Patiala, August 30
A panel of doctors working in different government hospitals carried out different kinds of laboratory examinations on the material recovered from the two wells detected near Sahib hospital of Patran town in this district about three weeks ago and confirmed that they were foetuses.

In their report submitted to the civil surgeon, the panel of doctors also disclosed that the remains of all the foetuses, including placentas and cords, which were recovered from the two wells revealed that these foetuses were less than six months old

Foetuses were buried into two narrow and deep pits allegedly by the quack couple after carrying out illegal abortions.

Though the material recovered from the two pits sent to the panel of doctors for examination was highly decomposed, the doctors managed to locate blood vessels in the same. They also managed to find pubic hair and blood clots in the material.

The quack couple, which has allegedly killing unborn daughters for huge money by carrying out illegal abortion of customers from Punjab and Haryana states, was caught when one of the female workers working in their hospital spilled the beans after she developed differences with the accused over the payment of her salary.

Official sources said the panel of doctors comprising Dr Manjit Bal, Head, Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Patiala, Dr Navjot Sidhu, Medical Officer, Dr Dalbir Kaur, Civil Hospital, Nabha, Dr K. K. Aggarwal, Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic, Government Medical College, Patiala and Dr Surjeet Kaur, a gynaecologist, reported that they could not determine the sex of the foetuses as the material examined was highly decomposed.

Meanwhile, the authorities concerned are waiting for the report of Forensic experts.

Abohar, August 30
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has asked Mr Jagtar Singh Khatra, Director of Public Instructions (Elementary Education), to explain the conduct of the department regarding alleged discrimination in sending the name of Mr Kulwant Singh Bhatti, a Dalit teacher, for the state award to be given on Teachers’ Day.

The commission in a communication, copy of which was received here today, has asked Mr Khatra to submit the reply within seven days.

Mr Bhatti, head teacher, Government Primary School, Gobindgarh, near here, had complained that he had submitted his claim for the award to the Block Primary Education Officer II, Abohar, in July 2005. The SDM, Mr Jaskiran Singh, also recommended his name. But the education officer did not forward the file to the District Education Officer (Elementary), Ferozepore, in time due to some “mala fide” intentions. The DEO, too, deliberately delayed recommending the case to the state authorities. 

Sangrur, August 30
Thirty persons, including 28 girl students of Khalsa Girls Senior Secondary School, Mullowal, sustained injuries when the school bus in which they were travelling overturned near Hasanpur village (Dhuri) today.

All the injured persons, 28 girls, a teacher and the driver of the bus, were taken to the Dhuri Civil Hospital for treatment where eight injured persons were admitted, while the remaining were allowed to go after the first-aid. Later out of the eight injured persons, one girl was referred to Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. One person was still admitted to the hospital, while the remaining patients were discharged after treatment.

When contacted, Mr Tejinder Singh, SHO, Sadar police station, Dhuri, said the school bus was going towards Hasanpur village from Dhandiwal when the mishap occurred due to the alleged “negligence” of the driver. He said the girl students, studying in classes VIII to X, were travelling in the bus.

Patiala, August 30
The Patiala district branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), under the leadership of its district unit president, Dr D.S. Bhullar, organised a seminar on the current status of liver transplant in India and the management of hepatitis-C.

Dr Subash Gupta, a leading transplant surgeon from New Delhi, highlighted the current status of liver transplant and said there was a good scope of cadaver organ being used in liver surgeries provided facilities were available for proper storage of organs after death.

Dr Sunil Arya, gastroenterologist, Dr Varinder Mohi, Civil Surgeon, and Dr O.P.S Kande, a senior IMA member, spoke on the occasion.

Prominent among those present on the occasion were Dr J.K. Kansal, finance secretary, IMA, and physicians Dr Janak Sachdeva, Dr Janak Arora and Dr Amarjit Singh Grover. Dr Harbans Bansal chaired the programme.

Chandigarh, August 30
A Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today ordered investigation by the CBI into allegation of irregularities in the purchase of medicines by the jail authorities for prisoners lodged in various jails across Punjab.

This order was passed by the Division Bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Mr Justice H.S. Bedi on the PIL filed by Punjab Civil and Consumer Society, seeking a thorough investigation by an independent agency like the CBI into large-scale irregularities committed by prison officials while making purchases of medicines for prisoners.

In its petition, the Society had stated that despite the irregularities being brought to the notice of the government, no action was taken against the erring officials.

During hearing, it was brought to the notice of the Bench that two inquiries, one by the Home Department and another by a senior police officer, had established the role of the prison staff in the irregular purchase of medicines.

In fact, it had been found that officials of the Patiala Jail had purchased medicines worth Rs 75 lakh from an unapproved firm. The amount was much more than the money earmarked for providing food to the prisoners.

But, no action was initiated against the erring officials, many of whom have now retired from service. On the asking of the Bench, counsel for the government informed that some officials had been censured by the government for their role in the scam, while efforts had been made to streamline the purchase of medicines.

Fatehgarh Sahib, August 30
A glaring case of murder of a lover and his beloved by family members of the girl has come to light. 

The police has arrested the brother of the girl and his friend, while her father is at large. It has recovered the body of the youth, while the body of the girl has reportedly been thrown into the Bhakra main canal. The police has registered a case.

Mr Shiv Kumar Verma, SSP, told Chandigarh Tribune that yesterday the Sirhind police recovered an unidentified body lying alongside the Bhakra canal near Tarkhan Majra village. He said a team, led by Mr Pritpal Singh Thind, DSP, Fatehgarh Sahib, was constituted to look into the matter. 

The team identified the body as that of Amrinder Singh of Bhawanigarh. 

He said the police came to know that he had an affair with Ranbir Kaur of Dyalgarh Jejian village. They wanted to marry but the family of the girl was against it and allegedly murdered him.

The SSP said on a tip-off today, the police arrested Amritpal Singh, brother of the girl, and his friend Amrik Singh. During interrogation, they confessed to having murdered Ranbir Kaur and her lover Amrinder Singh. 

They said a few days ago, the lovers had eloped, but returned later. Insulted, Amritpal Singh, along with his father Ajaib Singh and friend Amrik Singh, planned to murder both of them.

They hatched a conspiracy and took both of them to a court in Sunam on the pretext of registering their marriage. They prepared the required papers and then took them to Chandigarh stating that they had arranged for a house there for them to live in. 

On the way, they stopped the vehicle at Sirhind town and served juice laced with an intoxicant to the lovers. As they fell unconscious, they strangled both of them with a dupatta. Later, they threw the body of the girl in the canal and that of her lover in bushes alongside the canal.

Chandigarh, August 30
The B.Ed joint admission committee today released a list of colleges of education, which have been approved by the Punjab Government, to admit students against the management quota seats.

Candidates having a minimum of 75 per cent marks in the BEd entrance test along with 50 per cent marks in graduation or postgraduation levels and possessing the Punjab Domicile Certificate are eligible for admission to these seats in self-financing colleges of education. Shifting of the candidates admitted against the quota would not be allowed at any later stage, said Mrs Satinder Dhillon, coordinator, joint B.Ed centralised admissions 2006-2007.

Mrs Dhillon added that the first joint counselling, which is going on at Panjab University, would end tomorrow. The admission to the quota seats would start on September 1 and end before September 8, two days before the second joint counselling starts on September 10.

The colleges would invite applications by giving advertisements in two leading dailies and all admissions would be made on merit.

Prof R.C. Sobti, PU Vice-Chancellor, added that the list of approved colleges for the management quota would be available on the PU website: www.puchd.ac.in. This includes the colleges affiliated to Panjab University, Chandigarh, Punjabi University, Patiala, and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.

Out of the total 13,173 seats available in 112 colleges across the state, as many as 7,477 seats have been filled. While over 6,000 girl students have been given admission only about 1000 men have opted for the B.Ed course.

Of the 85 per cent Punjab quota seats, nearly 3,500 seats are lying vacant and around 1,050 seats of the 15 per cent all India quota are lying vacant.

Mrs Dhillon said all seats in the combinations of social studies-languages and physical education-languages had been filled in all colleges.

Ropar, August 30
Students of the Government College, Ropar, has decided to join their teachers to protest against the deputing of the senior teachers, including college Principal on election duty. The students of the college will join their teachers on the ongoing dharna against the administration tomorrow, Mr Harnek Singh, the secretary of the Government College Teachers Association, Ropar, said here today.

He said that the teachers of the Government College have been staging dharna every day from 12 noon to 1.30 p.m. to press for their demand for withdrawal of the orders in this regard.