Fazilka, September 16
Sadar Police, Fazilka, has booked a woman for allegedly poisoning her husband to death. A case has also been registered against two persons - alleged companions of the accused, for their alleged involvement in the crime.

As per the FIR, the woman had relationship with a person of a nearby village so she hatched a conspiracy and allegedly eliminated her husband.

As per the FIR registered with Sadar Police, Fazilka today by a labourer Joginder Singh, a resident of village Ladhuka under Fazilka sub-division, his son Sukhminder Singh got married to Pooja Rani, a resident of village Midha of Jalalabad sub-division, about two years back.

Sukhminder, who was working as a labourer in Mandi Ladhuka died on intervening night of April 22 and 23 under mysterious circumstances.

On April 23, Sadar Police initiated inquest proceedings under section 174 CrPc. The post mortem of Sukhminder Singh was conducted in local civil hospital next day.

The investigating officer ASI Kuldeep Singh had mentioned in his report at that time that the further action would be taken after receiving the report of post mortem.

It was found in the postmortem report received by the police recently that Organophosphorus compound and pesticides were detected in the contents of exhibit.

According to the statement of Joginder Singh, father of deceased, in the meantime they also continued the investigations at their own level.

It has been stated in the FIR that they (family members of Sukhminder Singh) found that their daughter-in-law Pooja Rani (wife of deceased Sukhminder Singh) had alleged dormant relations with one Jaswant Singh, son of Balwinder Singh.

Joginder alleged that his daughter-in-law along with her companions Jaswant Singh and another Jaswant Singh, son of Kashmir Singh, a resident of nearby village Sukhera Bodla, allegedly administered some poison to Sukhminder Singh on April 22.

Joginder Singh has also stated that his another son Kuldip Singh had seen his brother Sukhminder Singh and accused last time at Mandi Ladhuka bus stand on 
April 22.

Sadar Police have registered a fresh FIR today under sections 302, 120-B and 34 of the IPC against Pooja Rani, Jaswant Singh, son of Balwinder Singh, and Jaswant Singh, son of Kashmir Singh. 

Moga, September 16
A woman along with her mother has been booked by the police under sections 306 and 34 of the IPC for allegedly forcing her husband to commit suicide.Rashpal Singh, husband of the accused Balbir Kaur, allegedly committed suicide at his residence in Rania on September 12 by hanging himself from the roof of a room.

Police had initially initiated inquest proceedings under section 174 CrPC but later charged Balbir Kaur (wife) and her mother Amarjit Kaur for abetting the suicide.

The criminal case has been registered against them at the Nihal Singh Wala police station.

Rashpal’s mother Surinder Kaur complained that his son was being harassed by his wife and her mother for quite some time. Sub-inspector Joginder Pal Singh confirmed that the criminal case was registered after reinvestigating the facts. No arrests had been made so far, he said. 

Fazilka, September 16
To motivate the people to save the ozone layer and fight against global warming, a one-day seminar was organised by the Eco Club Government Middle School Dhab Khushal Joian at Lala Jagat Narayan B.Ed College, Jalalabad, to mark the World Ozone Day today. Resource persons Dr Rameshwar Katara, Gurjinder Singh Brar, Seema Thakral and Pawan Manchanda appealed to the audience to save the ozone layer as well as the earth.

The programme was presided over by the chairman, managing committee of the college, Ashok Aneja and president KK Khanna. The resources persons said following the global warming and pollution on the earth, the ozone layer has been getting thinner, which could be detrimental for the human beings.

The existence of the earth could be at stake. The harmful rays of the sun, passing through the thin ozone layer, was being considered one of the reason behind the increasing dreadful diseases, they added. 

Moga, September 16
A 20-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly sexually abused by a man of her community on the pretext of marrying her. The accused allegedly kept her in dark about the fact that he was already married and had children at Moga.

The police registered a criminal case against the accused Tirath Singh, son of Balwinder Singh, under section 376 of the IPC at the city police station (south), last night.

However, he was yet to be arrested by the police when the news report was last filed, revealed sub-inspector Balwinder Singh, who is investigating the case.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Tirath lured the girl by saying that he was bachelor and would marry her. Then, he developed physical relations with her.

A medical examination of the girl was conducted at the district hospital, in which, it was prima facie established that she was raped. — TNS

Muktsar, September 16
A suspected case of H1N1 (Swine flu) surfaced in Killian Wali village of this district.

Though the district health authorities refrained from confirming the symptoms of the flu, kin of the suspected patient rushed him to the PGIRMER, Rohtak.

As per the details, 17-year-old Rahul Kumar of village Killian Wali has been taking coaching for the ITI entrance test at Kota (Rajasthan). He had complaint of cough and pain in the body on September 10, he underwent medical treatment there. As he did not get any relief even after two-three days, his parents called him back on September 15.

His family members took him to the Civil Hospital Dabwali for diagnose immediately after he reached his home.

The report is yet to reach. However, the family members have reportedly received a call from Kota that his medical test confirmed Swine Flu.

Speaking over the phone, the nodal officer for the H1N1 cases of the Muktsar district, Dr Sanjeev Sethi said, “Though we did not get any report confirming the prevalence of symptoms related to Swine Flu, we took precautionary measures. His kin and a taxi driver, who took him to village from Kota, have been given Tamiflu tablets.”

About the reliability of the message, the nodal officer said, “After investigation we observed that it was a telephonic message given by some of his fellows not by the medical authorities, there.”

He, however, added, “We are taking all precautions.”

Bathinda, September 16
A nine-member team of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, along with four officers from the State Health Department will visit Bathinda city tomorrow in connection with holding talks with the district health authorities and doctors to know about the causes behind the incidence of cancer in the district and resources to tackle the disease. The team will also review the cancer control programme in the district.

It is learnt that representatives of some non-government organisations (NGOs) will also meet the team to express their concern towards prevalence of the disease in the Bathinda belt and emphasise on the Central government to set up a cancer hospital in Bathinda so that cancer patients from this region could get themselves treated at cheap rates here instead of going to Bikaner in Rajasthan or big cities like Delhi, Chandigarh and Ludhiana for treatment.

Meanwhile, Umendra Dutt, executive director of Kheti Virasat Mission (KVM), urged the Punjab government to conduct a realistic survey in the state so that a true picture of the disease and the number of patients could come to the fore.

Dutt also asked the government to pay special attention towards the treatment of cancer patients of this region, especially poor, because majority of them were unable to get proper treatment as the cost of medication was beyond their reach.

He said high prevalence of cancer in majority of the districts of the Malwa region, including Bathinda and Mansa, was a matter of concern. If the government did not take a timely action in this direction, then the number of cancer patients would increase manifold in the years to come, Dutt cautioned.

Bathinda, September 16
To help rural medical officers (RMOs) get the benefit of 60 per cent post-graduate (PG) quota in the MD/MS courses in government medical colleges of the state, the Rural Medical Services Association (RMSA), Punjab, today asked the Department of Rural Development, Punjab, to take up the matter with the Department of Research and Medical Education, Punjab, at the earliest.

The RMOs work on contract basis under the Zila Parishads (ZP) in more than 1,100 rural dispensaries of the state

State president of the RMSA Dr Aslam Parvez said the association would also submit a written representation in this regard to the Department of Rural Development. It would forward the same to the Department of Research and Medical Education, Punjab, for getting the needful done.

He said though the RMOs had been serving in rural areas (dispensaries) for past over four years but were still not eligible for 60 per cent PG quota whereas a doctor working in the Punjab Health Department became eligible for the benefit after three years of service in rural areas.

He demanded the benefit for the RMOs on the pattern of medical officers of the Health Department.

Dr Aslam said that on September 19, he had convened a meeting of the association at Rakh Bagh in Ludhiana to discuss issues, including 60 per cent PG quota for RMOs and regularisation of their services.

He urged the state government not to count the period as rural service when the medical officers (doctors) of the Health Department worked in cities and towns on deputation or performed temporary duties there.

The state president of the RMSA also asked the state government to fulfil their demands at the earliest as they had been serving in areas where most of the doctors did not prefer to serve.