pal Singh (22) of Nawanshahr said he had gone to the UK on a student visa for an undergraduate business management course in 2010 spending Rs 5.5 lakh of his parents' saving. "Reaching there, I realised that the college I had taken admission to was blacklisted by the government there. I started working their without permit. A policeman asked me for an ID proof which I did not have. I had also overstayed there by then. I was detained and later deported to India," Inder Pal Singh said.

Gurpinder (26) of Tarn Taran said he, too, had gone on a student visa to a Birmingham-based college, which too was blacklisted. Asked if he did not take the travel agent to task after being detaine for five and a half months and then deported, he said, "He is an influential man from Amritsar and our family is simple and not so daring." Gurpinder said that he intended to start a dairy business on his father's small land holding.

Twenty three-year-old Arjun Singh of Amritsar, too, had a similar story. "I had left my home in May, 2011, studied at Eurospeak College in the UK for six months, which later got shut. I was literally on road thereafter. I was sent back home in August, 2013," Arjun Singh said.

The others who received cheques were Sampuran Singh, Sucha Singh, Paramjit Singh, Sukhbir Singh and Shamsher Singh. The Navjeevan Charitable Society, led by Bishop Franco Mulakkal, has helped 192 youths settle after their return from the UK or Belgium through the financial aid in the recent past.

Coordinator of the society Jackson said his society was a partner with the European Return Fund, which supported illegal immigrants on their return to home country, irrespective of the caste, creed or religion.

"After making the payment, we keep a complete tab on the youth to ensure that they invest rightly and further support them in any problem they face in pursuing their work," he added.

Bishop Franco Mulakkal also extended his greetings to the masses for Diwali.

Phagwara, October 31
In a significant and meaningful way, the students of the BKJ Apple Orchard School run by Sant Anoop Singh, inspired the people to maintain communal harmony through a play staged by them during the annual function of the school here today.

UAE-based philanthropist SP Singh Oberoi and Raj Gayak Hans Raj Hans were the guests of honour at the function.

Some other students gave a message to the young generation to avoid junk food and prefer hygienic food for leading a healthy life.

Some of the students inspired the audience by staging another play and gave a message to save water. Cultural programmes were also presented by the students. Several prominent social and religious dignitaries also attended the function.

Jalandhar, October 31
Unfazed by incessant controversies, unbroken by prejudice of some of his own peers, this dashing police officer and 17 times veteran wrestling champion Inspector-General (IG) of Punjab Police Kartar Singh is retiring tomorrow only to realise his dreams of having a world-class wrestling academy in the city to promote the young wrestling talent from world over.

“In our time, we didn’t have much of the facilities like experienced coaches, international sponsors, adequate spectators, etc. Unfortunately, even today we cannot boast of any such competence for any sports in the entire state of Punjab. Wrestling being my first love, I would like to dedicate my rest of the life to this game by promoting new talent. Now, since I have time, I will be focussing more on my dream of opening a world-class wrestling academy in the heart of the city,” said Kartar Singh.

Driven by gripping passion at the tender age of 9 years, this destined-to-be world champion won his first power play competition and won the title “Bal Pehalwaan’ at his local village fair. Since then, he never looked back. On the basis of his outstanding performance as a wrestler in various national and international games, he was inducted into the Border Security Force (BSF) in 1976 as an Inspector. Later in 1981, he was inducted into the Punjab Police. From there, he went ahead to fulfil his dream to conquer the wrestling world. He won a gold medal in the Asian Games (1978 and 1986). The Padma Shree (1987) and Arjuna Award (1982-83) were conferred on him by the Union Government, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award (1978) by the Punjab Government and Lifetime Achievement Award (2010) by the Federation of International Wrestlers Association.

However, he was also dragged into a controversy a few years back when he was banned by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for allegedly misusing funds and his position as the secretary-general in the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Wrestling Tournament. While denying this, he revealed that initially it was their proposal to have one tournament in Punjab. “Initially the WFI gave Rs 23 lakh for the first tournament, but later they didn’t provide any help for the rest of the three tourneys and now they are accusing me of hijacking the tournament as I am organising it with my own money,” said Kartar Singh. He also revealed that he had to sell off his plot in Delhi which he got for being an Arjuna Awardee to sustain the tournament which was held in March this year. He also informed that he soon would be filing a defamation and harassment case against the WFI.

While talking about his life during his service he said it had provided him the best opportunities to grow as a sportsperson and to travel the whole world during various postings and tournaments. “My career as a policeman and a sportsman has indeed complemented each other since beginning. This service has given me so much that I consider myself a national property. And now I will keep on performing my duty even after hanging my boots officially,” Kartar Singh signs off.

Jalandhar, October 31
The Computer Teachers’ Union today announced the boycott of the DISE data entry work across the state by computer teachers in protest against the instructions on these lines by the DGSE office.

They said they would hold protest demonstrations against the department.

Gurvinder Singh Tarn Taran, state president of the union, in a press note here today, said the new instructions released from the office of the Director-General School Education (DGSE), Punjab, states that the U-DISE data entry work would be done by computer teachers.

He said assigning another task to the computer teachers, especially when they had not received their salaries for the past three months, was not fair. Alleging that the Education Department had reduced skilled and highly qualified computer teachers to clerks, union members said computer teachers who had been employed to render computer education to students of government schools were given other works.

They said while the department had never released the salaries of computer teachers on time, they were being burdened by other works.

They said even during the festival season, computer teachers languish sans salaries for the past three months. Teachers had to run around government offices for release of salaries again and again and still due to some or the other reason, their salary bills were not passed, they added.

The annual increment of computer teachers had also not been given by the department so far, they said.

They said employees were now being asked to do the work of BPEOs as well. They said the DISE surveys and school monitoring proforma work was being assigned to computer teachers so that it might be completed on time but computer teachers would not tolerate the same.

They announced that they would hold district as well as state-level protests against the government decision. 

Jalandhar, October 31
The evident increase in dengue cases in the past few years has had its effect on government schools as well.

To keep students of government schools aware about the disease as well as the means to prevent it, a number of lessons will be delivered to them under the EDUSAT programme in November.

The lessons will be provided by experts who have a vast experience of working in the field of treatment and handling of vector-borne diseases as well as dengue.

Students of Classes VIII to XII in government schools will be told about the causes of origin of the disease, its spread and the ways to prevent it. Slides and films prepared by health experts will be shown to students arming them with in-depth knowledge about the disease.

EDUSAT coordinator Jagtinder Singh Sohal said on November 2, Dr Gagndeep Singh Grover, state epidemiologist, Punjab, and MD, community medicine and WHO fellow in dengue, would be interacting and apprising students under the ‘meet the scientist’ session on EDUSAT.

On 12th, 16th and 23rd November, programmes regarding diseases contracted through viruses and protozoa and especially programmes on the dengue treatment and prevention will be telecast. The programmes will also be repeated every Saturday under the EDUSAT programme.

Students will be exposed to multimedia slides on prevention of vector-borne diseases and a special programme on their prevention and cure through live lectures and question/answer sessions. District science coordinator Sanjeewan Singh Dadwal said: “Since dengue cases are on the rise in the state over the past four years, it has become important that the students should be apprised of the disease and its prevention. The step will go a long way in preventing such diseases.”

Jalandhar, October 31
The fourth day of the Ghadar Shatabdi Mela today started with quiz and painting contests. Students from various schools of the state arrived to participate in the competitions.

At the painting contest, students took a dig at social ills though their work and also gave a voice to the sentiments of the revolution in their paintings.

The participants in the quiz, on the other hand, posed apt questions regarding the Ghadar Movement, providing a link between the historic movement and the thoughts and ideas of the present generation.

On November 1, from 10 am till 5 am the next morning, the website www.ppclive.in will telecast the fair live.

While the final day of the fair celebrating the Ghadar centenary will start with the much popular flag song, popularly known as Jhande da Geet, the evening will culminate in the performances of plays brought to the fair by groups and theatre artists from across the state.

Kapurthala, October 31
Coming as a big success, 19 students of Sainik School, Kapurthala, have cleared the written examination for entrance to the National Defence Academy, the result of which was announced online today.

Principal Col Sudhanshu Arya said the names of the students who have cleared the examination are Utkar Srivastva, Himanshu Hans, Manmeet Pannu, Baljinderdeep Singh, Kanwarbir Singh, Navjot Singh Sandhu, Abhishek Kumar, Dev Krishna, Prashant Kumar, Roshan Kumar, Roshan, Mantu Kumar, Shivam Kumar, Amanjot Singh, Nityam, Saurav Singh, Simranjit Singh Sandhu, Namit Bajpai and Amar Kumar. The Principal said the 19 students would now appear before the Service Selection Board.

Alumnus tops PCS exam

As another proud moment for Sainik School, Kapurthala, an alumnus, Lt-Col Manjit Singh Cheema, has topped the Punjab Civil Services examination in the defence services category. The Principal congratulated him for the achievement.

Jalandhar, October 31
The Dal Khalsa and SAD (Panch Pardani) will carry out a "Justice and Freedom" march here tomorrow to mark the 29th anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi and elsewhere.

Stating that the march would be peaceful as per scheduled. Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh said the administration granted them permission to hold the march. He said they would assemble at a local gurdwara to pay homage to innocent Sikhs who fell victim to the politics of hatred.

Rebutting the allegations levelled against them about the controversial contents written on hoardings, he said “Their group observe November 3 as Black Day every year. However keeping in view Hindu sentiments as Diwali is being celebrated on November 3 this year, we decided to hold the protest march on November 1."

Amritsar, October 31
Two persons lost their lives in separate accidents in the past 24 hours. Among those killed included Charan Singh, a resident of Gorkha village , Tarn Taran, and Sohan Singh of Chainpur village.

Charan Singh (55) was critically injured when an auto-rickshaw (PB-02-BL-9924) hit him near Ram Talai Chowk located on the main GT Road. He was immediately rushed to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The accused driver of the auto-rickshaw, identified as Ajaypal Singh, alias Kalu, of Patii Malko, Sultanwind village fled from the scene, leaving his vehicle behind. The police has booked him under Sections 304-A and 279 of the IPC.

Gursahib Singh, investigating officer, said Charan Singh had come to Amritsar for some domestic work and had been going to the bus-stand side when the accused hit his vehicle. He said the accused had been arrested.

Meanwhile, in another road mishap near Khiala Kalan village in Lopoke, a youth Sohan Singh was killed when a speeding truck hit his motorcycle last evening. He was returning to his village when the accident took place.

Amar Singh, the victim's father, said the unidentified driver of the truck, numbering PB-02-BJ-9343, fled from the scene, leaving the truck behind. He said his son was critically injured in the accident and later succumbed to his injuries in a private hospital.

The Lopoke police has registered a case under Sections 304-A, 279 and 427 of the IPC in this connection. No arrest has been made so far.

Jalandhar, October 31
Motorcycle-borne miscreants snatched the purse of a young woman employee of a private bank in front of the District Administrative Complex here this evening.

Victim Baljinder Kaur, a resident of Ladowali Road, said she was on her way back home after receiving her salary. She was going on a rickshaw from her workplace near BMC Chowk when the incident occurred. As she resisted snatching of her purse by miscreants, she fell on the road getting injuries on her both hands and knees.

Since it was little dark, Baljinder Kaur said she could not note down the registration number of the bike. Police Control Room (PCR) staff, however, reached the spot, but the miscreants had fled by that time.