Jalandhar, February 19
A pall of gloom descended on the CT group of educational institutions soon after the news of the death of two students in a road accident spread among the students this morning.

While a section of the students was in deep grief, the other turned violent after the institute management restrained them from extending help to the victims.

The angry students ransacked the building, including the offices of different departments, smashing windowpanes, uprooting decorative street-lights and damaging flower vases all around the offices. The protesters did not even spare the administrative block of the institute.

Ironically, the institute could not provide any first-aid to the injured students who approached the college management. The profusely bleeding students were rushed to the pharmacy and the administrative blocks but faced disappointment as there was hardly any provision for providing preliminary medical aid to the injured.

Telephone bells were constantly ringing as impatient parents eager to know about the well-being of their children, called the campus. Students were seen crying and consoling one another. Teachers and police personnel were seen shooing away the students to their classes. On their toes, the teachers checked identity cards of suspects inside the institute premises. Cops, on the spot, cane-charged certain students who lodged their protest against the indifferent attitude of the authorities.

According to sources, the move was initiated on the instructions of the management. Sudents were finally stuffed into the institute buses and dropped at their respective destinations.

Talking to The Tribune, institute chairman Charanjit Singh Channi said that criminal cases would be registered against the rioting students who caused damage to the institute’s property. The institute management was seemingly indifferent to the plight of the students and allegedly hardly made any effort to console the families of the victims at different hospitals.

Moreover, no financial compensation was announced foir the victims’ families, even on the demand of the agitating students. The hostlers were made to sit on the ground outside the hostel premises after they sought permission for making calls to their parents. They were asked not to call their parents but to have lunch.

Hoshiarpur, February 19
Apprehending his arrest by a chasing police party, a youth, identified as Gurmukh Singh, son of Mehima Singh of Bihran village, under Garhshankar police station, shot himself in the head near Bhuno village today.

SSP Parmod Bhan told mediapersons here this evening that a special naka had been erected to check the anti-social elements on the Hoshiarpur-Mahilpur road. On seeing two youths coming on a Yamaha motorcycle, the police party, headed by SHO Kulwant Singh and Mahilpur CID unit in charge, signalled them to stop. Instead of halting, the duo sped towards the Bahowal-Bhuno road. The police chased them and due to the road closure about 500 metres ahead of Bhuno village, they diverted towards the fields. But when the motorcycle got stuck in the mud, they left it in the fields and ran away. The youth who was driving the motorcycle fled, however, the pillion rider, while fleeing, fired four shots on the chasing police party. When the police reached near Bhuno village, the youth shot himself in the head and died on the spot.

During his search, the police seized a .9-mm pistol made in the USA along with 12 live cartridges, a .315-bore country made pistol along with two live cartridges and a wedge without handle wrapped in a newspaper. The registration number of the motorcycle (PC-09-7913) of Kapurthala was also found fake during verification.

The accomplice of the deceased was identified as Gulshan, son of Hari of the same village, said the SSP.

Though there was no criminal record of both the youths with the police, they were not enjoying good reputation in the area, he added.

The SSP further said the Garhshankar SDM had been asked to conduct an inquiry into the matter. The body of Gurmukh Singh has been sent to the civil hospital, Garhshankar, for a post-mortem examination.

An FIR under sections 307 and 34 of the IPC and sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered in Mahilpur police station.

Pathankot, February 19
PWD minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa laid the foundation stone of 311-metre bridge to be constructed over the Ujj river, near Bamial, in the Narot Mehra constituency, about 35 km from here, today.

Dhindsa said on completion of the bridge people of more than 14 villages would benefit.

Dhindsa said the project would cost of Rs 13 crore. He disclosed the state government would spend Rs 1,500 crore with the aid from NABARD on the construction of bridges and roads in the state.

On the occasion SAD-BJP candidate for the Gurdaspur seat Vinod Khanna said he felt that due to certain reasons he could not spare much time to listen to the problems of the people but he promised to spend maximum time in the constituency if sent to Parliament this time.

Transport minister Master Mohan Lal said there were differences between leaders of the Punjab BJP and the SAD on the issue of inducting Sukhbir Singh Badal as Deputy Chief Minister. He said the national leadership of the party had endorsed the decision of the SAD.

Jalandhar, February 19
With the strike of the All India Defence Civilian Canteen Employees Union reaching its third day, the serving and retired Army personnel of Jalandhar cantonment and surrounding areas are facing a tough time.

A nationwide strike, which began on February 17, was declared following the failure of the government in implementing the revised basic pay scales. In Jalandhar, the Army personnel visiting the unit-run canteens (URCs) had to return empty handed as the staff was not on work.

T.S. Chauhan, union’s secretary general, said “The government has not shown any signs of acceptance of our demands" he added. — TNS

Amritsar, February 19
The three-day fifth Amritsar Heritage Festival will begin at Virsa Vihar tomorrow after a gap of more than two years.

The festival has enlisted several events that truly are the identity of Amritsar, including visits to heritage buildings and five sarovars, competitions of kite-flying, eating joints and stalls of Amritisari cuisines, etc.

Deputy commissioner Bhagwant Singh said at a press conference here yesterday that 34 heritage and historical buildings had been identified where visits of the participants would be ensured. Visits would be arranged to these buildings, including Jallianwala Bagh, Gurdwara Saragari, Ahluwalia Fort, Akhara Chita, Akhara Sanglwala and Akhara Balanand situated in the interior of the walled city on February 22.