Hoshiarpur, March 30
Panic gripped the areas of Vakilan Market and Arya Samaj Mandir here last night when two motorcycle-borne youths, who were speeding away after snatching a gold chain from a woman, attacked a cop with a sword when the latter tried to stop them.

The accused also brandished weapon in the air to scare away the passers-by and shopkeepers who tried to catch hold of them.

According to the police sources, the youths were trying to escape after snatching the chain of one Namrata near the telephone exchange around 8.30 pm on Saturday. She was on way to her relative’s house.

The snatchers tried to escape by hitting the Gorian Gate road but had to take a U-turn due to a blockade. Meanwhile, when Namrata raised an alarm, a Punjab police head constable Daljit Singh, who was on a patrol, started chasing the accused. He succeeded in confronting them and caught hold of the driver. However, the pillion rider took out a sword and slashed the constable. The duo managed to flee, leaving behind their mobile phone.

SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill said one of the attackers has been identified on the basis of the mobile.

They would be arrested soon, said the officer. Meanwhile, Daljit was admitted to the civil hospital. A case has been registered.

Kapurthala, March 30
An NRI’s plan of getting married to a Kartarpur-based girl, allegedly without taking divorce from his first wife, went awry, here on Sunday. This is the second such incident within five days in Kapurthala.

Earlier, on March 26, an NRI, Rajwinder Singh Chahal, was arrested on charges of marrying without obtaining a divorce from his first wife.

According to information, a Canada-based NRI Paramjeet Singh was going to marry Amandeep Kaur of Thikrian Mohalla in Kartarpur at Suhag marriage palace in Kapurthala today.

However, his first wife Jatinder Kaur came to know about his scheduled second marriage. She, along with several relatives of his and policemen from Ferozepur district reached the marriage palace, said Kapurthlala DSP Sukhdev Singh Chhina, adding that the bridegroom did not come to the marriage palace as scheduled because probably he might have come to know about the raid by Ferozepur police.

While some of Jatinder Kaur’s relatives alleged that the information about the raid had been leaked by a Kapurthala police officer, Chhina denied these allegations.

According to information provided by Jatinder’s relatives, Paramjeet Singh of Bagga village in Shahkot, Jalandhar, had been married to Jatinder of Zira, Ferozepur on March 2, 2003. They have a four-year-old daughter Gurleen Kaur.

They were reportedly residing in Toronto in Canada. Paramjeet came to India about a week back. Meanwhile, his first wife also came to India after knowing his plan of second marriage.

Jatinder got an FIR of dowry registered under section 498 at a Ferozepur police station on Saturday and took a police party with her to the marriage palace.

When the bridegroom did not arrive, the police party also reportedly raided Paramjeet’s house in Bagga.

When Amandeep Kaur’s father Avtar Singh came to know about the cheating by the NRI, he submitted a complaint at Kartarpur police station. At this, an FIR under sections 120 B, 420, 494 and 511 of the IPC was registered against Paramjeet Singh at the police station, said Kartarpur SHO Harjinder Singh.

Avtar Singh had already spent several lakhs of rupees on the arrangements of his daughter’s marriage, the SHO added.

Hoshiarpur, March 30
Residents of Sangowal village on Sunday mercilessly thrashed five persons, suspecting them to be thieves.

According to sources, Diwan Singh went to his fields on Sunday and heard some murmurs. Smelling a rat, he immediately informed the villagers and the police that some unidentified persons were hiding in his fields.

Before cops could reach the place, the villagers assembled there and caught hold of the five persons. The latter were brutally beaten up. The ‘victims’ were identified as Balkar Singh, Vir Singh, Gurnam Singh, Karnail Singh, all residents of Subhanpur, and Avtar Singh of Dogarwal (Kapurthala).

They were admitted to the Hazipur civil hospital and were not in a position to give any statement.

Sources said villagers suspected victims’ hand in the rising incidents of thefts in the area.

Notably, a villager Ram Kumar’s mobile repair shop was burgled on Saturday night. A case has been registered. 

Amritsar, March 30
Concerned over the fact that boys in the state were lagging behind in academics, Justice Mehtab Singh Gill of Punjab and Haryana High Court said students from the rural areas should consult their teachers for career counseling.

Justice Gill stated this here on Sunday after awarding degrees to 394 graduates in commerce, arts, sciences and agriculture during the 102nd annual convocation of Khalsa College, Amritsar. About 60 students of the college who had excelled in the fields of academics, sports, culture, NCC and NSS were also awarded medals.

He said after graduation the students have various options but they must make the right choice regarding their careers. He said for achieving success one has to be serious and dedicated. He felt that the arts stream, though neglected, also offers numerous opportunities for the boys and advised them to take proper guidance from their teachers so that they could take the right decision.

Delivering the convocation address Justice Ranjit Singh said every inch of the historic Khalsa College carried history with it and has ever since its inception been a source of motivation to thousands of students. He said advised the students to contribute positively towards the progress of society since the youngsters would help turn India into a super power. — TNS

Jalandhar, March 30
Farmers should not burn wheat and paddy stubble since it not only causes environmental pollution but also wastes precious soil nutrients.

This was revealed by Punjab Cardboard and Paperboard Mills Association president Shailendra Monga while talking to The Tribune. He said lack of awareness among farmers was a major drawback as they were not aware about the value of such farm by-products.

He said farmers do not know that the stubble was used to manufacture cardboards and paperboards. Besides, hundreds of cardboard units were always on the lookout for stubble. “It is a sad sight for us to see the valuable farm by-product go up in smoke,” Monga added.

He said, “Farmers are not even bothered about the warnings issued by the department of agriculture and there is a need to caution and educate them.”

The association chief said the smog, which is a resultant of stubble burning, affects lungs and due to this people with heart and lung diseases were severely affected. It can lead to diseases like asthma, bronchitis, anoxia, etc and depletion of oxygen in the environment, he pointed out.

Ironically, the straw burning does not come under the purview of the Air Pollution Act of 1981 and the pollution control board is unable to take any action against the culprits. However, the board has started a campaign on its own to educate farmers against the dangers of burning organic waste.

But Monga was of the view that action could be taken under the Public Nuisance Act against the farmers. Moreover, disposal of straw by burning was an inefficient method as important soil-nutrients were wasted. Appealing farmers not to set their fields on fire, Monga said the farmers could get Rs 15 to 25 per quintal for paddy stubble and Rs 60 to 100 per quintal for wheat stubble.