Behman Deewana (Bathinda), January 6
Having shunned intoxicants, Gurjant Singh and Harnek Singh have become icon of the de-addiction campaign that was launched six months ago in this village that had earned disrepute of almost every household being involved in addiction. 

The menace has gripped the village and adjoining areas as an epidemic. Both said that they succeeded in getting rid of addiction because of determination. This has restored their respect among the village-folk.

The campaign has gradually started showing results as a large number of addicts poured into the camp that was organised in the village today to motivate them to shun the habit of taking intoxicants.

The village earlier produced national-level sportsmen, but has now earned the notoriety of being a ‘sanctuary’ of addicts. Village boys, Gurbant Singh and Shivraj Singh, who were national-level players of handball and kabaddi, were dismissed from the police service because they turned to addiction and abstained from duty.

Gurjant and Hernak were among the10 individuals, who have said goodbye to intoxication, were presented cheques of soft loan for their rehabilitation by Jitendra Jain, deputy inspector general of police, Faridkot range. Jain has taken initiative of launching the de-addiction campaign. Other 66 persons, who have responded to treatment, will be provided vocational training in various trades to prevent relapse. The village has been adopted for de-addiction purposes for a period of one year. Various sports and cultural clubs have also been involved in the campaign.

Jain said the aim of holding the camp was that unless we provide a composite package to those who have positively responded to the drive might relapse. They have to be provided an opportunity to earn their livelihood with dignity they had lost by resorting to addiction. De-addiction campaign would not succeed until rehabilitation package was built in.

Gurjant (63) said he was consuming liquor and poppy husk in large quantity for the past over 30 years and he realised of having become physically weak. Now that he has left the bad habit he is respected at home and outside. He showed his purse full of currency notes and said this money will no more be misused for buying intoxicants.

Hernek (42) said that he started consuming poppy husk at the age of 12 and would even steal money from his home for this purpose.

Mahant Sarupanand of Dera Tapp presented packets of almond to the former addicts advising them to consume healthy food rather than intoxicants.

Most of the addicts in this village and surrounding area were consuming poppy husk that was smuggled from the neighbouring Haryana and Rajastahan. Teja Singh, Buta Singh and Budh Singh were in the grip of poppy husk and were desperate to shun it. They were among the 175 persons who have started taking de-addiction tablets.

The victims were mostly daily wage labourers who would spend more than half of their earnings on purchasing poppy husk or lomotil.

Dr.S.K.Verma, a psychiatric, who has volunteered to heal the addicts, said that many of the victims resort to consuming Lomotil that was a crude form of opium as a pack of 100 tablets was available in the chemist shops for anything around Rs 15.

He said addiction has spread like an epidemic in the area involving men and women of all age groups. As many as 370 addicts had reported to him for treatment within the past six months. 

Bathinda, January 6
A 10-member daredevil team of the Army that was on a 14-day trip under the Parbat Ali and Hero Honda Joint Motorcycle Expedition, returned to the Bathinda Military Station today after traversing a distance of about 3,500 kms, covering Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana, all traditional areas of recruitment for the Army.

Lt Gen R.S. Sujlana, AVSM, VSM, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Chetak Corps, received the team, which was headed by Captain Jagpreet Singh Midha.

Talking to the TNS, Lt Gen Sujlana said apart from instilling sprit of adventure among Army men, such an exercise was a novel way to meet ex-servicemen of the unit in their respective home locations and also promoted awareness about the regiment and instilled a sense of pride.

The rally was flagged off by senior commanders of the Indian Army in all military stations and cantonments. On January 1, 2008, the unit flag was hoisted at Barmer where the Battalion had won the Battle Honour ‘Parbat Ali’ during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

Several senior officers of the Army attended the concluding ceremony of the expedition.  

Bathinda, January 6
The Physically Handicapped Association, Punjab alleged that an employee of the Community Police Office (CPO) scheme had beaten up a physically challenged person.

It may be mentioned here that the CPO - the brainchild of the SSP Bathinda, Naunihal Singh - was launched a month back with a motive to serve the people at night.

The association had threatened to stage a strike over the matter.

Giving the details of the alleged attack, Mukesh Goyal, the city president of the association said that on Saturday night, Prabhu Ram was sleeping outside the shops at the Post Office market, when all of a sudden a CPO Baljit Singh attacked him with a lathi.

Baljit further told him to leave the place immediately or face the consequence, he alleged.

“When the injured Prabhu went to the Kotwali police station seeking help, two policemen went with him to identify the person. But the CPO, even in the presence of the policemen, again battered him and the policemen remained just spectators,” he alleged.

The district president, Gurmeet Singh Jeeda, threatened that they would stage a dharna outside the senior superintendent of police office and Kotwali police station, if the police failed to take action in this regard.

The members demanded that the CPO in question should come and admit his fault otherwise they would bring the issue to the notice of higher officials.

When SHO Kotwali, Davinder Singh was contacted, he said, “The CPO had made a complaint to the police station in this regard, not the handicapped person. When a head constable reached the spot, he found him laying in the suspicious condition. Replying to questions, physically challenged explained about his problem and then the police left the place.” 

Bathinda, January 6
He is a promising new comer in the field of Punjabi pop music and the title song of his debut album is topping the charts on all music channels.

Meet, Manna Dhillon (24), who hails from Jalandhar and is the last disciple of Late Ustad Jaswant Bhanwra. Manna has been winning in folk, ghazal and shabad categories at the Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) Youth festival, consecutively for the last four years.

“I performed, for the first time, in 1992 at Batala, where I sang Shiv Kumar Batalvi’s Maye ni maye. I was only eight-year- old and had to stand on bricks to reach the mike,” Manna informs smilingly.

In his early days, Manna learnt music from Ustad Jaswant Bhanwra, who had produced bigwigs of Punjabi music like Surinder Shinda, Manmohan Waris and Kamal Heer, for five years.

“It was my uncle (mamaji) K.P.S. Dhillon who introduced me with Bhanwra. That was the best period of my life and Bhanwra taught me the minute details of Punjabi music. To be precise, he laid foundation of my career,” he said.

“When I joined DAV College, Jalandhar for my graduation, I came in the contact with B.S. Narang. From him, I learnt music for four years and Narang polished me into a professional singer,” Manna informed.

Besides being the winner of the GNDU youth festival for the last four years consecutively in various categories, he has also won prizes at the national level. “I also won the National Youth Festival consecutively for two years in Harmonium Light category and also the North India Youth Festival in the same category,” he added.

He is also thankful to his family and friends, who have helped him in every way, even financially.

Title song ‘Tu Ki Jaane Pyar’ of my album latest album ‘Pyar’ has been topping the charts on music channels and second song ‘Yaari Jattan De Munde Di’ is on air.

“Work would start very soon on my next video, which would be on air within this month.” 

Abohar, January 6
Nearly hundred students of the Sardar Patel Medical Institute of Nursing and Hospital joined the paramedical staff from the health department in administering polio prevention drops at about 42 booths in different localities on Sunday.

Significantly, some children, who were travelling with their parents, were also administered drops when the passenger trains halted at the railway station here.

“We would have certainly missed ‘Do boond zindagi ki’ despite superstar Amitabh Bachchan’s caution on the regional Doordarshan news bulletin on Saturday evening,” a housewife from Rajasthan said.

Mansa: The Sabhyachar Chetna Manch administered polio drops to the children at polio booth number 29, Char Chaman Basti and booth number 10 here on Sunday.

Indian Medical Association president Ramesh Katodia inaugurated the polio booth and cautioned the people about poliovirus infection from one child to another.

Nishan Singh, district TB officer, gave speech on the polio awareness and TB eradication.

Sabhyachar Chetna Manch president Kamaljit Malwa thanked the health department for this step and said that our government should start such type of camps for other deadly diseases like cancer, AIDS, hepatitis etc. — OC 

Fazilka, January 6
The Punjab Roadways sub-depot of Fazilka, which has been earning about Rs 15 lakh per month for the roadways, has been a victim of the government indifference.

The number of buses being run from Fazilka sub-depot has been declining gradually and at present, there are only 27 buses, which ply on different routes.

These include 15 Punjab Roadways buses, 11 Punbus and one bus of Kilometer scheme. Of these, two buses remain parked at the local bus stand due to breakdown and four other have been sent to Ferozepur for maintenance.

According to official sources, due to shortage of buses, there are more than one dozen routes on which no bus is being run.

Besides, there is shortage of conductors and drivers to operate the buses.

In such circumstances, the passengers are facing hardships and they are left at the mercy of the private transporters and other means, which are expensive.

It is felt, in the view of increasing number of passengers, the number of buses should also be enhanced.

Commuters and different organisations of the town demand that night bus service between Fazilka and Chandigarh should be commenced and service on Fazilka-Bikaner and Fazilka-Delhi routes should be restored.

This will also enhance the income of the roadways.

Another problem being faced by the employees at the local sub-depot is that they have to deposit the income of Punbuses at Ferozepur, the sources pointed out.

The income of other buses is deposited at the local bus stand. The employees have to visit for refuelling the Punbuses to Ferozepur and also maintaining the accounts relating to these buses at Ferozepur.

The problem has complicated, as out of the 39 sanctioned posts of the conductors, nine are vacant.

Earlier a workshop was being maintained at the Fazilka sub-depot to carry out minor repair of buses. But this workshop has been practically closed, as the buses have to be transported for repairs to headquarters at Ferozepur.

The condition of the bus stand is also pitiable despite the fact that it was renovated after spending a hefty cost, estimates running into several lakh of rupees, about two years back.

The bus stand is without entry and exit gates. Stray animals make their way inside the bus stand and create nuisance.

The addicts and burglars have removed the taps from toilets as only one watchman proves to be inadequate.

There are no sufficient sheds. Therefore, the buses have to be parked in open in rough weather.

The general manager of the Punjab Roadways at Ferozepur, Sukhbir Singh, disclosed that the government had sanctioned a sum of Rs 30 lakh for the development of the bus stand that should be spent soon.

He has admitted that the income to the Punbus had to be deposited at Ferozepur, according to the government policy. 

Barnala, January 6
In order to prevent any untoward incident, the local police held raids to arrest leaders of the Shiromani Akalki Dal (Amritsar) in the wee hours here today. As many as 47 workers of the SAD (A) were rounded up by the police in Barnala district.

These arrests have been made to prevent the SAD (A) activists from laying siege to buses of Orbit and Dabwali companies, which are believed to be owned by chief minister Parkash Singh Badal’s family.  

As per the information, the Barnala police rounded up nine activists from Barnala, eight from Sherpur, 11 activists from Tapa, five from Shaina, three from Mehalkalan and one from Dhanaula.

The prominent among others who had been rounded up includes, district vice-president Ranjeet Singh Sanghera, Hari Singh and Magghar Singh.

SAD (A) leader Surinder Singh Sadhowalia strongly criticised the arrest of party workers.

Terming it as fatal to democracy, Sadhowalia said the SAD (A) wanted to lay siege to the buses of two companies in order to make the public aware of the misuse of power by the state chief minister, Parkash Singh Badal.

Meanwhile, Jeet Singh Alorakh, state general secretary of the SAD (A), said the buses would be stopped in a peaceful manner. It was their right to protest in a democratic way, he said.

Senior superintendent of police, Barnala, Parmjeet Singh Garewal, confirmed the raids and rounding up of the 47 workers of the SAD (A).

Bathinda: Despite the arrest of couple of SAD (A) workers, on the basis of preventive measures, the workers are still determined to gherao the Badal owned buses on Monday.

Stating to the TNS, a district level SAD (A) leader, Varinder Singh Mann said, “The police has conducted several raids at SAD(A) workers’ residence. Though many of them have been arrested we are determined on our move.”

The gherao of the buses was well-planned and would be executed with a surprise, he added. — TNS 

Mansa, January 6
To launch a struggle against the government’s campaign to acquire land at very low rate for a thermal plant, to be established at Banawali village, a joint struggle committee was formed under the leadership of the Punjab Kisan Union. A meeting was held here today in this regard.

Addressing the meeting, Ruldu Khan, state president of the union, said the government was exploiting the farmers by acquiring their lands on low rates.

An 11-member joint struggle committee was formed with Malkeet Singh and Gursewak Singh elected as president and secretary respectively.

Rajwinder Singh Rana, state secretary of the CPI (ML) said, “We are not against the establishment of industry but farmers should be paid the reasonable price for the acquired land.”

He added that since the rates of property were high in the state, the farmers would face difficulties in buying land somewhere else if they were not paid right price for their land.

Leaders of the farmers demanded that for canal land the farmers should be paid Rs 25 lakh per acre while Rs 20 lakhs per acre should be paid for other land acquired.

They also demanded the price of tube-wells and paths.

Among others who addressed the meeting were Karnail Singh, Balkaran Balli, Satnam Singh, Bikkar Singh and Gurtej Singh. 

Moga, January 6
Hailing from this non-descript town, Sonu Sood of Ashiq Banaya Apne and Yuva fame has managed to carve out niche for himself in the Bollywood, where actors and actresses from film background thrive.

Displaying a knack of acting, he has played pivotal roles in about six movies that earned him name and fame. His capability in performing various shades of acting earned him invitations for performing in various movies.

It was his capability only that earned him a role in Mani Ratnam directed ‘Yuva’.

The well-known director known for taking up unconventional subjects in his movies, called up Sood,following his impressive performance in debut movie “The Legend of Bhagat Singh”.

His success was sweeter in the light that a spate of movies on Bhagat Singh sprang in Bollywood that year and Sood proved his worth in the movie starring Ajay Devgan.

After doing electrical engineering from a college in Nagpur Sood went to Mumbai to try his luck in Bollywood.

Before getting a break, he had to go through struggle for as many as five years.

Interestingly, he is more famous and recognisable face in the south-Indian film industry.

He has performed in as many as 25 Tamil and Telugu films. His first movie down under was ‘Kalagar’.

He learnt Tamil and Telugu to perform his roles with efficiency.

His mother Saroj Sood, who is a professor of English in the local D.M. College, provided him with books to learn the language easily.

Though he did not take a formal training in acting yet, he believes that it is a constant process and he learns about it from his directors and co-actors.

He has worked under various directors, including Anees Bazmi, Mani Ratnam, Guddu Dhanoa and many more, while his co-stars include Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan among others.

His back-to-back significant roles in Siskiyaan and Aashiq Banaya Aapne earned him laurels.

He says, in Yuva, he played a raw character while he had a historical character in Bhagat Singh.

However, Aashiq Banaya Aapne was a romantic love story.

His upcoming movies are ‘Jodhaa Akbar’, with a cast of Aishwarya Rai, Hrithik Roshan, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Ila Arun, and ‘Singh is King’.

The small town boy is all set to blaze the silver screen with his enigmatic and dedicated performance. 

Abohar, January 6
The police on Saturday has arrested one person for an alleged murder and for luring a married woman to run away with him from Sriganganagar, near here, sources confirmed today.

According to the available information, one Dinesh Sharma, a resident of ward number 15, Gobindgarh, was wanted by the Himachal Pradesh (HP) police.

Sriganganagar station house officer Narinder Sharma said Dinesh, during his stay at Talai in Bilaspur district of HP, had allegedly killed a person and had fled from the place.

He had been declared a proclaimed offender by the Bilaspur court in this case.

Dinesh, after fleeing from HP settled in the Setia colony of Sriganganagar. There, he allegedly developed illicit relations with one Santosh Rani, wife of one Brajesh Kumar of the same colony.

On April 23, when Brajesh was away to his native village in Uttar Pradesh, Dinesh reportedly allured Santosh to run away with him leaving behind her 3-year-old daughter and ailing mother-in-law.

Brajesh, when returned from UP, lodged a complaint against Dinesh.

Now, on a tip-off, a police team led by assistant sub-inspector Gopal Ram was dispatched to the Pali city where Dinesh and Santosh were nabbed, sources confirmed.

The HP police has also been informed. 

Abohar, January 6
The chief judicial magistrate (CJM) at Sriganganagar while entertaining an application moved by the army officials on Saturday, had directed Vikalp Jha alias Sonu, a gun dealer from Bikaner, to appear before the Court of Inquiry at Sadhuwali cantonment, about 35 km from here, on January 11, sources said today.

The court issued necessary instructions to the superintendent of the district jail in this connection. Sonu is lodged there at present.

According to information, the special operation group of the CID (CB) had arrested Sonu in connection with the infamous fake arms licence scam.

The Army had also initiated investigation independently, as information on sale of some prohibited arms by the army men had also surfaced.

The Army had issued summons on December 29 but the same were not considered by the court due to some technical flaws.

Renewed summons under section 135 of the Army Act were then issued to Sonu to appear before the Court of Inquiry on January 11.

Sources said since then there had been some difference in the lists prepared by the CID (CB) and the Army regarding number of fake licenses in this context, so interrogation of Sonu might lead to new clues. He had been remanded in judicial custody in the case registered at the district headquarters (Sriganganagar), few months ago. — OC 

Abohar, January 6
The Sriganganagar Urban Improvement Trust (UIT) has dropped the idea of dedicating a park in Patarkar Colony to the founder of a Jaipur based multi-edition Hindi newspaper, told Seema Periwal, chairperson of the trust, to the protesting scribes on Saturday.

The UIT decision on dedicating the park evoked a strong protest and drew lines among journalistic
fraternity.

Members of the Patarkar Sangh organised a protest march yesterday to express resentment over the UIT decision.

However, UIT chairperson Seema Periwal pacified them by revealing that the controversial decision had already been withdrawn. 

Mansa, January 6
The Democratic Employees Front of Mansa held its meeting here today under the presidentship of Sikander Singh Dhaliwal.

Addressing the meeting, Sukhdarshan Singh Natt, state secretary of the front said they were against the privatisation of education, health and power sectors. To ensure participation in anti-privatisation struggle, meetings were being organised by all employees’ federations, he added.

Employees’ leaders demanded the release of Anganwadi workers and rejected the suspension orders of nine teachers in Mohali.

District secretary Jaspal Singh Khokhar said by passing a special resolution, Darshan Singh Tahlian was elected the district vice-president of the Front. — OC 

Abohar, January 6
The family of a former soldier of the Indian National Army (INA) donated the body of the ex-soldier, who died on Friday, to a medical college here on Saturday.

The INA soldier, Dulla Singh (78), had signed a pledge-form a few months back intending that after death, his body should not be cremated and be given to a medical college to facilitate research by the students.

He died at his native village Danewala Satkosi here on Friday.

His son contacted a private medical college at Muktsar and handed over the body to a team of doctors on Saturday evening. 

Rampura Phul (Bathinda), January 6
Narpinder Singh Dhaliwal, the district president, Press Club Federation, Bathinda reported to the police that four persons attacked him on Sunday.

Narpinder, a correspondent of the Punjabi Tribune, stated that he was on his way, when all of a sudden a person intercepted him near railway crossing and started quarreling with him and suddenly three more persons in a car (PB-40-2225) reached the spot and started beating him up, without any reason.

A policeman present there remained a mute spectator and when the assaulters left the place, he asked him to go.

Narpinder also said that the accused snatched his gold chain too.

The Rampura police has registered the case against the four persons, including two identified persons Charanjit Singh and Balwinder Singh under sections 323, 346, 506 and 382 of the IPC. Members of the Press Club Federation, former-minister Sikander Singh Maluka and others visited Narpinder at the Civil Hospital, Rampura. —TNS 

Bathinda, January 6
Miri Piri Kabaddi Club, North America has won the International Kabaddi Cup, organised by Indo Canadian Punjabi Sports and Cultural Club, Toronto (Canada), at the Sports Stadium, Bathinda today. Harjit Club, Bajakhana won the second prize at the event.

Altogether eight Kabaddi teams participated in this one-day event. Giving details, club president, Parvez Dhillon said, “The winner team has been awarded with a cash prize of Rs one lakh, team that stood second won Rs 75,000 and remaining participating teams were given Rs 20,000 each.”

In the semi finals, Miri Piri Kabaddi Club defeated Dashmesh Club, Kalakh (Ludhiana) while Harjit Club defeated Sant Ishar Singh Club, Rara Sahib (Ludhiana). In the finals, Miri Piri Kabaddi Club defeated Harjit Club by 46:26.Chief guest on the occasion was SSP Bathinda, Naunihal Singh, who along with SDM Kuljitpal Singh Mahi and Bathinda Development Authority Administrator K K Yadav, handed over the prizes to the winners.A cultural function was also organised on the occasion in which singers like Gulzar Lahoria, Gora Chak Wala and Masha Ali performed. 

Bathinda, January 6
In view of the forthcoming Municipal Corporation elections, the District Youth Congress Committee, Bathinda (urban) today announced the names of the office-bearers of its newly constituted body.

Iqbal Singh Dhillon, president of the committee, enlisted the names of the office bearers.

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Sumit Kumar has been given the post of senior vice presidents and Jalandhar Singh Sidhu, Balwinder Singh Bhola, Umesh Gogi, Surjit Singh, Aman Deep Singh, Gurvinder Singh and Reetosh Kumar has been made vice presidents. Gurjant Singh Mahima, Sukhpal Singh, Khushwinder Singh, Arun Kumar Bittu, Sushil Kumar, Rakesh Jindal and Subhash Chander has been appointed as general secretaries and Jaspal Singh Sandhu, Sameer Chaudhary, Nipun Bansal, Subhah Kumar and Rajinder Singh will be the organizing secretaries.

When contacted, Harminder Singh Jassi, MLA, Bathinda said, “The team has been constituted in the wake of the forthcoming Municipal Corporation election.” No stone will be left unturned to win the elections, he added.—TNS