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Suvidha Kendra staff strike work
C-PYTE officials told to deposit excess salary with Finance Dept
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Police bring Narayan Sai to Ludhiana for probe
Miss Pooja joins BJP, vows to work for women’s rights
Mahila Cong pays homage to Nirbhaya
CM: Modi will be good for Punjab
Student refuses bicycle under Mai Bhago Scheme
SGPC to present motorcycles to 2 kabaddi players
Honour for ’71 India-Pak war heroes, their families
Mandi Board gives in, not to impose tax yet
Students block road over teacher's transfer
Scuffle at Mahilpur Khalsa college turns ugly
Singer Gurdas Mann backs Khalsa's demand
Ex-servicemen seek exemption
from property tax
special to the tribune
Leopard captured
Mishap in Abohar due to fog, 5 hurt
HC nod to recruit 5,078 rural associate teachers
Man jailed for beheading 10-yr-old boy
Shruti case: HC admits plea of victim’s father
HC wants code of conduct for fingerprint experts
US court asks Sonia Gandhi to respond by Jan 2
Man gets life term for murder
Boy killed as SUV hits school bus near Phagwara
3 Markfed officials
booked
ASI held for molestation
Mishap in Abohar due to fog, 5 hurt
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Suvidha Kendra staff strike work
Chandigarh/Sangrur, December 16 The employees, under the aegis of Punjab State Suvidha Karamchari Union, staged a protest outside the office of the Director, Information Technology, in Sector 34 here. Addressing the protesters, Om Prakash Rana, union state president, said they were forced to take the protest path as the government refused to concede to their “just” demands regarding regularisation of their services and fixation of pay at par with state government employees. Rana said the employees would proceed on an indefinite strike in case their demands were not met at the earliest. Among the protesters were a large number of women employees. The employees alleged they were being exploited by the state government by being paid paltry wages. They said a data entry operator was getting a paltry Rs 8,000 a month. While most of the employees participated in the strike in Chandigarh, unaware customers who visited these centres for various services were a harried lot. They had to return empty handed finding nobody at the Suvidha Kendras to attend them. Various kinds of services, including applying for birth and death certificates, non-encumbrance certificate for applying for a loan, copies of orders of revenue officers and renewal of arms licences, can be availed at these centres, launched with much fanfare by the SAD-BJP government across Punjab during its last tenure.
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C-PYTE officials told to deposit excess salary with Finance Dept
Chandigarh, December 16 These officials were found guilty of having withdrawn salary and emoluments in excess of what was due to them. The Finance Department has initiated the process to recover the amount from two former Director-Generals of the institute, a Deputy Director, Commandant Camp Adjutant, Education Master; General Duty Instructor (GDI) and cook after an audit conducted by ELFA (Examiner of Local Fund Accounts) found that they had withdrawn much higher salaries and allowances from the state government than were due to them. A senior official said after the audit report confirmed that most of the officers in C-PYTE were withdrawing excess salary, they had been asked to deposit the excess amount withdrawn by them. C-PYTE was launched in 1990 with the purpose to provide vocational training to the youth by making them skilled worksmen. Sources said two of the former Director-Generals, JJ Singh and NS Aulakh, both ex-servicemen, had withdrawn Rs 8.27 lakh and Rs 6.82 lakh more than their salary and allowances. The audit report has pointed out that JJ Singh was the Director-General from March 2005-July 2011 and had withdrawn excess salary during this period. It also points out that his successor, NS Aulakh, had withdrawn excess salary to the tune of Rs 6.82 lakh between August 2011-March 2013. The audit report says that a former Deputy Director of C- PYTE, Charanjit Bhullar had withdrawn Rs 2.10 lakh in excess over and above his salary, between December 2011- August 2012. Camp Commandant NS Bains has been accused of having withdrawn Rs 1.63 lakh in excess between September 2010-March 2013 and Camp Adjutant Rs 2.23 lakh in excess between December 2011- August 2012. The financial records of C-PYTE were found not in order with the amount being deducted as Provident Fund not as per the rules. A number of employees posted in various districts of Punjab and holding additional charge in Chandigarh, were reportedly getting a higher house rent allowance (for Chandigarh) than was due to them. The audit report *
The report says JJ Singh, Director-Gen (March 2005-July 2011) withdrew Rs 8.27 lakh in excess of his salary *
His successor NS Aulakh (Aug 2011-March 2013) withdrew excess salary to the tune of Rs 6.82 lakh *
Former Deputy Director Charanjit Bhullar (Dec 2011- Aug 2012) withdrew Rs 210 lakh in excess of his salary *
Camp Commandant NS Bains (Sept 2010-March 2013) withdrew Rs 1.63 lakh in excess of his salary *
Camp Adjutant (Dec 2011- Aug 2012) withdrew Rs 2.23 lakh in excess of his salary
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Police bring Narayan Sai to Ludhiana for probe
Ludhiana, December 16 The police had recently sought Sai's remand to question him about the cell phones, pen drives and SIM cards recovered during the investigation. Sources said Sai had procured these during his stay here. They revealed Sai had hidden in his ashram near Dehlon, a cowshed near Khanpur village and at one his devotee’s house in Model Town. A team of around 30 police personnel of Gujarat Police led by Assistant Commissioner of Poilce (ACP) Mukesh Patil and Inspector MD Chaudhary took Sai to a civil hospital in Sahnewal this afternoon. After the medical tests, Sai was taken to the ashram near Dehlon and the cowshed. The Gujarat Police also recorded the statements of two workers - Parmanand and Arjun - at the cowshed. They said Sai along with his three accomplices had stayed at the cowshed for two days and a night. Sai was then taken back to Sahnewal police station for questioning. Meanwhile, devotees of Narayan Sai, holding placards, thronged the ashram and the police station. While being whisked away by the police, Sai maintained that back-to-back cases against him and his father were part of a larger conspiracy against them. Inspector MD Chaudhary said that Sai stayed in three properties. One of the properties was owned by city-based businessman Pankaj Agnihorti. He said Agnihotri has been summoned to appear before the police to join the investigation. Sai and two of his aides were arrested by the Delhi Police from the Delhi-Haryana border on December 3. Sai had trimmed his beard to conceal his identity.
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Miss Pooja joins BJP, vows to work for women’s rights
Chandigarh, December 16 Addressing a press conference after the function, Miss Pooja said: “I am keen to take up issues related to female foeticide and women's education. I have been closely watching the works undertaken by Bathinda MP Harsimrat Badal on these issues”. Asked whether she expected the party to allot her the ticket for the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha constituency, she said: “I have not joined the party expecting any ticket or portfolio. I have joined as a common worker and would like to contribute my bit to the victory. I am keen to be part of a new India as promised by Narendra Modi. I will undertake whatever role the party gives me.” Party president Kamal Sharma denied that the singer had been assured of a party ticket from Hoshiarpur. “These decisions are taken by the high command," he said. Pooja said she had decided to join the BJP as the party was doing a lot for youngsters. Miss Pooja's real name is Gurinder Kaur Kainth. A resident of Rajpura, she is married in the Doaba region. A postgraduate in music, she worked as a music teacher in a public school at Rajpura. She is not the only one from the Punjabi music world to have entered politics. Daler Mehndi joined the Congress recently. Hans Raj Hans contested parliamentary elections on the SAD ticket but without success. About the singer *
Her real name is Gurinder Kaur Kainth * A resident of Rajpura, she is married in the Doaba region *
She worked as a music teacher in a public school at Rajpura for a while
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Mahila Cong pays homage to Nirbhaya
Moga, December 16 Punjab Mahila Congress President Dr Malti Thapar paid homage to the girl and said the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government had brought stringent laws to punish criminals who outraged the modesty of women. Stressing upon the need to educate people on the women’s rights, she said crimes against women could be curbed only by imparting moral education to children. “Atrocities against women are rising in Punjab for the past few years. Politically influential people, who have no respect for women, are involved in heinous crimes and they must get exemplary punishment,” Thapar said.
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CM: Modi will be good for Punjab
Kot-ise-Khan, December 16 Talking to mediapersons during Sangat Darshan at Kot-ise-Khan in Moga district, he said the people saw BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi as an alternative to Dr Manmohan Singh. Addressing the gathering, he alleged the Congress was anti-Punjab. But Modi would pursue an agenda of development in this border state. Reiterating that the SAD-BJP alliance would sweep the Lok Sabha poll in the state, he said the victory of SAD candidates on three seats in Delhi "reflected the faith reposed by voters in our constructive and development-oriented policies.” He appealed to the sarpanches to make optimum utilisation of vacant land in their villages. He laid the foundation stone of a sub-tehsil complex in Kot-ise-Khan. He gave away grants totalling more than Rs 5 crore to 90 villages at Fatehgarh Panchtoor and Kot-ise-Khan in the Dharamkot assembly segment.
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Student refuses bicycle under Mai Bhago Scheme
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 16 As the school authorities announced the name of Ramandeep Kaur, a Class XII student and resident of Phatak Majri village, she refused to accept the bicycle, alleging that disrespect had been shown to Mai Bhago. She pointed out that the photograph and name of Mai Bhago had been inscribed on the chain cover. This, she said, was disrespect to Mai Bhago who had waged a battle against the Mughal rulers. Simranjit Singh Mann, president, SAD (Mann), lauding Ramandeep's stand, announced that his party would honour her at a function. Though the school management and the village sarpanch had tried to pressurise the girl into accepting the bicycle, she had refused to do so, he claimed.
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SGPC to present motorcycles to 2 kabaddi players
Fatehgarh Sahib/Amritsar, December 16 The decision was taken during the SGPC executive held in Fatehgarh Sahib today. SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said the duo, members of SGPC kabaddi team, will be presented a ‘Bullet’ motorcycle each. Gurmeet and Gurpreet are members of the SGPC’s kabaddi team. The SGPC also decided to set up a sub-committee for sending books of noted Punjabi writers to the International Book Fair, besides ensuring dispatch of a set of prominent religious books to the country’s famous libraries.
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Honour for ’71 India-Pak war heroes, their families
Fazilka, December 16 A function at the 1971 India-Pakistan War Memorial preceded a marathon race, in which nearly 1,200 students, including girls, participated in honour of 225 soldiers who had laid down their lives in the Fazilka sector. Punjab Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani, Brig RS Dadwal, Additional Deputy Commissioners Charandev Singh Maan and Amit Kumar, and Shaeedon ki Samadhi Committee President Sandeep Gilhotra honoured Col KR Verma (retd) of the artillery regiment, havildar Ahimanyu Kumar, war hero Kanaya Lal’s relatives Jiya Lal and Ajit Singh, and martyr Sukh Ram’s relative Amit Kumar. “The 1971 India-Pakistan war was one of the most ferocious gun battles in history. Courageous Indian soldiers sacrificed their lives for the motherland,” Col Verma said. He narrated spine-chilling incidents of the war. He remembered an act of bravery by Major Narain Singh who had killed Major Shabbir Sharif, elder brother of present Pakistan army chief Raheel Sharif,. Major Singh had attained martyrdom during the war. “Indians suffered the heaviest causalities in the Fazilka sector. In all, 225 soldiers, including Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), lost their lives and more than 450 others were injured, of which some of them were incapacitated,” havildar Kumar said. “Commemorating the war heroes on Vijay Diwas is a true tribune to their supreme sacrifice,” Brig Dadwal said. The Health Minister, who was the chief guest, said: “The real tribute to the martyrs will be when the youth follow in their footsteps and contribute to the motherland.” He announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh for the development of the memorial complex. Jyani, Brig Dadwal and other officers released an informative brochure on the Asafwala war memorial in English and Hindi. A website on the war memorial was also launched. During the function, physically challenged schoolchildren presented a dance performance that won accolades from the audience. Vir naris resent government apathy Abohar: In all, 28 vir naris were honoured with Rs 21,000 and a shawl each during a function on Vijay Diwas at Sriganganagar district in Rajasthan on Monday. Some of them from Jhunjhunu district alleged that the state and Central Governments had been “indifferent” to their demands for the past many years. Punjab regiment CO Col Lalit Panwar, Lt General GS Dhillon (retd), Brig BD Singh (retd) and Col VK Chhibber paid tributes to the war heroes, who sacrificed their lives during the 1971 India-Pakistan war. Wreaths were laid at Amar Jawan Jyoti and schoolchildren sang ‘Vande Matram’. Shivam Yadav, who has been selected for the National Defence Academy, was given Rs 1 lakh. Legislator Kamini Jindal exhorted youth to join the army since the region lagged behind in this field.
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Mandi Board gives in, not to impose tax yet
Faridkot, December 16 Several trade unions had opposed the new taxes that were announced by the Mandi Board on November 26. The traders said these would affect their business and lead to a price rise in all agricultural products. Before the notification, the 117 agricultural products, including vegetables, fruits, wheat, gur (jaggery), pulses, black and white gram, mustard, groundnuts, millet, corn and barley were exempt from rural development fund and market fees. “The new taxes would have increased the prices and hit the common man,” said Onkar Nath Goyal, president, Punjab Karyana Association. “In light of the traders’ opposition, the Punjab Mandi Board has decided to reconsider its decision to levy the tax after discussing the issue with all stakeholders,” said Sikander Singh, General Manager, Punjab Mandi Board. Faridkot district mandi officer Kulbir Singh Matta said the matter was discussed at a meeting in Chandigarh.
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Students block road over teacher's transfer
Sangrur, December 16 The dharna was lifted after police assured the protesters that the matter would be taken up with the authorities. Punjabi master Narinder Singh was transferred on December 12 to Government Senior Secondary School (Boys), Moonak. Posts of two mathematics teachers, two Punjabi teachers, a science teacher, three social studies teachers and the post of Headmaster were lying vacant in the school. Deputy DEO (Secondary), Sangrur, Tej Partap Singh said the teacher was transferred by on “administrative grounds”.
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Scuffle at Mahilpur Khalsa college turns ugly
Hoshiarpur, December 16 Members of the college managing committee, Sikh Educational Council, led by Sant Baba Sadhu Singh Kaharpuri reached the college this morning. Dr Jang Bahadur Singh Rai, Prof Opinder Singh and Wing Commander Hardev Singh Dhillon accompanied him. They questioned principal SS Randhawa on his assuming office when he had been suspended. Dr Randhawa referred to the High Court order reinstating him as principal. The members maintained even then he could not assume charge without informing the managing committee. Dr Randhawa alleged that the committe members had entered the college along with outsiders on the directions of an MLA and that students of the college’s agriculture department were beaten up. The managing committee had suspended Dr Randhawa two months ago for ‘arbitrary behaviour’.
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Singer Gurdas Mann backs Khalsa's demand
Mohali, December 16 Appreciating Khalsa's stand, Mann said he had come to the protest venue on his own, undeterred by any threats. Khalsa called for unity among all Sikh organisations and starting a people's movement to secure the release of the Sikh
detainees. Khalsa, whose health is reportedly deteriorating, announced that he would donate his body organs to the
PGIMR, Chandigarh, for research purposes. A team from the PGI was reportedly seen at the venue to get the necessary documents filled.
Dal Khalsa leader Satnam Singh Paonta Sahib said it was unfortunate that the SGPC and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had been mum on the issue of Sikh detainees. "If the SGPC and the Badals fail to protect Panthic interests, they should not be allowed to enter villages," he said. Singer Harbhajan Mann met the fasting leader last night. Bhagwant Mann, PPP leader, is reported to have made a statement expressing support for Khalsa's demand. Meanwhile, the
"Khalsa march" from Talwandi Sabo reached Gurdwara Amb Sahib today.
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Ex-servicemen seek exemption
from property tax
Chandigarh, December 16 Addressing mediapersons here today, All India Defence Brotherhood president Brig Harwant Singh (retd) said many states, including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan, have already exempted service personnel from paying property tax. He said even the Chandigarh administration was considering to do the the same. He said the state government had always treated its soldiers well and that it might be due to an oversight that it had not yet exempted its soldiers from paying the recently imposed property tax. The president of All India Defence Brotherhood's state unit, Brig KS Kahlon (retd), said a delegation of ex-servicemen would meet the Chief Minister in this regard. He said there were about five lakh ex-servicemen and about one lakh serving soldiers in the state.
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special to the tribune A Jalandhar-born soldier forced out of the British army is entitled to apply for compensation following allegations that he was the victim of racist bullying that prompted two suicide attempts and turned him into an alcoholic.
But the UK Ministry of Defence says whether Manjit Singh Ghuman receives any compensation will depend on proof emerging from the outcome of investigations currently being carried out by police and the Service Complaints Commissioner. Ghuman comes from a family with a proud tradition of professional soldiering. His grandfather served with British forces in the World War-II and his father, Amrik Singh, is a subedar in the Indian army, serving somewhere along the China border. The family home is currently in Model Town, Kapurthala. Twentytwo-year-old Ghuman first came to the UK on a student visa in 2009. The following year, after he was told that as a Commonwealth national he was entitled to serve in the British armed forces, he applied and was accepted into the British army. After 18 months training in North Yorkshire, Ghuman was posted with the 5 Rifles operating base in Paderborn, Germany, where he says his torment started. Three soldiers slapped him about and pushed him against the walls of his room. Others, he claims, urinated on his bed, stole his duvet and ransacked his room. To make matters worse, they abused him by calling him ‘Taliban’, ‘terrorist’ and ‘suicide bomber.’ Despite repeated pleas to senior officers who promised to look into his complaints, Ghuman told The Tribune, nothing changed. One officer suggested he return home to India, and another, after his first suicide attempt last March, had him referred to a psychiatric hospital. Last June, Ghuman was sent back to hospital after a breakdown linked to alcohol related stress and he was back in hospital again last August after yet another attempt at suicide. The Service Complaints Commissioner of the armed forces is supposed to be looking into Ghuman’s case, but a spokeswoman for the commissioner said they never comment on individual cases. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence in London said, “We can be clear that the Armed Forces have zero tolerance approach to all forms of abuse, bullying, and discrimination. All allegations will be thoroughly investigated, either by the civil or military police and, where appropriate, action will be taken.” Racial attack victim * Manjit Singh Ghuman has alleged that racist bullying prompted him to attempt suicide twice and turned him into an alcoholic * After 18 months training, Ghuman was posted with the 5 Rifles operating base in Paderborn, Germany * He says there, three soldiers slapped him and pushed him against the walls of his room * Others, he claims, urinated on his bed, stole his duvet and ransacked his room * Making matters worse, they abused him by calling him 'Taliban', 'terrorist' and 'suicide bomber' * Abused, Jalandhar-born soldier in UK entitled to apply for relief
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PM to release stamp in Beant’s memory today New Delhi, December 16 Beant Singh is credited with rooting out terrorism in Punjab and re-establishing the rule of the law in the strife- torn state in the 1990s. Beant Singh was assassinated in Chandigarh on August 31, 1995, bringing to end an illustrious public career which began when he was elected sarpanch of his village. “The Government of India salutes the martyr for his contribution towards peace and prosperity of Punjab and the unity and integrity of the nation,” the citation for the stamp, being released 18 years of the assassination, reads. Top Government sources said two of Beant Singh’s closest friends, Baljit Singh and Master Madan Singh, had been invited to the event where all senior Punjab Congress leaders and MPs will be present. Ambika Soni, AICC general secretary, and Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari will also be there along with Punjab Congress chief Partap Bajwa and Congress Legislature Party Leader Sunil Jakhar. Beant Singh’s family will be represented by his eldest son Tej Prakash, daughter Gurkanwal Kaur and grandson Gurkirat Singh. Ravneet Bittu, gra ndson of the slain leader and Lok Sabha member from Anandpur Sahib, said: “It is a momentous occasion for us. Finally, the sacrifice of Punjab’s tallest leader will be recognised.” The Congress is hoping the occasion will serve to unite the faction-ridden state unit . The guest list also includes GK Chatrath, former Punjab Advocate-General; Rajinder Attri and former VC of Punjabi University, Patiala, Joginder Pawar. Salute to the martyr * Slain Congress stalwart’s family members and close friends have been invited to the event at PM’s Race course residence
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Leopard captured
Nangal, December 16 District forest officer (wildlife) Balbir Singh said pugmarks of a leopard were found in the area on December 4. The factory, which is located near the forest, has a seven-feet-high boundary wall, he said. After waiting for 12 days, the leopard was finally caught in one of the cages this morning, said the wildlife officer. He said it was a female leopard of about five years of age and it was shifted to the Chhatbir zoo in the evening.
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Mishap in Abohar due to fog, 5 hurt
Abohar, December 16 A Punjab Roadways bus rammed into a tractor-trolley laden with sugarcane and then it hit two cars. The injured have been admitted to Civil Hospital. They said visibility was reduced due to thick fog.
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HC nod to recruit 5,078 rural associate teachers
Chandigarh, December 16 Taking up a writ petition by Jagdeep Singh and some other candidates, Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa also issued notice of motion to Punjab Education Department and Punjab Education Recruitment Board for February 12, 2014. The petitioners had stated in the civil writ petition that a large number of candidates with degrees obtained from CMJ University, Shillong, were also participating in the recruitment process, although the Supreme Court had declared the degrees awarded by university invalid. — TNS
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Man jailed for beheading 10-yr-old boy
Hoshiarpur, December 16 A case was registered on April 18 on a complaint of Jandoli village resident Ashok Pal, deceased’s father. The complainant alleged that Binda beheaded his son Balkar following an argument with him over fodder.
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Shruti case: HC admits plea of victim’s father
Chandigarh, December 16 Taking up two appeals filed by Sachdeva through counsel HS Bhullar, the Division Bench of Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Fateh Deep Singh directed their hearing along with appeals filed by prime accused Nishan Singh and others against the orders of their conviction. Nishan Singh was awarded life sentence, while 10 accused in one case and three in another were acquitted by the Trial Court. Shruti Sachdeva, allegedly abducted from her Faridkot house at gunpoint by Nishan Singh and his accomplices on September 24 last year, was rescued from Goa almost a month later. Shruti's father and mother were allegedly thrashed by the accused when they tried to resist the kidnappers. The assailants allegedly dragged Shruti out of the house and bundled her into a car in full public view. In an earlier petition, Shruti Sachdeva’s parents had asserted that Nishan Singh had links with the higher police officials as well as politicians. Claiming that “he was working under their guidance”, they said the police were “hand-in-glove with the accused…. The non-initiation of action against Nishan Singh though a number of cases have been registered against him itself shows that he has links with high-ups and the police.” The parents had said that Shruti was under such an immense pressure that when she met them in court for a few minutes, she had told them that if she was taken home, they (the parents) would be eliminated by Nishan Singh and his companions. The parents had claimed that the procedure of recording statements twice, adopted by the court, was “unknown to law”. Initially, Shruti had stated that she wanted to go with her parents and agreed to a medical examination. As such, it was “not proper for the Judge to record the statement again”. The background Shruti Sachdeva, allegedly abducted from her Faridkot house at gunpoint by Nishan Singh and his accomplices on September 24 last year, was rescued from Goa almost a month later.
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HC wants code of conduct for fingerprint experts
Chandigarh, December 16 Justice Paramjeet Singh has also called for the setting up of a regulatory authority to deal with conflicting opinions by experts. The directions to the departments of Justice and Home Affairs of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh came in the case of Chamkaur Singh versus Mithu Singh where contradictory opinions by handwriting experts surfaced. Justice Paramjeet Singh asserted expert opinion was “very important” and the court was required to determine the dispute after taking into consideration the specialist view. “Any lapse or mistake due to lack of skill by the expert could lead to grave and manifest injustice to a party.” Justice Paramjeet Singh affirmed an expert's overriding duty was to the court and not to the party calling him; and the need of hour was to “control, regulate, certify, accredit and devise means for registering expert witnesses who appear in courts”. Giving reasons, Justice Paramjeet Singh asserted the opinion of experts examining documents, thumb impressions, signatures and forged documents had a direct bearing on the credibility of evidence. Justice Paramjeet Singh added: “The departments of Justice and Home Affairs of the states of Punjab, Haryana and Union Territory of Chandigarh are directed to delve deep in the field and come out with viable mechanism to facilitate the justice dispensation by remedying the prevalent maladies/handicaps in system. “Responsible officer of the departments of Justice and Home Affairs should file affidavits of compliance within three months as far as proposed action on their part is concerned and prepare a list of fingerprint and handwriting experts or forensic questioned documents examiners, who are qualified and skilled to practice this profession on full-time basis. “The state governments should check their qualifications and credentials and confirm their credibility in this field. A register of such practitioners should be drawn and rules be framed... “Besides, regulatory authority comprising qualified registered professionals and others related to field be also established to deal with the situations where there are conflicting opinions of experts and the consensus opinion of the Board of experts under the supervision of expert regulatory authority should be binding on the contesting parties.”
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US court asks Sonia Gandhi to respond by Jan 2
New York, December 16 Sikhs for Justice
(SFJ) had filed an amended class action complaint against Gandhi on December 4 citing what it called “specific instances of impunity, promotions and party tickets” to Congress leaders and police officials involved in 1984 violence. The SFJ complaint against Sonia Gandhi invokes the federal court jurisdiction over the case based on Alien Tort Statute and the Torture Victim Protection Act of 1992 giving the survivors of human rights abuses the right to sue the perpetrators in the US. The complaint demanding a jury trial of Sonia Gandhi alleges that her “acts and omissions were deliberate, willful, intentional, wanton and malicious and should be punished by an award of compensatory and punitive damages”. — IANS
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Man gets life term for murder
Patiala, December 16 The judge said Sarabjit would remain in jail till his natural death and shall not be entitled to any remission or parole. He was also slapped a fine of Rs 5,000. Sarabjit was already serving a life sentence after he had murdered his sister Sanwinder Kaur and her husband Suresh Kumar on June 14, 2008, for marrying against his wishes. In 2012, he was released on parole, after which he attacked Balbir Singh with a knife, leading to his death. The accused had abused Balbir after consuming liquor, to which the latter had objected.
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Boy killed as SUV hits school bus near Phagwara
Phagwara, December 16 The accident reportedly occurred owing to poor visibility. The injured students were admitted to City Hospital, Narula Hospital and the Civil Hospital here. Most of them were discharged by noon. Ambulance 108 and police vehicles from Jandiala Manjki were at the accident site in no time. But senior police officers reached two hours after the accident. Bus driver Jaswant Singh was crossing the main road when the Phagwara-bound Tata Safari hit the bus from the rear, overturning the bus. The Safari driver, Sanbir Singh of Sarhali, sustained injuries and was admitted to Johal Hospital, Rama Mandi. The driver of the school bus panicked after the accident and fled. The bus was carrying 22 students. School director RS Chahal said the school management had provided an insurance cover to its students and staff. The police has registered a case against the Safari driver. There was disbelief and grief at Jagatpur Jattan village as it received the news of Harish Kumar's death. Harish's mother Kamaljit Kaur, grandmother Swarna, sister Sukirandeep and brother Inderjit were in a state of shock. Harish had left for school this morning after three days as he was suffering from fever. Hem Raj, the boy's father, has been in the UAE for the past 15 years. He has been informed about the tragedy. Injured students *
Dilpreet (Class II), Aneesh (Class II), Anmolpreet Kaur (Class III), Diljeet (Class IV), Jasraj (Class VI), Simran (Class VI), Harpreet (Class VI), Gurtegbeer (Class VI), Gurmukh Singh (Class VIII), Harpreet Singh (Class VIII), Sukhveer Singh (Class IX) (all from Jagatpur Jattan village); Jaskaran (Class II), Simranjit (Class III), Sukhmanpreet (Class III), Ajay Deep (Class IV), Dilpreet Singh (Class VI), Tajinder Singh (Class VIII), Manpreet Kaur (Class IX), Harpreet (Class X), Harpreet Kaur (Class XII) (all from Uchapind) and Arjun Singh Class VI from Bhanoki village
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Faridkot, December 16 The accused include a branch manager and two salesmen of the agency. They have been suspended for dereliction of duty and pilferage of foodgrain. The misappropriation of 50,682 wheat bags was detected during a verification drive. It was found that empty spaces created between the stacks after the theft was covered with stacks of wheat, said Vinod Kumar, District Manager. It was being ascertained as to whom the misappropriated stock was sold, said a senior police officer. — TNS
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ASI held for molestation
Ropar, December 16 The accused has been identified as Baljinder Singh, a naka in charge at Mataur in Mohali district. Senior Superintendent of Police Ravcharan Singh Brar said a case under Sections 354 and 354 D of the IPC had been registered against the accused. The victim, who boarded a Chandigarh-Jalandhar bus today, alleged the ASI came and sat next to her despite the fact that there were many vacant seats in the bus. Soon, he allegedly started passing vulgar comments. The crew of the bus requested the ASI to change his seat, but he refused to budge. When the bus reached near Kurali, 12 km from Ropar, the girl called his parents and informed them about the incident, following which they lodged a complaint with the police. Ropar Senior Superintendent of Police Ravcharan Singh Brar intercepted the bus and nabbed the accused near the old bus stand here. Deputy Superintendent of Police HS Atwal said Baljinder was in an inebriated state.
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Popular Punjabi singer Miss Pooja has donned a new role. Joining the BJP at the party office here today, she pledged to work for women and children rights.
The Punjab Mahila Congress organised a rally to commemorate the first death anniversary of
Nirbhaya, a medical student who was gang-raped in a moving bus in Delhi and later died, here on Monday.
A Class XII student today refused to accept a bicycle given to her under Mai Bhago Scheme at a function at Government Senior Secondary School,
Randhawa. As the school authorities announced the name of Ramandeep Kaur, a Class XII student and resident of Phatak Majri village, she refused to accept the bicycle, alleging that disrespect had been shown to Mai
Bhago.
Popular singer Gurdas Mann today met Sikh leader Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa, who is on an indefinite fast at the local Gurdwara Amb Sahib. He expressed support for the demand for freeing Sikh youths languishing in various jails of the country even on completion of their sentence.
Ex-servicemen have urged the state government to exempt serving and retired Army personnel from paying property tax, keeping in view their tough service conditions and as a token of recognition of their services.
A leopard was captured by Wildlife Department officials at the NFL factory here today. It was first spotted in the area about two weeks ago, following which two cages were placed in the factory.
A schoolboy, Harish Kumar (12) of Jagatpur Jattan village, was killed and 21 students belonging to
Bhanoki, Uchapind and Jagatpur Jattan villages were injured when their school bus (PB-08AK-4441) was hit by a speeding SUV
(Tata Safari, PB-08-3752) in front of Sahibzada Ajit Singh Public School in Sarhali village on the Phagwara-Nakodar road at 8.20 am this morning.