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| Friday,
November 29, 2002, Chandigarh, India |
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10 shops burgled in one night Chandigarh, November 28 It appears that the burglaries were committed by one group as the modus-operandi of the burglars in all cases appeared to be the same, said police sources. The locks were found broken and cash missing from each of the burgled shops. As per police sources and the shopkeepers the thefts took place some time between 1 am and 2.30 am today. Police suspects that burglars seemed to have spread into three groups to strike at different locations at the same time. Two watchmen in the Sector 34 C market, Tek Bhadur and Man Bhadur told the police that they were overpowered by a group of 10-12 persons armed with a country made pistol, butcher knives and
rods at around 2.15 am. The burglars reportedly overpowered market chowkidars after pointing the pistol at them. The burglars then broke the locks of seven shops in the market and took away the cash lying in the cash boxes. They also took away other goods, including a coat. The watchmen reportedly told the police that while the burglars were busy breaking locks, a milkvan stopped near the market. The burglars took the van to be a police vehicle and fled from the market. However, the watchmen could not tell,
whether the burglars escaped in vehicles or on foot. The police has interrogated both the watchmen. The burglars also broke outer locks of Booth No. 38 but failed to break the central lock of the shop. Burglars also struck at Aggarwal Departmental Store, SCO 108 and decamped with Rs 5,000 besides some cosmetic items and a jar filled with almonds. ‘‘The market watchman called up at around 3 am and informed me that locks on my shop had been broken’’, said Mr Gopal Gupta, proprietor of the shop. The market's watchman reportedly did not notice any burglars. A confectionery shop in Sector 45 was also burgled and there was an attempt to burgle another. From here, the burglars took away about Rs 1,000. The burglary is said to have been committed almost at the same time as those in sectors 34 and 35. The police has registered three cases of burglary. Meanwhile, the police tonight raided various colonies of the city in connection with the burglaries. The police also rounded several persons but they were later let off.
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MC clears 3.85 cr for development projects SAS Nagar, November 28 The House also cleared, among other things, purchase of 2,000 litres of foam concentrate for the fire station at a cost of Rs 3.85 lakh, repair of two fire tenders at a cost of Rs 2.99 lakh, purchase of machines to check fake currency at octroi posts and various other items linked to council employees. Some major development works cleared by the council included construction of road gullies, curb channels and footpaths in wards 11, 17 and 18 at a cost of Rs 8.77 lakh, laying of SDC in a pocket in Sector 70 at a cost of Rs 9.05 lakh, construction of footpath and curb channel in different pockets in Sector 71 at a cost of Rs 9.93 lakh, installation of digital caution lights and indicators at various points in Industrial Area at a cost of Rs 9.95 lakh and construction of library reading room at Silvi Park in Phase X at a cost of Rs 9.96 lakh. The fire station officer had reported that there was only one fire station in Ropar district and breaking out of fire in the area had to be covered by the local fire brigade. Moreover, there were a number of industrial units in the area which dealt with chemical products. The foam used to fight chemical fires was out of stock and 2,000 litres of foam concentrate was needed by the fire station. It was also reported that two fire tenders of the fire brigade needed repair. One of these had been repaired many times, but was not giving reliable service and as such, the faulty system needed replacement. The second vehicle, which was a 1982 model, also needed repair. The superintendent of the octroi wing of the council had reported that at times, banks returned certain currency notes on the pretext of their being fake when council employees went to deposit the cash in the bank. He said there was no provision at the octroi posts to check whether the currency being given in the form of octroi was fake. As such, machines to detect fake currency notes should be provided at the octroi posts. |
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HUDA
set to reclaim land near choes
Panchkula, November 28 A proposal to this effect has been made by HUDA officials to the District Town Planning office earlier this week. These plots will be carved out along Singh Nullah choe in Sectors 2, 4, 12 and 12-A and also along the seasonal rivulet passing through Mansa Devi Complex Sector 5. Though HUDA officials are also exploring options for retrieving land for development along the seasonal rivulet originating in Swastik Vihar in Chandigarh and passing through Sector 7 and 18 here , they feel it would not be as fruitful as in the two above- mentioned cases. It is learnt that plots of varying sizes (14 marlas, 10 marlas, 8 marla and six marlas) will be carved out in Sectors 2, 4, 12 and 12- A - along the Singh Nullah choe and in Mansa Devi Complex, Sector 5. While the proposal for developing plots in Mansa Devi Complex has been cleared by the Town Planning department, a final decision on developing plots along Singh Nullah choe will be taken by December 2. Sources in HUDA informed that the issue was discussed in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Administrator, HUDA, Panchkula on November 25. The HUDA officials had reportedly made their own site plans and presented in the meeting to officials from the Town Planning Department. The officials had observed that though about 30,000 square meters of area will be retrieved along Singh Nullah, but only 30 to 40 per cent of this could be utilised for carving residential/institutional plots. It may be noted that Panchkula derives its name from Paanch kool — the land of five rivulets. While two of these rivulets are now non-existant, the others have become more like nullahs with sullage choking most of these. Over the past couple of years, HUDA has been planning to beautify the seasonal rivulets that pass through the township. In fact, various schemes have been drawn by officials over the past couple of years for the beautification of these rivulets. It is now that HUDA has finally decided to realign / channelise these rivulets and develop these on pattern of Leisure Valley in Sector 10, Chandigarh. Officials say that once the land is retrieved from along these rivulets and sold off, it will yield enough money for the beautification work and also leave additional revenue for
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PU Syndicate poll on Dec 16 Chandigarh, November 28 The programme agenda also includes elections to deans of various faculties which will be completed on December 17. The arts faculty has three seats for the Syndicate; science faculty three; languages two; law two; medical sciences two; and the combined faculty has three seats. The combined faculty includes the departments of business management and commerce, dairying, animal husbandry and agriculture, design and fine arts, education, engineering and technology and pharmaceutical sciences. Deans will be elected to the faculties of dairying, animal husbandry and agriculture, law, medical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, arts, language, business management and commerce, education, design and fine arts, science and engineering and technology. Nothing is clear on the election activity to the syndicate this time. None of the significant groups can be seen in parlance. It could be a repeat of last year’s election scenario when Justice D.V.Sehgal was unofficially given the handle to manoeuver the election scenario without polling. All groups were given representation in the final composition. However, there were quarters of dissatisfied people. Prominent among them was Prof M.G.Gandhi who lost his temper at the final outcome. Mr S.S. Hundal filed papers for contesting the elections, however, he withdrew following persuasion at the last hour. |
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Traders wave black flags at Jacob Chandigarh, November 28 If the amendment is not withdrawn, the mandal will seal all exit and entry points to the city. A decision on opening and closing of shops will be taken at a general body meeting of the mandal. This will also fix the date for the action. The police may arrest us that day,” they said. This would be followed an indefinite bandh under which all shops of the city would remain closed till the notification was withdrawn, they added. Reacting to reports that a letter was being circulated about a rift in the mandal, they said. Mandal is not a small body, it has representatives of all markets. The opinion of one person means nothing. The president of the mandal, Mr Jagdish Arora, said the traders sitting on chain fast would be joined in by BJP leaders tomorrow. He expressed hope that the meeting with the Minister of state for Home, Mr I.D. Swami would bear fruit. Earlier in the morning, the traders downed the shutters of their shops to show their resentment. The shutters were lifted after the Administrator had left. The traders also burnt an effigy of the General. The mandal, meanwhile, claimed that the amendment would result in large-scale uprooting of business houses besides causing loss of goodwill, increase in unemployment, drop in revenue and increase in lawlessness. |
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Reel hero admires real ones Chandigarh, November 28 In town today for the shooting of J.P. Dutta’s LoC, Sunil was in the best company possible — that of wife Manna and his two children, who are coming to the city for the first time. Having feasted on a Chinese meal at a local restaurant Mount View’s Magic Wok, Sunil retired in a couch to tell the tale of his past — a tale which always inspires sensibility in him. “I have never had things easy in life. I come from a family which has laboured hard to secure dignity of living. My father used to be a cleaner before he managed financial stability. And I have been a witness to his struggle. That is why my father has always been my real hero. I respect him for the legacy of labour that he has given him. Thanks to his grounding, we are still a close knit family living together in Mumbai,” said the actor, who is playing the role of soldier Sanjay Kumar in LoC. Having worked his way to success, Sunil is a satisfied man today. He admits, “Acting is a wholesome experience. This is the only medium which offers you the scope to do the nation proud. The only other thing that matches acting as a medium of contentment is sports. Had I not been an actor, I would have loved to be a cricket star, fighting for the prestige of India.” Sunil’s role in LoC is extremely challenging in that it requires a portrayal of sacrifice — the ultimate of all offerings. For him, Border was not easy, nor will LoC be. “It is difficult to justify such roles simply because of the immense grace attached with them. They have been real life heroes who have fought and died for the country. We can only pay a tribute to them through our performances. We cannot match them in any way,” said the actor, who fondly remembered the days he shot for LoC in Ladakh. “I call Ladakh a highway to heaven. It offers everything in extremes — be it beauty or adversity. When the mishap happened on the sets of LoC, I felt dejected. I have often saluted the
soldiers who sustained difficult climatic and psychological conditions in Kargil, just to keep the enemy at bay. How many of us have the nerve to do that?” The sense of patriotism runs strong in Sunil’s family, with his son
obsessed with the armed forces. “When I came here, Aahan insisted that I take him to the airways to show him the shooting. He has pictured some scenes for record. Now he is excited to get back and show them to his friends,” said the proud father, who is now looking for more diverse roles. In fact, last year, his films had a lot of variety — right from Dhadkan and Jungle to Hera Pheri, Refugee and Aaghaaz. On the other front, Sunil is a family man, wedded to ideals in life. “I have prescribed limits for myself. I never sign commercials of tobacco or alcohol, nor do I project anything that I would not like to practise myself. |
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Army detonates trunch mortar Chandigarh, November 28 The 202 Bomb Disposal Squad of the Army today lifted the mortar from the Sector 39 police station and took it to a vacant plot adjacent to Grain Market, Sector 39. The mortar was wrapped into explosives consisting of detonator, and safety fuse. It was then buried and detonated. It detonated with a loud thud followed by a cloud of dust. According to Hav Balwinder Singh, who led the squad, the shell was “safely” disposed off. Earlier, the police had combed and cordoned off the area. Sector 39 police station SHO K.I.P. Singh was also present on the spot. As per sources, the shell was apparently picked up by scrap sellers and later thrown in Sector 38 after learning that it was a rocket shell. The ammunition — almost 1.25 feet long — was discovered around 8.30 p.m. on November 15. An anonymous caller had reportedly informed the police control room of a strange ammunition lying hidden in some shrubs near Prajapati
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Housing society challenges freezing of accounts Chandigarh, November 28 The society today filed an appeal against an order passed by the Additional Registrar Cooperative Societies, Mr Inderjit Singh Sandhu. The appeal has been filed in the court of Secretary, Cooperation, and the date of hearing is next Tuesday. Mr Sandhu, on Tuesday, had ordered that bank accounts of the society be frozen with immediate effect. This had followed a complaint by a section of members of the society. Meanwhile the society has refuted all allegations levelled by a section of its members saying it was just false propaganda initiated by a handful of people. A cheque issued by one of the agitating members had bounced, the society alleged. The President of the Society, Mr Devinder Gupta, said even the issue of over-pricing of flats was totally wrong and provided a comparison with the rates offered by the Chandigarh Housing Board, the official government housing agency and the rates offered by the society. He gave out a written comparative chart of rates paid by the CHB to its contractors for an upcoming housing project in Sector 51 and the rates paid by the society to its contractors. Speaking on the selection of the Architect, Mr Vinod Joshi, Mr Gupta showed documents. He said an advertisement was given in the newspapers inviting architects. Just to ward off any allegations the society formed a panel of three experts, Mr I.J. Majithia, Mr B.S. Cheema and Mr S.D.K. Puri. The first one is an architect while the others are engineers. They had checked the credentials of three architects and then suggested that Mr Joshi be given the work. The allegations of agitating members that Mr Joshi was involved in the work appointing a contractor for the society was wrong. The job has been awarded to the lowest bid. The job of the architect was to present designs and get them passed from the building branch which has been done. Clarifying his position, Mr Joshi, said the appointment of a contractor was done by the management of the society by placing an advertisement in the newspapers. He said he believed such false propaganda was launched out of professional and business rivalry by his rivals otherwise there was no reason for anyone to blame the architect whose job is specified. |
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Lawyers urged to fight cases of deserted girls Chandigarh, November 28 He said if each lawyer of the two states took up one case each, the entire problem would be handled and taken to its logical conclusion. There were thousands of married women deserted by their NRI grooms. In some of the cases, the grooms had concealed their marital status before getting married here. In a statement issued here today Mr Ramoowalia said that his party had already launched an intensive campaign against fraudulent NRI grooms who had been duping young marriageable girls by not only deserting them but also disappearing with their “huge dowries”, including cash and jewellery. Mr Ramoowalia also appealed to intellectuals, writers, journalists, and other non-government organisations (NGOs) to create general awareness amongst masses about this serious social menace. Student unions and others should also play an active role and help the victims get FIRs registered against the guilty NRI grooms. They should also prevail upon the government in making certain amendments in the law to check the exploitation of young girls and for speedy trial of the guilty through fast-track courts. |
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Indian warmth lent a healing touch: B’deshi students Chandigarh, November 28 It was during the last leg of the educational trip of these students from the Department of Archaeology, Dhaka University, that misfortune struck when one of the Tata Sumos by carrying eight students, was hit by a truck, near Karnal. “While our teacher, Professor Husanara Begum, died on the spot, three others were shifted to the PGI in a critical condition. The accident had taken place around 1.30 am on the night of November 21,” says Sunny, recalling the horrifying moments they had to undergo. The students were on their way to Shimla, when the mishap took place. One of the students, Shamima Yasmeen , succumbed to her injuries at the PGI, on November 24. It was on November 13 that a group of 21 students, accompanied by a teacher and a guide, embarked on an educational trip to have a glimpse of the historical monuments in Agra, Delhi, Jaipur, Ajmer and Shimla. “ We had such a great time all through the tour, but the mishap during the last leg changed everything, as today we all are praying for the life of our two classmates, Nazneena and Kazi Afri Jehan, who are in a critical condition in the ICU here,” says Sunny, who was also in the ill-fated Sumo that was hit by the truck. “We are extremely grateful to the people who helped the students at the accident site and the doctors at the PGI, who have gone out of their way to shift the injured to the PGI and the Karnal Hospital and ensured that they were given the best medical care and attention,” said Prof M.M. Haque, head of the Archaeology Department, who arrived here after getting the news. He is all praise for the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh, who, he said, were accommodating enough to issue visas on a holiday to him and family members of the students who had been injured. He said the doctors at the PGI had also helped them a lot. The condition of Nazneena and Kazi Afri Jehan continues to be critical, Prof Haque will be returning to Dhaka with five students. Fourteen of them had already left on Tuesday. Members of the families of the two students, admitted to the ICU at PGI, have also reached here. Prof Haque, said it was for the first time that the students from his department had made such a trip to India and that too after great difficulty as shelling out Rs 15,000 was not easy for them. “ No doubt it was unfortunate, but that does not mean we will discontinue such educational tours in future,” he said adding that it could happen with anyone. |
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CTYC to hold demonstration Chandigarh, November 28 The CTYC president, Mr Harmohinder Singh Lucky, has called a meeting of office-bearers of the state and district units tomorrow to chalk out the strategy for the demonstration. The demonstration has apparently come in the wake of the BJP holding demonstrations on the days of “bhoompujan” and foundation laying ceremonies of the school. A CTYC press note said the demonstration had been called to oppose an alleged shady transfer of land of DAV School, Dera Bassi, to a senior local BJP leader for a song. Mr Lucky accused BJP leaders of allegedly demanding a consideration from marble dealers. He also alleged that Mr Jain had openly lobbied for the retention of a tainted bureaucrat in Chandigarh. Mr Lucky said BJP activists had allegedly been hand in glove with land mafia and were involved in getting people evicted. Yesterday, Mr Satyapal Jain had lashed out at the Congress leader and Delhi Public School Society Chairman, Mr Salman Khursheed, for reportedly saying “the people of Chandigarh are not properly educated and need more education from his school.” Mr Jain had termed the reported statement as an insult to 10 lakh people of the Union Territory that had given the country a Vice-President, two Supreme Court judges, number of Generals, Governors and Central ministers apart from number of senior bureaucrats and top cricketers. Mr Khursheed was trying to mislead the people about the controversy over the allotment of the land meant for those schools the were to be displaced from residential areas, he had added. |
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Mauli Jagran
traders protest Chandigarh, November 28 The protesters said the closure of these shops would deprive them of livelihood. They also demanded that the private schools running in residential area should also be allowed to function. A delegation of protesters joined by Congress councillors, Deputy Mayor Balraj Singh, leader of the Congress Subhash Chawla, Road Committee chairman Pardeep Chhabra, Water and Sewerage Committee chairman Kuldeep Singh and Slum Development Committee chairperson Shyama Negi, met the Housing Board Chairman G. K. Marvah and submitted a charter of demands in this regard. Mr Marvah is reported to have assured them that the notices would be kept in abeyance if they promised to vacate government land. The protesters reportedly agreed to the suggestion. President of the federation Dr Hasan, vice-president Indrapal and adviser Paras Nath led the protesters. |
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Punwire staff stage dharna SAS Nagar, November 28 ‘‘We had openly helped the Congress before elections and she had promised us along with the CM that the Punwire will be opened again and the employees will start getting their pay,’’ said Mr Shahid Ahmed, president of the association. The employees also informed that they had waited for more than nine months but the present government had not fulfilled its promise. The Punwire presently employs about 750 persons. The company was locked up in July 2000 and since then the employees have not been paid any salaries. According to the employees leaders, 24 employees have died during the past two years because of tension related problems. ‘‘One person is struggling for life even today in the PGI,’’ said Mr Ahmed. Ms Garcha who was not at her residence when the dharna started was called home and on arrival she assured the employees of her complete support to their cause of getting Punwire back on the rails. She has promised that she will arrange a meeting with the Chief Minister and the employee leaders within a week to sort out the matter. |
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‘Blatant violations’ by
3 marketing companies Chandigarh, November 28 The three companies are: M/s Online Job Works.Com Pvt.Ltd., M/s. Best Internet Solutions Pvt. Ltd., and M/s Cossets Marketing Pvt. Ltd. An official press note from the Chandigarh Police said cases had been registered against them for alleged violation of Prize Chit and Money Circulation Scheme (Banning) Act, 1978, on a complaint from Mr S.P.Negi, Deputy General Manager, Reserve Bank of India.Cases have been registered against all three of them under Sections 3 and 4 of the said act. During the raids on their
premises in different parts of the city last night, certain documents, computers, CDs, applications forms, receipts etc were seized by the police. All the premises were found locked and their directors were not traceable, the press note said. |
Couple caught for hoodwinking jeweller SAS Nagar, November 28 The couple ‘bought’ jewellery worth Rs 50,000 from Chauhan Jewellers in the evening and paid the shopkeeper in white sheets of paper cut into Rs 500 note size wrapped in original 500 rupee notes on the top and the bottom and hundred rupee notes on the sides. The ‘money’ was stashed in a bag which was handed over to the shopkeeper. Just after the two left the shop the shopkeeper checked the bundles and realised that other than the notes on the top and below and two on the sides the rest were sheets of plain white paper cut into the 500 rupees note size. The shopkeeper immediately informed the police which caught the couple before they could flee. According to Mr Inderjit Singh, the owner of the shop, the two had come to the shop in the evening and chose a large number of sets which they said they wanted to show at home before finally deciding on which one to buy. “They said I could keep the Rs 50,000 as guarantee money which they had brought along in a bag”, he said. According to the police the couple had come with two similar bags and filled one with the fake bundles and the other with original bundles. “They would show the original bundles and just before leaving leave the bag with fake bundles with the shopkeeper,” said Mr Pritam Singh Bedi, SHO, Police Station Central. Panchkula Pillion rider killed: A pillion rider on a scooter (HR-03D-0166) was crushed to death and the driver was seriously injured after their scooter was hit by a canter (HR-16-1031). The incident took place at around 4 pm this afternoon on the road separating Sector 3 and 21. While Prem Chand died on the spot, his daughter, who was riding the scooter, was seriously injured. Assaulted: A shopkeeper in Sector 7 market here, Mr Sunil Kumar, was reportedly assaulted by a youth, Vijay, this morning when he objected to the latter’s parking of a car in front of his shop. The accused, alongwith two others assaulted Mr Kumar and pelted stones at him. Four arrested: Prem Pal, Dinesh Kumar, Tikkam and Sukh Ram were arrested by the police on charges of gambling at a public place in Mansa Devi Complex and Rs 600 were recovered from them. |
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