Jalandhar, November 19
Members of the family of Arshnoor, a four-year-old boy, who was kidnapped for ransom by two motorcycle-borne youths on Monday evening, heaved a sigh of relief after the police handed over their son to them here this afternoon.

The kidnappers made a phone call to the victim’s house in the Santokhpura locality, informing them that Arshnoor had been safely released in a park in Adarsh Nagar this afternoon. The family members subsequently informed the police and the boy was recovered from the park.

Talking to The Tribune, child’s mother Prabhjot Kaur said Arshnoor was initially under shock but recovered later. “Though he could not recall the sequence of the events, we are not putting him under undue pressure to do so,” she said.

SP (city-I) S.K. Kalia claimed that the kidnappers released the boy following police pressure. The police had already launched a hunt to nab the kidnappers.

Sources revealed that the police also recovered the motorcycle used by the kidnappers in committing the crime.

Arshnoor was kidnapped by two motorcycle-borne youths for a ransom of Rs 30 lakh from outside his house in the Santokhpura locality on Tuesday evening.

They had picked up the boy in the presence of the family members, put him on the bike and sped away from the scene.

Jalandhar, November 19
The state information commissioner (SIC) has slapped a penalty of Rs 25,000 on the public information officer (PIO) in the office of the principal secretary, health and family welfare department, Punjab, for not providing information to a Ludhiana resident even after one year.

The information commissioner has also directed the principal secretary (by name) to appear before the commissioner with the required information sought by Kuldeep Kumar Kaura, a resident of Urban Estate, Focal Point, Ludhiana, on the next date of hearing to ensure compliance of the order.

Kaura had sought information regarding “grant/withdrawal of higher grade of PCMS, Class-1, doctors after four, nine and 14 years” under the Right to Information Act, 2005, from the public information officer (PIO), principal secretary, health and family welfare department, Punjab, in Chandigarh, on October 29, 2007.

Even though the complainant had sought information almost over an year ago, yet the department failed to provide them the information and was requesting for adjournment on every hearing.

The SIC said the department failed to provide the information despite hearing held on March 5, July 21, August 20, and October 6.

A superintendent of health, branch-IV, appeared before the commission with an authority letter and knowledge of the case on October 6.

He chose to ignore the show cause notice issued under section 20(1) of the RTI Act, calling upon the PIO, via order dated May 5, 2008, to file an affidavit as to why penalty be not imposed on him for his failure in supplying the information within the prescribed time.

The SIC observed: “In these circumstances, it is proved that the PIO has not only failed to supply the complete information within the stipulated time but has also failed to explain the reasons for the delay in the case before the commission. Therefore, penalty at the rate of Rs 250 per day, from July 21, 2008, subject to maximum of Rs 25,000, is imposed upon the PIO under the RTI Act, 2005.”

Jalandhar, November 19
Teachers working in more than 70 colleges affiliated to Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, today held a rally in front of deputy commissioner’s office and proceeded on mass casual leave in protest against non-implementation of their demands.

The rally was held in response to a call given by the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU).

The teachers demanded implementation of the career advancement scheme (CAS) for DPEs and librarians along with restoration of 95 per cent deficit grants-in-aid scheme for the teachers.

“The state government has failed to implement the assurance made by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to amend the security of service act on January 5 this year,” PPCC general secretary Jagwant Singh said.

He lambasted the Punjab government for its poor performance in the field of education and health. He said the government had failed in providing HRA in rural colleges, pension-gratuity scheme and payment of arrears. The next rally pertaining to their demands would be held at Patiala on November 26.

Jalandhar, November 19
Hundreds of factory workers, under the aegis of the joint action committee (JAC) of the national trade unions, staged a dharna outside the house of assistant labour commissioner (ALC) Inderjeet Singh to protest against the alleged violation of labour laws in most of the factories.

The factory workers gathered at Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall and marched in a procession to the house of the ALC located in Urban Estate (Phase II) after passing through different areas.

Talking to The Tribune, JAC convener Hari Muni Singh alleged that labour laws were not being implemented in most of the factories located in Jalandhar and the labour department was also not taking strict action against the erring factory owners.

Besides, more than 50 per cent workers in the factories were not allowed to mark their attendance as they were being treated as ‘kutcha’ employees to avoid implementation of labour laws.

Demanding immediate transfer of ALC Inderjeet Singh from Jalandhar, the JAC convener further alleged that the labour department also failed to ensure the minimum wages of Rs 2,670 to most of the workers in different factories.

To encourage cooperative societies of vegetable growers, a food processing plant was being set up at Ludhiana by Markfed at a cost of Rs 55 crore, SAD chief added.

Fathegarh Churian (Gurdaspur), November 19
Officiating principal of the local Government Senior Secondary School for Girls Bhupinder Kaur today appealed to the students and their parents to contribute positively to maintain the academic atmosphere of the institution.

Talking to Thr Tribune, she said as the final examinations of all the classes were approaching, peace needed to be maintained in and around the institution so that education could be imparted to the students in a proper manner.

The students of the school have been agitating against the transfer of its principal Sukhdev Singh Kahlon from here to Ludhiana allegedly on political considerations.

The students have been boycotting their classes, holding marches in the town and jamming traffic frequently to lodge their protest against the transfer of the principal for the past more than one week.

Hoshiarpur, November 19
The district consumers forum ordered Nokia Electra Care, Sector 35-A, Chandigarh, to pay Rs 20,250 along with Rs 1,000 as litigation expenses to Dr Gurdip Singh, son of Sudarshan Singh of Bullowal, within one month.

Dr Gurdip Singh filed a complaint with the forum in which he stated that a Nokia phone set (35395010173574) N-series 76, having a warranty of one year, purchased by him from Makkar Palace here had developed defects.

When he approached the local Nokia Care Centre, Sutehri Road, and Makkar Palace, the owners of these shops advised him to send it to Nokia Electra Care, Chandigarh.

On their advice, he handed over the phone set to Nokia Electra Care on December 12, 2007, and the latter gave him a repaired set with the assurance that the original set would be returned. But even after a period of three months Nokia Electra Care did not return the original mobile set.

Later, the company withdrew the N-series sets from the market due to a manufacturing defect.

The consumers forum, on the basis of evidence, held that Nokia Electra Care had handed over the repaired set to Dr Gurdip Singh with the assurance that the original set would be returned, but it failed to return the original phone set to him which amounts to deficiency in service.

The consumers forum also directed Dr Gurdip Singh to return the old repaired set to Nokia Electra Care.

Hoshiarpur, November 19
A case of dowry death surfaced at Terkiana village in Mukerian last evening when a newlywed fell victim to the menace just after 10 months of her marriage.

According to police sources, Nazar Singh of Gunopur village under the Puranasala police station in Gurdaspur district stated that his daughter Jaswinder Kaur was married to Parminder Singh, alias Onkar Singh, son of Karnail Singh, of Terkiana on January 27, 2008.

Jaswinder had been given sufficient dowry at the time of her marriage. After one-and-a-half months of the marriage, her husband Parminder Singh, father-in-law Karnail Singh, mother-in-law Manjit Kaur, sister-in-law Kulwinder Kaur and brother-in-law Avtar Singh allegedly started torturing her.

They asked her to bring a Royal Enfield motorcycle, an air-conditioner, etc. from her parents. When Jaswinder told the demand of the members of the in-laws family, her parents showed their helplessness.

Meanwhile, on November 6 she gave birth to a female child at Military Hospital, Pathankot, which further annoyed the members of her in-laws’ family.

When Nazar Singh came to know about the birth of a child to his daughter, he went to the in-laws’ house to greet the family, but he allegedly faced the wrath of the family and was pushed out of the house.

Jaswinder told her parents that she had an apprehension that she might be killed by her in-laws.

Next day, Nazar Singh received information from Terkiana village that Jaswinder had been admitted at the civil hospital, Dasuya.

He, along with some influential persons of the village, immediately rushed to the hospital and found Jaswinder Kaur dead.

Nazar Singh alleged that members of Jaswinder’s in-laws’ family forcibly gave some poisonous substance to his daughter due to which she died. A case was registered.

When she was sitting in the parikarma, she noticed that the zip of her bag was open. She immediately raised the alarm.

Members of the task force in the complex told her that a woman pickpocket was detained and taken to the Kotwali police station. She said all valuables were intact.

Pathankot, November 19
The Sujanpur police has intensified its drive to nab students involved in morphing an MMS of a girl studying in a local college.

Sujanpur SHO Paramvir Saini said here today that the police had registered a case against seven students of a local college, alleged to be her colleagues, under sections 292, 294, 384 and 120-B of the IPC and the Information Technology Act, 2007. He said a clipping of the message had also been sent to be tested.

The SHO said the accused had been absconding since the case was registered
against them.

He assured the deputation led by the father of the aggrieved girl that the culprits would soon be brought to book.