L U D H I A N A

Kidnapper of child killed in shootout
LUDHIANA, Feb 20 — Rakhdev, a migrant from Gorakhpur, who kidnapped five-year-old Ashley from his tutor's house and strangled him on February 15 and who was produced at a press conference here this afternoon after his arrest in the morning, was killed in the ''counter fire'' by the police at the Jhamat bridge on the Sidhwan canal, it is learnt.

Massive power pilferage in Ludhiana
LUDHIANA, Feb 20 — Free power supply to the agriculture sector and the debate on the privatisation of the state electricity board have overshadowed the issue of the power theft in the state. Officials in the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) say power theft has reached alarming proportions. 

DMCH intern beaten up 
LUDHIANA, Feb 20 — Dr Yadvinder Singh, an intern in Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, who was allegedly beaten by other interns of DMC, has charged the Haibowal Police with inaction and reluctance to register his First Information Report. Rather than booking the culprits, the police had been pressurising him to compromise with the other party. The intern, admitted to the DMCH with multiple injuries, had identified those who mercilessly beat him up and named the persons, but even after a week, he is waiting for the police to take any action.

Shobha yatra on eve of Shivaratri
LUDHIANA, Feb 20 — The huge 225-kg silver rath was the main attraction of the shobha yatra this time on the eve of Shivaratri that was taken out from Daresi Grounds through various parts of the city here today.

Leopard fear grips villagers
DORAHA, Feb 20 — A leopard is said to have been sighted at two villages near Doraha and created confusion and fear among the villagers, early in the morning yesterday.

• Teachers resent census duty

  

LUDHIANA CALLING The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah has several unique traits that all politicians will always envy him for. He can tune himself to circumstances. He can speak fluent Punjabi among Punjabis and chaste English among Englishmen. He can argue about the Kashmir case at the United Nations as deftly as he can appreciate good music. Recently the flamboyant Chief Minister was in the town to attend the marriage ceremony of the son of a leading industrialist, Mr Jangi Lal Oswal.

COMMUNITY

Encroachments by private bus operators
LUDHIANA, Feb 20 — Connivance or perhaps negligence on the part of the authorities concerned has led to encroachments on several roads in the city by private bus operators leading to chaos, confusion and nuisance for the residents and shopkeepers.

EDUCATION

Dharna by non-teaching employees
LUDHIANA, Feb 20 — Members of the Arya College Non-teaching Employees Union here today staged a two-hour dharna outside the Arya College for Boys. The members were protesting against the long-pending demand of implementation of pension-cum-gratuity scheme of the Punjab Government.

HEALTH

HERBS AND HEALTH
Bhringraj – the herbal hair tonic
BhringraJ is prominent among the few herbs chosen by Ayurveda for hair care. It is a small, six-inch to one foot tall erect and annual plant, which is found throughout the Indian subcontinent, more commonly in the wet land. Depending upon the colour of its flower, ancient Ayurved practitioners described it as being of three types — white, yellow and blue. Practically, only the first two varieties are found, as blue Bhringraj is considered to be a transformation of the white one in its full ripe stage. The whole plant (panchang) has medicinal properties.