NEIGHBOURHOOD

ITI staff without salary for 2 months
Our Correspondent

Ambala, April 9
Employees of ITI, Ambala City, have not got their salary of February and March till today.A meeting of the employees was held under the leadership of ITI Employees’ Welfare Association secretary Pradeep Gupta today.

While addressing the employees, Gupta said most of the employees were facing financial crises, as they did not get the salary of two months.

He said the matter was brought to the notice of the Chief Minister, chief secretary and financial commissioner of the department. He demanded an action against those officials of the department, who were responsible for this delay.

Kharar, April 9
Five persons got injured in an accident late last night and one of them succumbed to injuries at the PGI, Chandigarh, today.The deceased has been identified as Balvir Singh, a resident of Fatehpur Sialvah village. Balvir was a Class IV employee in Punjab Chemical Lab in Kharar.

He was on his way towards his village on a bike, along with another employee of the lab Rajesh Kumar.

Rajesh, also undergoing treatment, said an unidentified vehicle hit their motorcycle near Daun Majra village and also injured three other motorcycle-borne persons who were riding in opposite direction towards Chandigarh.

The other injured have been identified as Parminder Singh, Sahib Singh and Vijay Kumar, all residents of Kharar.

They all were rushed to the local Civil Hospital and their condition was now stated to be out of danger. The police registered a case in this connection and said efforts were on to identify the vehicle.

Bassi Pathana, April 9
The process of procurement of wheat by the government agencies has started in the local grain market. Jagdeep Singh Cheema, district president, SAD, accompanied by Bibi Satwinder Kaur Dhaliwal, chairperson, District Planning Board, and officials of the procurement agencies inaugurated the process today by making a purchase.

Cheema also inspected the heaps of wheat brought by the farmers. He called upon the farmers to bring wheat to the mandis as per specification of the government so that they don’t feel any difficulty in purchase.

He directed the officials to ensure drinking water, light and boarding facilities to be made in mandis for the farmers. He said the government had directed to ensure payment within 24 hours and loading of purchased wheat within 72 hour.

Chandigarh, April 9
Saturday will see Ranjit Bajaj a liberated man, as the Punjab and Haryana High Court hands over the order allowing regular bail to the former IAS couple’s son, he will be released from custody, subject to his furnishing bail bonds and security to the satisfaction of Panchkula’s Chief Judicial Magistrate.

Bajaj has been accused of making an attempt to murder Gurmohan Singh Bedi, a high court judge’s son in January. After a scuffle at Hotel North Park, the Panchkula police had booked Bajaj in a case of attempt to murder on Bedi’s complaint on January 30. Bajaj was later arrested in the case on March 3.

As his petition for regular bail in the attempt to murder case came up for hearing before Justice SS Saron, his counsel argued the injuries alleged by complainant Gurmohan Singh Bedi were “simple in nature”.

The assertion was not disputed by the state counsel. In fact, the state’s concurrence on the issue made Justice Saron verbally ask the state as to why the matter could not be amicably resolved, if the state was not even opposing the plea on the issue of injury.

Bajaj’s counsel also informed the Bench that they had withdrawn the plea for the transfer of the investigations to some other place outside the state. Another complaint by the girls accompanying Bajaj, against the complainant, had also been withdrawn.

After going through the arguments, Justice Saron asserted that Bajaj had been in custody since March 3, and was not required for further investigation. The question whether Section 307of the IPC for attempt to murder was made out required the consideration of the investigating officer or the court, as the case may be. For present, he was entitled to the concession of bail.

Chandigarh, April 9
Fate of murder trail against Neiki Nalwa and Himmat Singh, alias Brandy, in the case of Sukhvinder Singh, a 35-year-old Quark engineer, who was shot dead on December 4, 2005, now hinges on a bullet which was found embedded in the victim’s body.

The issue cropped up yesterday during the defence evidence in the local court when the defence lawyer produced documents indicating that portions of the bullet found in the victim’s body did not match with the bullet fired from a .32 bore pistol as stated by the police.

The whole theory of the police about the suspect using the weapon is questionable, said the defence lawyer. During the evidence, Amit Kumar Meena, Assistant Works Manager Ammunition Factory, Khadki, Pune, in his statement before the court upheld the theory of the defence.

The police in its statement had stated that Himmat Singh had shot at Sukhvinder Singh. The Quark engineer was shot dead few hundred meters from his residence in Sector 69, here, when he and his wife were taking a walk. Sukhvinder was shot in the neck and died while being taken to a hospital.

Chandigarh, April 9
The police today arrested two youths, who allegedly fired at least six rounds at the PUSU president’s residence in Sector 11-B last night.After getting secret information, the police arrested Vikramjeet Singh, alias Vicky and Arshdeep Singh, alias Robin Brar, both from Muktsar, Punjab, near Khuda Lahora bridge near the PGI. The accused were coming to the city on a jeep (HR-44A-0654).

Police sources said a trap was laid down by the sleuths of the crime branch headed by SI Rakesh Kumar and arrested the accused near the Khuda Lahora bridge. The police also recovered a .12 bore country-made pistol from the Vikramjeet’s possession, besides impounding Arshdeep’s jeep, which was also used in the crime.

Mohali, April 9
Neither Yuvraj nor Preity Zinta, it was Sachin Tendulkar, who was the apple of everyone’s eye at the PCA Stadium here during the last IPL match tonight.The die-hard fans of Sachin Tendulkar could be seen cheering for the king of cricket. Interestingly, red flags of Kings XI Punjab, which the franchise had distributed for the support of its team, were seen hoisting on every shot by the Master Blaster in the illuminated stadium.

The 45 minutes during which the Master Blaster remained on the crease, were indeed, the most electrifying span of the entire match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI. Every shot from the Master’s willow attracted loud cheers and applause.

Even Kings XI co-owner Preity Zinta could not conceal her feelings about the icon, announcing that she is a big fan of Sachin.

The average innings of 29 off 25 balls by Sachin, however, had left some of his ardent fans a bit disappointed. Many of his fans were seen coming out of the stadium as soon as he was bowled out by Piyush Chawla.

“We just came here to see the cricket icon, playing in flesh and blood,” said Alishaand Jasmine while leaving the stadium in mid of the match.

Even a Punjab police commando was spotted speaking on the phone, “Yaar Sachin taan out ho gaya, main bahar aa rehan haan” (Sachin has been bowled out and I am coming out of the stadium).

The match held a little importance for the local team, as it is out of the fray for the next semifinal round.

Even one hour after the commencement of the match, people were seen pouring in. Even outside the stadium, hundreds of cricket buffs could be seen standing in hope to gain entry.

“It is the “Sachin effect”, commented Rahul, a local college student.

Painted faces of some kids, blue and red flags, firework, and rhythmic dance steps of cheer leaders of both the teams and music numbers just added the zing and more colours to the electrifying atmosphere of the stadium.

The victory of Punjab team brought some smiles to the localites, who were of the view that “all is well, if end is well”.