Addl Director, PSHSC, sent to jail in medical scam 
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — A former Additional Director of the Punjab State Health Systems Corporation, Dr P.K. Narang, one of the prime accused in the Rs 1.5-crore medicine scam, who had surrendered before the Deputy Inspector-General of Police here two days ago, was sent to the Ludhiana Central Jail today after being admitted to the LM Civil Hospital here last night.

According to information available, Dr Narang, who recently retired as Additional Director of PSHSC, had surrendered before the DIG, Mr P.S. Sandhu, here on Sunday afternoon. He was reportedly produced before the Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Ms Sukhminder Kaur, and remanded in judicial custody for 15 days.

It may be noted that the said doctor along with six others was booked by the police in a case of misappropriation, criminal conspiracy and corruption in May, 1999. A case under Sections 409 and 120-B of the IPC and under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against Dr Narang (Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana, from 1995 to June, 1997), Dr G.P. Chander (Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana, from June, 1997, to February, 1999, and now retired), Mr Budh Singh, chief pharmacist, Dr Harcharan Singh, SMO, Phagwara, Mr R.K. Thaman, Accounts Officer, Mr Satish Kumar, Senior Assistant, and Mr Gurnam Singh, pharmacist. This case had been registered following an inquiry conducted by the then Joint Secretary, Health, Mr G.R. Bansal.

The inquiry report had indicted all the accused of purchasing medicines and other equipment at rates 100 to 200 per cent more than the ones prevailing in the open market for three consecutive years. According to the rules, a civil surgeon is entitled to purchase medicines up to Rs 10,000 in one go by inviting quotations. For purchases more than this, the tenders have to be invited. Mr Bansal's report had revealed that in order to suit themselves, the then Civil Surgeon, Dr Narang, and the Assistant Civil Surgeon, Dr Harcharan Singh, had split the entire purchases to avoid inviting tenders.

The inquiry report had also pointed out that medicines and medical equipment worth Rs 70 lakh had been misappropriated by Budh Singh and Gurnam Singh with the connivance and mala fides of the then Civil Surgeon and the Assistant Civil Surgeon.

Interestingly, the FIR against the accused was registered 19 months after the case was first brought to light and during this period departmental inquiry teams had found the accused involved in the embezzlement of funds.

Incidently, the first inquiry into the scam was conducted by the Dr G.P. Chander, one of the accused in the case when he was the Civil Surgeon here in January, 1998. The five-member inquiry team consisting of doctors and paramedics while submitting their report in March, 1998, had found the balance from the registers for the year 1995-96 and 1996-97 had not been brought forward in the next stock register of 1996-97 and 1997-98. They also found the supply to various institutions was irregular and that medicines shown to have issued to various health centres had not been received by the pharmacists concerned.

The report of the Auditor-General, Punjab, submitted to the then Principal Secretary, Health, Mr Rajesh Chabbra, in June, 1996, had also reported on the bungling of Rs 16.82 lakh meant for the purchase of medicines and another Rs 6.19 lakh by recording incorrect balance through difference in calculations. This report had also pointed to the losses incurred due to expired medicine, false reports on loss of medicine in transit, etc.

It may be recalled that the case was entrusted for inquiry to the Vigilance Department here and later shifted to the Crime Branch, Chandigarh, with the then DSP, Crime, Mr Amarjit Singh, being entrusted with the inquiry. However, amidst allegations of favouritism on the part of officials of the Crime Branch the case was again shifted to the SP (Detective), Ludhiana, on July 14, 1999.

Strangely, the case was again entrusted to the Crime Branch on August 4, 1999. It was then that the Punjab Health Department Subordinate Officers Clerical Association raised a hue and cry about the Crime Branch exonerating a few of the accused that a few other doctors, Dr K.K. Jindal, Dr J.P. Singh, Dr Dharampal, Dr Harvinder Singh, Dr Darshana Singla and another pharmacist were also booked in the case. All these persons were members of the District Purchase Committee.

This followed a strike by doctors and the inquiry was then entrusted to the DIG, Ludhiana Range, earlier this year by the Chief Minister. It is after much deliberations that Dr P.K. Narang has now surrendered. This makes the total number of people arrested in the case so far to four. The other arrested persons who are out on regular bail are Budh Singh, Gurnam Singh and R.K.Thaman.

3 held for selling scorpion oil
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — Activists of the People For Animals (PFA) organisation here today caught three persons who were allegedly selling a special oil made from scorpions and seized hundreds of live insects from their possession.

The PFA took action against the persons under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The persons were carrying large numbers of dead scorpions also. The persons used to sell a "magic cure oil" , claiming it to be made from scorpions. As a testimony to the purity of the oil, the roadside vendors carried live scorpions packed like sardines in a medium-sized kettle along with them.

Dr Sandeep Jain said a PFA activist Krishan Gopal caught hold of two persons red handed near Kashmir Nagar in the city. The persons then led the activists to their leader Varinder Kumar. Dr Jain said the persons disclosed that they are regular visitors to the city and sell the oil to gullible customers. The oil is actually made from certain seeds, but it sells easily on claims of magic cures of various ailments.

The PFA also recovered a large number of pamphlets from the persons. The pamphlets carrying the name of a Saharnpur-based company claims sure shot cure for all kinds of pains, skin infections, dental problems and even sexual problems.

Dr Jain said the trade is spread far and wide and its roots are in Uttar Pradesh. The traders earn a lot by selling small bottles, having the lowest price at Rs 10. He said the scorpions are carried in such a cruel manner that many of them die a torturous death as these are kept in small utensils. 

BROTHERS’ DISPUTE
DC tells police not to intervene
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — The Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.K. Sandhu, today restrained the police from interfering unduly in a dispute between two brothers. He said the police could only intervene if anyone of them was harassed.

He asked the police officials to keep away from the dispute between the two brothers over parental property at Sarinh village.

The directive was issued today at the weekly sangat darshan programme on the complaint of one of the brothers who alleged that he had been forced to sign a paper by the police.

Mr Sandhu advised the two brothers to approach the court for settling their dispute as the police had nothing to do in it.

According to Pritam Singh, his father, Bachan Singh, bestowed the property rights of his one-acre land on him only. Pritam Singh claimed that the land was purchased by his father and had not been inherited. The will was made only about five days before his death.

However, his brother, Mohinder Singh, who lives in Hazoor Sahib, in Nanded (Maharashtra) contested the claim alleging that the will was fabricated and the thumb impression of Bachan Singh had been manipulated. He alleged that thumb impression on the will was taken from Bachan Singh just before five days of his death and when he was unconscious.

Pritam Singh alleged that he and his relatives were being harassed by the police. He revealed that he was taken to the police station a few days back and was beaten up there. He claimed that he was forced to sign on a stamp paper wherein he was made to admit that he owed Rs 50,000 to his brother, Mohinder Singh. He said that Rs 25,000 was forcibly taken from him as the first instalment.

Pritam Singh's claim was substantiated by village sarpanch Darshana Devi. She submitted before the Deputy Commissioner that the police was harassing Pritam Singh. She said one of the elderly uncles of Pritam Singh, Karnail, was also detained by the police and manhandled in the police station.

However, the Superintendent of Police (Operations) said after preliminary inquiry it had been found that the dispute was between the two brothers over some ancestral property. He refuted the charges levelled by Pritam Singh against the police.

Mr Sandhu asked the police to desist from intervening in the dispute. However, he said the police could intervene only if Pritam Singh was harassed by anyone and assured him that he would not be harassed by the police any more.

One more suspected dengue death
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — One more patient reportedly died of dengue in the Christian Medical College and Hospital here yesterday taking the dengue toll to three. However, the official sources did not confirm it as dengue death, saying the serology test was found to be negative. Deceased Om Prakash was a resident of Hargobindpuri in the city.

According to the CMC sources 45-year-old Om Prakash died of suspected dengue in the hospital. He had been admitted to the hospital only a day ago. The doctors said, although the serology test was found to be negative yet according to the World Health Organisation norms it could not be ruled out that the patient died of dengue. They said, the WHO guidelines specify that it takes one to five days for the serology test to be positive in such case.

Meanwhile with the reports of dengue patients coming from more hospitals, the number of patients suffering from this disease has crossed 100. However, the Civil Surgeon put the number at 74 only.

Political realignments may upset Mayor’s apple-cart
From Kuldip Bhatia

LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — A political move initiated by a few senior councillors of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) a few days back, appeared to be insignificant initially, but with councillors of all other parties and a few independents joining the fray, it now threatens to snowball into a major political upheaval, which might even lead to new alignments and upset the top level political set-up in the civic body.

The city has 70 councillors, with the ruling combine (SAD and BJP) occupying all three posts of Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor. After 39 councillors from the ruling coalition, the Congress has 22, Bahujan Samaj Party one and eight independents, mostly Congress rebels among them. After the faction of the former Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee President Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra broke away from SAD (B), the Akali Dal councillors also stood divided into two factions and efforts were being made for some time now to formally bring those, owing allegiance to Mr Tohra, in to the Badal camp.

As political activities gained momentum, majority of the councillors, cutting across party lines, started a whispering campaign against the Mayor Mr Apinder Singh Grewal. Among the charges levelled against him are his soft attitude towards bureaucracy, lack of assertiveness, which the councillors claim, had led to erosion of rights of elected representatives and officers ruling the roost.

That the popularity graph of the Mayor is sliding is evident from the opinion of some veteran councillors from the ruling combine, who hold the view that Mr Grewal, basically a sportsperson, lacked political experience and was influenced by manipulating officials. “The weak - kneed attitude of the Mayor towards dictates of the state government had literally made the councillors and the general house of the MC a laughing stock,” a senior councillor pointed out.

While the Congress has clearly indicated that it was not averse to the idea of dislodging the Mayor and the leader of Congress group in the MC, Mr Surjit Singh Ahluwalia was already being projected as a mayoral candidate. The BJP feels that the matter was being blown out of proportion and the Congress, with a strength of 22 members in the house, was in no position to muster the required two-thirds strength from amongst the councillors, belonging to other parties to bring about a no-confidence motion against the mayor.

Leader of the BJP group, Mr Pran Bhatia, told Ludhiana Tribune that although the party leadership had not taken any decision to the effect, general feeling among the BJP councillors, at least for the time being, was that the present incumbents should be allowed to complete the term. He also feels that any manipulative political activity would not only adversely affect the ongoing development works in the city but might not go well with the city population, thereby harming the prospects of the councillors in the next civic elections, which were only a year or so away.

The BJP stand to let the things continue as they are, is understandable because the party has a lot at stake. With the BJP being a coalition partner of SAD (B) in the state government, it could not afford to take a decision which might offend its ally. Moreover, any rift between the allies, even at local level, is sure to be seen in totality and not as an isolated instance.

Veteran Akali Dal functionary and a seasoned councillor Mr Kulwant Singh Dukhia, who is considered to be the man behind the hectic political activity in the Akali groups, however, asserted that a simple attempt to unite the Akali Dal councillors on the party platform (SAD-B) was being made out as a campaign against the Mayor. Although critical of his style of functioning, he said, a major decision like replacement of Mayor, could not be taken at the level of the councillors. “Such decision can be taken only by the party high command.”

Mr Jai Parkash, who leads the eight member group of independent councillors, makes no secret that they were in favour of a change. “The Mayor has been playing in the hands of the bureaucrats and the elected representatives (councillors) were mocked and scoffed at.

The MC general house has lost its sanctity and the government was imposing its decisions on the local body at will, without taking the house in confidence.” On an optimistic note, he said, there were many options for their group and the Congress to explore and amidst political readjustments, anything was possible.

AT THE CROSS ROADS

An ardent singer of love
by N.S. Tasneem

EVER since his death in Ludhiana on May 3, 1978, Prof Mohan Singh's birth anniversary has been celebrated in the form of a cultural mela by the Prof Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation. Its chief patron, Mr Jagdev Singh Jassowal, will be conspicuous by his absence on the 22nd mela in Punjabi Bhavan, Ludhiana, on October 20 and 21 this year. He is away to Canada. In his absence Mr Pargat Singh Grewal (President) and his associates will run the show.

Ludhiana remembers Mahir (nom de plume of Mohan Singh which he later discarded) as it remembers Sahir. These twin poets have given to this commercial city the honour of being on the literary map of India. Still the litterateurs residing at this place feel suffocated for want of proper literary climate. The poets, novelists, essay writers, dramatists, short-story writers and the artistes easily outnumber their counterparts in any other city of the state. But they find themselves isolated, not only from each other but also from the vibrant current of life around. Lately, Punjabi Bhavan has become the hub of literary activity, periodical seminars and cultural bonanzas. The air is also replete with the concepts of book culture and reading habits with the presence of the showroom of Chetna Parkashan at the gate of the bhavan.

In his Keatsian attitude to love, Prof Mohan Singh never invests his beloved with a personality of her own. She in no more than a mere presence or, at the most, an object of desire. When she is given a voice, it is nothing but the confirmation of the poet's own attitude towards love. In all his love poems, he is concerned with personal psychological relief. Detachment from the self is something alien to his temperament. His philosophy of love can at best be summed up in his following lines:

Sunn masunn khaka mera

Pya ae ras-rang-heen

Ki nahin mere bhagan ander

Ungal koi rangeen

My personality:

A colourless, vapid outline.

Is it not destined to receive

The prismatic touch

Of a rose-tinted finger?

He was an avant-garde of Punjabi lyrical poetry that had been deeply imbued with the spirit of folk songs and folk melody. It was the meticulous choice of the right word that converted his poetic creation into a thing of rare beauty. He, however, never compromised with his ideas for the sake of musical effects.

There was a time when Mohan Singh wanted to change the world, not because he saw it steeped in poverty, disease and ignorance, but because his beloved would then get rid of the social encumbrances that stood in the way of his ardent love. The white flame of passion for a better world was found missing in his early love poetry. Such an attitude towards love was bound to be a passing phase. A time came when he wanted his beloved to loosen her grip on his arm as he had more urgent tasks to attend to:

Chhad-de chhad-de meri baanh

Main nahin rehna tere giraan

(Let go my arm

I can stay no longer

In your village).

He was in the throes of a personal loss, when he said, "Nijji pyar de thheke utte, ruh meri nashiandi na." (no more my soul feels inebriated at the tavern of my passion). Earlier his contemporary, Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz had said, "Abb bhi dilkash hai tera husn, magar kya keeje" (even now your beauty is captivating but what of that.)

Mohan Singh was born in 1905 at Mardaan, now in Pakistan, but he spent the early years of his life at Dhamial (Rawalpindi), his ancestral village. Later he lived in cities like Amritsar, Lahore, Jalandhar, Patiala and Ludhiana. In this way, he has in his personality both the traits, rural as well as urban. Likewise, in his poetry he combines his love for the countryside with his liking for urban sensibility. Folk motifs dominate his poems, whereas his ghazals depict the sophistication of Urdu ghazal.

He had a unique trait in his personality. He could recite his poems on the public stage with the same eclat as the professionals poets of the stage did. Still essentially he was a learned poet and his poetic creation contributed a lot to the revival of the interest of the common people in Punjabi poetic literature. He was wedded to a particular political credo and adhered to it all through his life. He lived his life in full and could say with Bulhe Shah. ''Tere ishk nachaaya kar thhayya thhayya.''

Mail Box

Road not fit for driving

SIR, I am a resident of Dugri Urban Estate and have the following problem with the colony approach road. Dugri Road is no longer the strip of road it used to be. The traffic on it has increased manifold. This road is not able to take the additional load of overcrowded colonies around it. So at any hour of the day, it is very difficult to drive a vehicle on it because of the thick cloud of dust kicked up by the heavy traffic.

I would request the Municipal Corporation authorities to take over the maintenance of the colony approach road to avoid accidents and deaths on the road. The traffic on it is also hampered by heavy encroachments by shops and marriage palaces on both sides.

Anoop, Dugri Road, 
Ludhiana

Farm scientists visit paddy field 
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — Dr Gurcharan Singh Kalkat, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, and Dr Jaspinder Singh Kular, Director, Extension Education, along with Dr Gurcharan Singh Rajajung, Chief Agricultural Officer, accompanied by Dr Daler Singh, Dr Rajinderpal Singh Aulakh, Dr Partap Singh and Dr Gurdev Singh visited the Mantha farm to see the research work on “Paddy field without puddling sown on ridges," conducted by technocrats of the Agricultural Department, Ludhiana. The scientists discussed economic aspects, soil health and judicious use of water.

Dr Kalkat appreciated efforts of agricultural technocrats for adopting multicroping system and varieal diversification with adaptive innovations in the agricultural scenario.

Dr Gurcharan Singh Rajajung, Chief Agricultural Officer, discussed the problems due to rice-wheat rotation, disturbance of eco- system due to increased use of fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides leading to deterioration of soil health with Dr Kalkat. Dr Rajajung showed serious concern for the problems arising due to rice-wheat monoculture and shared his plan of action to encourage multicroping system in Ludhiana district.

It was noted by the soil scientists that in the field, the population of earthworms was more compared to puddling fields, which made the soil porous, helping in recycling, recharging and percolation of water and nutrients in the field. Dr Chaman Lal Vishist, general secretary, Plant Doctors Association, Punjab. Dr Gurdial Singh, District Training Officer, Hoshiarpur, along with farmers of Hoshiarpur also visited the farm.

MTV team enthrals youngsters
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — Ludhiana youngsters experienced exciting moments here today when the MTV van team visited the city. Even though Ludhianvis were expecting MTV VJs Cyrus and Malaika Arora, their absence was hardly felt when MTV select anchor Asif Seth encouraged youngsters to give their auditions for the MTV Ga Ga contest.

The van first hit the Khalsa College for Women, where girls got excited and were literally pushed one another to have a glance of their favourite MTV VJ. Several girls got the opportunity to get their voices recorded. While the van was about to leave the college, the girls of the college sang Yeh ladka hai Allah kaisa hai deevana, dedicating the song to the VJ Asif.

Then the van moved to Aptech Computer Education at Feroze Gandhi Market where several students at the centre gave their auditions. All those who could not get a chance for the auditions were told that they could all get their songs recorded and send their cassette along with their resume and their passport size photograph to MTV.

Later the MTV team went to the hotel Park Plaza where Asif talked about the event. He said the MTV Ga Ga contest auditions will travel to 11 cities across the country and the interested contestants could send their entries to any of the 1,500 Aptech centres across the country or directly to the MTV offices in their cities. He said that the official sponsor for the MTV, catchuslive.com, will webcast the audition events and roadshows live and the final event will be held in Mumbai. Asif told that the winners will win his own video made by MTV and a music album deal with Sony Music.

About his likes and dislikes, Asif said, “I love Italian food, RD Burman’s music and football and tennis but I hate French food. Acting, however, has always been my first love.”

About the city, he remarked, “I enjoyed being in the city today. Ludhianvis are very attractive and my short interaction with them gave me an idea that people here are cool and loving.”

Late in the evening, the MTV van also took a short round of the Sarabha Nagar and Model Town markets where auditions and road shows were held.

MC car park crumbling
From A Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — The massive seven-storyed car park which came into existence in July is not well kept, though it has become quite popular with the people. There was definitely a need for a car park seeing the increase in the number of vehicles on the road.

The building is massive but sadly enough on every floor at the same stretch in between the passage a few tiles have come out. The fallen out tiles have been crushed under the tyres of the vehicles. It has become clear in four months only that substandard material was used by the contractor.

When one walks down after parking the car, one can see there were a group of people sitting idle staring at the passerby on every landing. At the side of the landing, some people were busy gambling with dice. Everyone put out a fixed amount of money and called out a number. The person who bid correctly collected the booty. 

‘Spread light, not smoke on Divali’ 
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — The Sewa International, a wing of the Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, has appealed to the masses to spread light instead of smoke on the occasion of Divali.

The Sewa International is distributing handbills, making appeals etc. and exhorting people to join anti-fire-crackers campaign since bursting of fire crackers on Divali increases air pollution by six to 10 times, increases incidents of acute asthma, bronchitis and heart attack. Noise pollution beyond 125db which can cause deafness, besides increasing hazards for life and property.

An appeal in this regard has also been issued by five medical practitioners. These include Dr Raghbir Singh, Dr Sukhmeet Singh, Dr Ajay Pal Singh, Dr Pushpinder Singh and Dr Gurinderpal Singh.

According to Dr Deepinder Singh, general secretary, Sewa International, this decision was taken at a meeting of executive of the Directorate of Social and Health Services. It was chaired by Prof Sarabjeet Singh, Director. 

Pensions before Divali
From Our Correspondent

SAMRALA, Oct 19 — In a joint statement Mr Prem Sagar Sharma and Mr Ajit Singh Bagri, president and general secretary respectively, of the Punjab State Pensioners’ Maha Sangh, told the press that the Punjab Government has issued orders for the payment of pension on October 24 and 25 in view of Divali.

The leaders of the sangh requested the government to release 3 per cent DA instalment with effect from July 1.

MC employees agitate for bonus
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — Municipal Corporation employees continued their agitation to press the demand for payment of bonus before Divali. Addressing a gate rally, organised by the Municipal Workers Union, affiliated with the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Mr Khelar Chand Gupta, General Secretary, reiterated the demand for 12.5 per cent bonus to all employees, regularisation of ad hoc employees and payment of pension to retired MC employees at their respective native places.

The Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, Dr S.S. Sandhu, however, maintained that the MC was not paying bonus for the past four years since the pay scales of the employees were revised. Even otherwise, the MC could not pay bonus at its own level and the decision had to be taken by the state government in this respect.

Rally against power theft 
From Our Correspondent

KHANNA, Oct 19 — A chetna rally organised by the Punjab State Electricity Board to educate the public against theft of electricity, which arrived here last night, was flagged off by the Superintending Engineer, Khanna circle, for Ludhiana this morning.

According to Mr B.S. Balaggan, Additional Superintending Engineer, Khanna circle, the chetna rally started from Shambu barrier on October 18 with Mr Inderjit Singh, Executive Engineer, Audit, at the head. He will lead the rally up to Jalandhar.

The Suprintending Engineer, Mr Vinod Bhatia, told newspersons that the Khanna circle had earned a revenue of Rs 2.6 crore this year. The PSEB had collected Rs 80 crore as fine from theft and excess load cases in the state. 

Farmers' training camp
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — The Department of Agriculture organised a block-level farmers' training camp at Machhiwara, 45 km from here, under the guidance of Mr Gurcharan Singh Rajajung, Chief Agricultural Officer.

While addressing the farmers, Dr Rajajung said that farmers should start sowing of wheat in the last week of October. The recommended varieties of wheat by the Department of Agriculture were PBW-343, 154 and WH-542. He informed that timely sowing of wheat gave better yield and quality.

He suggested that the winter maize, gram, sugarcane, mentha and oilseed crops could be sown as a substitute of wheat during the rabi season.

The problems like depletion of ground-water and degradation of soil health arised due to the traditional wheat-paddy monoculture practised by farmers every year lead to imbalance among the essential plant nutrients in soil.

Clash in Civil Hospital
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Oct 19 — In yet another unsavoury incident at the LM Civil Hospital here last night, a man, who had come here from Jakhar village to get his nephew admitted after a clash with a few people earlier in the village, was beaten up with rods and was seriously injured.

According to information available, it is learnt that Jora Singh, a resident of Khanpur village, near here, had come to get his nephew, Ajit Singh, admitted in the Civil Hospital after the latter had been injured during a clash between two groups of villagers at Jakhar village where a sports mela had been organised.

It is learnt that the villagers' two groups — led by Ajit Singh and Dev Singh — had a fight when a musical programme was being held last night. While Ajit Singh had reportedly won the first round of the fight, the other party ran after him to his house and injured him seriously.

It was then that the complainant, Jora Singh, brought Ajit Singh to the Civil Hospital here. But the other accused, Dev Singh, Darshan Singh, Buta Singh, Mangi, Harjit Singh and Arvinder Singh, followed them here and beat up Jora Singh.

A police party led by SI Randhir Singh immediately rushed to the spot and got the injured man admitted to the hospital around 12.30 a.m. The accused, however, fled the scene.