Bathinda, April 9
Like in cricket, punters have now taken fancy to kabaddi and are betting big on the semi-finals and final match of the World Cup Kabaddi.

The semi-finals are slated for Saturday in Bathinda, where in Pool-A, India and Canada will face each other and in pool-B, Pakistan and Italy will play each other to secure a position in the final that will take place in Ludhiana on Sunday.

Police sources informed that reports had been emerging that bookies were inviting bets on two issues—first, speculation over a final between India and Pakistan, and secondly, the margin of points between the winners and losers.

Seeking anonymity, sources said that the betting was going on in a highly confidential way. Interestingly, the punters have not been asking for hard cash as the deal is being struck through telephones and one could bet only through a guarantor.

When informed, Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda, Gurkirat Kirpal Singh¸ who is the chairman of the venue committee for the semi-final matches, said he was not aware of the matter. “Sensing the seriousness of the issue, I will immediately ask the police officials to conduct raids and bust the gang of gamblers dealing in kabaddi,” the DC, however, said.

Bathinda, April 9
The so-called “love-hate” relationship among sports lovers of India and Pakistan is not just confined to cricket, even the kabaddi aficionados want to witness the face-off between the traditional rivals.

The fact was underlined on the eve of semi-final matches of the World Cup Kabaddi- Punjab -2010, to be played here tomorrow, where kabaddi lovers were found praying that India and Pakistan win their matches and meet in the final to provide the “climax” to the biggest-ever battle for supremacy on the kabaddi ground.

“Be it cricket, or any other game, a match between India and Pakistan just adds spice to the enjoyment, said Kishan Singla, a resident of Ganesh Basti.

As far as India’s preparations for the semi-final are concerned, Indian coach Balbir Singh Bittu and Harpreet Singh Baba, talking to The Tribune, claimed that they would emerge as winners in the fight against Canada. They said, “See our track record, we have won all the matches to reach the semi-final, most importantly, by a handsome margin.”

“We are not over-confident, I am just saying that we are well-prepared to give a good fight to Canada,” Balbir said.

The coach expressed the hope that the team led by Mangat Singh would repeat their performance. They added that the entire 14-member team which included vice-captain Harbinder Singh Dulla, Surjeet Singh, Sandeep Singh, Balbinder Singh, Bittu Dugal and others would perform to their potential.

The coach, however, said that the team would chalk out some Canada-specific strategy to win the semi-final as the Canadian team could not be taken lightly.

As far as Canada is concerned, they have also been performing well in the tournament so far and won their matches by a good margin.

Bathinda, April 9
The Bathinda District Employment Generation and Training Office is going to launch a drive to motivate school students to join Army. The Centre for Punjab Youth Training and Employment (C-PYTE) will also extend its cooperation to the drive to be launched in the third week of this month.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has reportedly expressed a desire to mentally prepare school students for joining the Army, especially as officers, so as to raise the number of Army officers hailing from the state.

Talking to the TNS here, deputy director of the Bathinda district office of the Department of Employment Generation and Training Harpal Singh said as the CM was very much concerned over the declining number of Punjab’s youth in the Army, especially officers, the students from classes VIII to XII would be motivated and menatlly-prepared to join the force. He said the motivation drive would be launched in private and government schools of Bathinda in the third week of this month. During the programme, they would also educate the students about the prospects in the Army, he added.

The deputy director said his office would also make arrangements for three months’ free coaching before the National Defence Academy (NDA) entrance examinations.

Harpal said the CM had also announced a stipend of Rs 1 lakh per year for those selected for admission to the NDA.

Abohar, April 9
Farmers led by former parliamentary secretary for irrigation and horticulture Sunil Jakhar and media representatives today went to verify whether the construction of the controversial regulator of the Malukpura distributary, had actually been dropped.

They found scores of labourers dismantling the floor bed that had recently been raised to obstruct the flow of water to villages of the Balluana and Abohar segments. However, sidewalls had been constructed there to facilitate more supply to five outlets besides Gurusar Jodha sub-canal that irrigates 2,000 acres of land in Lambi, the home turf of Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal.

Jakhar said that the closure of canal system during the past three years had been much higher than forced during the previous Congress-led government in Punjab. Now, by reducing the bed level of the Malukpura distributary, the CM had contemplated further cut in the supply of canal water to the Abohar sub-division.

Fazilka, April 9
The ongoing agitation against the reduction of territorial jurisdiction of this sub-division by the state government today got more force when stamp vendors and typists and others joined the same to build a movement for justice to its residents.

RP Mittal, DIG, Ferozepur range, who held talks with the representatives of agitating organisations said that he would convey the same to the higher authorities.

Shushil Gumber, president, Bar Association and Ashok Gulbadhear, president, Beopar Mandal, said that if the state government did not accept their demands, they would intensify the agitation.

Gulbadhear further said that Surjeet Jiyani, who also talked to agitating residents, had assured them that he would solve the issue within two days.

Fazilka, April 9
SPS Parmar, district police chief, Ferozepur, has said that action against inspector Baljit Singh, who was SHO of Sadar police station and was placed under suspension after the escape of heroin smuggler from the lock-up, would be taken as per the outcome of the inquiry instituted to examine his role in the same.

Parmar made this statement while reacting to a news item appeared in a section of press that some politicians were demanding revocation of suspension of Baljit Singh.

Parmar, talking to TNS, said that it was the job of police to examine the role of Baljit Singh in the episode. Neither any politician had approached him for revocation of suspension of Baljit Singh nor the police would yield to such pressure tactics, he said.

“If anybody claims that heroin smuggler has escaped by breaking the window of three decades old police station due to its loose iron bars and wooden frame, it was the job of Baljit Singh to take care of that thing,” said Parmar adding that suspension of Baljit Singh did not mean that he had been given any sort of punishment.

“Had Lakhbir not escaped from the police lock-up, I would have given a certificate of appreciation to Baljit for nabbing the heroin smuggler,” said Parmar.

While Baljit was placed under suspension, two other police officials including night ‘munshi’ and sentry were booked into a criminal case after the escape of Lakhbir from police lock-up.

Surjeet Singh, SP (H), who has been entrusted the departmental inquiry against Baljit said that inquiry would be done in a free and fair manner and nobody would be allowed to influence the inquiry through news items.