NEIGHBOURHOOD

Man held with 559 boxes of liquor
Tribune News Service

Banur, March 15
The local police, with the help of mobile wing of the excise and taxation department, arrested four persons, including three drivers and one supplier, for transporting sugar illegally from Ambala to Amritsar.

The police and department officials intercepted three trucks following a tip-off at a roadblock set up at the sales tax barrier this evening.

The drivers of the trucks produced some documents pertaining to the sale and purchase of the consignment but these were found to be fake.

Police officials said 700 bags of sugar were found in the trucks and their drivers were arrested from the barrier when their documents were found to be fake.

The officials said the three truck drivers had been identified as Amarjit Singh of Pipli, Kurukshetra; Rajinder Kumar of Kurukshetra; Raghubir Singh of Khera Daneshar, Haryana.

They added that a transporter who was accompanying the truckers in a car was later arrested. He was identified as Harmeet Singh of Rajpura.

A case under Sections 420, 467 and 471 of the IPC has been registered against the accused.

The police officials said the accused would be produced in a local court and police remand of the accused would be sought to probe the hoarding of sugar and its illegal supply from Haryana to parts of Punjab. The police is investigating the matter.

Patiala, March 15
Utterances “Sai Ve Sadi Fariyaad Tere Tain” brought alive Rajindra Gymkhana Club as renowned Sufi singer Dr Satinder Sartaj gave a soulful performance during a cultural evening, “Mehfil-e-Satraj”, at the club last evening.

The programme was organised by the Society for Education, Sports, Folk Arts and Recreations (SESFAR), Patiala, in association with the club.

Minister of jails and cultural affairs Hira Singh Gabria was the chief guest and Youth Development Board chairman Gurpreet Singh presided over the function. Actor Punit Issar also attended the programme.

Sartaj began the evening in his traditional style by invoking God.

He then belted out hit numbers like “Je Koi Dasse Gal Tajurbe Wali Taan Suna Laiye”, “Dushman Ve Hove Phaven Dastar Ni Launi Chahidi” and “Motia Chameli”, etc.

His light composition “Adhi Kich Ch Start Sada Yamaha Hor Das Ki Bhaldi” received applause from the young audience.

Lauding Sartaj’s performance, Gabria said he was proud of artists who were working to promote Punjabi culture.

He announced that the Punjab government would honour artists who fought hard to preserve the Punjabi culture amidst the onslaught of foreign influence on the youth.

Former MC Commissioner SK Ahluwalia, chief patron, said Sartaj was a youth icon.

Patiala, March 15
Nanhi Chaan Cell of Khalsa College, Patiala, celebrated Environment Conservation Day in order to mark Gurta Gaddi Diwas of Sri Guru Har Rai Ji on the college campus here.

In an effort to accelerate plantation drive in educational institutions, Bibi Paramjeet Kaur Bajaj, member SGPC, planted saplings. She stressed on the need of planting more trees for maintaining ecological balance to save earth from global warming.

College principal Dr Dharminder Singh Ubha said under the leadership of Jathedar Avtar Singh, president, SGPC, establishment of the Environment Conservation Cell and Nanhi Chaan Cell in educational institutions proved beneficial in spreading awareness among students regarding the problems of environmental pollution and female foeticide.

Dr Gurdish Kaur, convener of the Nanhi Chaan Cell, said 1,800 saplings were distributed among college students. Poem-writing and slogan-writing competitions on female foeticide were also organised to mark International Women’s Day on March 8.

An anthology "Ardh Sariri Mokh Dwari", a collection of poems written by Punjabi Poets highlighting various women issues, was also released.

A Day Light Candle March was organised, in which 500 students and teaching and non-teaching staff members of the college participated.

She informed that the Nanhi Chaan Cell will organise National Kavi Darbar and seminar on “Rukh Ate Kukh: Sthiti Ate Chunotian” in the next session.

Kurali, March 15
A car-truck collision on the local bridge led to a two-hour traffic snarl-up here today.

The incidence took place around 11.45 am when Inderjeet Kaur, a Chandigarh resident, was travelling from Ropar to Chandigarh in a Tata Safari. When the vehicle reached near the bridge, a speeding truck coming from behind sideswiped the driver’s side of the car.

In a bid to catch the truck driver, who fled after the accident, Inderjeet parked the car in the middle of the bridge and hitched a ride on a passing motorcycle. However, the truck driver managed to escape.

During the chase, Inderjeet lost her car keys and the car remained parked in the middle of the road, leading to traffic chaos.

Vehicles remained stranded for over two hours at the bridge. The traffic police finally removed the car using a crane to ease the flow of traffic.

Bassi Pathana, March 15
The district administration organised a sangat darshan at nearby Abdulapur village to redress the grievances of people here today. Officers belonging to various government departments were present at the programme.

Addressing mediapersons, Deputy Commissioner Yashveer Mahajan said the NAREGA scheme had proved to be a boon for the development of villages as well as for the employment of rural people.

He said the district had received Rs 1.7 crore under the scheme. Out of this, Rs 1.66 crore had been spent on various projects like digging of ponds, disposal of sewer water, maintenance of environment, etc.

He said under the project, 66,000 persons were given employment, out of whom 38,000 were women.

He appreciated the work done by the village panchayat and urged other panchayats to take a lesson from it.

He urged village panchayats to rise above party politics and work towards the development of their respective villages and utilise government funds in a proper manner.

Redressing the grievances of people on the spot, the Deputy Commissioner directed the BDPO to remove encroachments from the village pond and make arrangements for the disposal of sewer water of village gurdwara.

He directed the sports officer to provide sports kit to the village youth sports club. He also assured the villagers of providing bus service to the village.

Later, he organised a sangat darshan at Bhamia village in Khamano sub-division.

Zirakpur, March 15
The police has booked a man for injuring his wife by allegedly attacking with a sharp-edged weapon. The case was registered on the complaint of Sunita, a resident of Saini Vihar.

The investigating officer stated that Sunita was staying in a rented accommodation along with her children. She had married Jasvir Singh, who works as a driver, about a decade ago. After a few years of marriage, her husband started harassing her for dowry and she filed a case against him in Shimla. The panchayat told the couple to stay together and they shifted to Baltana. Sunita alleged that on March 12 her husband started abusing her and injured her with a sharp-edged weapon.

Chandigarh, March 15
The police will write to district magistrates across the region to trace the owner of the pistol, which was found abandoned at the Gurdev parking lot in Sector 17 here last night.

Talking to the Chandigarh Tribune, the SHO of the Sector 17 police station, inspector Jaswinder Singh, said forensic experts had managed to lift some fingerprints from the weapon and would examine those.

The police would write to district magistrates in the region, providing them details of the make of the weapon, along with its identification number, in a bid to find the owner of the weapon in whose name it had been registered.

“Though the pistol, which is made in England, appears to be a licensed registered weapon, the chances of its not being registered cannot be ruled out,” said a police officer.

The police would also send the weapon, along with the 21 live cartridges, to the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory in Sector 36 for further examination.

Even as CCTV cameras had been installed at the parking lot from where the weapon was found, the police could not examine the footage as experts were busy in some training course today.

Investigators said they were hopeful of getting some vital clues about the person, who dropped or accidentally left it there. They quizzed some shopkeepers near the spot in this connection.

DSP (Central) Jagbir Singh said they were working on various theories, including one that someone might have stolen a bag carrying articles and dropped the weapon on finding it there.

Nothing could be said about it at this stage, he added. The police seized the weapon after a rag-picker spotted it.

He informed a shopkeeper about the bag. The pistol was in a holster with 21 live cartridges. The police registered a daily diary report in this regard.

Chandigarh, March 15
Thieves have decamped with valuables and jewellery during ceremonies at two hotels in different parts of the city.

The police said a gang of teenagers was involved in both incidents, at Hotel Shivalikview in Sector 17 and the KLG in Sector 43. The suspects were dressed in party wear. The police was examining video footage of both parties to establish the identities of the suspects. Colonel Ahluwalia of New Delhi reported to the police that ‘shagun’ envelopes kept in a bag were stolen from the marriage ceremony of his daughter at Hotel ShivalikView yesterday.

He alleged that a girl, around 18 years old, and a boy were seen together moving during the party. They were strangers and video footage showed the boy decamping with the bag.

In the other incident at the KLG, Varun Verma from Himachal Pradesh reported that a bag carrying ‘shagun’ envelopes and jewellery items was stolen during the ring ceremony of his son.

He alleged that a briefcase containing Rs 1 lakh, a gold ‘mangalsutra’, gold rings and ‘shagun’ envelopes worth Rs 50,000 was picked from the hall. The police was examining video footage and told the family to provide it a copy to identify an 11-year-old girl, suspected to have stolen the briefcase. 

Chandigarh, March 15
Two “kidnapping” incidents reported from different areas of the city today kept the police on its toes for hours.

Much drama was witnessed on the Panjab University campus when a bystander, on seeing a girl being forcibly pushed into a car by a man, called up the cops while in the other incident someone rang up the police saying he had seen a group of men bundling a man into their vehicle.

The first incident was triggered when someone raised an alarm at about 9:30 am claiming a girl had been abducted in a car at the annual PU cultural event. Within minutes the security staff on the campus closed the entry gates but by that time the car had already left the campus.

The police swung into action and traced the car owner by the vehicle’s registration number. The cops later found out he was the father of the girl, a student of the PU chemical engineering department. He told the police his daughter had been “going around with a boy” and he was against that. He added she had gone to the campus after quarreling with family members and he wanted to take her back home.

In the second incident, the police said a team of plain clothed CIA personnel from Mohali was chasing a man, reportedly a member of a gang of car lifters, adding the cops nabbed the man who was later identified as Ajay Sharma. The police was in two vehicles - a Tata Indica car and a Toyota Innova MUV - and picked up the man. Someone called up the police, which arrived at the scene and inquired into the matter.

Sector 17 police station SHO inspector Jaswinder Singh said the Mohali police informed them about the case in which the man was wanted.

Chandigarh, March 15
Lata from Meera House won the top honours, trailing Aarti and Keerti (from Narbada House) grabbed second and third positions, respectively in the Annual Sports-cum-Athletics Meet of Government Central Crafts Institute for Women, Sector 11, here today.

A participant in action during the Eighth Central Power Sector Units Athletics Meet at Sector 7 in Chandigarh on Monday. Tribune photo: S Chandan

Besides, fun games like potato race, sack race, frog race and three-legged race were also held to make the function more colourful.

Veena and Alka were declared best NCC pilots, while Veena and Simranjit won the best announcers award.

Sandeep Hans, director-cum-joint secretary, technical education, UT, was the chief guest.

Results:

Shot put: 1st Sunali, 2nd Lata and 3rd Ritu; high jump: 1st Keerti, 2nd Shahsi, and 3rd Rubi; long jump: 1st Shashi, 2nd Lata, and 3rd Rekha.

Potato race: 1st Poornima, 2nd Babita, and 3rd Kiran; sack race: 1st Amita, 2nd

Veena, and 3rd Sonali; chatti race: 1st Reeta, 2nd Pooja, and 3rd Santosh; frog race: 1st Sunali, 2nd Neha, and 3rd Poornima. 

Patiala, March 15
Lads of MM Modi College, Patiala, and eves of Government Mohindra College, Patiala, won the Inter-College Tae-kwon-do Championship that concluded at Punjabi University’s Gymnasium Hall. Coach Satwinder Singh said around 12 teams participated for the first team.

In women’s section, Mohindra College won the championship with 25 points, whereas Mata Sahib Kaur Khalsa College of Education and Modi College was placed second and third with 21 and 20 points, respectively. In men’s section, Modi College boys won the championship scoring 28 points, whereas Government Rajindra College, Bathinda, and Mohindra College lads were second and third with 21 and 20 points, respectively. Dr Rajkumar Sharma gave away prizes to the winners.

Results

1st Rimple of Mohindra, College, 2nd Rekha, 3rd Mamta and Jyoti Sharma of Modi College

54 kg male: 1st Mohinder of Malwa College, 2nd Sajan Yadav of Mohindra College and 3rd Bheem of ModiCollege. 

Chandigarh, March 15
Justice TP Mann clinched two titles (senior category) on the concluding day of the LD Kapoor Memorial Total Tennis Championship at Total Tennis Academy’s YMCA, Sector 11, here today.

Mann defeated MS Dhillon (BSNL) in 45+ category in a nail-biting tie by 9-8 (8-6) in the tie-breaker to bag top honours.

In doubles, he paired with Harish Saini to beat the duo of MS Dhillon and BB Mehta by 8-5.

BB Mehta got the better of MS Dhillon by 9-7 in over one-and-half hour match in the 50+ category, while in doubles section of 35+ group, second seed Sham Jagat and Ajay Yashpual turned the tables on top seeded pair of Devinder Kapoor and Jasmer Walia by 7-6, and 7-5.

Justice Mann distributed the prizes among the winners in a function in

Which TR Sarangal, principal secretary, Punjab, was the guest of honour.

Devinder Kapoor, director, Total Tennis, maintained that the tournament would be a regular feature in Total Tennis calendar.

Chandigarh, March 15
Aiming at upgrading the technical knowledge and trends in sports, a total of 51 coaches of the Chandigarh Sports Department, Chandigarh Sports Council and the Sports Authority of India attended a refresher and orientation course, which started at the Sector-42 Sports Complex here today.

The experts who delivered the lectures on various concepts of sports training, fitness regime, general theory and training methods, included Dr GS Brar of Panjab University and Dr Simarjeet of National Institute of Sports, Patiala.

“Being the examination time, this is a lean period for sports activities and thus we started the course to upgrade the knowledge of our coaches by organising the training programme,” said Dr JPS Sidhu, joint director of sports, while adding that now onwards such training course would be made a regular annual feature.

The course would cover various aspects, including upgradation of technical knowledge and developments in scientific sports training methods, sports medicine, rehabilitation process and psychological aspect.

The practical training on innovative strategies were also held by experts from the Sports Authority of India/National Institute of Sports, Patiala.

Chief handball coach Mohinder Lal took practical class in handball, while Dr Daljeet Singh imparted practical training in volleyball at the Sector-7 Sports Complex.

Other experts, who would deliver lectures and impart training here are Dr CS Grewal, Dr SN Sharma (both of Panjab University), Dr Neha Shree (CFHA) and Dr Kanwaljeet Singh of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.

The refresher course will culminate on March 23.

Chandigarh, March 15
In an effort to boost the traditional sport, kabaddi, Punjab government is all set to dole out whopping prize of rupees one crore to the winning team in the forthcoming World Cup Kabaddi, being hosted by the state.

Punjab sports director Pargat Singh said runners-up would pocket Rs 51 lakh and third position holder would get Rs 25 lakh.

According to sources, the 13-day tournament, which will start from April 3, the teams from the United Kingdom, United State of America, Canada, Pakistan, Iran, Australia, Italy, Norway, New Zealand and host India are expected to take part.

The aim is to attract the youngsters to the sport, which is on the verge of diminishing in the big cities, said the organisers.

To select the probable for the Indian squad, the Punjab sports department would conduct trials on March 20 at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana from 9 am.

“The probable should get themselves registered with the Ludhiana district sports officer at 8 am on March 20. They should also carry with them two latest passport size photographs, along with their residential proof.

Only Indian nationals are eligible for the trials,” said Pargat Singh, while adding that the state government had incorporated kabaddi in the state sports gradation policy to boost the sport.

A high-powered organising committee has been formed with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as the chief patron and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal as chairman. The matches would be telecast live.

“As the sport attract large number of spectators in the various areas of the state, final and hard line cup matches are likely to be played under lights,” said Pargat Singh.

The matches would be played at different venues of the state.

For the opening ceremony of the tourney, the organisers are yet to select the venue out of two stadiums--Yadavindra Public School of Patiala or Sports Stadium of Bathinda, while the Guru Nanak Stadium of Ludhiana will be the venue of the final and closing ceremony.

The matches would also be held at the venues, including Bathinda, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur and Muktsar. 

Mohali, March 15
Almost two years after the owners of IPL Kings XI Punjab, Ness Wadia and Preity Zinta landed in controversy for verbally abusing a former Mohali SSP RS Khatra, the co-owners have again landed in trouble.

This time, they have invited trouble for using the martyrs name for publicity of their team. In a written complaint to Mohali SSP Abhey Singh Sandhu, nephew of Shaheed Bhagat Singh today sought registration of case under the Prevention of Insults to National Honsour Act, 1971, against the co-owners of Kings XI Punjab.

Mohali SSP GPS Bhullar said the investigating officer was in process of taking suitable action on the complaint. It would be finalised by tomorrow, he added.

In the complaint, martry’s nephew has stated that he was shocked to know the manner in which the name of Chander Shekhar Azad, Saheed Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Raj Guru was being used for the promotion of the event.

It’s an insult to the martyrs whose name was being associated with cricket.

During previous IPL matches held in May 2008, the then SSP had given a scathing representation to the deputy commissioner (DC) alleging that he was subjected to “verbal abuse”.

He had pointed out that “series of IPL matches was marred with the accusations of racial discrimination, use of liquor and flouting of smoking laws”.

Even the police had slapped a bill of Rs 1.75 crore on IPL for its services rendered during the matches, which according to then SSP, was commercial activities.

Though the bill was never paid, the co-owners are again in controversy.