Jalandhar, February 1
It was a sheer misfortune for the sisters from Bolina village who met with an accident on Ladowali Road here today. The girls were on their way home when the tragedy occurred.

While elder sister Afwan Mass Bagha (29) died on the spot, younger one Suzan Bagha (26) got critically injured and was admitted to Patel Hospital. The LLB passout sisters were riding a Bajaj Spirit (PB-08-AN-4015) when a Tata 207 hit the scooter from the rear side.

According to witnesses, Afwan got crushed and died on the spot, whereas Suzan and the scooter got entangled in the truck’s bumper. The eyewitnesses said, “After the accident, the mini-truck took a U-turn at a roundabout and went towards railway crossing on Ladowali Road dragging Suzan along with it. It was only when the speeding vehicle jumped on the crossing that Suzan fell off and could be rescued.”

The vehicle moved towards Hoshiarpur Road from the byepass side from where PCR cops started chasing the vehicle. The vehicle on its way also hit a car as the driver tried to speed it off. Further, on Hoshiarpur Road the Tata 207 hit many other vehicles and injured four more persons. The vehicle driver was finally caught at a naka laid down before Hoshiarpur.

Giving details, SHO Vibhor Kumar said, “We had told the Hoshiarpur police to be alert and they helped us in nabbing the driver, identified as Rajesh Kumar, a resident of Basti Bawa Khel. The driver seemed to be under the influence of intoxicants.”

Meanwhile, Suzan is said to be in a critical condition in the ICU. Dr R.R. Saggar, who is attending on her, said, “Suzan came to the hospital at around 4.30 pm and was in a very bad condition. Her lower limb tissues along with elbows and hands were badly damaged as her muscles points have been crushed.” Besides, her ribs suffer a fracture. Her skin around head too had pealed off and she was in a state of shock. Due to her falling blood pressure, she was given blood.

“It would take at least a month for her to recover. In addition to it, her wounds need to be sutured and multiple plastic surgeries have to be performed around her head,” added Dr Saggar.

Amritsar, February 1
A team of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) and Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee (GGSSC) came forward to help the improvement trust and the district administration on Friday to clear an encroachment made by a religious person on three-acre land worth crores, near New Amritsar.

The improvement trust demolished the room and handed over the “baba” to the police, who was later let off.

According to officials, the baba tried to grab the land by organising akhand path at the site, besides installing Nishan Sahib.

On learning about the encroachment, government officials approached the SGPC, keeping in view the religious sentiments.

The SGPC was quick to accept the appeal made by the government officials that the act of the baba would bring a bad name to the Sikh community.

A directive had already been issued by Akal Takht that akhand path could not be performed on a controversial place for vested interests.

The activists of the Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee also swung into action and came forward to help the administration in demolishing the illegal room constructed by the controversial baba.

The agitated members of the Satkar Committee reportedly beat up the baba and his six accomplices before handing them over to the police.

However, the baba was let off after he tendered unconditional apology to the SGPC and the Satkar Committee members.

Hoshiarpur, February 1
Prisoner Rulda Ram of Chuharwali village attempted suicide by hitting his head against iron bars of the barracks in the district jail here on Thursday evening.

The guards on duty, on noticing his actions, forcibly took him outside the barrack. According to jail sources, Rulda Ram was transferred from the central jail, Jalandhar to the district jail, Hoshiarpur, on January 22.

He was arrested in cases registered against him in 2003 under section 411 of the IPC in Adampur police station, in 2005 under sections 379, 420, 411 and 420 of the IPC in Division No 4 police station, Jalandhar, and in 2008 under section 307 of the IPC and sections 107 and 151 of the CrPC in Division No 2, Jalandhar.

Yesterday, Rulda Ram made a complaint regarding his ill health to the jail authorities 
during the day, for which he was got medically examined.

After being given medicines, he was sent to the barrack where he attempted suicide. The city police has booked him under section 309 of the IPC.

Mohali, February 1
The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) would soon introduce a system of online sanctioning of building plans. To be developed by Punjab Engineering College, the online system would include plan approval tracking and management facility.

This was decided during the last meeting of the executive committee of the authority. The GMADA has signed a memorandum of understanding with the centre for computational engineering (CCE) of the college.

All property owners who intend to construct anything are required to get their building plans sanctioned from the estate office, GMADA, before beginning construction.

Even during construction period, there are stages when an applicant is required to intimate or seek approval from the estate office.

The whole procedure takes a lot of time and in the absence of even one officer, causes unnecessary delays. The online system of sanctioning of building plans is expected to streamline this tedious process.

Once the system is in place, all building plans would be received digitally from the property owner or his representative architect through e-mail and uploaded to the server.

The soft copies of the files would be submitted and sent to the respective draftsman or junior engineer for checking and verification.

In case the plans are not satisfactory, these would be sent back to the applicant with comments.

Once the plans are sanctioned it would be intimated to the concerned builder or architect through e-mail.

The CCE would design a comprehensives web-based solution with databases of building plans payments and various reports and remarks.

The setting up of the system for GMADA would cost Rs 9 lakh. 

Hoshiarpur, February 1
Goods worth lakhs of rupees were reduced to ashes in a fire that broke out in a multi-storeyed shop in the Bassi Khawaju market here on Friday morning.

As many as three fire engines were put to service to control the fire in a general merchandise shop, Garg General Store, and it took more than three hours for the firefighters to control it.

The firefighters had a tough time in containing the flames due to the narrow lanes of the area. It was near impossible for them to reach the site.

According to Rishi Rai, son of owner Gurbax Rai, some passers-by noticed the fire and informed them and the municipal fire brigade. Another fire engine was requisitioned later and it took more than three hours to control the fire. The total loss was estimated around Rs 45 lakh as the fire had not only reduced the entire stock piled up in the shop but also damaged the entire building badly.

Short circuit in electric wires was suspected to be the cause of fire, said Rishi Rai.

It is worth mentioning here that a massive fire had also engulfed Lalli Di Hatti, just opposite Garg General Store in the same market about six months ago.

Jalandhar, February 1
The municipal corporation continued with its action against house tax defaulters by sealing eight shops on the third consecutive day of their ongoing drive.

The MC sealed five shops in Dilbagh Nagar, which were owned by Satpal Komal, as the proprietor had allegedly not paid dues to the tune of Rs 1.12 lakh. Similarly, Gurdas Ram’s shop in Basti Danish Mandan was sealed as he reportedly failed to pay house tax amounting to Rs 63,012.

The other two defaulters whose shops were sealed were Amar Singh and Shingara Singh, who owned shops in the Riazpura area and had failed to pay tax amounting to Rs 13,060 and Rs 2.22 lakh, respectively.