Jalandhar, September 22
In a gruesome incident, a man bludgeoned his wife and two sons to death at Khambra village, falling under Lambra police station, on Friday night. Subsequently, he set a cooking gas cylinder on fire in an attempt to give the murder a shape of an accident. The accused, identified as Tarsem Singh, also tried to mislead cops by injuring himself with an iron rod. Even the police initially thought that the woman Binder Kaur (38), her two sons Gurvinder Singh (10) and Harvinder (8) had died due to accidental fire, said Lambra SHO Sarabjeet Singh, while talking to The Tribune.

“It was only after a thorough investigation that we realised that the murders were pre-planned. Later, the accused, who is a labourer, also broke down and confessed to the crime when he was strictly questioned,” said the officer. The accused revealed that he had killed his wife and sons by hitting them with iron rods. Tarsem was upset over his poor financial condition and resulting disputes with his wife, said the SHO, adding that extra-martial angle is also being probed. The officer said the accused had covered the bodies with quilts and clothes before setting the cylinder on fire. “His plan was to completely burn the bodies so that no evidence was left.

However, due to the blast, the ceiling of the house collapsed and the bodies were buried under the debris. The fact that they were covered with quilts raised suspicion,” he added. Tarsem has been arrested and further investigations were on.

Amritsar, September 22
SAD (A) president Simranjit Singh Mann pitched in for a combination of Parvez Musharraf as President and Benazir Bhutto as Prime Minister. He said the duo would 
augur well to quell growing militancy in the neighborhood.

Talking to newsmen here today, Mann said the duo emerging to power would strengthen democratic and political forces in Pakistan. Musharraf played a pivotal role in combating terrorism and, therefore, people of Pakistan should give him another chance, he added.

Commenting on the recent statement made by BJP state president Rajinder Bhandari about killing militants in national interest, Mann said under the grab of national security the BJP and the Congress were hand in glove to commit atrocities on the minority communities in India. Even Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, leaders of Sant Samaj and members of the Khalsa Action Committee did not condemned Bhandari’s statement, he added.

The party would raise issues concerning the Sikh community during four conferences, to be held in the state, including Chhapar Mela to be held near Ludhiana on September 26.

Phagwara, September 22
In a successful dental treatment, teeth were restored to 24-year-old youth Manish by oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr Sameer Kaura and dental surgeon Dr Vivek Saggar of Ludhiana. Manish was born with a congenital defect and had no permanent teeth. He was surviving on liquid or semi-solid food and milk only, but now he is able to eat a regular diet of his choice.

Dr Saggar and Dr Kaura, after completion of the treatment, told this correspondent that the jawbone had been reconstructed with the help of bone graft. The missing jawbone was replaced by taking cortico-cancellous bone graft from Manish’s hip by Dr Kaura, consultant-cum-reader in BJS Dental College, Ludhiana. Dr Saggar claimed it was a rarest of rare surgery in the country which had brought fruitful results. Dr Saggar, vice-principal of BJS Dental College, Ludhiana, along with Dr Kaura and Dr Shveta Sahnan, implanted the teeth in the new jawbone. In a computer-aided surgery, the team of doctors implanted 28 teeth.

The doctors said Manish had been without teeth since he was 15. There was no medical and family history associated with it. The doctors claimed that now Manish would be able to eat food of his choice and smile like anyone. Dr Saggar claimed that this type of rare condition had one in a million.

When contacted, Manish said he couldn’t believe this as he had tasted only liquid, semi-solid food or milk for 24 years.

Batala, September 22
Punjab chief parliamentary secretary Jagdish Raj Sawhney allocated Rs 12.21 lakh out of his discretionary grant for different development works in his constituency here today. He also announced allocation of Rs 1.25 lakh on behalf of Navjot Singh Sidhu out of the MPLAD fund for development projects in Batala.

The different beneficiaries were Guru Nanak College, cremation ground, Dyalgarh, weightlifters’ club, primary schools of Kila Lal Singh and Dhupsarhi, Shiv Jagran Club, Ravidas Temple, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Library, Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar Library and Guru Ram Das Nagar sewerage project. While addressing media persons, Sawhney said he had requested the government to give special grants for the uplift of the downtrodden. The special grants would be used for providing water supply and sewerage in the colonies which had recently been developed .— OC

Nawanshahr, September 22
In a rare surgery performed by local gynaecologist Balraj Chaudhary, an ovarian cyst weighing more than 9 kg and measuring 50x40 cm was removed at Aashirwad Hospital here today.

Talking to The Tribune, Chaudhary said 50-year-old Vidhya Wati came to him with distended abdomen just like full-term pregnancy.

She complained of recurrent abdominal pain and had been facing trouble while walking for the past three years. During diagnosis it was found that a tumour had developed in her ovary.

Describing about the surgery, Chaudhary said though ovarian tumours were a common ailment, its growth to such an extent was a rare thing. So a surgery was necessary to remove the cyst as it might become cancer.

As the patient was suffering from heart ailments, the surgery was complicated.

However, the operation had been successful and the patient was feeling better, added Chaudhary.

Jalandhar, September 22
With an aim to provide more opportunities for soldiers to stay with their families in peace stations after a difficult tenure, Lieut-Gen Noble Thamburaj inaugurated the junior commissioned officers married accommodation for Army personnel in Jalandhar cantonment today. The project has 72 dwelling units.

The married accommodation project (MAP) has facilities like park, rain harvesting, groundwater recharging, underground electric supply and arboriculture and landscaping.

General Thamburaj, who is General Officer Commanding, Vajra Corps, said, “The accommodation project would go a long way in improving the quality of life of service persons and also meet their aspirations in the long run.”According to a press statement released today, the accommodation project has been conceived to make up the deficiency of all categories of married accommodation in the services. The construction of the married accommodation has been taken up at a number of other stations all over the country.

The MAP is being implemented in three phases. The statement said that 1,570 dwelling units would be constructed in phase I, 2,100 would be constructed at Jalandhar in phase II and phase III is at the planning stage. The project is being executed by the CPWD. — TNS

Jalandhar, September 22
In a blatant violation of the Jalandhar deputy commissioner’s order, heavy vehicles could be seen plying in the Defence colony locality of the city. The board, which has been erected at the entrance of the colony, clearly indicates ‘light vehicles only — by order DC Jalandhar’. But, it seems the board doesn’t not hold any importance either for the issuing authorities or the district police, let alone the commuters.

This violation not only leads to chaotic traffic jams every now and then, but has also become a nuisance for the locality members. The colony also houses a school, which makes the problem even more worse, as these vehicles could be seen plying at high speed during the school timings.

The vehicles including trucks, private buses, mini buses, tempos, tractor trollies, enter the colony from the GT road side and Garha road. With the bus-stand road in a need of major repair, the long-route and local buses generally prefer the ‘inside route’ even if it means longer traffic jams or even accidents at times.

Interestingly, the colony had iron pillars installed on one side of colony, thereby restricting the entry of any four wheelers in the colony. With the removal of these pillars some months ago, the problem aggravated to such an extent.

“It seems that we are staying on a national highway. The noise pollution caused by the pressure horns through out the day makes it all the more difficult for kids and elderly,” said a colony resident Rakesh.

Interestingly, DC Ajit Singh Pannu expressed complete ignorance about any such orders. “During my tenure, I have not passed any such order. It’s possible that my predecessors might have put up that board to restrict heavy tvehicles’ entry,” he added.

“In the coming days I would be holding a meeting to discuss about the traffic snarls in the city and way to tackle them. The problem would be soon solved,” he added

Meanwhile, SP traffic Rakesh Kaushal, though aware about the problem, expressed helplessness in checking the menace on regular basis, besides blaming the commuters for causing chaos. “Most of the people prefer a shortcut while entering the city as result they take the colony route. Usually we deploy a cop to ensure smooth flow of the traffic, but, in wake of a VIP visits in the city we are not able to spare staff,” he added.