NEIGHBOURHOOD

New strategies to handle criminals required: DGP
Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 8
Punjab DGP N.P.S. Aulakh inaugurated a three-day international symposium on ‘Advances in Fingerprint Identification’, being organised by the department of forensic science, Punjabi University, here today.

“The mind boggling technological progress and amazing scientific explorations in the fields of information technology, biotechnology and genetic engineering have added many new dimensions to the global crime scene. The forensic scientists, therefore, will have to evolve newer ways and means to encounter the strategies of criminals by updating their own tools, techniques and strategies," said the DGP.

He added that while the police forces in our country were making efforts to keep pace with the advancements all around, the Government of India had also set up a committee on the Criminal Justice System in order to strengthen forensic laboratories and forensic medical legal services, which would assist the investigation officers. Among other things, it advocates the use of forensic science right from the commencement of investigation and setting up of mobile forensic units, besides fully-equipping the finger print bureaus with financial resources and adequate manpower.

Punjab Police, he said, has also undertaken initiatives to provide network facility in shape of mobile automatic fingerprint identification system (AFIS) for all the 24 police districts. Every district will have a mobile forensic vehicle equipped with live fingerprint scanners, laptops and digital cameras, he added. He further said that the Punjab Fingerprint Bureau at Phillaur has manual fingerprint record of five lakh convicts and over two lakh computerised fingerprint record of active criminals. “We are also in the process of constructing an exclusive building for the FSL at Mohali,” he said. Elaborating on the credibility of fingerprint evidence, he said it has proved to be clinching evidence in some cases. Citing an example, he said that recently a sessions judge of Jalandhar had awarded death sentence to a serial child-killer, Darbara Singh, on the basis of fingerprint evidence.

Presiding over the symposium, the varsity’s vice-chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh said scientists will have to make progress to counter the evil designs of criminals and help create a crime-free society. The fact has assumed increased significance keeping in mind the fact criminals are moving at an equal pace with law-enforcing agencies by fine-tuning their strategies. They are equipped with an additional advantage that they do not have the social security of the citizens. Religious values, he said, could play a crucial role in giving an affirmative direction to their negative energies.

Dr Joseph Almog from the Casali Institute of Applied Chemistry, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, in his keynote address on ‘Forensic Science Does Not Start in the Lab’ talked about various kits being used to detect the actual cause of death and means.

The VC also presented a set of university publications including English translation of Guru Granth Sahib to Aulakh. Dr Almog. Dr Mukesh Thakar and Prof O.P. Jasuja also spoke on the occasion.

Rajpura, February 8
The Rajpura police have arrested nine persons on the charges of concealing the recovery of old silver coins that were found during the digging of foundation of a house in old Rajpura town.

Revealing this here today, SHO of city police station Bikramjit Singh Brar said a group of men had found a container buried in the land while digging the foundation of a house a few months back. He said when the matter came to the notice of the police and it started inquiring into the matter, the men concealed the facts and tried to portion out the silver coins amongst themselves, in violation of the law.

He said the police soon discovered that the men had found over 1,000 silver coins and about a kg of silver during digging. He said on the basis of the information that was collected by them, the police initiated proceedings against these men and registered a case under various sections of law and Section 420 of the IPC.

The nine who was arrested include Lal Chand, his son Nitin Kumar, brother-in-law Rakesh Kumar, mason Karnail Singh, labourers Suresh Kumar, Mangat Singh, Tehal Singh, Sant Khan and Satpal Singh.

The police said the land on which the house was being constructed belonged to a Muslim family that had migrated to another place after selling the house to Lal Chand.

Meanwhile, the police is further investigating the matter to ascertain whether more persons were involved.

Ambala, February 8
The Ambala police has been accused of showing reluctance in initiating action against those responsible for a murderous attack on a city doctor, who was shot at by contract killers about seven months back.

Anaesthetist Dr Ashok Goyal, who owns a hospital here, said in July last year, two contract killers fired at him but he managed to survive the attack.

He alleged that even as the contract killers and those who had hired them to kill him had been identified, but till date, no concrete action had been taken against the accused. Dr Goyal said the matter came to light when the assailants were arrested by the Rajpura police, in connection with looting of trucks on the GT road and during interrogation, they confessed to have attacked him. The two were identified as Amit Kumar and Satnam Singh.

They had told the police that they had been hired to kill the doctor by four brothers - advocate Tarlochan Singh, Ram Kumar Patwari, Rattan Singh and Nirmal Singh, all belonging to his native village Thol.

Dr Goyal said the four had been pressurising him to sell his 40 acres of land to them for quite some time. He said the four had even grabbed a portion of his land and had been issuing threats to him for the past several years to sell his land at throwaway price. He said on being refused, the four hatched a conspiracy to eliminate him and grab his land.

The doctor claimed that the four struck a deal with Amit and Satnam for Rs 25 lakh when the duo was lodged in the central jail.

Accordingly, Amit and Satnam, after they were released on interim bail, came to the doctor's clinic on Treasury Road, Ambala city, and shot at him from a point-blank range with a pistol. The doctor survived the attack as the pistols failed to work properly.

Dr Ashok, who was provided with security after the attack, said despite having brought the matter to the notice of senior functionaries of the state government, including the chief minister, no action had been taken in this regard.

Meanwhile, the local branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has decided to take up the matter at an appropriate level to ensure quick action in this regard.

Chandigarh, February 8
Finishing with bowling figures of 4 wickets for 25 runs, Rozal Batra of DAV Model School, Sector 15, helped his team thrash Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35, by 56 runs in the opening match of the Adviser Inter-School Limited Overs Cricket Tournament held at the Sector 16 Cricket Stadium here today. Batting first, DAV 15 scored 166 for 7 in the allotted 25 overs.

Openers Tanveer Manak (42) and Amanpreet Singh (23) provided a solid start with a 64-run partnership for the first wicket.

This was followed by a 42-run partnership between Lakhan Shandil (25) and Kunal Mahajan (22) for the sixth wicket. The other notable scorer was Aayush Raj Soni with 28 runs. Dheeraj took two wickets for 30 runs while Gurpreet, Narinder and Abhilash claimed one wicket for GMSSS-35.

Chasing the target, GMSSS-35 batsmen were bundled out for a paltry 110 runs in 20 overs.

Rozal bagged four wickets for 25 runs followed by Gursahib and Arjanveer, who took two wickets each for 22 and 21 runs respectively. For GMSSS-35, Narinder scored 30 while Sahil Mahajan and Geet Krishan made 14 and 17 runs respectively.

Earlier, Sanjay Kumar, finance secretary, Chandigarh, inaugurated the tournament being organised by the Chandigarh sports department.

Twelve teams will participate in the competition.

Chandigarh, February 8
Lakhvir from BPE.d was declared the best athlete of the college for the current session, while Najma and Pooja Chaudhary were declared the best athletes from the commerce and science departments respectively, during the 26th Annual Athletics Meet being organised by Government College for Girls, Sector 42, here today.

Principal Shashi Malik inaugurated the meet. Students from different streams, including those from post-graduate department, participated in the march past and the events.

During the current academic session, students have won many state and national competitions in Yoga, weight and power-lifting, table tennis, badminton and tennis. March past team of BA-I was declared the best unit of the event.

Raji P.Shrivastava, director higher education, was the chief guest at the prize distribution function.

Results:

100 mts: 1 Lakhvir 2 Renu 3 Rajwinder

200 mts: 1 Lakhvir 2 Renu 3 Saranjit

400 mts: 1 Renu 2 Lakhvir 3 Saranjit

Long Jump: 1 Lakhbir 2 Sharanjit 3 Renu

High Jump: 1 Raman Deep 2 Baljinder 3 Supinder

3000 mts: 1 Renu 2 Rajwinder 3 Jaskamal

2 kms walk: 1 Sonia 2 Rajwinder 3 Gurpinder

Shot Put: 1 Jaskiran 2 Diskit 3 Renu

Javelin Throw: 1 Jaskiran 2 Lakhvir 3 Saranjit

Discus Throw: 1 Jaskiran 2 Renu 3 Lakhvir

Chandigarh, February 8
Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36, emerged winners in the Panjab University Inter-College Yoga (women, B-division) Championship held at the MCM college gymnasium hall, Sector 36, here today.

The team comprising Anju, Rupinder Kaur, Manshi Kaushal, Aditi Sharma and Mandeep Kaur accumulated 641 points to clinch the title, while MLBG Girls College, Tapparian Khurd, secured the second slot with 620.5 points. Anju Bala, Amarjeet Kaur, Sonia, Monika, Renu Bala and Gurpreet Kaur were the team members.

In individual category, Kiran Rani of MBB GRGC Girls College, Mansowal, finished first garnering 135 points.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, February 8
Ramandeep Singh and Anvari emerged as fastest runners on the second day of the Kanganwal Rural Sports Fair today. In 47-kg category kabaddi matches, Bhudan village team emerged winner and Johlan was runner-up.

A large number of sports enthusiasts from local town and surrounding villages converged on the Kanganwal stadium to watch hundreds of sportspersons exhibiting their talent.

In athletics for U-12 children, Ramandeep Singh of Kanganwal won 100m and 200m races by dragging Manpreet Singh and Varinder Singh on second positions in these events. Anvari won 100m and 200m races by defeating Rabina in final contests. Volleyball teams of Tazpur, Kalsian, Kanganwal and Hathan reached in semifinals after defeating their rivals in respective matches.

Abdul Gaffar, former minister, who had inaugurated the fair yesterday, gave away prizes to winners of today’s events.

Chandigarh, February 8
Chandigarh Squash Racquets Association will organise the Chandigarh State Squash Championship - 2007-08 (men, women and juniors) at the Lake Club from February 15 to 17.

Entries can be submitted to Khushwant Singh, squash coach, UT (94174-74345) or to Paramjit Singh, secretary of the association (98720-40033) latest by February 13 till 5pm.