The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Honour Killing Youth murdered; beloved, 4 of her family booked Gurbaxpuri Tarn Taran, September 3 In an alleged case of honour killing, Sukhdev Singh (21) of Assal Uttar village, 50 km from here, was strangled by the family of his beloved girl of the same village. The Valtoha police has booked Sukhdev’s beloved Gurjit Kaur, her father Boota Singh and her three brothers, Janta, Gursewak Singh and Channa, under sections 302, 148, 149 and 201 of the IPC. According to information, the brothers of the girl had felt socially humiliated when they came to know about the love affair between the deceased and their sister. The brothers of the girl, who lived just at a stone’s throw from the deceased’s house, called him to their house last evening. As soon as he reached their house, they caught hold of him and gagged him so that he could not raise the alarm by shouting. They thrashed him before strangulating him to death with a rope. They later threw the body on the outskirts of the village. The body was recovered by the police today and was handed over to the parents after conducting a post-mortem examination. SSP Sukhdev Singh Brar said the accused had absconded after the incident but would be nabbed soon. He said police teams had been sent to raid various places to arrest them.
	Sodal Mela: Arrangements largely okay, work needed on hygiene Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 3 Hundreds of devotees from across the region converged on the Sodal Temple to celebrate the historic Sodal Mela despite the inclement weather since early morning. Serpentine queues of devotees, mostly women carrying their infants, could be seen outside the temple. Followers could be seen offering milk, sweetmeats, cash and even jewellery to the deity. Since the fair is all about a child deity, idols of the deity could be seen at different places within the temple where the priests offered prayers on behalf of the devotees. Owing to the rush, gaining entry into the temple was a tough affair with people sweating it out even in the pleasant weather with intermittent showers. Compounding the problem were the parking lots that had been earmarked in far-off places forcing the devotees to walk to the temple. Such was the rush that it took more than an hour to cover a distance of 1 km to the main temple. Even the approaches were jampacked as the area meant for walking had been taken over by stalls on either side. The residents of the localities around the temple too remained trapped around noon and had to take diversions to reach their homes. The police had made elaborate arrangements for entry to the temple and one had to pass through metal detectors, besides manual frisking. The atmosphere around the temple was serene with sacred hymns being played through the public address system. The road from the Devi Talab Temple to the Sodal Temple was decorated with colourful buntings. Numerous langars hosted by various social organisations dotted the approach to the temple. Stalls selling henna, jewellery, glossy caps, games, eatables, swings, rides, circus shows, toys, decoration pieces and kitchenware did brisk business. However, there was much left to be desired with the authorities not making arrangements for clearing the mess once the devotees had partaken of community food. The streetlights too were not functional at night, causing inconvenience to devotees.
	Day 2: Large number of health centres, schools’ staff found absent Gurbaxpuri Tarn Taran, September 3 As many as 26 Medical Officers and other staff members of the Primary Health Centre (PHC), Khemkaran, 45 km from here, were found absent from their duty on the second-day today during a surprise checking of different health centres and other government offices conducted by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Pradeep Kumar Sabharwal. In an official press note issued on behalf of the ADC, it was disclosed that the absentees included Dr Lachhman Das, Senior Medical Officer (SMO), Dr Ajit Singh, MO, Sushil Kumar, chief pharmacist, Gurnam Singh and Rajnish Trehan, both pharmacists, Jasbir Kaur, nursing sister and Kiran Gill, staff nurse. The other paramedical and Class IV staff members found absent included Kulwinder Singh, Amar Singh, Baljinder Singh, Jaspreet Kaur, Rajinder Singh, Rajwant Kaur, Manjit Kaur, Randhir Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Amarjit Singh, Bachitter Singh, Salwinder Singh, Balkar Singh, Mangaljit Singh, Gauri Shankar, Amardeep Singh, Kuldeep Singh and Veero. The ADC said the hospital was found locked till 9 am. All wards were stinking and there was no proper sanitation arrangement. According to the press note, the lone arts and crafts teacher of the Government Middle School, Mehdipur, Vijay Kumar, had been found absent for the past more than 15 days. The village elders and the students of the school recorded their statements in this regards. The ADC instructed the DEO (Secondary) to put the services of Vijay Kumar under suspension immediately. The ADC in his checking at the Subsidiary Health Centre and Veterinary Hospital of Bhikhiwind township found whole staff, except Class IV employees, absent. The present Class IV employees failed to explain the position of the absent employees. Renuka, computer teacher, and Sukhdev Singh, SLA, of Government Secondary School, Bhikhiwind, were found absent from their duty. At the Subsidiary Health Centre, Mehndipur, Dr Gursharan Kaur, in charge, Avtar Singh, MPHW, and Ravinder Kaur, ANM, were found absent from their duties. The ADC found some other irregularities. The ADC said the district administration had been writing to the Secretaries of the departments concerned to take stern action against the erring officials. Today was the second day of checking of different offices by the ADC. A large number of doctors and the other staff of different departments were also found to be absent yesterday.
	Post-thermal plants, Punjab would generate surplus power: CM Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, September 3 Congress leaders always adopt a negative attitude instead of praising the positive works being done by the SAD-BJP government for the development of the state. This was stated by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal while talking to mediapersons at Hardo Thala village near Dasuya, 45 km from here, today. Leaders of political parties should also praise their opponents for the positive works being done by them for the benefit of the people. This would create cordial relations among the leaders of all political parties. Referring to the present crisis of power in Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal said the state government was putting up every effort for the early installation of four thermal plants in different areas of Punjab. With their completion and coming in operation, instead of shortage, the state would have surplus power in the near future. Replying to a question he said the SAD had yet to make up its mind for lending its support to any of the political parties in the forthcoming state assembly elections in Haryana. The final decision in this regard would be made at the proper time before the election. Later, he visited the family of late Jathedar Bhagwan Singh, member of SGPC, who expired on August 29, 2009 to offer condolences. The CM was to participate in the cremation of Bhagwan Singh on August 30, but due to heavy rain, he was unable to attend it.
	Possession of shop We’re framed, say Christains Balraj Mahajan Batala, September 3 A large number of people from the Christian community of Batala, Dera Baba Nanak and surrounding villages gathered at Baring School here today to protest against the alleged nefarious designs of the Amritsar police in connivance with the land mafia and politicians in grabbing the properties belonging to the church. According to Daniel B. Dass, Coordinator Socio-Economic Development Programme (SEDP), Diocese of Amritsar, the excesses of the police became very obvious when it initiated proceedings against Bishop P.K. Samantaroy, Bishop of Diocese of Amritsar, Church of North India (CNI), and other office-bearers of the Amritsar Dioceses Trust Association, in order to take forcible possession of a shop at Court Road, Amritsar, belonging to the association. This incident hurt the sentiments of the Christians in the region, particularly when degrading and derogatory allegations had been levelled against their religious heads alleging that they were trying to take possession of the said shop by breaking locks when no such incident ever took place, they claimed. According to Dass, Bishop Samantaroy was out of station on the day the incident took place and none of the office-bearers were present on the spot either when this incident is said to have happened. Later Christians belonging to different church denominations held a protest march from Baring School to the SDM office, Batala, for submitting a memorandum of their demands, including immediate action against the SHO of Civil Lines police station, Amritsar, and chowki in charge, Circuit House, Amritsar. Rev Bashir Masih (priest in charge, Epiphany Church, Batala), Rev Alias Mash (DS Methodist Church), Major Gurnam Masih (Divisional Commander, Salvation Army), were in procession.
	PAP constable killed in accidental fire Bipin Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Kapurthala, September 3 A PAP constable, Joginder Pal, was killed when a service weapon of a Punjab Police jawan went off accidentally at a barrack adjacent to the Beas bridge near Dhilwan this afternoon. The district police has arrested the Punjab Police jawan, Gurmeet Singh, and a case under section 304 of the IPC registered against him at Dhilwan police station. SSP, Kapurthala, Ram Singh, told The Tribune that Joginder Singh, deployed at a security post of the bridge, noticed Gurmeet Singh, a Punjab Police personnel on PCR duty, and called him for a cup of tea. After having tea, the two sat on benches facing each other and started cleaning their service weapons. After completing the cleaning when Gurmeet Singh loaded the magazine in his weapon it accidentally went off. The bullet hit Joginder Singh below his lower abdomen damaging his vital organs. He was rushed to a private hospital in Beas where he succumbed to his injuries. Joginder Singh was recently transferred from Bhadurgarh in Patiala to the security post. Meanwhile, the body has been sent to the local Civil Hospital for post-mortem examination.
	Addict kills sisters’ father-in-law Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, September 3 Punjab Chief Parliamentary Secretary Des Raj Dhugga’s close relative Sewa Singh (65) of Dhugga Kalan was shot dead by his son’s brother-in-law Kuldip Singh of Sajjana village under Dasuya police station today. According to police sources, Kuldip Singh, who was an addict, today came to the residence of Sewa Singh. While taking tea, a dispute between Sewa Singh and Kuldip arose on some issue. Kuldip alleged that his father was going to disown him at the instigation of Sewa Singh. Enraged over the reply of Sewa Singh, Kuldip fired shots on the former from his pistol and fled. Sewa Singh died on the way to the Civil Hospital, Tanda. Accused Kuldip Singh’s two sisters Surinder Kaur and Nirmal Kaur had been married to deceased Sewa Singh’s sons Ajit Singh and Mandip Singh. The Garhdiwala police has booked Kuldip Singh under section 302 of the IPC and sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act.