Ambala, November 8
“I was repeatedly tortured,” said medical student Yugam Chopra, who was kidnapped from Bangalore and rescued from Hyderabad, after his arriving home in Ambala today.

Mr Yugam Chopra was clearly traumatised by the kidnapping incident. His family members were elated after his arrival at Ambala cantonment.

“I was tortured by the kidnappers after the other medical student Bhupinder Kadiyan was let off early in the morning of October 31. They would hit me and they would say that the police personnel had been informed,” Yugam said.

He said once at about 4 am in the morning, he was tied to the railway tracks. “I lay there for 15 minutes. Thereafter, they came and untied me. It was a harrowing experience,” he recounted.

Yugam, a fourth-year student of medicine at the Adichunchunagiri Institute of Medical Sciences on the Bangalore-Mangalore highway, said at around midnight of October 26, he was kidnapped by armed men travelling in a Qualis. “The kidnappers forced me to make a call to Bhupinder and when he came, he was hit by the vehicle. Bhupinder’s leg was fractured in the incident,” he said.

He said he was blindfolded and forced to lie down on the floor of the Qualis. “The kidnappers kept on driving and I did not know where we were going. They told me that they were taking us to Mumbai where there was a ‘boss’ and the ‘boss’ would talk to the family members,” he said.

Yugam said he gave a call to his parents in the evening of October 28 and told them to deposit money in the ATM. Even before he could explain his position, the phone was disconnected. “The next day they told me that I should tell my parents that I was kidnapped from Dharmasala on October 28. Also, I was instructed to tell that I was kidnapped by six persons travelling in a Sumo and they were armed with arms and ammunition,” he said.

He stated that whenever his blindfold was removed, he found himself in a jungle. The kidnappers took him to places like Sourapet, Vijayapet and Madigiri. The places are nearly 400 to 500 km from the spot from where the medical students were kidnapped.

Yugam said after Bhupinder was let off, the kidnappers turned against him at night and they began torturing him. “They told me that I had to die. But they then took me to different places, including Damangiri, Gulbarga, Bidar and I was kept in a village in Balki area. Whenever they would travel, they would force me to lie on the floor of the Qualis,” he said.

The rescue of Yugam was dramatic. “I was taken to Udgiri which is on the Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh border. I was sleeping in a room and there was only one kidnapper with me. I was feeling very low. At about midnight, the door of the room was suddenly smashed open and policemen entered the room. They immediately removed my blindfold. I was delighted to see the police personnel. The team had been led by SP of Mandya district, Mr Prakash,” he said.

Dr Vinay Chopra, Yugam’s father, said that he was indebted to the cooperation extended by the Karnataka Government and the police force of Karnataka. “They were constantly on the task of rescuing my son. Also, I am happy to note that the residents of Ambala prayed hard for the safe return of Yugam,” he said.

He said people like former MP Mr Ratan Lal Kataria, MP Kumari Selja, MLA Devender Bansal and MLA Nirmal Singh had tried their best to request the Karnataka Government to speed up the rescue process. “The doctors fraternity of Ambala extended moral support to my family in this hour of need,” he stated.

Karnal, November 8
With no specialist medical staff and a lack of emergency facilities to treat patients, the trauma centre here has practically become a mere a “referral centre”. The trauma center started functioning in January 2003 but owing to the uncaring attitude of the state government has failed miserably in providing the basic facilities to the ailing critically patients.

Investigations made by this correspondent reveal that the Civil Hospital puts its own medical, paramedical and other staff at the trauma centre. Doctors and other staff are put on duty on a rotation basis.

The Tribune had highlighted on November 3 the plight of Sanmeet when the doctors at the trauma centre referred to a hospital the youth when his condition started deteriorating. He had consumed a heavy dose of sleeping pills and he died later.

Similarly, on the night of November 5, an Indian Reserve Battalion constable, Shekhar Kumar, met with an accident on the GT Road and was admitted to the trauma centre with serious injuries on the head, face and other parts. But due to non-availability of experts, the jawan was referred to the PGI Rohtak exactly after 20 minutes of his arrival.

Meanwhile, pained at Sanmeet's death, Ms Sumita Singh, local Congress MLA, admitted that she often got complaints from various quarters against the ill-equipped trauma centre.

She informed TNS that she had raised the issue several times in the Assembly and ensured that she would take up the public woe to the Chief Minister personally.

The center was established by the Chautala government to particularly treat the accident victim cases on the GT Road, one of the busiest roads in the country.

The centre was started after closing the emergency ward of the Civil Hospital to pave the way for a super-speciality hospital.

Sources in the Health Department revealed that the trauma centres should have separate staff and not depend on the Civil Hospital as it often causes problems in tackling an emergency.

Moreover, there is no CT scan or MRI facility available in the trauma centre.

Sources in the hospital said that they somehow admit and treat the ``routine'' cases with the help of available specialists but any serious had to be referred due to the lack of facilities.

Sources said that posts of the basic staff required in a super specialty hospital like those of a neurosurgeon, neuro-physicians, psychologist, cosmetic surgeon, cardio-thoracic surgeon and radiologist had not been sanctioned by the government.

Though the hospital authorities can appoint a super specialist on certain terms and conditions but sources said that none of the neurosurgeon was ready to work here.

Insiders revealed that on most of the occasions, the doctors here get rid of serious cases by referring them to the PGI, Chandigarh, PGI Rohtak or other hospitals for treatment.

Sources said that the state health department was fully aware of the problems being faced by the patients here but nothing had been done. 

Chandigarh, November 8
The working president of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC), Mr Ram Prakash, today unfolded plans on the welfare of leprosy patients. Addressing a press conference at the PCC office here, Mr Ram Prakash said the Haryana unit of the party would organise a one-day camp in Karnal on December 2 for the children of leprosy patients. The purpose of the camp would be to get acquainted with the special needs of these children and give guidance to them for finding a livelihood. The Congress leader said the PCC was dedicated to the eradication of leprosy from the state and had launched a drive in that direction. He said at the Karnal camp, 15 children each from 19 clusters of leprosy patients in the state would take part.

Mr Ram Prakash's announcement followed a workshop on leprosy held at the PCC office earlier in the day. The workshop was chaired by Haryana Health Minister Kartar Devi.

Addressing the workshop, Mr Ram Prakash said all leprosy patients must be given below the poverty line (BPL) cards. He said the party would take up with the Haryana Chief Minister the issue of providing the reservation benefit in government jobs to leprosy patients. He also urged the Forest Department to take up sapling plantation in the colonies of leprosy patients. He said physically sound leprosy patients would be given training by the Technical Education Department to help them find jobs.

Ms Kartar Devi said she would talk to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda about the payment of money to leprosy patients for buying essential food items. She also promised to take up the issue of land allotment to residents of leprosy patients' colonies and the opening of schools for young children in these colonies.

Karnal, November 8
The Haryana Institute of Fine Arts (HIFA) has conferred Kalahans Samman award upon the music maestro, Pt Jasraj. The prize money for lifetime achievement carries a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh along with a citation and an angvastram.

In the field of art journalism, The Tribune staffer, Ms Nirupma Dutt, has won the Kalabhaskar Samman award.

A press release issued here yesterday announced the awardees in different fields as follows:

Pt Ganesh Prasad Sharma from Ambala wins the Kalanidhi award for Indian classical music and dance. A renowned painter hailing from Hisar, Mr Viren Tanwar bags the Kalabhoomi Samman while theatre personality and TV actor Rajinder Gupta from Panipat has won the Kalamihir Samman.

The Kalasamrat Samman to be given for excellence in folk music goes to Manphool Singh Dangi of Sonepat. Budhi Ram Prajapati wins the Kalachandrika samman. This award is dedicated to the handlooms and handicrafts category. The international hockey coach from Shahbad Markanda, Mr Baldev Singh, has won the Karn Bhoomi Samman for his contribution in his field.

Kaladeep Samman, an award instituted for young artists of Haryana goes to Hriday Prakash Kaushal (sculptor) from Charkhi Dadri; Prem Lata (embroidery) from Karnal; Madhuresh Bhatt (tabla) from Kurukshetra; Krishna Chahal (world record memory record holder) from Indri and Rajesh Kumar (sarangi) from Hisar.

Rewari, November 8
A woman (23) was murdered by unidentified killers who slit her throat with a knife and then threw the body into a pit along the Rewari-Delhi road, near Masani village, about 10 km from here, last night.

The Dharuhera police recovered the body from there after it was spotted by villagers this morning.

The body has been identified as that of Gayatri Devi, daughter of late Mr Ami Lal Thekedar of Bikaner village, near here.

The jewellery, which Gayatri was wearing, was found intact.

The police has registered a case of murder under Section 302 of the IPC against unknown killers. The police has also recovered a knife from the spot which was purportedly used in the crime.

Gayatri was married to Rajender Kumar of the Rohini area of Delhi in December, 2004. Last year she gave birth to a son, who is now 14-month old.

It is suspected that she was picked up by the killers and put into a vehicle when she was returning from Rewari to Bikaner after purchasing clothes for herself last evening. It is further stated that she was then taken to the spot where her throat was slit and then the body thrown into the pit.

In the evening, the body was brought to the local Civil Hospital here where a post-mortem examination would be conducted by a board of doctors. 

Fatehabad, November 8
Ms Krishana, wife of former minister Sampat Singh, her sister Bimla Sangwan, sister-in-law and another relative had a narrow escape when the car in which they were travelling met with an accident near Bhuna in the district last evening.

Ms Krishana escaped with minor injuries while the others were seriously injured. The injured have been admitted to a Hisar hospital and are out of danger.

According to reports, they were coming from Chandigarh and going to Kairanwali village, near here, when their car skidded and overturned. Passersby came to their rescue and gave them first aid. Deflation of tyres is said to be the reason behind the accident.

Ambala, November 08
Ms Niharika Naidu, wife of Lt Gen M.L. Naidu, gave a scintillating performance at a function held at Kharga auditorium here last night.

The function was organised by the Army Wives Welfare Association. Officers, JCOs and jawans of the Kharga Corps were spell bound by the musical rendition by Ms Naidu.

A trained classical vocalist of the Gwalior Gharana, Ms Naidu combined different styles in her performance.

She had the audience tapping to the film song ‘Kajra Re’. She also sang some devotional songs. “The aim of my music is to connect with the audience and to entertain them.

Versatility in the music is essential to entertain the audience,” she observed.

Ms Naidu has traveled all over the country, including Kargil, Srinagar, Jalandhar and Delhi, to perform for soldiers and their family members.

Her husband General Naidu is presently Commandant of Army War College, Mhow.

Bhiwani, November 8
Six persons have been charged in a case of dowry harassment. The police has registered a case in this connection.

Suman, wife of Sanjay of Balali village, filed a complaint with the police today that her parents had given adequate dowry at the time of marriage but her in-laws started harassing her for more dowry. She alleged that she was even beaten up several times.

Those booked are Sanjay, Rajbir, Satish, Rajender, Kuku and Rajesh Devi of Balali village.

Kaithal, November 8
Godowns of a Bardana firm here caught last evening and the stocks worth lakhs of rupees were reportedly destroyed.

As the local fire engines could not control the fire, those from Pehowa and Cheeka Mandi were also summoned. But in spite of the best efforts of the fire-fighting staff the fire could not be contained till late last evening.

The SDM, Mr J.P Sharma, and local police officials reached the spot. A JCB machine was also pressed in to service to intensify the fire-fighting operation.

The fire broke out in the Bardana godowns of Messrs Sat Narain Naresh Kumar at Udyog Marg and was noticed at about 4 pm.

But the firemen faced an uphill task as the availability of water was inadequate and when the fire engines went to fetch more water the fire again flared up.