NEIGHBOURHOOD

DTO arrested for graft
Was demanding Rs 50,000 from transporter
Gurdeep Singh Mann
Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 20
Dr J P S Walia, professor in the Department of Orthopaedics of Rajindra Hospital, has brought laurels to the hospital by carrying out the first knee-replacement surgery.

Dr Walia said here today that Gurcharan Kaur, a resident of Dhuri in Sangrur district, was admitted to the hospital on November 4 and underwent diagnostic tests. She had a history of rheumatoid arthritis and had acute pain in the knee for the last 30 years.

The patient underwent surgery on November 8 for knee replacement. The high-flex knee replacement surgery for her right knee was successful and she had been kept in hospital for 10 days. The surgery lasted 90 minutes.

Dr Walia said Gurcharan Kaur started physiotherapy exercise from the next day of the surgery and she was able to walk from the fifth day of the surgery.

Dr Walia said the peculiar advantage of this surgery was that a patient suffering from osteoarthritis not only started walking just after five to six days of surgery but also could flex knees for more than 90 degrees so much so that he or she could even sit in squatting position.

He said the cost of this surgery at Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector-32, Chandigarh, was Rs 1.25 lakh while in Fortis Hospital this was Rs 2.25 lakh. However, in Rajindra Hospital it had cost the patient only Rs 90,000.

Dr Walia has to his credit the record of doing three hip replacement surgeries in a single day on two occasions. The hip replacement in Rajindra Hospital costs only Rs 20,000 compared to Rs 1 lakh being charged in private hospitals. Dr Walia has been performing these surgeries on a regular basis.

Bassi Pathana, November 20
An awareness camp about the dreaded diseases and the growing menace of social evils like female foeticide, drug abuse, dowry and AIDS, was organised by the district health department, in collaboration with the Indian Medical Association, at civil hospital here today.

Surjit Singh Dhillon, deputy commissioner, inaugurated the camp whereas Dr Satwant Kaur Bhalla, civil surgeon, presided over the camp.

The representatives of various social, religious, political organisations along with schoolchildren participated in the camp. Dr N.S. Bawa, a renowned social activist, organised an exhibition that was also inaugurated by the deputy commissioner.

Surjit said the youth was falling for drugs and it was the responsibility of society as a whole to educate them. He also urged the health department to take immediate measures to control dreaded diseases and also, to aware the masses about these diseases by organising such seminars.

Dr Mohinder Singla, district president, IMA, read a paper on the causes, precautions and prevention of diseases like AIDS, Dengue and TB. Dr Bhalla gave a detailed note about the initiatives being taken by the health department to control these diseases.

Dr Kuldeep Singh Kang said such seminars and awareness camps would be organised in rural areas to educate the people. Schoolchildren presented skits highlighting social evils and also took part in the declamation contest.

Rajpura, November 20
The police booked five persons of a family, including two women, today for killing 30-year-old Davinder Kaur over the pretext of demanding dowry from her.

Six years ago, Davinder was married to Harbans Singh, a resident of village Mohi and owner of a chemist shop in village Kharaula. Her in-laws were demanding dowry from her over one pretext or the other. The mother-in-law was also torturing her for not having any child even after six years of the marriage.

In a complaint to the police, father of Davinder Kaur alleged that her in-laws had strangulated her daughter last night. A case in this connection has been registered against five family members, including her husband, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law and sister-in-law. No arrests have been made by the police in this connection.

Chandigarh, November 20
SI Hardit Singh and SI Charanjit Singh Virk today withdrew the case challenging the orders of the IG, Chandigarh, wherein he had taken back the permission granted to the two for pursuing a course in LLB.

Hardit Singh, SI of Cyber Crime Investigation Cell, and Charanjit Singh, SI of Crime branch, had filed a petition before a local court on November 17, wherein they have sought for injunction to allow them to continue their course.

The plaintiffs appeared in the entrance exam to take admission in the three-year course of LLB this year and were selected for the session that was to start in July 2008. Thereafter, the plaintiffs sought permission and were allowed to appear for it with a letter dated June 24. The plaintiffs specified two other cops, namely SI Harjit Kaur, and SI Ram Rattan were also permitted to appear in the LLB and MA courses, respectively, in the letter. Subsequently, the plaintiffs deposited a fee of Rs 6,316 and started attending evening classes.

The plaintiff received the order dated September 1, wherein, the permission to appear in LLB was withdrawn with an immediate effect on the administrative grounds.

Furthermore, they were informed on November 10 that their admission would be cancelled and would not be allowed to appear in examinations for attendance.

Panchkula, November 20
Allegations of Raipur Rani residents comes out to be true when the samples of meat seized by the Raipur Rani police from the venue of a marriage party on August 12 were found to be of beef. The district police has submitted a report in the local court.

It was on August 12 when infuriated over the use of banned meat at a marriage ceremony on the outskirts of Hangoli village, the locals allegedly thrashed a group of people belonging to another community. Though no one was seriously injured in the incident, the police arrested all 30 persons, including the father of the bridegroom, who were there to attend the wedding party.

The locals alleged that the guests were to be served with beef at the wedding feast. Thereafter, they thrashed everybody, including the bridegroom, his family members and other guests before handing them over to the police. The protesters even attempted to block the National Highway No. 73 to mark their protest.

Zirakpur, November 20
The residents of Ravindra Enclave, Zirakpur, thwarted a burglary attempt in a house here. The residents claimed that the accused was climbing the wall to enter the house, and was noticed by Sanjeev Kumar, a nephew of the owner of the house.

Sanjeev raised an alarm with accused’s name and chased him, who managed to run into the nearby fields.

On Thursday morning, the residents approached the local police, who raided the house of Paramjeet, resident of the same area, and arrested him on the identification by the residents.

Zirakpur SHO Ranjodh Singh said the accused was arrested for attempting theft after the residents alleged him of being seen attempting to enter the house. A case has been registered.

Sources said in the past two months, five theft incidents had been reported in the same locality, and the police had failed to take any necessary step. The residents said they had been fed up with the increasing thefts in the society, leading which they decided to vigil on the area and increased the heights of walls.

Panchkula, November 20
The police has booked five youths allegedly involved in group clash at the market of Sector 9 here yeterday night. The accused have been identified as Gopi, Arjun, Preeet, Vishav Veer and Rahul.

According to the police, two groups of youths clashed over parking issue in the market after which the youths using swords and iron rods leaving three injured.

Chandigarh, November 20
St Xavier’s School, Sector 44, qualified for boys semifinal where they are pitted against St Xavier’s of Mohali, while NPS-18 will play St Xavier’s, Panchkula, in the first semifinal of the Emily Memorial Basketball Tournament being played at the St Xavier School’s courts here.

St Xavier’s of Mohali outpointed St Stephen’s School, Sector 45, by 52-35 in the boys quarter-final encounter. The winners raced to a 10-point lead (17-7) at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter was evenly contested and Xavier’s won this quarter by just one point (12-11).

The third quarter-final was a low scoring affair which Xavier’s clinched by 9-4. St Stephen’s put up a good fight in the fourth quarter and in a close race, Xavier’s won by 14-13.

Simran scored from all angles to top score with 36 points for Xavier’s. Aman and Devinder contributed seven and six points, respectively.

New Public School proved too good for DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, once a force to reckon with, by 57-20. The NPS trio of Sartaj, Gurloveleen (11 each) and Bhupinder (5) outplayed the DAVSSS-8 cagers in all departments of the game. Chetan (7) and Amit (4) were the main scorers for DAV School.

Xavier’s prevailed over Shishu Niketan-22 by 27-17. St Xavier’s-44 girls took their appointed place in the semi-final at the expense of St Xavier’s of Panchkula whom they edged out by 57-39.

The NPS girls snuffed out the challenge of Carmel Convent, Sector 9, by 44-36. Varsha top scored with 21 points for the winners. Simran and Aanchal scored nine points each for the losers.

Chandigarh, November 20
Kulwant Singh (BSc III), Munish (BSc III CS), Amarjeet Singh (B.Com I), Mithu (B.B.A III) and Rajendra Singh (B.A.II) emerged the best athletes during the 56th Annual Athletics Meet of the Government College, Sector 11, that concluded here today on the college ground.

In hammer-throw event, Jasvinder Singh (B.P.Ed.I) bagged the first position. Sandeep Pannu (B.A. I) got the first place in 10,000 m event and Bir Bahadur Singh (B.P.Ed. IV) emerged winner in 4X400 relay.

In the 4X400 relay, Satish (B.P.Ed.IV) clinched the first position while Puran, Vinod and Meharban of B.P.Ed.(I) shared the second position. The third place was annexed by Arvind Kumar, Amarjeet, Dhananjay and Amit, all of B.Com (I).

Other results:

Tug of war (Hostel): 1. Main Hostel 2.New Hostel 3.General Hostel

Triple jump: 1.Bhagwant Singh (B.A.II) 2 Sandeep Sharma (B.P.Ed. III) 3.Inderjeet Singh (B.P.Ed. I).

2 km (Run & Walk) Girls: 1. Nisha (B.Sc.II) 2. Mamta (B.Sc. BT III) 3. Pooja (B.Sc. BT II).

2-km walk (Female teaching staff) (Below 35 years): 1.Priya Goyal 2. Kanchan 3. Aparna Kaushal.

2km (Walk) female teaching staff (Above 35 years): 1.Shahbano 2.Aparna 3.Kaushal and Sukhwinder Kaur.

100mtr. (female teaching staff): 1.Sonu Aggarwal 2. Priya Goyal 3. Kanchan.