Jalandhar, December 27
A day after the Phagwara police seized 50 kg of heroin, a drug peddler opened fire on a team of the narcotics cell, Chandigarh, seriously injuring two constables near Science City in the wee hours today.

Sources said a team of the cell had arrested a smuggler, Sukhwinder Singh, a few days ago in Chandigarh and had recovered 4 kg of heroin from him.

On interrogation, the accused revealed that a big consignment of drugs could be taken into custody if an Indigo car was intercepted on the Kapurthala-Jalandhar road on the night intervening December 26 and 27.

Acting on the information, SP Balwinder Kumar and two constables laid a naka on the road and followed the car for a distance before overtaking it near the Science City. When the SP revealed his identity and asked the occupant to step out of the car, the latter pulled out a pistol and opened fire at the cops injuring the two constables. A bullet hit Rajesh in the back while a bullet hit the other in an arm. A round also hit the official vehicle of the team.

Taking advantage of the dense fog, the accused sped away from the spot.

Balwinder Kumar rushed his men to the Kapurthala civil hospital, where the doctors advised him to take them to Jalandhar. In the afternoon, the doctors told him to shift the injured to the PGI, Chandigarh.

Nawanshahr, December 27
The cases of fraudulent marriages by NRIs are commonly available in the Doaba belt of Punjab. In most of the cases, girls are victims of such marriages. But a case of fraud has come to light here, in which an NRI girl has allegedly duped a youth of Rs 15 lakh on the pretext of solemnising marriage with him.

Balwinder Singh, son of Gurdev Singh of Dhagangarh village in Hoshiarpur, told mediapersons here today that accused NRI Sandip Kaur, daughter of Amrik Singh of Dadyal village in Hoshiarpur, of committing a fraud in the name of marriage with his brother Balbir Singh. Sandip Kaur had been living as a paying guest in the house of his sister Kamaljit Kaur in Canada.

Sandip Kaur had gone to Canada on the basis of “contract marriage” and after divorce, she discussed her marriage plans with his brother-in-law Manjit Singh. When she said that she wanted to get married in India, Manjit Singh proposed the name of his brother-in-law Balbir Singh, to which she readily agreed. She asked him to talk to her father at Dadyal village.

“On receiving a message from Manjit Singh from Canada, we went to Amrik Singh to settle the marriage,” Balwinder Singh said, adding that after a few days Amrik Singh demanded Rs 20 lakh on the pretext that Sandip had to pay some taxes in Canada and get immigration papers for Balbir Singh. The deal was finalised at Rs 15 lakh which was given to him on January 6, 2008, at Baradari Garden, Nawanshahr, said Balwinder Singh.

The “shagun” ceremony was performed on January 30 at Gulpur and February 1 at Dhagangarh village. It was decided that the marriage would be solemnised during Christmas holidays this year.“But on December 8, Amrik Singh refused to solemnise the marriage of his daughter. He also refused to return the money,” Balwinder Singh added.

He has filed a complaint with the SSP here demanding immediate action against the errant persons, he said.

Hoshiarpur, December 27
Two persons, identified as Mandeep Singh and Lakhwinder Singh, both of Kandhalian village, snatched a mobile phone and Rs 10,000 from head constable Sarabjit Singh of Jamshed Chadial last evening.

According to police sources, Sarabjit, who was posted at Garhdiwala police station, stated that after duty he was going to his village.

When he reached near Keshopur, Mandeep Singh and Lakhwinder Singh snatched cash and mobile phone from him and fled.

The Garhdiwala police has registered a case under section 382 of the IPC.

Hoshiarpur, December 27
A pall of gloom descended on Mohalla Bishamber Nagar last night after the news of the death of 22-year-old software engineer Maninder Singh, alias Munna, was broken to his family.

According to family sources, Maninder Singh and his two colleagues were drowned in a sea at Rattangiri in Maharashtra yesterday.

Maninder Singh was working as a software engineer in a multinational company at Gurgoan. He alongwith a group of 11 youths went to Rattangiri to celebrate the Christmas holidays. One of the deceased was from Chandigarh and the other was from Mohali. Their bodies are being sent to Punjab. — OC

Jalandhar, December 27
Time came to a standstill on the cold Friday evening at Jalandhar’s 133rd Shree Baba Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan. The day two performances began on a mellifluous note and made the musical night an event to remember.

The audience was mesmerised by the ace jugalbandi between B.S. Narang, a disciple of Kasturi Lal Jasra from Patiala Gharana, and Manu Seen from Itawa Gharana. The duo presented raag Marwa and sang “Tandav karo Chandike.” Later, they sang a thumri “Yaad piya ki aayi.”

And continuing the musical night further, classical vocalist Sangeet Bandyopadhyay added charm to the festival with raag Kedar and sang “Albeli naar,” which virtually left the audience asking for more.

Next came the tabla exponent Pandit Pooran Maharaj, a disciple of Pandit Kanthe Maharaj from Banaras Gharana. Pt Pooran with his soul stirring performance created an apt ambience for the classical music lovers.

As the performance came to an end the sixth generation musicians from Banaras Gharana, Rajan Mishra and Pandit Sajan Mishra, made the evening all the more musical. Disciples of Ritesh Mishra and Rajesh Mishra, the duo presented their musical soiree till the wee hours of the next morning.

Jalandhar, December 27
A santoor recital at the age of 14 had him floored. The delicate strains emanating from the instrument which, more or less, would become the love of his life, and the persona of his future guru Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, left an impact on his mind which would stay forever.

“It was 1966. From the very moment that I heard the santoor, I knew I had to learn playing the instrument. But my father wanted me to complete my education first.”

Till then, trained in vocal music by father Padma Bhushan late Pandit C.R. Vyas, he gave in to his father’s demand but the damage had been done.

Nine years later when Padmashree Pandit Satish Vyas completed his education with masters in science, he voiced the request again and this time, his surprised father had to give in.

“Then we requested Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma to take me in as a disciple, who, to my absolute delight wilfully accepted me as his shishya. So in 1975 I started my formal training.”

Already established as a business professional, Vyas resigned his job in a company to pursue music as a full-time vocation and passion.

Talking about his experiments in the carnatic classical music, he says, “It is fun to work with south-Indian classical music. The southern ragas are not time bound like the northern classical music and are based on krutis. But doing new things with the santoor gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

Taking a dig at TV channels, he says, “I remember an interview where it was said if there can be three channels for animals can’t there be one for artists. Even a 20-minute slot of classical music on a regular channel can help a lot.”

His memorable experiences as an artist?

I had to perform at Rang Bhavan, Mumbai, in 1995. I was the first performer and stalwarts of classical music were to come next. Kishori Amonkar, who was the last performer that day, somehow had to leave early so she asked me to perform after her. For me it sounded impossible, she being such an accomplished artist. But due to her persistence I had to give in. After my performance I received a standing ovation at the concert.”

His favourite artists in the younger generation?

Among vocalists Jaiteerth Mevundi from the Kirana gharana and Kaushiki Chakrobarty look promising and among instrumentalists I like Purbayan Chatterji.

His future plans?

I’m working in an ensemble which has all foreign artists.

Batala, December 27
The local Baring Union Christian College has always a tradition of enacting plays of certain great writers of the world to enlarge the academic imagination of the students, besides awakening and apprising them of some moral, ethical and spiritual aspects of life.

This tradition, which started in the 1950s, is being undertaken by “The Quest - Dramatic Club” of the college which came into existence in 2003 with Barney Thomson, lecturer in English, as its convener and director.

According to Thomson, the club has been regularly performing various English plays and stories translated into Hindi and directed by him. The main attractions include “The Tragic History of Dr Faustus” by Christopher Marlowe, “The Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare, “Christmas Carols” by Charles Dickens, “Gift of Magi” by O. Henry and “Shard - The Camel Driver” by B. Russell.

These plays, enacted with the support of college students, had a deep impact on the students and local audience. The efforts of the club were appreciated by literary organisations of the area. — TNS