Jalandhar, January 18
A second twin, who had survived after 
the alleged negligence of hospital staff, died today morning. Another baby had died just six hours after the mother delivered premature twins day before yesterday.

Hospital employees came under scanner as they declared the twins dead. However, parents found that both the babies alive. A departmental inquiry has already been ordered to probe into the matter.

It is learnt that during her brief visit to the city, state Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla discussed the whole incident with district health authorities and directed the authorities to submit the report of inquiry at the earliest.

“On the directions of Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla, I was verbally intimated today by my higher authorities to submit the report as soon as possible. Report will be finalised in a day or two,” said officiating Medical Superintendent Dr Avtar Chand.

Tarn Taran, January 18
Sixty-five-year shopkeeper Sohan Singh was shot dead in border township Khemkaran, 45 kilometers from here, late last night by two suspected thieves, who allegedly entered his house for stealing purposes.

The police has registered a case under section 460 of the IPC. The accused have not been identified, said SSP Sukhdev Singh Brar while talking to this correspondent here today.

Kuldeep Kaur, the wife of the deceased, in her statement to the police said at mid-night they were sleeping in their house when they got up hearing some noises.

They saw two persons in their house, one having his muffled face and the second covering his face with his arm. She said her husband warned the intruders that he had identified them. On hearing this, the intruders opened fire on her husband as a result he died on the spot, she said. The SSP said though the accused have not been identified.

Amritsar, January 18
Gangster Raju Chikna, who was critically wounded during a shootout incident in district court complex on January 15, today succumbed to his injury.

His post-mortem was conducted and later cremated amidst tight police arrangement while a large number of his supporters and relatives gathered outside the post-mortem house situated on Majitha road here.

Meanwhile, the civil lines police has added the sections 302 of the IPC in the FIR registered against eight persons including the gang leader Ankur Lekhari. Others booked were Sanjeev Baba, Taji Pradhan, Sabi and four unidentified persons.

Armed members of the Lekhari gang in the brutal attack shot Chikna with close range. He suffered bullet injury at his forehead.

Meanwhile, district police chief P.K. Rai denied reports on arrest of several accused.

Raju Chikna was wanted in many criminal cases. He had come for a case hearing when the shootout took place which was preplanned as per police authorities.

He was associated the Jagtar Boxer gang who is lodged in Amritsar jail and also had come for hearing in the case at the time of incident during which a policeman had also sustained injuries a bullet pierced through his leg.

Phagwara, January 18
In the backdrop of four firing incidents in the last 15 days in Phagwara Sub-division, Phagwara SDM Amarjeet Paul has summoned an urgent meeting of “Peace Committee Phagwara” in Municipal Hall on January 21.

The SDM said representatives of all political, social, and religious organisations besides police officials would attend the meeting and our aim would be to actively work to maintain peace and harmony in the area.

Phagwara DSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh said adequate arrangements were being made to protect the property and lives of the people. Police nakas were being set up at all sensitive points to check the anti-social elements. Commandoes have also been deputed for patrolling duties.

In the latest firing case, BJP leader Arun Khosla was critically injured after being shot at.

Kapurthala SSP Ram Singh, Phagwara DSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh, SP (D) Sukhwinder Singh and SP (Counter Intelligence) Upinderjit Singh Ghumman today again visited and inspected the office of Khosla, where the incident took place and recovered four empty cartridges of 7.65 bore pistol and two live cartridges of 9MM pistols from the firing site. As many as six persons have been rounded up for investigation, said the SSP.

Hoshiarpur, January 18
Owing to poor visibility due to dense fog, one person was killed and two others injured in a road accident near Handowal village on Hoshiarpur-Chandigarh road today.

Three buffaloes were also wounded in the accident.

According to the police sources, Joga Singh (60) of Fatma village dealing in sale and purchase of buffaloes, died on the spot while Jeet Singh and Gurwinder Singh, both of Tajowal accompanying him along with three buffaloes, were wounded when a speeding tourist bus (RJ 06PA 0900) bound for Katra (Vaishno Devi) rammed into their stationary Tata 407 (PB 10 AU 7274).

The truck driver had parking the vehicle on roadside and gone to urinate. Sources said that Joga Singh was coming back to his village after purchasing buffaloes from Saharanpur.

After the accident, the bus driver fled with the vehicle. The injured were admitted to the local Civil Hospital. 

Jalandhar, January 18
The Punjab Education Department has increased the monthly salaries of the teaching fellows and education service providers in the state. The orders of the enhanced salaries would be effective from November 9, 2009.

According to the orders, the teaching fellows (ETT) would get Rs 6,825 as monthly salary as against the previous amount of Rs 4,550. The education service providers (B.Ed) would get Rs 8,100 per month as compared to Rs 5,400 earlier.

A copy of the orders were forwarded to the Director General, School Education, and Directors, Education Department (Elementary) and (Secondary). The decision has come as a major relief for both teaching cadres as they had been raking the issue of salary hike for the past many months.

Senior vice-president of the B.Ed Teachers Front Chander Shekhar said the members of the front had met the Principal Secretary, Education Department, Darbara Singh Guru, on January 14 in this regard. “It is only after repeated meetings and statewide dharnas during the past eight months that we have been able to get our demands accepted. However, the new pay scale has rekindled the hopes of the disgruntled teachers who were forced to work on minimum wages all these months,” he added.

Jalandhar, January 18
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has passed a judgement partially in favour of a complainant who was forced to pay foreclosure charges on prepayment of his car loan. The forum has asked the bank to pay back half of the amount along with Rs 3,000 litigation charges.

In his complaint, Mukhjinder Pal Singh Sidhu, a resident of Ladhewali, said he was lured by the officials of the ICICI Bank to take loan on low rate of interest for his Innova car. He said his signatures were procured on blank forms without disclosing the contents.

The plaintiff said it was neither agreed nor disclosed to him about the foreclosure charges. He said he availed himself of the car loan, the disbursal date of which was July 28, 2007. He said he was compelled by circumstances to dispose of his vehicle and pay the entire outstanding loan amount on December 31, 2007, including foreclosure charges on outstanding principal amount to the tune of Rs 40,106 at 5.62 per cent.

The conduct of the bank to recover prepayment charges was unilateral and against the banking rules, which amounted to unfair trade practice, he alleged seeking relief from the forum. His counsel also termed the act as illegal as his client had repaid the loan in lump sum, calling for refund of amount with no objection certificate for the transfer of the vehicle.

Pronouncing the judgement, the forum, represented by president A.K. Sharma and member Rakesh Kumari, said, “Though the bank had reserved its right to claim foreclosure charges on the outstanding amount on prepayment before the scheduled termination of the loan instalments, but the recovery of full amount of foreclosure is unconscionable. We pass ex parte order and direct the bank to pay half of the amount.”

Jalandhar, January 18
The Disciplinary Committee of the district unit of the Congress has forbidden its leaders and workers to comment against each other.

In a press note issued here, Chairman of the committee Kanwal Sachdeva stated that no Congress leader and worker should issue any statement against any party leader as it damaged the party image.

An emergency meeting was held in this regard today. The meeting was presided over by Sachdeva, whereas Manmohan Sharma and Harsant Dogra were also present. It was decided in the meeting that if any Congress worker and leader issued statement against any party leader in future without any proper authorisation, proper action would be taken against that leader, Sachdeva added.