Assault on petrol station staff: 8 held
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh Dec 1 — As many as eight persons have been arrested for assaulting a petrol station owner late last night.

According to police sources, Mr Om Parkash Mittal, a resident of Phase 10, SAS Nagar, reported that he and his son, Anil, were assaulted by Ashwani Bansal, Rajiv Bansal and their six accomplices — Mohinder Singh, Tejinder Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Harvinder Singh and Neeraj — at the petrol station.

The accused, armed with sticks and a double-barrel gun, came in two vehicles and started bashing up the attendants and workers. When he resisted, Rajiv and Ashwani demanded the money he owed them. He alleged that he had repaid the loan some time back but the duo were still pressurising him. Earlier also they had attacked them and a case was registered.

The beating was so severe that his son's arm suffered a fracture and had to be rushed to hospital with a head injury which needed 12 stitches.

A case under Sections 147, 148, 149, 308, 323 and 506, IPC, has been registered at the Sector 36 police station.

Narrow escape

A resident of Sector 27 had a narrow escape because of vigilant member of the public and timely action by the Zirakpur police.

Dharam Singh reported that he was travelling by his van with two workers near the airport roundabout when he was hit by a car (PB-08-P-0584). The occupants of the car after seeing the damage to the vehicles started abusing him and thrashed him. They later threw him in the car and fled towards Zirakpur where the car was stopped by some alert people and the police also arrived on the scene.

All the three accused, Des Raj, Ajay and Avtar Singh, were arrested and a case was registered under Sections 279, 364 and 34, IPC, at the Sector 31 police station.

Judicial remand

Mrs Anita Rani, a resident of SAS Nagar, reported that she had gone to attend a function at the Sector 26 TTTI when two youths, Satinder Singh and Parminder Singh, residents of Phase VII, tried to outrage her modesty.

A case under Sections 294, 323, 354 and 506, IPC, has been registered at the Sector 26 police station.

The accused were produced in the court of Mr H.S. Madaan, ACJM, who remanded them in judicial custody till December 15.

Whisky seized

The police has arrested a resident of Doda, Jammu and Kashmir, on the charge of possessing of whisky. A case under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act has been registered at the Sector 26 police station.

PANCHKULA

Injured

A motor cyclist (HR-03-3738) was hit by a truck (HR-B-973), near the Sector 6 crossing here on Wednesday. The police said that the driver's negligence caused the accident. The driver fled the scene.

A case under Sections 279 and 337 of the IPC has been registered.

SAS NAGAR

Theft attempted

Two burglars broke into a house in Sector 70 here this afternoon but had to flee after an alert neighbour noticed them. Later, the two burglars were handed over to the police.

According to the information available, the burglars broke into house number 1077 while the owner of the house, Major C.V. Sehgal (retd), had gone out. Lt-Col P.P. Singh (retd), resident of house number 1074, who happened to pass by, noticed the thieves entering the house.

Lt-Col P.P. Singh (retd) and Lt-Col Labh Singh (retd), chased the burglars. After a long chase, one of the burglars was caught near Phase 3B2. Though the owner of the house lodged his complaint with the police, no FIR had been filed till the writing of this report.

PU to probe fake certificate case
By Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH Dec 1 — Panjab University will hold an inquiry into the case of an undergraduate girl student who managed to get admission in another college after suspension by the university from one, using a fake certificate.

The girl, Rajni Rani, had used her background in basketball to enhance her claim for the admission. According to reports, she had got 12 marks in Class XII. The certificate given to the university for admission in BA-I mentioned the marks as 17.

The university suspended the student for tampering with the certificates. The result of the candidate was not declared. Rajni tried to get admission at the local MCM DAV College "which was illegal". The matter in the Syndicate was raised by Mr Ashok Goyal, a member, in an official meeting recently.

When Rajni applied for admission in MCM DAV College, she was aspiring for the college basketball team. The girl was declared ineligible when the certificates were scrutinised. Securing 12 marks in the school board examination made her eligible for the compartment examination. However, these were not enough for admission at Panjab University.

She allegedly managed to get admission in Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Ludhiana. When she participated in a basketball contest, her candidature was questioned by rival teams. On the basis of a complaint, she was debarred from the university examinations for three years.

Another member of the Syndicate said the girl subsequently managed to get admission in Government College, Ludhiana. The Principal of the college recommended that she be regularised. Mr Ajaib Singh, a fellow of the university, also forwarded a letter supporting the case. The university allowed the regularisation.

A supporting document after this decision was taken carried a note saying "what is the proof that she did it?" to clear the candidate of the charge. The girl, meanwhile, clear the compartment examination of the school board.

In the meeting, it was said the move needed a thought on whether the Vice-Chancellor had the power to review his own decision without higher approval or not.

The Vice-Chancellor of the PU, Prof M.M. Puri, said a high-level inquiry would be constituted into the matter. The case did not figure on the Syndicate's agenda along with those of three others who were punished because, authorities said, the candidate had been let off.

Mr Goyal said care should be taken in such cases which polluted academic environment. Finding the mention on the Syndicate's agenda more than six months after the incident, the issue was among others which needed immediate attention because of the delay earlier.

When the case was under consideration, the university also sent officials to the school education board to verify the result of the candidate. It was found that the actual marks were 12 and not 17 as the certificate showed. Sources, however, said changes had been made in the copies of the result and not in the original document.

Eye-catching art
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH Dec 1 — An exhibition of paintings and sculptures created by Hargopal Jhamb was inaugurated today at IndusInd Art Gallery in Sector 8. With 23 paintings and 11 metal sculptures, the exhibition seems to be an amalgamation of impressions gathered over a period of time.

Jhamb's sculptures capture the eye more than his paintings. Two of his metal sculptures, influenced by the art and artifacts of Indus Valley, and another in terracotta titled 'Kargil Widow' were highly impressive.

His paintings on metal sheets stand out from the rest of his works, as his figurative works are not half as convincing as his expressionist ones. Jhamb's 'Victim of Discrimination' is an evocative expressionist work.

Israeli film fest begins today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH Dec 1 — A five-day 'Israeli Cinema in Five Decades', organised by the Embassy of Israel in India, Federation of Film Societies of India and Chandigarh Film Society, start in the city tomorrow.

The five Israeli films would be a show-case of the history of this battle-ridden country, dramatised battles of the war of Israel's' independence and the historical events leading to it.

The first film in this festival, titled 'Hill 24 Does Not Answer', is a 1954 film based on tales recounted by a group of young soldiers who are involved in action during the last remaining hours of the War of Independence. The 101-minute film would be screened at the Commerce and Business Management Auditorium, Panjab University, at 6 pm.

On December 3, 'My Michael' will be screened at the Auditorium, Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39, at 6.30 pm. At the same venue, the third film, titled 'Avanti Popolo', would be screened the next day.

Set against the background of the divided city of Jerusalem, 'My Michael' is a personal story of the growing tension between a young couple living in Jerusalem in the 1950s. This 80-minute film is based on a novel written by Amos Oz, a controversial Israeli author.

'Avanti Popolo', is a story of two soldiers of the Egyptian Army, whose only wish is to reach the Suez Canal safely, till they encounter a lost Israeli patrol. The film begins on June 11, 1967, when the 'Six Day' war gets over.

'They Were Ten', a 1960 film, is based on the diaries of early Zionist settlers in the 1880s, which tells about the efforts of pioneers starting a settlement and dealing with the resentment of the neighbouring Arabs. This was one of the first Israeli films to have gained recognition abroad, and was also a prize-winner at the Cannes Film Festival. This 84-minute film would be screened at the Government Polytechnic for Women, Sector 10, on December 5, at 6.30 pm.

The last film, 'Dangerous Acts', to be shown at the Government Polytechnic for Women, Sector 10, is a 1998 psychological thriller.

Ms Shoshana Haim, Head Cultural Affairs, Embassy of Israel, would be present for the festival.

UT third at taekwondo nationals
By Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh Dec 1 — Chandigarh won the third place by securing four gold, 10 silver and four bronze medals in the recently concluded 14th National Taekwondo Championship (ITF rules) at the HMT factory in Pinjore (Haryana).

According to Mr Harjinder Sahota, the team coach and holder of second degree black belt, the city's performance was laudable, considering the intense competition from all over the country in this three-day meet conducted according to the ITF rules.

The names of those who won the medals for Chandigarh are as follows: Boys under-18: Sunil Channa (colour belt, 63 to 71 kg) — gold medal (individual) and silver medal (group).

Above-18: Surinder Singh (colour belt, 63 to 71 kg) — gold medal (individual); Harish Kumar (black belt, below 54 kg) — gold medal (individual), silver medal (group); Amarjit Singh (colour belt, 54 to 63 kg) — silver medal (individual and group).

Under-18: Kishan Singh (black belt, below 52 kg) — silver medal (individual and group); under-13: Babloo Dharamveer (colour belt, 30-36 kg) — silver medal (individual).

Above 18: Vinod Sharma (colour belt, below 54 kg) — silver medal (group); Rajesh Kumar (black belt, 54-63 kg) — silver medal (group); G.S. Dhillon (black belt, 71 to 80 kg) — bronze medal (individual).

Under-13: Amit Kumar (colour belt, below 24 kg) — bronze medal (individual); Amit Mittal (colour belt, 24 to 30 kg) — bronze medal (individual).

Under-18 girls: Supneet Kaur (colour belt, 48 to 52 kg) — silver medal (individual); Rekha (colour belt, below 42 kg) — bronze medal (individual).

Inter-college cricket

A superb performance by Kamaljeet Walia, ably assisted by Ranji Trophy player Yuvraj Singh, today steered DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh, into the final of the Panjab University Inter-College Cricket Championship being played here. DAV College beat Government College, Ludhiana, by 182 runs.

DAV College team won the toss and elected to bat first. Deepak and Vipun gave a good start when they scored 90 runs. Later, Kamal and Yuvraj made 66 and 34 runs, receptively.

Government College, Ludhiana, could not face a fine bowling of Sandeep Mor and Vinod Thakur and half the team was back into the pavilion at a score of 67. The team was bundled out for 84 runs in 29.5 overs.

Brief scores: DAV-10 — 266 runs in 49.3 overs (Kamal Walia 66, Deepak Thakur 48, Yuvraj Singh 34, Mithun Gupta 4 for 42); Government College, Ludhiana — 84 runs all out in 29.5 overs (Mithun Gupta 13, Gagandeep 11, Vinod Thakur 3 for 28, Sandeep Mor 2 for 31, Sahil Bhatia 3 for 18, Yuvraj Singh 2 for 3).

Minkey festival

Active Sport (India), a Patiala-based sport promotion group, will hold a minkey festival at Vivek High School, Sector 38, on December 10 and 11, according to Ms Navdeep Kaur, Coordinator of the group.

Minkey is an Australian innovation and means mini hockey for mini players, played on basketball courts or half the hockey field.

A few months ago, Nadine Richards, Development Manager of the ACT Hockey, had come from Australia to explain the game to youngsters and physical education teachers at SD Public School, Sector 32.

The schools which will take part in this two-day festival include St John's High School, Sector 26; St Kabir Public School, Sector 26; besides the hosts. It will be held in the age groups of under-eight, under-10 and under-12 for boys and girls.