NEIGHBOURHOOD

Docs protest against polyclinic in charge
Tribune News Service

Ropar, September 19
Female doctors posted at the ECHS Polyclinic here today spotted black badges during working hours at the hospital protesting against the in charge for harassing them physically and mentally.

One of the doctors, Dr Deepika Puri, even tendered her resignation protesting against higher authorities as well for not taking any action against the in charge despite repeated complaints and requests. In a press statement, Dr Puri and Dr Balwinder Kaur stated that the in charge of polyclinic, a Lt Col rank officer, had been harassing the female staff.

In their complaint to the station commandant, Chandimandir, dated January 12, the doctors had stated that the officer indulged in vulgar acts and passed indecent remarks.

They said despite repeated complaints, no action had been taken against the officer and the higher authorities had failed to provide justice to complainants.

Fatehgarh Sahib, September 19
A cop deployed at a police post in Kheri Naudh Singh Wala village got electrocuted while he was taking bath in the washroom of the police post around 6.30 am today.

The deceased has been identified as head constable Balwinder Singh, a resident of a village near Amloh. Cops at the police post said an electric wire was wrapped with an iron nail, which was also used for clothesline.

While one constable left the washroom after taking bath and hanged his towel on iron wire without touching it, Balwinder decided to clean the rope before putting his clothes on it.

He was barefooted and caught the iron wire with both his hands. He was declared dead after reaching the Civil Hospital, Khamano. Senior police officials reached the spot and took stock of the situation.

Rajpura, September 19
The police arrested two people for selling kerosene illegally in Ali Majra village today. The accused have been identified as Parkash, manager of Hira Bagh Agency of kerosene whole sale, and a truck driver -- Amarjeet Singh. A case under Section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act has been registered against them at the Sadar police station, Rajpura.

The accused were arrested on a tip off. Two inspectors from the Punjab Food Supplies Department also accompanied cops during the raid. He said nearly 5,000 litres of kerosene had been seized from the possession of accused and efforts were on to get more details from them.

Thablan (Bassi Pathana), September 19
Demanding immediate arrest of the accused involved in the murder of a resident of this village, a large number of residents from Bassi Pathana and adjoining villages protested against the lackadaisical attitude of the police.

Family members of the deceased kept the body at the roadside and said they would not cremate it until all accused involved in the case were not arrested.

They also demanded withdrawal of ‘fake’ cases registered against the aggrieved family members few days back.

Fateh Singh, a resident of this village, was shot dead in a dhaba at Morinda on Thursday allegedly over a land dispute going on for the past long time.

Agitating villagers and kin of the deceased alleged that influential politicians and policemen were trying to pressurise them for the past long time and had registered fake cases against them.

A Member of Parliament from Fatehgarh Sahib constituency also reached the village and expressed sympathy with family members of the deceased.

He said the police was influenced by the market committee chairman of Bassi Pathana who was trying to build a pressure on poor villagers.

Earlier also five people got serious injuries in an attack near a gurdwara in Bassi Pathana, but injured people were booked by the police in this regard, he said.

Meanwhile, police officials reached the village and assured the protesting villagers of suitable action in this regard against the accused.

Chandigarh, September 19
Don’t sentence an undertrial to a life of stigmatic existence even before he is convicted - this was the pronouncement by Justice Ranjit Singh of the Punjab and Haryana High Court that came on the sidelines of a valedictory function of a two-day national seminar on ‘New dimensions of prison reforms’ here today.

“A person who enters the criminal justice system may eventually be acquitted, but still not gain freedom from the disgrace that accompanies even innocent incarceration in jail,” he asserted, adding: “He will still be looked upon as a criminal”.

The feasibility of lodging undertrials in separate homes, instead of prisons, should be considered, he said adding that some of the old jail buildings could be converted into homes for them, while new buildings could be set up for the convicts.

His assertion assumes significance as undertrials constitute almost 66.2 per cent of the prison population. Out of the total, over 90 per cent are first offenders facing allegations of indulging in negligible infirmities. In all, the country has over 3.5 lakh prisoners.

He also stressed on the need for speeding up the process for reducing the burden on prisons. “Speedy justice is the fundamental right of a person,” Justice Ranjit Singh said, while making it clear that he was in favour of liberal bails, remissions for good conduct, and liberal use of probation and parole.

Known for not mincing his words even his judgments, Justice Ranjit Singh was more candid in his comments on police functioning and system of monitoring the fate of cases. 

Chandigarh, September 19
Thieves decamped with Rs 53,000, gold jewellery and three mobile phones from a house at Ram Darbar here last night.

The police said a case of theft had been registered at the police station-31.

The victim, Sham Lal, and some neighbours today met with senior police officials and apprised them of the rising cases of theft.

In another case, an SDO (telecom), Barinder Singh Brar, lodged a complaint with the police alleging Lakhwinder Khan and Sukhpalvir Singh, both residents of Fatehgarh Sahib, were caught red-handed while stealing an air-conditioner from a BSNL tower in Sector 44.

A case under Sections 379 and 511 of the IPC has been registered at the police station-34.

Also, a resident of Sector 18, Naresh Batra, filed a complaint with the police alleging that a servant, Ashok Kumar, of the same sector entered his house and committed theft yesterday.

Chandigarh, September 19
Chandigarh Football Hockey Academy (CFHA) thrashed Jammu Kashmir-XI (7-2) in the inaugural match of the 39th SN Vohra’s All-India Gurmit Memorial Hockey Tournament played at the Sector 42 Hockey Stadium here today.

Gurjant Singh of CFHA scored the first field goal in the seventh minute, while Gagandeep Singh of CFHA hit the board in the 12th minute and scored the second goal.

However, after several attempts, SP Singh of J&K-XI scored the first goal for his team in the 13th minute.

But the ball again came to the stick of CFHA players and it was Gurjot Singh, who nicely hit the board in the 14th minute. Then, Gagandeep Singh scored two consecutive field goals in the 21st and 31st minute.

The CFHA players, Sehajpreet Singh and Gagandeep Singh turned two penalty corners in their favour in the 46th and 54th minute of match.

However, after a long wait of 55 minutes, J&K-XI lad, Amrinder Singh hit another goal for his team in the 68th minute.

Chandigarh, September 19
New Public School, Sector 18, grabbed the spotlight on the final day of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) XIII Table Tennis Tournament hosted by The Banyan Tree School, Sector 48, by claiming three titles out of four at the Sector 23 Table Tennis Hall here today.

NPS players annexed the boys’ under-19, girls’ under-19 and boys’ under-16 titles, while the fourth title of girls’ under-16 went to Manav Mangal School, Sector 21.

Results:

Boys’ under-19: New Public School-18, Chandigarh, bt Durga Public School, Shimla, (3-1); Dev Saini bt Abhay Lakhanpal (11-7, 11-8, 11-9), Dipanjan Roy lost to Shivam Rana (7-11, 8-11, 8-11), Subham Choudhary bt Kartikay (11-7, 11-5, 11-13, 13-11) and Dev Saini bt Shivam Rana (12-10, 11-4, 11-4); girls’ under-19: New Public School-18, Chandigarh, bt SD Public School, Ambala Cantonment (3-1); Upkriti Dixit bt Gurkirat (8-11, 3-11, 7-11), Sumana Saha bt Ginny (11-3, 11-2, 11-5), Afsha Ansari bt Purnima (11-3, 11-4, 12-10) and Sumana Saha bt Gurkirat (11-4, 11-7, 11-1); boys’ under-16: New Public School-18, Chandigarh, bt Manav Mangal-21, Chandigarh (3-0); Shubankar Sarkar bt Aditya (11-5, 4-11, 11-9, 11-8), Tarak Roy bt Tushar (11-5, 11-5, 9-11, 8-11, 11-7) and Ruchit Lakhanpal bt Mudit (11-1, 11-4, 11-1); girls’ under-16: Manag Mangal-21, Chandigarh, bt Bhawan Vidayalaya (3-1); Kalyani bt Vibhuti (11-5, 11-6, 11-5), Sakshi Jain lost to Garima (7-11, 6-11, 7-11), Sanigdha bt Arshdeep (11-5, 10-12, 11-5, 12-10), Kalyani loist to Garima (11-6, 8-11, 6-11, 9-11) and Sakshi Jain bt Vibhuti 11-4, 11-8, 11-9).

Chandigarh, September 19
The UT education department will organise the 55th National School Games in Chandigarh from October 22 to 27.

Games to be played are Gymnastics U-14, 17, 19 boys’ and girls’, softball U-14, 17, 19 boys’ and girls’, fencing U-19 boys’ and girls’ and dodge ball U-19 boys’ and girls’. About 3,000 players from various parts of the country will be seen in action during the national games.

The control room will be situated at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, and teams are expected to reach on October 20.

The education department will provide the accommodation arrangements to all participants and deputed coaches/managers. PS Brar, Gurpreet Singh and Rajeev Tandon will conduct the games. — TNS