NSS volunteers get tips on waste management
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 25
On the fourth day of the National Integration Camp held at the Master Tara Singh Memorial College for Women Ludhiana, NSS volunteers from West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh started their day with a ‘prabhat pheri’ at 5.30 a.m. Later, Dr Arun Mitra an ENT specialist ,Ludhiana, delivered a lecture on “Waste management and suggested valuable means to save our environment.”

Mr Amrit Pal Singh, member Bharatya Jan Vigyan Jatha, also spoke on measures to curb pollution. The volunteers were told how earthworms helped in making manure from waste material. At 10:30 a.m. campers visited Punjab Agricultural University.

A poem recitation contest was also held. A cooking competition was also held.

COURTS

4-year jail term for man, parents
Our Legal Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 25
A city court has sentenced husband, mother-in-law and father-in-law of a woman to undergo imprisonment for four years on the charge of abetting her to commit suicide. A fine of Rs 1,000 each was also imposed on the accused.

Delivering the verdict, Mr J.S. Bhatia, Additional Sessions Judge, said the prosecution had proved that the accused, Rajinder Singh (husband), his father, Ajit Singh, mother, Mohinder Kaur, all residents of Dharour village, had abetted Kuldip Kaur for committing suicide.

However, the court acquitted Gurmit Kaur, a married sister of prime accused, giving her the benefit of doubt. She was not challaned by the police as Mr Shiv Kumar, an IPS officer, had found her innocent after holding an inquiry. But later, she was summoned by the court to face trial, finding prima facie case against her. Now, after appreciating the evidence, the court observed that she did not have any concern with the issue and was residing with her husband at different place at that time.

Initially, the accused were booked under Section 304-B of the IPC at the Sahnewal police station on September, 2001, following a statement by Jaspal Singh, brother of the deceased. But the court found that the offence falls within the purview of Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the IPC and sentenced them accordingly.

The complainant had submitted that her sister was married to the accused in 1995. Sufficient dowry was given at the time of marriage, but the accused were not satisfied. It was alleged that the in-laws of her sister kept on harassing and pressurising her for bringing more dowry. A demand for bringing a car was also made. She was harassed to such an extent that she committed suicide by consuming poison.

The complainant had further alleged that when they reached the DMCH to enquire about her health, the accused fled away from the hospital.

The prosecution examined nine witnesses to prove the guilt of the accused. The accused pleaded not guilty, but did not examine even a single witness to substantiate their claim. Finding them guilty, the judge sentenced them to imprisonment.