TOP STORIES

Lovers end it all on the altar of medieval norms
Meerut, December 27
Distraught over attempts to browbeat them, a boy and a girl sacrificed their lives in Dayampur village, seven km from the district headquarters. But before they could end their ordeal, the panchayat, in the presence of at least a hundred people, compelled the girl to tie a ‘rakhi’ to her lover.

Mind fiscal discipline, cautions Harshvardhan

New Delhi, December 27 The BJP wants the Sheila Dikshit Ministry to demonstrate a modicum of prudence in matters financial and shore up the government’s resources. “Otherwise,” says Delhi Pradesh BJP President Dr Harshvardhan, “We are headed towards bankruptcy.” Dr Harshvardhan, the newly appointed president of Delhi BJP, addresses a Press conference in the Capital on Saturday. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

Yet another day in quilts New Delhi, December 27 Chilly winds, a drop in temperature and dense fog continued to make Delhiites shiver and stay indoors, as normal life remained disrupted. This when there was a slight increase in the minimum temperature, which rose one degree above normal to 8 degree Celsius. The Capital’s tryst with foggy mornings continued for yet another day with visibility down to less than 500 meters, severely affecting rail, air and bus services in the Capital. The slight drizzle added to the woes of the city’s denizens. Even a steaming hot cup of tea failed to drive away the cold in the Capital on Saturday. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

urban mess
Bansi finds development in Gurgaon haphazard
Mandokla (Gurgaon), December 27
Former Chief Minister and Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) supremo Bansi Lal today expressed lack of confidence in the present pattern of growth of Gurgaon city, describing it as skewed.

Not even a roof to protect them from winter’s sting
Faridabad, December 27
The poor in this industrial town have a harrowing time in winter when the mercury plummets. The town does not have a single night shelter for the homeless.

crime against women
Married woman found crushed to death
Jhajjar, December 27
A married woman was found dead in mysterious circumstances near the Government Girls School on Bahadurgarh-Beri road in Dighal village today morning. The police have registered a case of dowry death against the in-laws.

POLITICS

Cong activists, traders criticise corporation’s decision
Rewari, December 27
The Rewari Municipal Corporation’s decision to abrogate the age-old Tehbazari system in the city markets with effect from January 1, 2004, has come in for sharp criticism by Congress activists as well as traders and shopkeepers of the town.

COMMUNITY

The Achiever
His experience and sagacity is in great demand
New Delhi, December 27
When he graduated in English literature with a first class in 1965 from the prestigious Hindu College here, there were a spate of lucrative job offers to him. Getting a first in literature was considered to be a real achievement in those days. But this was not for him. The young graduate had star in his eyes and had decided to pursue social service full time.

Special Focus on rewari
South Haryana getting a raw deal in power supply: Vidrohi
Rewari, December 27
The Haryana Janata Dal (U) president, Mr Ved Prakash Vidrohi, has flayed the state government for its allegedly abject discrimination in the matter of power supply particularly during the on-going rabi season towards the farmers of South Haryana, mainly the Rewari, Mahendragarh and Gurgaon districts.

General Manager of Punjab & Sind Bank H. S. Duggal releasing the bank's 2004 wall calendar. Executive director of the bank Prakash Singh is also seen.

search within
Going through the New Year anchored in faith
THIS is the time to wish our friends and dear ones a Happy and Blessed New Year. Though such greeting is more of a western custom, it is meaningful in that it provides us an occasion to express goodwill and love towards one another.

‘Filmmaking demands dedicated effort’
New Delhi, December 27
The well-known cine artist, director and producer, Mr Joginder, said life is indeed God’s best gift to us and every moment of it must be lived purposefully.

NCR Briefs
Rly Samiti agitation criticised
Jhajjar, December 27
Terming the agitation of the ‘Railway Sangharsh Samiti’ for connecting the district headquarters with rail link “an exercise in futility”, Mr Balwan Suhag, a local INLD leader and Chairman of Sales Tax Tribunal, said that the Chief Minister was already lobbying hard with the Ministry of Railways for this purpose.

delhi digest
Nomination papers filed for election of chairman of MCD Standing Committee
New Delhi, December 27
Nomination papers for the election of the Chairman of the all-powerful Standing Committee in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi were filed today. Five contenders have filed their nomination papers, including four from the ruling Congress party and one from the BJP. The Congress councillors who have filed their nomination papers include Ashok Jain, Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee, Mrs Shalu Malik, Mr Mukesh Goel, members of the Standing Committee and Sugreev Singh.

2 killed, one injured as scooter rams tree
Sonepat, December 27
Two persons were killed and another sustained serious injuries when a scooter on which they were travelling rammed a tree on the Kundli road, about 15-km from here last evening. According to a report, the victims were identified as Mr Shakeel and Mr Rakesh of Azadpur (Delhi). The condition of the injured person was stated to be stable.

Power crisis disrupts normal life
Sonepat, December 27
There has been no respite from a continuos cycle of loadsheddings, disruption in power supply and low voltage in this city and elsewhere in the district. Normal life has been thrown out of gear as water supply too has been severely affected.

CRIME

Central Bank manager held for taking bribe
New Delhi, December 27
The Anti-Corruption Branch of the Delhi Police have arrested an Assistant Manager and peon of the Central Bank of India, Badarpur branch, for demanding a bribe of Rs 20,000 for releasing a loan amount.

BUSINESS

PHDCCI ‘caretakers’ for Faridabad
Faridabad, December 27
The PHD Chambers of Commerce and Industries has prepared a plan to provide support to the industrial units here.

EDUCATION

Yadav selected R-Day contingent in-charge
Rewari, December 27
Dr Surya Pal Yadav, lecturer in English and Programme Officer, NSS in Govt. College, Nahar (District Rewari), has been selected by the concerned wing of the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to act as contingent in-charge of Delhi and Haryana state in the Republic Day Parade Camp, which is being held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi from 1st January 1 to 31 January, 2004.

Parents told not to put extra pressure on their wards
Fardibad: A parent orientation programme was held at the Eicher School here recently to make the parents of the students aware the philosophy and ethos of the institution and help them to understand the psychology of the teachers and the students.

HEALTH

Acupuncture being used to cure various diseases
New Delhi, December 27
When it comes to treating pain, acupuncture is no longer a flaky alternative but a mainstream tool of modern medicine. This was stated by Dr Raman Kapur, HOD, Department of Acupuncture, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi.

BODY & MIND Surgeon’s skilled fingers stitch amputated hand AAKASH, a four-year-old boy from Mandkola village in Palwal (Haryana) who came to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital early this month with an amputated left hand was discharged on Christmas eve with a repaired hand. Hernia repair technique Indian doctors welcome in UK Post-operation snaps of a four-year-old child’s stitched hand. The pre-operation snaps of the severed hand have been withheld as they might offend readers’ sensibilities.

SPORTS

National School Games
Delhi girls run away with baseball title
New Delhi, December 27
Delhi emerged winners in the under-19 girls baseball final while Goa took the second position and Madhya Pradesh the third place in the National School Games at the Chattrasal Stadium in the Capital on Saturday.

Delhi clinch six gold medals
New Delhi, December 27
Delhi clinched six gold medals in the judo competitions of the National School Games at the Chattrasal Stadium in the Capital on Saturday. Wazia picked up the gold in the under-14 girls 32kg bout while Amreen took the gold in the 36kg.

Young Friends earn full points
New Delhi, December 27
Match-winning bowling spells by Rakshi Pant (3 for 10) and Rippu Daman (3 for 12) helped Young Friends Club defeat Abhay Ram Gymkhana by seven wickets in a league match of the fourth Shakuntala Devi Memorial Under-19 Cricket Tournament at the Dogra Academy ground.

Tarun Chaudhary powers Delhi to semi-final
New Delhi, December 27
A brilliant all-round display by captain Tarun Chaudhary helped Delhi defeat Daman and Diu by 153 runs and enter the semi-final of the Vinoo Mankad Under-16 Cricket Tournament at the Bharat Nagar ground.

Parimarjan Negi maintains lead
New Delhi, December 27
Parimarjan Negi of Delhi continued to hold the edge with a finely crafted victory against P P Prachura of Karnataka in the eighth round of the National Under-11 Boys Chess Championship at the Bapu Samaj Sewa Kendra. Negi now leads the table along with S P Sethuraman of Tamilnadu on seven points out of a possible 8.