Nawanshahr, November 9
The local police today booked five persons in connection with the death of NRI Sarabjit Singh. Among those booked include deceased’s brother Raghbir Singh, his wife Kamaljit Kaur and son Gursharanjitjit Singh, all residents of Bhagauran village. Two more residents of the village, Buta Ram and Jassa Singh, have also been named in the FIR, which was lodged on the complaint of Mohinder Singh, another brother of the deceased.

Sarabjit Singh was fatally assaulted on the intervening night of 27 and 28 October. He succumbed to his injuries at the civil hospital on Saturday. Mohinder, in his complaint, also accused the doctors on duty of showing negligence in the case.

Earlier, police had a tough time dealing with the deceased’s relatives, who wanted the post-mortem examination to be conducted at Jalandhar civil hospital. In the morning, the relatives requested the cops to wait for Sarabjit’s wife and son to arrive from Italy before taking the body to Jalandhar.

However, when the duo reached around 4 pm, the kin didn’t allow the police to shift the body. It was only after much persuasion by DSP Satpal Singh Bhangu and SHO Sadar Sulakhan Singh that the deadlock was resolved and the body was taken to Jalandhar at around 8 pm.

The relatives of the deceased also expressed resentment against the police for not registering a case under section 302 of the IPC.

Meanwhile, a deputation of the district unit of Indian Medical Association, comprising 60 doctors and led by its president Gurdip Singh Sethi, met the SSP Shashi Prabha Dwivedi. Dr Paramjit Mann, general secretary of the unit said the association has expressed displeasure against the move of NRI’s relatives to implicate doctors in the police case.

Nawanshahr, November 9
The Rahon police registered a case under section 302 against Kulwinder Singh, his father Harbhajan Singh and brothers Daljit Singh and Abhey Jit Singh of Jadla village for allegedly murdering Simran Kaur (19), wife of Kulwinder Singh, on Sunday on the basis of the statement of the brother of the victim, Kewal Singh, resident of Bonker Gujjaran village in Ludhiana district, on Sunday.

The body of Simran was recovered from the Rahon-Jadla road late in the evening on Saturday by the police after receiving an information on phone about a road accident. The police got the information that Simran along with her husband Kulwinder Singh was going on a motorcycle to meet her sister residing at Rahon and met with an accident. In the accident, while Simran died on the spot, her husband received injuries and was admitted to a private hospital at Rahon.

But, today the relatives of the deceased, including uncles Baldev Singh and Sucha and borther Kewal Singh, in their statements accused Kulwinder Singh of murdering Simran and enacting the drama of a road accident. They met the police officials for justice.

The relatives of the victim, while narrating their tale of woes, told mediapersons that Simran was married to Kulwinder about two months ago. Her in-laws were harassing her for dowry and there was some other domestic problems also. On Saturday, Simran was going to meet her sister at Rahon and she wanted to tell her about her woes but Kulwinder Singh hatched a conspiracy to murder her in the guise of a road accident.

Gurdial Singh, additional SHO, Rahon, said the police had registered a fresh case on the basis of the statements of the relatives of the victim. The post-mortem examination of Simran was also conducted today.

Jalandhar, November 9
In a spate of robberies, thieves yet again targeted a computer store in the posh locality of Model Town last midnight and decamped with laptops, TFT monitors and other computer peripherals worth lakhs of rupees.

The thieves broke into a room on the first floor of a house after removing the fibre roof sheet of the room where computers were stored in bulk by the trader. After removing the packing of the electronic goods, the thieves reportedly loaded the laptops and other computer parts in a vehicle and escaped.

The trader, Munish Nagpal, was shocked to notice the entire first floor of the house ransacked and laptops and PCs missing in a large number after he went upstair this morning. Nagpal climbed up the staircase when a customer approached him for some peripherals at about 11.30 am.

Talking to The Tribune, Nagpal and his partner Taresh Beri said the thieves took away costly laptops, TFT monitors, hard discs and other electronic spares.

After receiving information, a police party reached the spot and subsequently a dog squad and a team of forensic experts were pressed into service at the scene of the crime.

In the last one month, this is the fourth theft in the city when the hi-tech thieves have targeted computer traders. The thieves had earlier broke into a computer shop in Model Town on October 6 and decamped with computers, laptops and other spares. After a theft bid, the miscreants had also targeted another computer store near the Green Park area. In the third incident, thieves again broke into a computer shop in the Shastri market on Thursday.

The spate of robberies and thefts in the city has caught the police napping. The police has failed to make any headway in any of the thefts till date. No case was registered regarding today’s theft till the filing of the report as the traders and the police personnel were busy in asserting the exact number of stolen goods and the actual loss.

Meanwhile, the Jalandhar Computer Dealers Association today gave a representation listing their grievances to the SSP and sought immediate arrest of the culprits. Ravinder Bhumbla, president of the association, said its members would observe a bandh tomorrow to lodge their protest.

About the recent spate of thefts in the city, SAD president Sukhbir Badal, who was in the city today, said the issue would be taken up with the DIG and the SSP.

Jalandhar, November 9
In what may be termed as a “lollipop” to Dalit leader Pawan Tinu, SAD president Sukhbir Badal has now promised him a ticket for the next assembly elections. In other words, Tinu will have to wait for the next three and a half years.

Pawan Tinu was promised Jalandhar ticket for the Lok Sabha elections when he had decided to merge his Bahujan Kranti Party (BKP) with the SAD a few months back but the things took a U-turn when Sukhbir Badal met renowned Punjabi singer Hans Raj Hans during last week of October.

However, during the formal declaration of allocation of Jalandhar ticket to Hans in Jalandhar on Sunday, Sukhbir Badal said the SAD had changed its earlier decision of fielding Tinu as he had constituted two “centre and state” teams of SAD leaders and Tinu was included in the state team and he would contest the next assembly elections.

At the same time, Sukhbir said Tinu was also appointed joint secretary of the SAD. However, he evaded a query whether Tinu would be appointed as chairman of any board or corporation.

When contacted, Tinu denied that he had been given a “lollipop” with the promise of a ticket for the next assembly elections after cancellation of already promised Jalandhar ticket for the LS poll.

The Dalit leader claimed while talking to The Tribune that he was fully satisfied with the decision of party chief Sukhbir Badal. He was present among other leaders at the local Circuit House where Sukhbir Badal officially declared Hans Raj Hans as SAD candidate from Jalandhar.

Actually according to sources, a strong lobby of SAD and BJP leaders were opposed to the Tinu’s candidature and had been vocal about his “winnability.”

Tinu started active politics after joining the BSP. However, he left it after his differences with some BSP leaders and floated a new political party BKP before the last assembly elections. Later, he decided to merge his party with the SAD a few months back.

Jalandhar, November 9
Dressed in a Pathani suit, shawl on one shoulder, flashing a kaintha around the neck and those curled locks of hair falling carelessly on the forehead, he is all what one would expect to see in a Punjabi folk singer.

The reference “sawal Baloch dachi wala”, which an old Punjabi song so fondly talks about, seems to come alive in the persona of Ustad Shaukat Ali, the renowned Punjabi folk singer from Pakistan, who was here to perform at the Kapurthala Heritage Festival.

Starting off when he was a student of class III, he first sang for the play “Saeede Hawas” by playwright Agha Hashar Mahmood. “Most of the characters in the play were supposed to sing. I used to be part of the group which would say the prayers in the morning assembly in my school. So it was there that I was picked up by Mahmood sahib. I sang the song ‘Babul ik paisa de de’ by Rafi (Mohammad Rafi) in the play.”

Taught by his elder brother Inayat Ali, he says music runs in his family. “We have been connected to music through my mother’s side of the family. ‘Mere walid sahab darji si pahalwani vi karde si’,” he says.

How was it coming to India in 1982 for the Asian Games?

It was a great experience. I met Indira Gandhi, Sunil Dutt, Asa Singh Mastana and Surinder Kaur. After that I couldn’t come to India for a long time.

With the changed political scenario and artistes opening up again. How do you feel?

It feels great to be back. Allah nazar na laye... sannu nazaran vi badi chheti lagdiyan ne.

Talking about the immortal “chhalla, originally sung by him and made popular by Gurdas Mann, he says, “Gurdas is like a younger brother. ‘Ohne gaya main gaya ikko hi gal hai’ (it makes no difference whether he sings it or me).

What do you have to say about reality shows?

‘Jitthe sona ghadiya janda hai othhe kainkar zaroor digde ne’ (small bits of gold always fall at the place where gold is carved). A talented person would surely come out of the crowd of singers.

You have been an ardent fan of Rafi. How was it meeting him?

In 1979 me and Rafi Sahib had been called for an event in London. In the evening we were sitting together. After dinner he was about to get up. Sitting on the chair right next to him, I held his knees and asked him to sit. He said, “Khan Sahib gunahgaar na karo.” “Puttar kaho Khan Sahib na kaho,” I replied back. His son then took me to his car and showed me all my records he had been listening to.

Your shawl is considered your trademark. You are never seen without it.

Yes I love sporting it. Shawl ne sadde aib dhakke hoye hai (the shawl covers up the shortcomings). Chitti chadar lah sutt kuriye..te pahen fakira loi…chitti daag lagi si chaddar…loi daag na koi, he quotes.

Who are your favourite singers from Bollywood these days?

I have always liked Lataji and Jagjit Singh. Among the younger generation, I adore Sonu Nigam, Sukhwinder and Jaspinder Narula.

Batala, November 9
Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon laid the foundation stone of a bridge over Kiran Escape (drain) here on Sunday.

While talking to mediapersons, Kahlon stated that the government was to spend Rs 543 crore on widening and constructing roads and bridges. The Kiran Escape bridge was to cost Rs 2 crore and would benefit people of about 25 villages. It would also cut-short the distance for the students to approach their educational institutions.

The government was to renovate schools at Dharampur Randhawa, Shahpur Jajan and Lale Nangal.

Link roads (19 km) were to be relaid at a cost Rs 3.5 crore. Another Rs 11 crore had been earmarked for the repair of link roads.

About 14,000 schoolteachers had been appointed and selection of medical officers was in the pipeline. Kahlon declared that no school would remain without a teacher. A sum of Rs 117 crore would be spent on the repair of irrigation channels.