H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

800 medical students held
Shimla, May 17
Over 800 students from various medical colleges of the state were arrested by the police after they blocked traffic for almost two hours at the Victory Tunnel here today.

Irked over suicide, villagers attack docs
Dharamsala, May 17
Irked over the alleged suicide by a private practitioner, over 500 residents from Multhan and other adjoining villages in Kangra district, vent their anger against two government doctors, claiming that the two had been named in the suicide note left by the deceased, thus responsible for his death.

12 sheep washed away
Chamba, May 17
Nearly 12 sheep and goats were washed away in a nullah of Bharmour township which was flooded following thunderstorm accompanied by rain in the mountainous tribal region of Chamba district according to a report received here today.

Labourer electrocuted
Kumarhatti, May 17
A migrant labourer was electrocuted at J.P. University, Waknaghat last evening. Hastbir was doing work on a mixer when rain and thunderstorm hit the area. The land got wet and Hastbir came in contact of current.

A clarification
Chandigarh, May 17
Reacting to a news-item “Engineers oppose power board’s bifurcation move” carried in these columns on May 12, the Deputy General Manager of Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd., Mr V.K. Verma, has clarified that the question of not honouring job quota commitment in certain projects did not arise as agreements for the implementation of these works were yet to be signed with the Himachal Pradesh Government.

Police stations to be computerised

800 medical students held
Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 17
Over 800 students from various medical colleges of the state were arrested by the police after they blocked traffic for almost two hours at the Victory Tunnel here today.

It was on the call by Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) that students from dental, ayurvedic and other medical colleges from all over the state today staged a demonstration and took out a protest rally against the proposed reservation for the OBCs. The police forcibly removed these students, who were taken to various police stations in the town.

They were let off after one hour and criminal cases were registered against them for obstructing traffic. The students, who took part in the demonstration, included students from the IGMC, Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda, HP Government Dental College, Shimla, Bhujia Dental College, Nalagarh, MN DAV Dental College, Solan, and Dr Rajendra Prasad Ayurvedic College, Paprola.

The students, who assembled at the IGMC, took out a procession through Mall, Lower Bazaar, Bus Stand and blocked traffic at the Victory Tunnel. Commuters had to face a lot of inconvenience as traffic movement was disrupted.

The Himachal Pradesh Medical Officers Association (HPMOA) will be holding a meeting later in the evening today to decide the future course of action. The president of the IGMC Resident Doctors Association, Dr Rajesh Sood, said they had just participated in one day’s token strike. “In case the government does not relent, the last resort for us will be total strike even though we do not wish to cause inconvenience to public,” he said. 

Irked over suicide, villagers attack docs
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, May 17
Irked over the alleged suicide by a private practitioner, over 500 residents from Multhan and other adjoining villages in Kangra district, vent their anger against two government doctors, claiming that the two had been named in the suicide note left by the deceased, thus responsible for his death.

The two doctors were attacked by villagers gathered from Barot, Sudhar and Tarner areas, besides Multhan, and one of them sustained head injuries. The police party, led by SHO, Baijnath, Sureshtha Kumari, which had gone to rescue them was also gheraoed by the angry villagers.

According to the police, Mr Jagdish Chand, a private practitioner, committed suicide in the Ulh nallah last night and his dead body crossed over to Jogindernagar area of district Mandi. The deceased reportedly wrote a suicide note, blaming the two doctors, Dr Gyan Chand and Dr Arvind Kumar, both of whom are working in Primary Health Centres in the area, for the suicide.

Talking to The Tribune, DIG Mr P.S.Thakur, said the trouble started after the rumour of a suicide note written by the deceased private practitioner spread among the local villagers, even though the police was yet to recover any such note.

The angry villagers first attacked Dr Gyan Chand and then headed for the house in Baijnath where Dr Arvind Kumar was present along with a chemist, who also writes for a vernacular newspaper. All three of them took refuge in a bank building and then entered a shop to save themselves from the angry villagers.

When the police party reached the spot, the focus shifted from the doctors to the police personnel and they were kept gheraoed for some time by the mob, which put up a heavy resistance.

Both the doctors sustained injuries and one of them has been referred to the zonal hospital in Dharamsala with head injury. The villagers also ransacked the Primary Health Centre in Multhan, where one of the doctors was posted.

“Police parties from Dharamsala and 1 Reserve Battalion from Sakoh was rushed to the spot and things are now under control,” he said.

Superintendent of Police, Kangra, Mr S.P. Singh, said a suicide case had been registered in Jogindernagar as the dead body was found there. A case had also been registered against the mob for attempt to murder, rioting, damage to public property and obstructing the police in performing its duty.

12 sheep washed away
Our Correspondent

Chamba, May 17
Nearly 12 sheep and goats were washed away in a nullah of Bharmour township which was flooded following thunderstorm accompanied by rain in the mountainous tribal region of Chamba district according to a report received here today.

The sources said affected residents of hamlets in the suburbs of Bharmour township urged the state government to provide relief for loss of livestock.

Meanwhile, hailstorm caused heavy damage to apple and fruit orchards of this region.

Labourer electrocuted
Our Correspondent

Kumarhatti, May 17
A migrant labourer was electrocuted at J.P. University, Waknaghat last evening. Hastbir was doing work on a mixer when rain and thunderstorm hit the area. The land got wet and Hastbir came in contact of current. Hatbir was taken to Community Health Centre, Kandhaghat where he was declared dead. The deceased was employed with contractor Tej Singh Negi.

A clarification
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 17
Reacting to a news-item “Engineers oppose power board’s bifurcation move” carried in these columns on May 12, the Deputy General Manager of Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd., Mr V.K. Verma, has clarified that the question of not honouring job quota commitment in certain projects did not arise as agreements for the implementation of these works were yet to be signed with the Himachal Pradesh Government.

In a communication to The Tribune, Mr Verma said the Nigam was a joint venture of the Himachal Pradesh Government and the Government of India. It has as on date 1750 regular employees on its rolls.

Out of the total, as many as 1443 belong to Himachal Pradesh. As far as the workmen were concerned, he added that the company in all has 1004 workmen. Out of these, 916 workmen were from Himachal Pradesh. As many as 1044 employees were either on deputation or had been absorbed from the HP State Electricity Board.

Police stations to be computerised

Bilaspur: Three police stations of Bilaspur Sadar, Barmana and Ghumarwin are being computerised and will be connected with the district headquarters and the state police headquarters through Polnet soon. — OC