Ludhiana, February 2
A group of about 15 persons, including some burqa-clad women, are allegedly using a long route state roadways bus from Meerut to Jammu for transporting contraband and weapons packed in bags which are then transferred to already waiting rickshaws at select points between Rajpura and Ludhiana.

Following a green signal on mobile from other group members waiting at certain pre-determined spots, two or three members of the group also disembark with the consignment.

The group remains in touch with some unknown persons on the mobile and keep checking if there was a police naka ahead.

A city resident who happened to travel by the bus a few times had noticed the suspicious activity and informed the Ludhiana Tribune on the condition of anonymity that the persons board the bus from Meerut as a group but disembark at places which were not authorised bus stops.

His suspicion was strengthened when he overheard one of the group members asking regularly about the presence of cops ahead and then calling someone that the plan had to be changed due to the presence of some PCR cops at certain road crossings.

The informant found it astonishing that the moment the bus stopped at an unauthorised bus stop, a man driving a rehri rickshaw would bring his rehri close to the bus door. Those in the bus would swiftly load the bag and walk away within seconds.

The activity smacks of arms and drugs smuggling as the police had recently caught a number of persons from Meerut and surrounding areas on the charges of smuggling arms and drugs in the city, which had of late become a major market for this trade.

While national-level drug peddlers were recently arrested, the police also caught few persons supplying arms. It is open knowledge that more than 90 per cent of arms used in different crime cases were smuggled to the city from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

However, the exact method of how this unlawful activity was carried out had not been exposed completely. A police official said the information had to be taken seriously as the gang could be supplying arms to Jammu and Kashmir militants also.

Ludhiana, February 2
A group of students of different colleges damaged a minibus and beat up the driver and conductor opposite Preet Palace today afternoon after an argument over buying tickets to travel in the vehicle.

Though the incident took place at 2 pm and tension was growing between the students and bus owners and staff, the police reached the venue only after 4 pm.

Bus driver Jatinder Singh alleged that they were having a confrontation with the students over the issue of buying tickets for travelling in the bus. The students were not buying tickets arguing that they were entitled to travel free while the bus staff was not allowing them to do so.

The students seem to have come prepared for the confrontation today. Seven students had boarded the bus near the bus stand while several others followed it on their motor cycles. Just before the Preet Cinema, students attacked the bus driver and smashed the vehicles window panes and damaged the seats.

There were several other passengers in the bus who escaped with minor injuries. The students were yet to be identified. The bus driver Jatinder Singh was angry that the police did not come to their rescue or later despite making several calls to the police control room and Atam Park police post.

Ludhiana, February 2
An ambitious plan that had been drawn up by the Municipal Corporation here about five years ago to widen about a dozen roads in the old city leading to CMC Hospital is still gathering dust.

The authorities wake up to the problem of traffic congestion only when a tragedy occurs and some lives are lost. All roadside encroachments, along the Brown Road, were removed after the Khud Mohalla tragedy took place and shopkeepers were warned of strict action in case they encroached the road again. But after a week, they were again on the road.

The Deputy Commissioner, who issued the orders, did not take any action. These roadside encroachers seem to enjoy the patronage of a strong encroachment mafia having political clout. They are violating the orders of the Deputy Commissioner.

An apt example of this was seen when the Deputy Commissioner ordered the removal of all footpath encroachments within the Mini Secretariat premises within 24 hours. But the orders remained effective for only 24-hours as the next day, all roadside squatters doing business were back at their places.

Now the Municipal Corporation has once again passed a resolution to remove all roadside encroachments and extensions. But the tehbazari wing of the civic body is yet to come into action even after a month. With the result that the congested roads of the old city, which were supposed to have been widened five years ago, are getting more congested due to the ever-increasing encroachments.

Shopkeepers of Chaura Bazar and the Katchery Road have given the part of road in front of their shops to roadside vendors on rent. There is nobody to stop them from making money by leasing out public roads.

Bhundri/Jagraon, February 2
Another case of duping villagers has come to light when a family of Bhundri village was duped by a group of eight persons, led by a woman Punjabi singer, who posed as an NRI bride and struck a deal to marry their son and taking him to Canada for a payment of Rs 21 lakh.

Seven of the eight accused persons were arrested last evening. The fake NRI bride and prime accused Aman Kaur alias Amritpal Kaur Grewal belonged to Heeran village. She is already mother of two sons and is alleged to have duped three other persons using the modus operandi earlier.

She had already taken Rs 13 lakh from the bridegroom’s family and had arranged fake relatives to accompany her who were to be paid for the service. Among the fake relatives arrested were Sukhdev Kaur (paternal aunt), Atma Singh (uncle), Karnail Singh (uncle) while his wife Manjit Kaur was yet to be arrested. Three persons, posing as friends of the bride’s family, Harjinder Singh, Sanjeev Kumar and Balraj Singh, have also been nabbed. All accused were remanded to the police custody till February 5 by a local court in Jagraon.

The marriage function between Jagroop Singh (26) and 40-year-old fake NRI bride Aman Kaur alias Amritpal Kaur was going on amid the usual jubilations in a marriage palace in Bhundri last evening when a team of the Jagraon police led by CIA in charge Prithipal Singh swooped on them and arrested the accused.

The arrival of the police shocked the bridegroom’s family and the guests. The police locked all the doors so that no one could run away. The police had a hard time controlling the gathering as nobody believed the allegations against the bride and her relatives.

They, however, had to follow the police when the cops proved their real identity. The fake bride had promised to make payments ranging from a few thousand rupees to Rs 2 lakh to the fake relatives.

The bridegroom’s family vent their ire on the accused when they learnt the reality. They targeted mediators Karnail Singh while Manjit Kaur managed to escape when the gates were opened.

The case was registered late in the evening when the bridegroom and his family agreed to lodge a formal complaint. The police operation, however, got suffered when a team of Ludhiana police also reached the spot and took away the accused.

This is the first case of its kind this year. Last year, a 12-member gang of dancing girls and travel agents had duped over 10 gullible village youths using the modus operandi.

Ludhiana, February 2
The city police has arrested four members of an eight-member gang of rickshaw-pullers who were looting passengers and murdering them at isolated places and then dumping their bodies.

The gang had been active for the past few months and have murdered a number of persons. The gang members include Balwinder Singh of Shaheed Karnail Singh Nagar, Vijay Kumar, Vinod Kumar of Nauka Bazar, Bihar, Mohammad Ajai of Sealdah, Golu of local Khuiwali Gali, Noni of the local Samrala Chowk, Shanker of Basti Jodhewal and Phul Chand of the local Dugri area.

A case under Sections 302, 307, 379, 148 and 149 of the IPC has been registered against the accused. Four of them have been arrested while the rest are absconding.

All accused were rickshaw-pullers and used to wait for the clients outside the local railway station at night. They would rob him at an isolated place and later murder him.

While police officials refused to divulge details about the case, sources revealed that the police had tracked down on the accused after investigating some murder cases. The gang had robbed a woman recently and assuming her to be dead had dumped her in the Focal Point area. She however, survived and narrated her story to the police. The woman belonged to Delhi and was visiting a relative in the city.

The sources said the gangsters used to prefer a person belonging to other cities so that the victims could not be identified easily. In most of the cases no FIR was registered as the person went missing under mysterious circumstances.

Ludhiana, February 2
Sleuths from the CBI today raided the house of Assistant Commissioner (IT), Y.K. Saxena and have allegedly found several incriminating documents.

Apart from his house, the CBI team, led by Superintendent of Police S.P. Singh, also raided the house of six more persons, including income tax employees and chartered accountants of some former Income Tax Commissioners in the city.

Though the raids were continuing and the CBI officials were keeping mum about the operation, it was learnt that property documents amounting to several lakhs of rupees were found. The CBI had valued Mr Saxena’s house in Rishi Nagar worth over Rs 1 crore.

Khanna, February 2
More than 200 residents from different areas of the city held a protest rally against the inadequate arrangements for the disposal of sewerage water and repairs of roads in the Municipal Council office complex for more than three hours today.

The rally was called off only when the Municipal Council authorities assured them to call an emergency meeting of councillors to pass a sufficient amount to complete the construction of road belonged to the area within 24 hours. The authorities also assured the residents that work would be started immediately.

In the morning at about 10 a.m., 200 residents, belong to Krishana Nagar, Guru Angad Dev Nagar and Gulmohar Nagar, gathered in the complex of the Municipal Council. They started raising slogans against some Municipal Councillors, Mr Pawan Vij, Santokh Singh , Shalu Rani and Kanchan Malhotra and its president Mr Sant Ram Sarhadi. They charged the councillors and the president with ignoring the demands of the residents.

Mr Najar Singh, EO, and Mr Sant Ram, President of the council, tried to pacify the demonstrators but the residents refused to call off their protest till the work on the road started. The residents also started demanding resignations from two councillors, Mr Pawan Vij and Santokh Singh. Following the protest the EO and the President assured the public that a meeting of the council would be called soon.

Mr Najar Singh said, while talking to reporters, the agenda was being served to the Municipal Councillors. A meeting of the council would be held on Thursday. Rs 5 lakh would be sanctioned for the repair of the road and disposal of the sewerage water.

Ludhiana, February 2
He is a victim of red tapism and bureaucratic hassles. Two years after the direction of the President of All-India Congress Committee to Chief Minister, Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh to help this polio-afflicted 19-year-old youth, Pritpal from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, he is forced to knock at various doors but to no avail.

A typical victim of passing the buck game, Pritpal had approached Congress Chief, Ms Sonia Gandhi for help two years ago, who in turn asked the CM to give him some relief, he is only left to make rounds of various offices including the office of the CM, Mayor, Ludhiana, District Congress Chief and many other local Congress leaders but nobody came forward to help him. Despite his handicap he travels to Delhi and Chandigarh by bus seeking help but there seems to be no ray of hope for him.

Today his only possession are the worn-out letters issued to him by various functionaries, which he carries to different offices only to stomach insult after he is thrown out. In her letter (April 4, 2002) to Mr Moti Lal Vohra, Treasurer, AICC, Ms Archna Dalmia, Secretary, AICC stated that Congress President Sonia Gandhi had desired that the youth should be helped. She asked Mr Vohra to write to the CM for helping Pritpal. Mr Vohra sent the letter to the CM stating that the physically challenged youth should be given some relief.

On September 7, 2002, Private Secretary to the CM wrote to Mayor, Ludhiana, Mr Nahar Singh Gill to help Priptal in whatever possible way. “More than two years have passed but there has been no development on this front. The other day I went with my son to the office of a local Congress leader. His PA asked me to sell my slippers and finger rings to run my family. This is how they make fun of our handicap and poverty.” said Ms Kanta, Pritpal’s mother.

“Another senior leader, to whom I was directed by none other than the CM himself who told me laughingly, ‘If Sonia Ji could not help me how could anyone else do it? Go to her again. She is so rich. Why doesn't she herself give you some money?’

A resident of Kot Mangal Singh area here, Pritpal wants that he should be helped in such a manner so that he can open a shop and earn his livelihood. “I want to fend for myself. Even if I am given 25 square yards of land I will start a kiryana shop and earn my livelihood. I cannot do any other work except sitting and selling. So idea of a shop is the best solution.” he added.

Pritpal is the only son of his parents. He lost his three younger brothers in infancy as his mother could not look after them well due to her preoccupation with her polio-afflicted son. His father works as a sewing machine fitter with a factory and earns peanuts. His mother had been helping him by working as maid in some households but after she developed fracture in her leg she is unable to do so.

Pritpal contracted polio when he was only one. Now he cannot move his legs and has to wear calipers to stand erect. At times his parents cannot bear the cost of calipers also. His shoes are already worn out and he needs a new pair but the parents have no money for him.

Ludhiana, February 2
Under the “Kes Pyar Campaign,” started by Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, a seminar was held at Guru Nanak Girls College, Mullanpur (Ludhiana) in which the girl students were explained about the importance keeping hair as emphasised in the Sikh religion.

The Sikh youth must preserve their ‘kes’ and also preach this importance to others. Principal Satnam Singh of Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, in an impressive talk explained to the students, while elaborating the sacrifices made by our ancestors for keeping their ‘kes’ intact,

Mr Singh also suggested to the girl students that they should form 5 to 6 groups consisting of 4 to 5 students each and go to the houses of the students concerned whose family member gets his hair (kes) cut.

The former chairman of the Punjab Mandi Board and the President of Guru Nanak Trust for rural education and welfare, Jathedar Mall Singh ‘Ghuman’ was also present in the seminar. He appreciated the efforts of Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle for such noble cause and promised to extend every possible help. 

Ludhiana, February 2
Weather will mainly remain cold and dry all over Punjab in the next few days. According to the meteorogical experts in the Punjab Agricultural University, the maximum and minimum temperature is expected to range between 14-17 degree celsius and 5-7 degree celsius, respectively. The daily loss of water through evaporation is expected to remain nearly 1mm per day and mean relative humidity is likely to remain around 75% during these days.

The experts have suggested various measures to the farmers for different crops particularly the wheat and sugarcane. For the wheat they pointed out since the crop is at heading stage and in case it showed manganese deficiency, there should be 2-3 time spray at weekly intervals on clear days with 0.5% solution of manganese sulphate on wheat crop. In case of zinc deficiency they suggested application of 25kg zinc sulphate/acre mixed with equal quantity of soil.

Barseem they advised applying 10kg N per acre after each cut. They said, the barseem can be protected from stem rot by spraying with Bavistin 400gm in 200 litters of water per acre immediately after first cutting during next two days.

About vegetables they said, the nurseries of brinjal, tomato and chillies should be protected at night. They said tomato crop should be irrigated at an interval of 10-12 days. Cucurbits like vegetable marrow, muskmelon, water melon, long melon, pumpkin, cucumber, bottle gourd and bitter gourd can be sown during this period under forced conditions for obtaining an early crop. Stop taking cutting of the spinach and methi crops sown for seed production.

Do not apply irrigation to fruit crop. To save mango/litchi plants from frost, smoke the field with farm waste. This will reduce the bad effect of frost. To control bark eating caterpillar in citrus, remove the web and fill the holes with kerosene.

Animal Husbandry: Protect the animals from icy winds by providing curtains made of gunny bags or polythene sheets. Also provide clean and dry bedding to keep them warm. Save the teats of the animals from cracking by cleaning with lukewarm water and applying desi ghee. Increase the grains in the concentrate by 5-7% replacing cakes. Protect the calves from calf scow and diarrhoea Vaccinate the animals.