The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Youth stabbed, body dumped in ditch
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — After being stabbed to death, an unidentified youth body was dumped in a ditch on the road dividing Sectors 45 and 46, near SAS Nagar border, late last night.

The body, with two deep stab wounds on the right side of the neck, was discovered by a passerby in the afternoon today. The Police Control Room was informed about the incident at about 3.30 p.m. The youth, in his mid-twenties, appeared to be a labourer by profession.

Believing it to be a case of murder, the Chandigarh police has reportedly registered a first information report under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. Experts from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory have reportedly been asked to assist the police in solving the murder mystery.

The body has been sent for postmortem examination to the Sector 16 General Hospital. The doctors on duty said the report would be handed over to the police “very soon”.

Giving details of the murder, sources in the police department claimed that strangulation marks were also present on the neck, indicating that the victim was “mercilessly strangled” before being stabbed.

Refusing to rule out the possibility of “robbery” to be behind the murder, sources asserted that “some old rivalry” or “drunken brawl” could also have led to the “gruesome incident”.

The police, sources added, was also exploring the possibility of the victim being murdered in a scuffle on the other side of the border in SAS Nagar before being dumped in the ditch near the road which was being freshly laid. The absence of “struggle marks” near the spot was a testimony to this effect, claimed sources.

They added that wallet, identity card, visiting card or any other clue which could facilitate identification of the deceased had not been found. Only a watch, still ticking, was tied around the wrist of the deceased.

The identity of the deceased, besides the motive, would become clear only after the post-mortem report was received, said sources.

Describing the deceased as a “medium-built, dark complexioned, person”, sources added that the youth was wearing “Army-type shoes”, besides a camel-coloured woollen jersey over brown trousers.

Confirming the information regarding the murder, the Deputy Superintendent of police, Mr S.C. Sagar, when contacted, said further investigations into the matter were on.

Another police officer added that the information about the murder had been flashed all over the region and the records were being checked to see if anyone with matching description was reported missing.

Today’s incident is the second of its kind this year. A highly decomposed body of a youth, believed to have been dumped after being murdered, was pulled out from a nullah about 500 meters from the road dividing Sectors 31 and 47 late in the evening on January 5.

The completely naked body, covered with algae, was discovered by a boy residing in the Sector 31 colony. The post-mortem examination had revealed that the victim, also in his mid-twenties, had died of 95 per cent burns.

Pulse Polio drive in city today
From Tribune Reporters

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — The Punjab Governor and UT Administrator, Liuet-Gen (retd) JFR Jacob, today kicked off the second Pulse Polio drive in the city by administering polio drops to children at Raj Bhawan. The UT Secretary Health, Mr Rakesh Singh, and doctors were present on the occasion.

The Lions Club Chandigarh (Host) organised a pulse polio rally, which started from Government Model High School, Sector 41 (Badheri). Around 350 children along with all the teachers of the school accompanied by 15 Lion members participated in the rally with banners and slogans.

The Citizens Awareness Group in collaboration with the Family Welfare Bureau organised a Pulse Polio awareness rally in Sri Guru Har Krishan Model School, Sector 38-D, and GMSSS-40-B. As many as 500 school students from both the schools carrying placards and banners passed through different parts of the sector to create awareness and motivation and chanted slogans for the eradication of polio.

The rally from Sri Har Krishan Model Senior Secondary School was flagged off by Director, Family Welfare, Dr M.P Minocha. The president of the Citizens Awareness Group, Mr Surinder Verma, appealed to the students to bring maximum number of children below five years at the polio centres for immunisation. He exhorted members to undertake the campaign vigorously to ensure complete eradication of polio.

According to the Director, Family Welfare, Dr M.P. Minocha, 1,800 persons, including doctors, nurses , paramedics, students and volunteers would immunise children in the age group of zero to five years, working from 414 fixed and 50 mobile booths in urban and rural areas . A number of NGOs are also involved with the campaign.

In this round, two additional day have been kept for door-to-door vaccination and spot and vaccination those children for which could not receive polio drops on the first day.

Dr Minocha, has appealed to parents of children below the five years of age, to definitely immunise their children against polio. The world is at the threshold of complete polio eradication, which make the end-stage years important, said Dr Minocha while adding that every child under the age of five years, irrespective of the immunisation status, must be given polio drops on the given dates.

More than one lakh children in the age group of zero to 59 months of age will be given oral polio vaccines (OPV) on Jan 21,22 and 23, 2001.

PANCHKULA

As many as 200 school children participated in a rally, here today, to spread the message of polio awareness and participate in the campaign to eradicate polio.

Beginning from a private hospital in Sector 5, the rally of children, carrying placards, went through various sectors of the city and returned to the starting point.

Addressing the students at the rally, the chief guest, Inspector- General of Police, Mr Ravi Kant, appealed to citizens to actively participate in the polio eradication drive. He said polio was a major cause of disability and with its eradication, the medical profession would make a major advancement in preventing life-long disability.

The president of Unnat Bharat Vikas, Ms Indu Bala, rededicated her organisation to the cause of polio eradication. The adviser to the Haryana AIDS Control Society, Ms Rajni Lamba, asked the children to make sure no child below five years of age was left out in the neighbourhood and surrounding slums.

Dr Neeru appreciated the efforts of various organisations in polio eradication programme. She said it was essential that the central and state governments, NGOs and leading private hospitals made a collective effort for the promotion of national health programmes.

Confusion persists over defacement issue
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — Even though the Chandigarh Police has decided not to take action against shopkeepers hanging banners in front of their establishments, confusion continues to persist over the withdrawal of cases registered under the Defacement Act.

Sources in the Police Department maintain that over 48 hours have lapsed since the decision was announced but the cops so far were maintaining silence over the issue of withdrawing cases registered against shopkeepers for hanging banners.

A senior police officer, when contacted, said they had decided not to enforce the law against such shopkeepers to avoid any kind of harassment but they had no intention of withdrawing the cases as booking them under the Act was “perfectly legal”.

The issue regarding the withdrawal of cases was raised by the President of the Sector 17 Traders Association, Mr Subhash Kataria. In a representation, he had claimed that 22 cases were registered even though the banners were hanging in front of the shops.

The Chandigarh Police, it may be recalled, had announced that they had no objection if the banners, hanging in front of the shops, were not hiding vital public information.

The Inspector General of Chandigarh Police, Mr. B.S. Bassi, had claimed that action was being taken only against advertisers sticking circulars, notices and handbills on the signboards, road signs, sector guide maps, besides bus-stops and other places where public information had been scribbled.

Claiming to be serious about enforcing under the West Bengal Prevention of Defacement of Property Act as extended to Chandigarh, he had added that the police was empowered to book the defacers.

Refuting the allegations of the police and the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh to be at loggerheads, the IGP had said the MC authorities had no objection in their carrying out the drive.

The decision to act against the defacers is significant as the police had received a “large number of complaints” against the concealment of information under the posters and bills.

In their complaints the residents had alleged that besides the “destruction of the city’s beauty”, the posters had made it impossible for the commuters to read the sector numbers painted on the signboards and bus shelters.

The violators, according to sources in the Police Department, were liable to be fined Rs 500 to Rs 1000 or sentenced to simple imprisonment for three months in default of payment.

Rejection of Major’s plea sought
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — The prosecution today contended that Major Maneesh Bhatnagar’s plea, challenging the jurisdiction of the General Court Martial trying him for alleged dereliction of duty, is devoid of merit and deserves to be rejected. It submitted its reply to the plea after the GCM overruled Major Bhatnagar’s objections that the prosecution should not be permitted to file its reply before he is allowed to lead the evidence in support of his plea. Major Bhatnagar had finished reading out the text of his plea earlier this week wherein he had alleged several pre-trial irregularities and questioned the constitution of the GCM.

The prosecution contended that the major charge against Major Bhatnagar, for which he is being tried by the GCM, is that of willful disobedience of lawful command on June 15, 1999, and other events and issues brought up by the accused officer do not relate to the charge, and hence their evidence is out of the purview of this GCM.

On Major Bhatnagar’s alleging irregularities during the recording of the summary of evidence (SOE) and several of his questions being disallowed, the prosecution contended that the officer recording the SOE exercised the powers vested in him under which immaterial statements may be omitted and hearsay and irrelevant matters maybe excluded while reducing the evidence to writing. The prosecution further added that the impartiality and fairness of the officer recording the SOE is discernible from the fact that the initial charges of cowardice — a serious charge — was reduced to the simple and less grave charge of willful disobedience after examining the witness.

The prosecution also questioned why Major Bhatnagar had been silent till July, 2000, on the alleged misdeeds of some senior officers,during February-March, 1999. The prosecution further stated that statutory complaints to the higher authorities in this regard were written by Major Bhatnagar in July 2000 — after the court of inquiry and SOE proceedings had been completed.

Regarding the accused officer’s contentions that he had been given adverse remarks in his annual confidential reports, the prosecution stated that these pertained to a period much after June 15 and that the accused officer should seek other means of redressal as the GCM is not empowered in this regard.

Meanwhile, in the other GCM, trying Major V.K. Madhan on similar charges, the defence produced a letter from the Deputy Judge Advocate General (DJAG), Northern Command, forwarded in reply to Major Madhan through his Commanding Officer, stating that the accused officer can agitate his pleas before the GCM. Major Madhan had earlier written to the DJAG, alleging several procedural irregularities in pre-trial proceedings.

READERS WRITE
A vulnerable diversion

AN overbridge is being built on the railway line on the Chandigarh-Ambala Highway near Dera Bassi. To facilitate the construction, diversions have been built on either side (one way traffic) which pass through some villages. But these diversions, which take a heavy load of traffic, are inadequate, narrow and bumpy. Moreover, these are not being maintained properly. The diversion on the southern side (Ambala to Chandigarh) is too narrow and the local rural traffic adds to the confusion.

A suitable alternative, reasonably comparable to the highway, should have been provided before diverting the traffic. But this precaution has not been taken in this case. As the overbridge will take more than a year to be completed, the authorities should take immediate steps to widen and strengthen the diversions and repair the berms, so as to avoid any major mishap.

J.K. Mago
Panchkula

Parking space

The number of vehicles in the city has been increasing every day. The market places are getting crowded and it sometimes becomes difficult to find a parking space for one’s vehicle. It is more so for senior citizens.

Most of the senior citizens are without their own vehicles, but a few lucky ones who have, cannot afford the services of a driver and have to drive their vehicles themselves. It is impossible to find a parking space, especially in the rush hours, and the senior citizens are forced to park their vehicles far away, and then walk the distance to their destination for shopping or recreation. The Administration should reserve some parking space for senior citizens.

Stickers may be issued to senior citizens which can be displayed on the windscreens to claim the parking space reserve for them.

K.K. Gupta
Chandigarh

Janata hotel

Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, MP for Chandigarh, has appealed to the Centre to introduce another train like the Himalayan Queen between Chandigarh and New Delhi to meet the needs of the common people who cannot afford to travel in the Shatabdi Express. It is a legitimate demand and should be conceded immediately.

Mr Bansal is not only the spokesman of Chandigarh, but since Chandigarh is also a place of tourist interest, he also represents the low and middle income tourists who visit the city daily from abroad and also from within the country.

Several years ago, the Chandigarh Administration earmarked a plot of land in Sector 17 for a Janata hotel for low-budget tourists. Its foundation stone was laid by the former Chief Commissioner of Chandigarh, Mr T.N. Chaturvedi. But something happened in between and the Janata hotel scheme got shelved and a fashionable hotel came up in its place. The MP from Chandigarh should watch the interests of low-budget visitors to the city and have the Janata hotel scheme revived and get a suitable site marked for it.

Narinder Singh

FILM REVIEW
‘Zubeidaa’ — a classic
By Sanjeev Bariana

ZUBEIDAA (Piccadily, Chandigarh, and KC, Panchkula) bears the stamp of a classic in the settings and the story design set to haunting music. The screen delivery is not a surprise from the Shyam Benegal bag but it surely marks a very strong show at this time of the mood in tinsel town.

The story, all of which is set in flashback scenes, shows varying understandings of any human as witnessed separately from each eye. Karisma Kapoor has announced her count in the classical lead actresses. The personality opposite a bubbly spirit is Rekha, a maturing beauty. The man on axis between the two is Manoj Bajpai.

Zubeidaa has strings controlling emotions of several human puppets around. Amrish Puri is a director whose friend migrated to Pakistan during partition is back here trying for settling down. His son has arranged a job by Puri. Puri even announces her wedding to the friend’s son despite her protests.

The family tries to settle down but to no avail. Zubeidaa’s husband pronounces a divorce and leaves her pregnant. Karisma is left to stay at home looking after the infant. A Christian friend of Amrish Puri leads her out of the house corridors in the world of the rich. She meets Manoj Bajpai, a prince in a province of Rajasthan.

The prince wants to marry her and ultimately is successful. Her mother allows the marriage but only at the cost of keeping back her grandson with her because they would like to maintain “identity of Muslim blood”.

Rekha is Bajpai’s first wife. She does not express any objection to a new entry. Karisma learns to settle down in new settings facing objections on ground of mixing up with the servants. More than six months after marriage India is facing merger of states for Union of India following partition. Bajpai would take only Rekha with him on the campaign ‘only because Zubeidaa is from a different religion’.

Karisma feels neglected. The entire story is discovered by Zubeidaa’s son who begins asking his grandmother about the truth of her mother Zubeidaa who has died. The grandmother, grandfather’s friend, Rekha, Bajpai’s servants and Bajpai’s brother all have different angles. One proof of Zubeidaa’s zest for life is recorded in a reel which her grandson gets in the last. This was the only reel, which could be shot. Following this discovery Puri drags her back home to stay out of the acting profession.

The film is produced by Ratan Faroksey. The screenplay, story and dialogue credits are of Khalid Mohammad. Javed Akhtar has written beautifully for lilting tunes set by A. R. Rehman.

Kajol in a double role for ‘Kuch Khatti Kuch Meethi’ (Batra) has been managed pretty to maintain the line of progress of action of a movie based on a situational comedy.

The characters hold key to story with an appreciable performance.

A story based on a Hollywood hit ‘Parent Trap’ has been rather appreciably well directed by Rahul Rawail.The Saboo Films and the Bharat Film Works with Pritish Nandy Communications in hands have managed the show.

Kajol (twins) are born to Rati Agnihotri fathered by Rishi Kapoor. The parents suffer, as Mita Vashisht, sister of Rishi, would not let them stay together through her plots. Kapoor separates from her life. He gets back one daughter being told that the other was dead. Kapoor turns an alcoholic who is despised even by his daughter.

Kajol leaves home after a fight. She lands in London where her twin stays. A case of mistaken identity the sisters change seats. The entire story is about a re-union and exposing the black sheep.

Kajol has managed her roles well. Rishi Kapoor and Mita Vashisht also have done justice to their roles. Most interesting was the comeback of Rati Agnihotri after over 15 years but not a bad one.

The movie has the cinematography by Nirmal Jani; lyrics by Sameer, and music by Anu Malik. There are a couple of possible everlasting melodies.

COMMUNITY

Fog, sunshine baffle residents
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — A unique natural phenomenon is baffling city residents. Large parts of the city and its surrounding areas are engulfed in dense fog each morning while residents of certain northern sectors are experiencing sunshine.

Residents of Sectors 2,3,10 and 11 were surprisingly enjoying bright sunshine this morning while the fog continued to reduce visibility to a few metres in city sectors, and on roads leading to neighbouring townships and highways. Employees of the Punjab and Haryana Government were surprised on reaching the Civil Secretariat as sunshine greeted them upon arrival after struggling to reach office through dense fog. The opposite was true for residents of sunny areas when they headed towards other parts.

The entire belt of sectors south of Madhya Marg and also the eastern parts like Sectors 7, 8, 9 , 26 and Mani Majra were engulfed in a blanket of thick fog this morning, reducing visibility to a few metres. Till about 11 a.m. vehicular traffic within the city was moving about with switched on. The local Meteorological office said foggy conditions will continue as the prevailing conditions are ideal for fog formation. The temperatures are low while humidity levels are high. The wind speed is 5 to 10 km per hour.

Geographically, the area where the secretariat is located is at a height compared to southern sectors. The height from mean sea level (MSL) in Chandigarh varies from 304 to 365. The Director of the local meteorological office, Mr S.C. Bhan, clarified that such a small difference in height cannot effectively induce the phenomenon where fog descends in lower areas.

He, however, explained that southern sectors and S.A.S. Nagar, were more prone to fog due to factors like north-westerly wind. The wind makes fog drift. The water in the Sukhna lake also aids fog formation. Since the wind blows into the city from the PGI side at this time of the year the fog gets a natural drift towards the city.

Fog formation depends largely on the available moisture and open area. Though the sectors 2,3, 10 and 11 are open, the moisture is less leading to less fog formation. In the southern belt several villages are located where wheat fields have been watered thus water is available in abundance. It is not to say that fog will not form without available water on the ground but the degree will vary due to the humidity level in the air.

	HUDA decision irks shopkeepers Tribune News Service PANCHKULA, Jan 20 — The businessmen in Sector 5 are irked by the decision of the Haryana Urban Development Authority to allow hosting of marriage parties in the parking constructed by them in front of showrooms. Submitting an application to express their resentment over the move, they stated that the decision was affecting their business which was suffering for want of parking space in the area. The owner of a theatre, Mr Pawan Valecha, said the last show had absolutely no takers and the morning show also suffered since the tents propped up for the parties at night were not removed till noon. He said while business was slack in the city, the encroachment by the public by hosting of parties was taking a toll on their work. Hotel owners rued the poor business conditions. “In the absence of any parking space, there are no customers. We have not invested our money in the sector to be at the receiving end forever,” they opined. They alleged that the hosting of frequent parties in the area had led to potholes in the parking space and all efforts to recarpet it had gone down the drain. The HUDA officials said hosting of parties was allowed after permission from the department. “If it can be utilised by the public for a few hours, it should not make a difference to businessmen whose establishments are usually closed by the time such programmes begin,” an official said.
	HVPN imposes penalty on flour mill Tribune News Service PANCHKULA, Jan 20 — A penalty of Rs 1.58 lakh was imposed here today by the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam on Rama Flour Mills, Sector 15, for tampering with the glasses of electric meter. Sources in the department said the team had carried out a check of the meter at the premises on January 16 and had told the owner about the loose glasses of the meter which he had failed to rectify. The members of the team said that with the loose outer glasses of the meter, it was very easy to insert an aluminum foil to slow it down, thus manipulating it for a lower recording of the units consumed. At the flour mills for over four hours, the team, from Yamunanagar, had planned the raid after the owner had not bothered to rectify the fault even three days after it was pointed out to him. The owner, Mr Rajesh Gupta, denied tampering with the meter and that it had not been corrected despite his best efforts. “I tried asking the local people to set the fault right but they did not turn up. They also did not make it clear whether I could do it at my level. I am not to blame and have not tampered with the meter. The penalty is unjustified,’’ he rued.
	Her master’s house was her ‘prison’ By Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service PANCHKULA, Jan 20 — While the case of Gopal, a domestic servant who was tortured to death by his employer, is still fresh in the public memory, the case of 14-year-old Urmilla is another example of brutal treatment of servants by employers behind the closed doors of houses of the rich. Though it was well past Christmas, for Urmilla, Santa Claus came in the guise of Father Xavier of the Sector 19 church in Chandigarh. Today, he brought freedom for the girl who had virtually been held a prisoner for over a year by her employers who live in Sector 6 here. Poor financial condition of her family had forced Urmilla to become a servant here. However, she did not realise that she had walked into a trap and would not get paid for a long time. This morning, representatives of the church rescued the girl from her employers after she complained that she was being ill-treated and held captive by them. Her woes were revealed after one of her cousins, also a domestic servant, managed to speak to her through the window of her employer’s house, while the occupants were away. “She told me that she was often locked up in a room and tortured. I brought it to the notice of my employer,” she recalled. Today, the sight of her “saviours” brought a smile on the face of Urmilla. She forgot her pain for a moment and was thinking only of returning home. The drama unfolded with a four-member team of the church, accompanied by Urmilla’s cousin, arriving at the house of her employers. While Urmilla came out first, the “lady of the house” followed soon after her. She greeted everyone with a warm smile and asked them to sit, but her attitude changed as soon as she came to know of the purpose of their visit. “They are thankless people, no matter what you do for them. You can take her. How can we stop her against her wishes,” she said and asked her husband to “sort out the matter”. Her husband expressed his anger in a similar manner. The woman ordered Urmilla to pack her bag and get it checked before leaving. Her daughter-in-law told Urmilla that she was lucky that they had not filed a case against her. Inside Urmilla’s room, she was instructed to take away only what belonged to her and leave behind whatever they had got stitched for her. The representatives of the church decided that they would take away nothing from the house except the girl and her due wages. The woman tried to convince the representatives that Urmilla had never been locked up or prohibited from talking to people. She, then, shouted at Urmilla, “When have we hit you? You can go, but don’t lie.” Urmilla said, “I had asked them if I could accompany my sister home as she was to leave on February 5. They allowed me to go, but said I would be paid only half my dues to ensure that I returned. It was then that I decided to leave them forever.” After receiving all her dues, Urmilla left behind “her prison” at noon today, never to return, and began preparing for returning to her family in Doombharpat near Ranchi.
	Scooterist killed in mishap Tribune News Service CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — In a head-on collision, a chemist was crushed to death in Sector 47 early in the morning today after the scooter he was riding was hit by a bus. Vijay Kumar Arora was on his way to drop his two sons — Mohit and Rohit — to school when the mishap occurred at about 8.05 a.m. Sources in the police department said 35-year-old Arora, a resident of Sector 46, had just negotiated a turn near the Central School Number 2 in Sector 47 when the mishap occurred. The victim, who was running a chemist shop in Sector 46, died on the spot while the two children escaped with bruises. His body has been sent to Sector 16 General Hospital for post-mortem. They added that the driver of the bus, belonging to a factory in Dera Bassi, was arrested after being booked for causing death due to rash and negligent act under Section 279 and 304-A of the Indian Penal Code. He was later released on bail, sources added. A senior police official, when contacted, said further investigation into the matter was on. He added that the bus had been impounded and the statement of witnesses was being recorded.

Cop to rescue of accident victim
From Our Correspondent

KHARAR, Jan 20 — Timely action taken by the SHO of Kharar, Mr Jasdev Singh, saved the life of Mr Devinder Kumar, resident of Ludhiana, who was seriously injured in a road accident while driving his car around midnight on the Kharar-Banur Road near Landran village. Talking to mediapersons here this evening, Mr Yash Pal, brother, and Mr Jaspal Singh, a friend of Mr Devinder Kumar, said that Devinder met with accident and became unconscious. They said that Mr Jasdev Singh was on his routine checking and saw the car. When he found a man in the car, he immediately blocked the road with his vehicle and with the help of truck drivers and police personnel succeeded in breaking the door of the car. The injured was then shifted to the PGI.

They said the injured was still in the PGI but is out of danger. The police has also returned the goods and articles found in the car. The two were all praise for the SHO who saved the life of Mr Devinder Kumar.

BJP workers gherao police station
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — The labour colony cells of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Bharatiya Yuva Morcha (Dist No. 4) gheraoed the Sector 22 police post yesterday to protest against the role of police officials for not registering a case of death of Ram Jas, an employee of the Northern Railway who was killed while on duty.

In a joint statement, Mr Harish Shankar Misra and Ms Shanshi Shankar Tewari claimed that more than 200 party workers gheraoed the police station. They alleged that the role of the Chandigarh police had become suspicious, especially because of its negligence in not registering a case of death.

These leaders announced that they would not lift the body of the deceased from hospital until the police accepted their request and register a case.

They threatened that if the police did not register the case, BJP workers would be forced to start an agitation at Transport Chowk here tomorrow.

CRIME

One booked for forgery
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — On a complaint filed by the regional manager of ICICI Bank, the Chandigarh police has registered a case of cheating and forgery against Ravinder Singh of SAS Nagar for submitting fake income tax return certificate for taking a loan.

Mr S.S. Malik, in his complaint, alleged that the accused had not even paid the instalments. Giving details, he added that Rs 1,84,000 was taken as a loan by the accused for purchasing a Maruti van.

Taking up his complaint, the police has registered a case under Sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code. A senior police official, when contacted, said further investigations were on.

Case registered
In a complaint to the police, the owner of Amrit Roller Mill in Industrial Area, Mr Paramjit Singh, alleged that a loan was obtained by certain persons from the Punjab Financial Corporation by showing him as the guarantor. He added that his signatures too were forged.

Giving details of the incident, Mr Paramjit Singh alleged that Om Parkash and his father Bablu Ram, in connivance with other accused, had obtained the loan. The complainant added that he came to know of the alleged offence after a notice of recovery for Rs 42,91,594 was received.

Taking up his complaint, the police has registered a cheating and forgery case under Sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC. Sources added that the case was registered after an inquiry by the Economic Offences Wing of the Chandigarh police.

Theft reported
In a complaint to the police, a Mauli Jagran complex resident, Ms Raj Bala Verma, alleged that a gold chain, a ring and three sarees were stolen from her residence. Taking up her complaint, the police has registered a case under Sections 454 and 380 of the IPC.

Drive to check anti-social elements
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — The local police arrested five persons under various sections during a special drive, here on Thursday night. The drive was carried out keeping in view the forthcoming Republic Day celebrations.

Various public places, including hotels, pubs, eating joints, guest houses and dharamshalas were raided to check the presence of anti-social elements. The drive was carried out under the supervision of Mr H. G. S. Dhaliwal, Assistant Superintendent of Police (Central).

Three persons were arrested for moving under suspicious conditions. They were charged under Section 109 of Cr P C. Two persons were also arrested under Sections 34, 5 and 6 of the Police Act. As many as 30 persons were rounded up and later released after verification. The police also issued Stranger Rolls to 49 persons.

Mr Dhaliwal said that such drives would be carried out daily till the Republic Day celebrations.

JE alleges implication in fake case
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Jan 20 — A junior Engineer in the Soil Conservation Department yesterday alleged that he had been implicated in fake cases by the Station House Officer of the Phase 1 Police Station, Mr R.S. Sohal — a fact denied by the official concerned.

Talking to mediapersons, the Junior Engineer, Mr Kanwaljeet Singh, said that the SHO nursed a grudge against him and had implicated him in at least two wrong cases and was bashed up on the premises of the police station on the night of January 14, after he was arrested in a case. He claimed that he was not under the influence of liquor, as had been stated by the police.

He alleged that he had dared to complain to a senior police official about the SHO, a few years ago in a case of sale/purchase of a car. On the January 13 incident, in which an FIR under Sections 279, 294, 337, 341, 382 and 506 of the IPC had been registered against him, he said he belonged to a good family and had had a clean record in the past. He lamented that he was intentionally kept in custody for 48 hours to damage his career.

While denying the allegation, Mr Sohal the SHO, said he had not been posted at SAS Nagar when the case of sale of a car took place. Regarding the recent case, he said medical examination at the Civil Hospital in Phase 6 had revealed that the JE was drunk. There was no indication of fracture on his left hand in the medical examination, he said adding that the JE was making false allegations.