NEIGHBOURHOOD

Onscreen pals to turn offscreen foes
Raj Babbar, Gurdas Mann to campaign for Kalka seat
Arun Sharma
Tribune News Service

Kalka, October 8
The insensitivity prevailing among Haryanvis came to fore when a 32-year-old man kept on lying unconscious for a considerable period of time in the Kali Mata Temple before he died in the absence of medical aid here today.

Around 12 in the noon the deceased, identified as Sanjiv Kumar, was found unconscious in a bathroom of the temple. The attendants at the temple pulled him out of the bathroom and left him on the veranda presuming that he had suffered a fit. However, nobody bothered to take him to the hospital and after around half an hour Sanjiv died and the matter was reported to the police.

It took the police more than an hour to reach the spot. By then the mother of Sanjiv had already taken the body to her home with the help of visitors at the temple.

Omkar, one of the eyewitnesses, told The Tribune that Sanjiv, a resident of Adarsh Colony, was spotted by a priest in an unconscious state in the toilet. A few persons took him out of the toilet and left him on the stairs for dying on the main gate of the temple. No one, including hundreds of devotees, took the pain to take him to a hospital and kept on passing through like a silent spectator.

The local police was immediately informed about the incident by a home guard on duty. A suicide note was found on him alleging that he was being mentally tortured by his in-laws since the past couple of months. The family sources said he was married six months back.

Patiala, October 8
Health department authorities are ready for a major crackdown on the quacks operating from Patiala district, particularly in the rural areas. In order to ensure that people do not fall prey to the quacks, the health department authorities have chalked out a comprehensive strategy.

Sources in the department revealed that health authorities had received several complaints about quacks, operating mainly from the villages, and now the department was gearing up to crack a whip against them.

While conforming this, Civil Surgeon Dr Sham Lal Mahajan told The Tribune, “We are committed to check quackery and for the purpose, teams of the health department are already on job.” He further said after doing the necessary groundwork and collecting the details about the quacks necessary action would be initiated against them. “We will not only initiate action against the quacks but will also ensure that things do not come to square one after few days,” asserted Dr Mahajan.

Notably, after the raids on September 23, the then SSP, Arpit Shukla, had said there was involvement of large number of the sweet shop owners of Patiala in this entire matter. He had also said they were preparing the lists of the erring shopkeepers and would initiate strict action against them.

Patiala, October 8
M. M. Modi College, Patiala, won the Punjabi University Inter College Football Championship held on Punjabi University Campus here today. The winning team defeated Mata Gujri College Fatehgarh Sahib by 4-0.

Dr Satish Bhardwaj, college principal and chairman, Punjabi University football selection committee, Surjit Singh Gill, Dalbir Singh Randhawa, university coach and Dr Rashpaul Singh, chairman sports committee, Modi College, gave away the trophy.

Dr Satish Bhardwaj congratulated the winners and appreciated the efforts of the team in charge Prof Nishan Singh.

The winning team included Pawandeep, Bikramjit, Gurlal Singh, Shehbaz Singh, Gagandeep Singh, Preetjot, Karamjit, Parmeet Singh, Gurbir Singh, Vikrampal, Amandeep, Sukhbir Singh and Lakhwinder Lal.

Chandigarh, October 8
The sensational custodial death case of a youth that took place at the Mani Majra police station on July 12, 2007, is now close to being decided as the court has put it on final arguments on October 12.

After examination of the prosecution witness of one of the doctors of the board, which had conducted post-mortem on the body of Anil Kumar, the statement of the accused was recorded today in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Raj Rahul Garg, wherein the accused reiterated his earlier statement pleading innocence in the case.

Anil was allegedly beaten to death at the Mani Majra police station on July 12, when the police personnel had picked him up on mere suspicion. Later, the police had booked sub-inspector Narinder following the death of Anil Kumar, who had died under mysterious circumstances at the Mani Majra police station.

The police had earlier claimed that the victim, then 21-year-old, had jumped to death at the police station, the victim’s family had alleged that he was tortured in custody and was murdered by the police. Anil was picked up by the police on a complaint by one Surjit Kaur of Modern Housing Complex, Mani Majra, alleging that she had seen a youth roaming in suspicious circumstances. A DDR was recorded.

Anil was picked for verification of his antecedents. He gave an address, which was found to be incorrect.

The victim’s uncle, Ved Prakash, had alleged that the case in charge, Narinder Singh, had been misleading them about the death. He had changed his statement thrice and was coercing them into taking away the body without post-mortem.

The court had on December 15, 2008, framed charges against SI Narinder Singh under Sections 304 (II) and 218 of the IPC.

Chandigarh, October 8
A local court has issued fresh non-bailable warrants against MC councillor Devinder Singh Babla.

The court of Judicial Magistrate Anshul Berry has issued the warrants to be executed by October 13.

The police has also moved an application, seeking directions to start proceedings for declaring him a proclaimed offender (PO). The court is yet to take any decision on it.

Babla, former chairman of the Grain Market Committee, and Rakesh Saini, president of the Grain Market Arhtiya Association, was booked on August 19 for allegedly trying to allot compensatory sheds to 10 ineligible persons.

His earlier anticipatory bail plea was dismissed and non-bailable warrants were issued to him in September by the district courts.

He then approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court for anticipatory bail, which was rejected on October 6.

The complainant in this case is Suraj Parkash Ahuja, owner of shop numbers 9-10 in the grain market, who had lodged a complaint, alleging that irregularities were committed during the auctioning and allotting of platforms in the market on July 24.

Chandigarh, October 8
The fear of his brother being spoiled in the company of 25-year-old Navin John, alias Kikki, who was stabbed to death in Maloya last night, is being cited as the reason behind the heated debate between the victim and the prime accused, which led to the killing.

The police has arrested four persons, including the prime accused, for the murder.

Rajinder, alias Bhura, the alleged prime accused in the murder, told the police that his brother Vikram picked up bad habits in Kikki’s company. He got infuriated seeing his brother with Kikki and when he objected his brother from keeping his company, an argument followed between them, which took a bloody turn.

Bhura claimed that his younger brother Vikram had taken to drugs and was involved in petty crimes after he came in Kikki’s contact. He said his family was troubled at Vikram’s company and had warned him several times not to meet Kikki.

Vikram had jumped bail in a theft case registered at Ropar. They were unable to furnish his bail bonds due to financial implications. The entire family was facing hardships owing to his bad company, said Bhura.

The police said Bhura of Maloya, along with his friends Mandeep, alias Gaggi, Avtar and Gurpreet, alias Babbu, all residents of Saini Majra village in Mohali, had been booked for murder and common intention on a complaint lodged by victim’s brother Lamlesh. Kikki was married and was unemployed.

The incident took place around 11.30 pm when Bhura reached Maloya and found Vikram in the company of Kikki and Lamlesh. Bhura called his brother, who refused to come and he tried to pull him. Kikki intervened and a scuffle took place between them. Kikki reportedly took out a dagger. However, Mandeep managed to snatch it and thrust the same into Kikki’s chest.

Kikki collapsed on the spot and was rushed to the PGI, but he reportedly died on the way. The accused fled the spot, but the police nabbed them later. They were produced before a local court, which remanded them to judicial custody.

Chandigarh, October 8
In a hit-and-run case, an unidentified cyclist was knocked down by an unknown vehicle in near the Congress Bhawan in Sector 15 on Wednesday afternoon.

The victim was rushed to the PGI, where he died. A case of causing death due to rash and negligent driving had been registered against the unidentified driver.

Chandigarh, October 8
The boat-pulling competition of the Naval Wing of the NCC started at Lake Sports Complex here today.

Cadets of five teams, including, Amritsar, Faridabad, Chandigarh, Bilaspur and Naya Nangal, participated in the boat pulling championship.

In the first race of the day, the senior boys team of Chandigarh cadets stood first, while in the second race, Amritsar cadets got the first position.

In the girl’s category, Chandigarh cadets secured the top position.

All commanding officers of five units of the Naval Wing were present on the occasion. Rest of the three matches of boat pulling race will be continued tomorrow in the morning session.

In the yesterday’s firing competition, Chandigarh Girl’s and Boy’s stood first. While cadets Nishant Rana, Love Kumar, Manju Gautam and Preeti clinched one gold medal each.

Mohali, October 8
The IPSC Cricket (U-14) tournament being organised by Yadavindra Public School, Mohali, will be held from October 9 to 15 on the school ground here.

A total of 16 players will be selected from the tournament for the School Games Federation of India (U-14) nationals to be held later this year. Total 15 teams that are participating in the tournament are:

Pinegrove School, Dharampur; Yadavindra Public School, Patiala; Punjab Public School, Nabha; Birla Public School, Pilani; Delhi Public School, Mathura road Delhi; Delhi Public School, RK Puram Delhi; Modern School, Barakhamba road, New Delhi; Motilala Nehru Sports School, Rai (Sonepat); Sainik School, Kunjpura; LK Singhania School, Gotan; Rashtriya Military School, Ajmer; Scindia School, Ajmer; Daly College, Indore; Raj Kumar College, Rajkot; Yadavinhdra Public School, SAS Nagar.