L U D H I A N A

Panic in city after quake
LUDHIANA, Jan 27 — The earthquake on the Republic Day shook the city as well. Most people here were either in bed or going through their morning chores when the earthquake struck. Within no time, residents here rushed out of their houses. The tremors were felt for about 30 seconds here.

• Relief for victims

Nirdosh booked for murder, taken out in procession
LUDHIANA, Jan 27 — The district police registered a case against a former Vice-President of the Punjab unit of the Youth Congress, Nirdosh Dhand, here today, for the murder of an industrialist. A police squad led by the DSP, Mr Satish Malhotra, and Inspector Paramjit Singh took out the accused in procession across the city to “erase his terror from the minds of the residents”.

Pulse rate of PCO owners up
LUDHIANA, Jan 27 — Yesterday, telephone subscribers of the city were happy to find that now they could call their acquaintances in Punjab and Chandigarh at local-call charges. Many persons used this opportunity to call their relatives in the state.

Tension around old jail over missing boy
LUDHIANA, Jan 27 — The old jail here, notorious for being a place of hiding for anti-social elements, which was being cleaned by the city police, was once again the centre of attention today morning when about 100 people of Islam Gunj area descended on it in search of a 12-year-old boy, Mohammed. Shakeel reported missing for the past 5 days.

Residents drugged, 4 houses robbed
BHAIRON MUNNA (Sahnewal), Jan 27 — Robbers struck at this village early today and looted four houses. They decamped with cash, jewellery and many household items.

Needle left inside woman’s body?
LUDHIANA, Jan 27 — A Raikot-based doctor, owning a private clinic, has been accused of causing death of an old woman due to his alleged negligence while treating her. The doctor had allegedly left a stitching needle inside the woman’s body which ultimately worsened her condition.

CITY SCAN
Photography and Ludhiana
PHOTOGRAPHY and Ludhiana as theme may look out of place. In fact photography came to Ludhiana in the early decades of the last century. Sehgal brothers arrived from the city of K.L. Saigal and a film establishment appeared in Chaura Bazar.

COMMUNITY

Badal hopeful on wheat issue
LUDHIANA, Jan 27 — Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has expressed confidence that the Centre will fix “reasonable minimum support price” for wheat and there is no cause for concern. However, he was non-committal on the exact price likely to be fixed by the Centre.

R-Day celebrated with fervour
LUDHIANA, Jan 27 — The Republic Day was celebrated with traditional gaiety and fervour in and around Ludhiana, with a number of functions organised at different places to mark the occasion.

The Speaker of the Punjab Legislative Assembly, Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, takes salute at a march past on the Republic Day; and (right) students present dance and other cultural programmes on the occasion. 
— Photos by Rajesh Bhambi

Auto-dealers seek cut in surcharge on ST
LUDHIANA, Jan 27 — Auto dealers here have urged the state government to abolish the surcharge, which is affecting the sales of automobiles in Punjab. According to them, a few months ago state finance minister had decided to impose uniform sales tax on various goods but the Punjab Government decided to continue with 10 per cent surcharge.

Cinema hall in bad state
LUDHIANA, Jan 27 — A variegated scene greets the visitor — rehris selling eatables, heaps of garbage, mud and slush ground, rag pickers and parked autos, minibuses and matadors before the main gates. Well, this is one of the city’s oldest cinema halls — the Raikhy Theatre.

Garbage and dirt lying near the outer boundry wall of Raikhy cinema; algae deposited near the drinking water tap, and the filthy condition of the urinals which stink.
— Photos by Rajesh Bhambi

ITBP to organise recruitment camp
KHANNA, Jan 27 — “Indo Tibitian Border Police will organise a special recruitment camp in Kauri village to honour the villagers who helped the rail accident victims in the 1998 rail accident.” This was stated by Mr Gautam Kaul, Director General, Indo Tibitian Border Police, who came to Kauri to inspect the building of auditorium constructed by the ITBP in Kauri village ‘in memory of the head constable, who died in the accident.

CRIME

Labour inspector beaten up
KHANNA, Jan 27 — The Khanna police has registered a case against four trade union leaders for allegedly beating up a labour inspector in his office, when he was performing his duty.

Car stolen
JAGRAON, Jan 27 — A white Maruti car (No. DBD 6516) has been stolen from the residence of Mr Ashish Kumar. As per the version of the complainant, he had parked his car outside his residence at night but found it missing in the morning.

EDUCATION

Teachers want exemption from census duty
LUDHIANA, Jan 27 — The Government Primary Teachers Association has demanded that the percentage of teachers put on census duty be reduced to 25 or else they would launch a stir.

Eye hospital inaugurated
DORAHA, Jan 27 — Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, Punjab, inaugurated an eye hospital at village Kaddon, near Doraha on Thursday. Mr Gurdev Singh Mundi, a resident of the village and at present an NRI, donated Rs 5 lakh for the construction of the building of the hospital. Mr Mundi also declared that he would donate Rs 3 lakh yearly for the further development of the hospital.

MC drive against octroi evasion
LUDHIANA, Jan 27 — During an intensive drive against octroi evasion launched by the Municipal Corporation here, the enforcement staff has detected several cases of evasion on octroi on goods like cargo packets, electronics, medicines and audio cassettes. and have recovered Rs 1,21,415 as octroi and composition fee.