Amritsar, September 5
Racketeers are on the prowl to dupe the elderly gullible couples under the guise of offering genuine assistance in various banks and other public institutions. Generally they are outsiders who pick up their old-age victims in the periphery of the institutions by showing willingness to take up petty errands without any motive.

Some of such incidents have come to the notice of the police and social organisations in which these tricksters use the authenticated xerox documents of fixed deposits and bank statements of elderly people in helping students seeking admission and immigration to foreign countries.

One such elderly couple, Ved Parkash (name changed), who had sold the property in the posh locality for more than Rs 1 crore and was planning to move to another city to be with their only daughter, narrating his horrifying experience said they met one cheat claiming to be a tax consultant in a nationalised bank while they were in the process of handling their bank account.

The sickly couple was impressed by his suave mannerism when he offered to look after their bank accounts and even filed their income tax return and other documents. They started trusting him for minor jobs as he would do their job without any self motive.

The trouble started when one day the so-called tax consultant came running to their house saying that he requires their bank FDR receipt of Rs 50 lakh for pursuing their income tax refund case and added that an attested copy of receipt was required for filing the refund papers.

Alarmed at his sinister move, the couple approached the bank. The bank told them that he had come for attestation of the papers which he was supposed to attach with complete set of documents for preparing a case for migration abroad. They said he had even managed to get assess to their bank statement of accounts for the similar purpose.

Ved Parkash and his wife were completely shocked at the way the racketeers had taken them for a ride by using their bank accounts to help an immigration aspirant. They immediately closed their bank account and shifted the entire deposit amount to other cities and warned the bank manager about the behaviour of the staff by allowing assess to their account papers to an outsider without their knowledge and permission. The couple even had to give an advertisement in a national daily to bring to the notice of the foreign missions about the racket being operated by unlawful immigration consultants.

The SSP, Kunwar Vijay Partap, said he had unearthed many rackets of duping the aspirants but a case like that had not been brought to their notice as yet. He said the modus operandi seemed to have been made foolproof by such people who had perfected the art of deceit to cheat the elderly people. He said he would definitely initiate action if a proper complaint came to the police department. 

Amritsar, September 5
Teachers’ Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm in various schools of the city. The students were seen presenting flowers and gifts to their teachers. The staff and students of Spring Dale school honoured Master Ajit Singh, a torchbearer, who has dedicated his life and property to build up a school Citizen Forum Vidya Mandir for the children of victims of drug addicts in the slum area of Maqboolpura, a locality in outskirts of the city. 

The teachers, who have rendered meritorious services to the institution, were also honoured. The students of the school, being run by Master Ajit Singh and social activist Brij Bedi, also participated in the program. School teachers Seema, Kiran, Kanwalpreet, Mandeep and Nisha Dogra were also felicitated. Master Ajit Singh, in his address, urged the teachers to work with a missionary zeal to help shape the future of teaching and lives of students.

The students of Shri Ram Ashram Public School performed ‘aarti' of teachers in a traditional manner. The gurus were presented a sash with a word on it describing their individual qualities - confident , accessible , interesting, reliable , friendly etc. A mathematics teacher Parveen Arora, who has been in the field of education for the last 21 years, was presented the Sahodaya Award for the best teacher.

The students of DAV international school presented a unique play titled ‘Masti Ki Paathshala’ for their teachers. A young artist Sheetu presented an enthralling dance performance, while students gave their views on teaching profession. Among those who who were felicitated included Prof N K Oberai, Prof B K Khurana, Prof R L Bhatia, Neetu, Harjinder, Reema, Shivani, Reena, Simi Byala, Jyoti Bhatia, Jyoti Shoor, Archana and Muka. SSP Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh presided over the function.

Amritsar Public School observed the day with students seeking blessings of their teachers. The entire faculty was honoured by the management.

The Delhi Public School celebrated the day by launching ‘smart classes’. The principal of the school Sangeeta Singh said 11 classrooms have been equipped with multimedia boards that would vigour to teaching methodology. She said all the teachers have been given special training for the smart classes. The students also presented a cultural show on the occasion. 

Tarn Taran, September 5
A large number of workers of different public organisations under the banner of the Joint Platform of Mass Organisations (JPMO) gheraoed of the office of the local SSP protesting against the alleged police atrocities against the common man. The normal traffic remained blocked in the town for hours together due to the gherao.

Representatives of different mass organisations Rattan Singh Randhawa, Master Daljit Singh, Sardool Singh Usman, Pargat Singh Jamaria, Dr Satnam Singh and others condemned the district police for not solving the murder case of Sukhdev Singh, a teacher. Sukhdev Singh was found dead after performing election duty about three months back at Bhikhiwind. The representatives alleged that the police had failed to nab the accused responsible for the murder of a youth of Gharka village falling under Sarhali police station. The leaders blamed that the police was working on the directions of representatives of the ruling SAD-BJP alliance and it was for this that false cases were being registered against innocent people and justice had been denied to the general people.

They said the law and order situation was being deteriorating in the area.

The representatives were called by SSP H.S. Chahal to discus their grievances and called them for further discussion on September 8 in his office. The police of the whole district was deputed at the SSP’s office to avoid any untoward incident.— OC

Amritsar, September 5
The committee constituted by the principal, Government Medical College (GMC), here, to probe into the alleged violations of safety code and norms by certain X-ray centres in the city, has failed to submit its report in the stipulated period.

The committee, formed after the directorate of health and family welfare asked the civil surgeon to conduct an investigation into these violations, was to submit its report by August 25.

As the civil surgeon did not have any guidelines regarding checking private X-ray centres, he had asked the principal of the medical college to hold the probe, who constituted a committee led by Dr Sohan Singh, head of department of Radio diagnosis of the college.

The Punjab Human Rights Commission taking a serious view of this has also asked for the report from the civil surgeon. Terming the matter as most urgent the civil surgeon asked the principal to submit the report soon.

Ravinder Kumar, president, All-India Youth Association, who had raised the issue, in his communique to the PHRC and civil surgeon had alleged that a number of X-ray plants and diagnostic centres in the holy city had been violating the safety code and instructions of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) endangering the lives of nearby residents. He said X-ray machines installed in shops situated near various government hospitals, Radha Swami Satsang Bhawan, Hukum Singh Road and Majitha Road did not adhere to the AERB norms.

These shops did not have any lead shielding, which could endanger the lives of nearby residents as X-rays emanating while clicking could penetrates the wall in the absence of lead coating causing serious disease like cancer, said Ravinder. Besides, the plants also failed to comply with prescribed instructions regarding the area. The X-ray centres even had not employed trained radiographers, he added.

While Dr Sohan Singh preferred not to attend the phone, Dr Jagdish Gargi, principal GMC, said he was again writing to the committee to expedite the investigations as he had to submit the report to the higher authorities

Amritsar, September 5
The three dimensional Thanjavur paintings of Balaji, Radha Krishna and bronze idol of Natraja worth lakhs of rupees have become a centre of attraction for the visitors coming to see the 10-day exhibition of Tamil Nadu handicrafts - Poompuhar - commenced at the Thakur Singh Art Gallary here today.

The exhibition is organised by Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd and supported by the Tamil Nadu government to promote the invaluable work done by the artists of South India.

Exhibition in charge K. Mathiyarasu said the handicrafts which were being displayed included finest works of Thanjavur paintings up to Rs 3.50 lakh made from gold foils and “kundan”.

The exhibition displayed artistic creations in brass ware, bronze idols and stoneware idols with intricate finery to satiate the artistic instincts. The wooden creations contained works on country wood, sandal wood and rosewood carvings.

Besides, the idols of bronze metal having motifs of Lord Natraja, Vishnu and Ganesha also find place in the exhibition.

Master craftsman Loknathan, who has been in this profession since his childhood, said his entire family was entrenched into this business. He said that earlier they used to make paintings of Krishna in different playful moods, but looking into the contemporary market they added feminine figures recently. He said the Thanjavur painting was very arduous work and it took as many as six months to complete.

He would be displaying his masterpiece Balaji in the size of 7 ftx9 ft priced at Rs 3.50 lakh. He said there were Ganesha, Krishna, Durga, Saraswati and Radha-Krishna starting from Rs 2,500 onwards.

He said Thanjavur paintings had a huge market base in Mumbai and Delhi. Foreign tourists also like these paintings and these were very popular in the USA.

Loknathan visited Germany last year through the Ministry of Human Resource and Development and received a tremendous response. He said on an average he put up at least 12 exhibitions in a year throughout the country.

Mathiyarasu said there were a lot of articles for the festive season like lighting lamps for puja, small idols of gods and goddesses, besides gift items such as scented candles, incense sticks, pouches, diaries, photo frames, dried flowers and leaves.

Amritsar, September 5
In the galaxy of educational institutions, the 95-year old DAV Senior Secondary School, Hathi Gate, Amritsar, shines like the polestar. The school, a premier educational institution of the holy city, has been rendering a yeoman’s service to society by providing quality education ever since its inception in 1913. The institution has been scripting scintillating success stories of glorious achievements year after year.

Principal S.K. Luthra says the school is the hub of academic and co-curricular excellence where earnest endeavours are made to chisel the raw talent of the students to groom them into refined and resourceful personalities. The institution has made great strides in all the spheres like academics, co-curricular activities, sports, art and craft and cultural and today enjoys the reputation of being a trend-setting institution and a nerve-centre of pedagogical practices in the city.

Eminent persons of exceptional commitment and calibre have served this institution as principals. Principal Bhagat Ram, a paragon of virtues and a saintly figure, nurtured this institution with his great vision, farsightedness and total commitment. Principal J.P. Shoor carried forward legacy of his predecessor with his dynamism. The school has maintained almost 100 per cent results in the board examinations, merit holders and toppers and scholarship winning students.

To its credit are overall championships at the national, state and district-level sports competitions, maximum prizes in the cultural activities organised by the Punjab School Education Board and outstanding performance in the All-India Mahatma Hans Raj Aryan sports tournaments and youth festivals.

The school is a cradle of successful professionals who have brought laurels to their alma mater. The prominent personalities produced by this institution include eminent doctors, engineers, lawyers, politicians, teachers, internationally renowned artists and players and enterprising businessmen. Veteran parliamentarian and Governor of Bihar R.L. Bhatia, former Governor of Mizoram A.R. Kohli, former Punjab assembly deputy speaker Darbari Lal, former mayor of Amritsar Sunil Dutti, principal of the Amritsar College of Engineering and Technology (Mananwala) Rajneesh Arora, Himachal DGP Pardeep Sharma, DIG (Intelligence) Punjab Varinder Kumar, Patna (Bihar) IGP J.K. Khanna, Prof K.K. Aggarwal, vice-chancellor of Guru Gobind Singh Indrapresth University, New Delhi, Shiv Kumar Sharma, accounts and audit member, WHO (polio project), Late Dr K.K. Khanna, head of Eye Hospital, Medical College, Amritsar, Dr Kamal Kishore Arora, NASA, Dr Deepak Kapoor, professor of computer sciences, University of New Mexico, USA, Dr Chand Khanna, pulmonary physician, California, USA, are a few of the proud products of the school.

The arts department of the school is undoubtedly the best not only in the city but also in Punjab. Over 25,000 books are stocked and various newspapers, magazines and journals are subscribed to for the benefit of the students.

Amritsar, September 5
To garner public support on the need for strict observation of traffic rules, the NCC cadets, NSS volunteers and BCom students of DAV College, Hathi Gate, organised a silent traffic awareness march here on September 3.

The participants were seen holding placards, depicting slogans like observe traffic rules, save your precious life, speed thrills but kills and don’t jump traffic lights. Notably, a student of the college had died in a road accident few days ago.

Three officers of NCC Dr Sanjay Sharma, Sq leader Prof Sunil Sachdeva and Lt Commander Prof Laxmi Kant of Infantry, Air and Naval Wing, respectively, accompanied by Suresh Sharma, vice-principal, led the march which passed through various parts of the old city and other areas. Social activist Brij Bedi lauded the role of students in educating the general masses on traffic rules and said such rallies should be conducted on regular basis. He said that traffic police should also be involved in such initiatives. events. 

Amritsar, September 5
Beas police have booked a man for allegedly raping his mother-in-law. The accused, identified as Onkar Singh is an ex-driver of controversial Nihang chief Ajit Singh Poohla, who was recently burned to death by two inmates of Amritsar Central Jail.

The victim in her complaint alleged that Onkar came to her house and asked his wife to accompany him for some work. However, as her daughter was not keeping well, she accompanied him to his house. Taking the advantage, Onkar allegedly raped her and threatened her to keep her mouth shut. No arrests have been made so far. — OC