The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Prized Catch Inter-state robberies: Cops arrest PO, say he’s the big fish Our Correspondent Phagwara, September 6 The police today arrested Sukhbir, alias Bobby, main member of an inter-state gang of robbers and killers. A .32-bore country-made pistol and four live cartridges were seized from his possession. DSP H.P.S. Khakh claimed that the accused was involved in many incidents of crime by his gang. He said the accused was nabbed at a naka along with his motorcycle (PB-32A-3453) near Sahni village. Khakh said the accused confessed during interrogation that the gang had looted more than Rs 18 lakh in several incidents of robbery. The DSP said the gang was also involved in looting Rs 95,000 from Punjab National Bank at Panjorra village, near Mahilpur. The gang was also involved in looting Rs 7 lakh from a money exchanger in Subhash Nagar and shot another money exchanger in Chadha Market after looting Rs 4 lakh from him in 1998. DSP Khakh said in the same year the gang looted Rs 5 lakh at gunpoint from the Goraya branch of the State Bank of Patiala. The gang attempted to loot a Punjab National Bank branch in Saloh in Una, Himachal Pradesh, and shot the bank manager dead the same year. The DSP said two members of this gang, Pargan Singh of Hoshiarpur and Harminder Singh of Kahma village, were arrested on August 10, 2006, but Sukhbir had escaped then. The DSP said the accused had been declared a proclaimed offender in criminal cases in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. DSP Khakh said the judicial magistrate sent him to a one-day police remand.
	This mail really goes at snail’s pace Dharmendra Joshi Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 6 In a fine example of ‘efficiency’ of the Indian Postal Services, a letter posted for the local address took fifteen days to cover a distance of just three kilometres from the post office. A letter posted by the All India Radio, Jalandhar, on August 16 was finally delivered to its recipient on August 28. The recipient, Dharampal Dogra, is residing in Prabhat Nagar falling under Grain Market. Usually a local letter is to be delivered within a day to its recipient. The envelop, containing the letter, bears the dates of both posting and delivery of the letter. Talking to The Tribune, Dogra said his letters were taking lot of time to be delivered from past many months. Showing the envelop of yet another letter sent to him by HT Media Limited from New Delhi on May 6, Dogra said the same was delivered to him after four months. “I have brought the matter to the notice of Grain Market post office senior post master Tarsem Lal several times. He told me that the letters were delivered as soon as they were received,” said Dogra. When contacted, Superintendent of Post offices (HQ) B.D. Saini said the matter would be inquired only if they receive a written complaint from the recipient along with the copies of the envelops containing the delayed letters.
	Deprived of info, rural docs express resentment Jalandhar, September 6 Rural Medical Services Association (RMSA) has expressed its resentment against the zila parishad (ZP) for not apprising them of the opportunity of inter and intra-district transfers taking place these days. Members said many doctors seeking transfers to areas of their choice missed the chance for they were not aware of the opportunity. Many lady doctors who wanted a transfer on marriage basis, too, lost the chance. They said the opportunity was availed by the doctors from other districts who got the information and managed to get 10 vacant seats here. While 13 out of the 93 seats had fallen vacant, 10 have been filled. Three other seats fell vacant after doctors here left for other districts. The six vacant seats are expected to be filled by tomorrow. The members of the association said they somehow got the information through their friends at the eleventh hour, but ZP officials still refused to divulge any information. ZP officials were not available for comment. — TNS
	Drained dreams Rashi Sharma Academic session is on in full swing in all colleges of the city and new entrants with a sparkle in their eyes are attending classes. Though it may be heartening to see college campuses beaming with girl students but do not let their presence deceive you. In the Doaba region, you can find many girls living in villages who are adroit enough to excel in their respective area of interests, yet not allowed to cherish their dreams. Simran, (name changed) who has passed her higher secondary with 78 per cent marks, is hutched in her house because, for her parents spending money on her higher studies is not a good investment at all. They are all for promoting their son who failed several times in the first year of his graduation. Manpreet’s parents are in a great hurry to get her married to an NRI. Her father, Daljeet Singh (name changed), says he wants to send his daughter to Canada. Afterwards, it will be the responsibility of her in-laws to shape her career, he says. She can continue her studies only if her in-laws so desire or else she can try her hand at some job there. Among many stories of sniffed out dreams is Kuldeep. Her grandfather and paternal uncles do not want her to join some city college. In their opinion, the vile atmosphere of college life can bamboozle rustic girls. They are not ready to change their perspective. These talented teenagers with their sniffed out dreams may never be able to soar high in the sky. Tears roll down their cheeks as they talk about loss of their dreams. What hope can these girls have at the sixtieth anniversary of country’s independence? We may have done wonders in field of science and technology but have failed miserably in changing the orthodox mental make-up especially that of people in villages. Owing to sheer ignorance, they are harming future of their daughters’. The need of the hour is to make them aware. The writer is lecturer in English Ramgarhia College Phagwara
	Teachers rally against govt Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 6 Members of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union held a demonstration and rally against the state government for its alleged anti-teacher policies at Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall here today. Over 150 members took part in the rally after taking only two classes in the morning. While 30 teachers courted arrest at Chandigarh, 21 others would do so during the second phase of protest from September 12. The protesters alleged the state government was not fulfilling their demands of regular grants, career enhancement schemes and pension issues. They condemned violence against teachers at Kapurthala on Wednesday.
	Kapurthala violence flayed Phagwara, September 6 Congress MLA Sukhpaul Singh Khera has condemned the yesterday’s incident of beating up of unemployed teachers at Kapurthala. He said it was highly condemnable, particularly on the day reserved to honour the teaching fraternity with awards. The way teachers were lathicharged and manhandled and even the handicapped were not spared spoke volumes of the disregard that the Akali’s had for human rights. — OC
	IT fest marks Teachers’ Day Phagwara, September 6 The computer department’s IT organisation of MLU DAV College celebrated Teachers’ Day today with IT as the theme of function. Students took part in a seminar on ‘modern techniques and future of computers’. Team IT ki aan was adjudged as the winner in the IT quiz conducted on the occasion. — OC
	Brace up for competition, rural youth told Jalandhar, September 6 The youth in the rural areas should prepare themselves for the competition which usually comes up while getting a government or private job. District employment officer Sanjeeda Beri stated this at a seminar organised by the district employment exchange today at the Government Senior Secondary School at Kapur Pind. Nearly 150 students and 20 teachers of various schools of nearby villages Jandhu Singha and Hazara attended the seminar. Employment officers Balbir Singh and Neelam Mahey informed the participants about the services rendered by the exchange. — TNS
	BSF-Rangers meet at Lahore Jalandhar, September 6 The bi-annual meeting between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Rangers will be held at Lahore from September 8 to 11. The BSF delegation will be headed by additional director-general (west) G.S. Gill. The IGs of the BSF frontiers, force headquarters and other senior staff officers, representatives of the Survey of India, the Narcotics Control Bureau and the PWD would also be part of the delegation. “The routine issues relating to crossing of civilians, status of border pillars, construction activities in forward areas, cases of nationals of India or Pakistan languishing in jails and other border problems would be discussed during the meet,” said senior public relations officer S.A. Khader. — TNS
	Young World AIDS awareness: Apeejay students ride for a cause Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 6 A specially-designed bus of the Red Ribbon Club, run by Pushpa Gujral Science City, was in the Apeejay College of Fine Arts on Thursday to screen documentaries on AIDS control. The club has enrolled 15 students of the college as members to volunteer and educate the people on the killer disease. Toppers Kavita Patial and Kuldeep Kaur, students of Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya, secured top positions in the MSc-I (botany) examination conducted by Guru Nanak Dev University. Patial has stood first with 500 marks out of 600. Kaur is second with 492 marks. Students of bachelor of physiotherapy (third year) from the Apeejay College of Fine Arts got top ranks in the examination conducted by the university, Kritika has obtained 604 marks out of 900 and is second, Lovneesh is third with 596 marks. Book exhibition A book exhibition was organised at Kanya Maha Vidyalaya on Wednesday by the Sahitya Academy, New Delhi. Principal Rita Bawa inaugurated the exhibition and encouraged the students to develop reading habits. Books on the Hindi, Punjabi and English literature drew a good response from the students. Seminar held Guru Nanak Dev University College, Basti Nau, organised a seminar on youth empowerment. Paulomi Mukherjee from the Art of Living was the resource person. Mukherjee gave tips to empower youth physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
	Lions Club team installed Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 6 The newly-elected Lions Club team, headed by president R.S. Anand, has been installed at a ceremony held at Lions Bhavan in Lajpat Nagar. The club’s district governor Jaswinder Pal Singh was the chief guest and the function was presided over by Dr J.P.S. Aneja. The newly elected president and the members took the oath of office. Among others who participated in the function were J.B. Singh Chaudhary, R.S. Anand, D.P. Chhabra and Kamal Chadha.