Bassi Pathana, October 28
ETT teachers working under the local self-government and Zila Parishad organised a protest rally in front of the local Block Development and Panchyat Office here today.

The teachers raised slogans against the government and burnt its effigy. Addressing the rally, Randhir Singh Bena said that government had promised to bring ETT teachers under the wings of Education Department from the Zila Parishads but now it had back-tracked. He urged the government to concede to their genuine demands or else they would be forced to resort to agitation. He called upon the new Education Minister to take the initiative in this regard. Gurbachan Singh Virdi and Karnail Singh, union leaders, also addressed the rally. — OC

Patiala, October 28
Punjabi University Inter-College Boxing Tournament began at Multani Mal Modi College here today.

GS Sandhu, national boxing coach and Dronacharya awardee, inaugurated the tournament. He lauded the college for its achievements in sports. At least 115 sportspersons from 29 colleges affiliated with the university are taking part in the championship.

Arjuna awardee Akhil Kumar, boxing champion in Commonwealth Games-2006, interacted with participants.

The winners of today’s bouts: Flyweight: 1 Kuldeep (Guru Nanak College, Budhladha); 2 Mandeep (Malwa College, Bathinda); 3 Sunny (Akal Degree College, Mastuana Sahib); Bantamweight: 1 Ishant (SUS College, Sunam), 2 Sukhvinder (GK College, Damdama Sahib), 3 Gurinder (Government College of Physical Education, Patiala). — TNS

Chandigarh, October 28
More than a week after the police registered a case against four doctors, including the head of the department of the gynaecology, and six other staff members of the Sector 16 Government Multi-Speciality Hospital (GMSH) into the infamous Bulbul case, the police has summoned four employees of the hospital for questioning.

Sources said after examining the contents of the FIR and other evidence the police had gathered so far, the investigating officer, Inspector Gurjit Kaur, had summoned four witnesses to examine them tomorrow at the Sector 17 police station.

Among those summoned included Jagjit Kaur, who picked up the newborn and rushed Bulbul to the labour room, her husband Harmit Singh, an employee at the hospital operating CCTV cameras, and two other staff members who were present on the spot.

Inspector Gurjit Kaur said the witnesses would be examined in the light of the case registered following an inquiry report forwarded by the UT Administrator.

The police had booked Dr Veena Sarna, head of the gynaecology department, Dr Deepak Thakur, Dr Usha Bansal and Dr Praveena Dhiman and six other employees of the hospital on the charges of negligence and destroying and tampering with material evidence.

Chandigarh, October 28
Punjab Additional Director-General of Police (ADGP) Sanjiv Gupta is in the line of fire.

He was today accused of getting a petition filed in personal interest for settling scores with a man, who had sought the registration of a case against the top cop and his family for assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Taking up the application filed by Nayagaon resident Kuldip Singh, the Punjab and Haryana High Court Division Bench of Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Ajay Tewari issued a notice of motion to the state of Punjab and other respondents.

In his application for becoming a party to the petition filed by Amrik Singh this year, Kuldip claimed that it was in reaction to his petition in 2007.

Kuldip asserted in his petition that he had sought the registration of a case for carving out an illegal colony.

Referring to Amrik’s petition for directing the respondents to “ensure the vacation of public land from illegal possession of trespassers”, he said the petitioner had levelled false, frivolous and baseless allegations against him.

Amrik’s petition had been filed at the instance of Gupta, his mentor, Kuldip claimed. He stated that he was liable to be made a party as the allegations in Amrik’s petition were against him.

In his earlier petition, Kuldip had alleged that Gupta wanted to grab land for expanding an illegal colony of Jasbir Singh Sandhu, adjoining his land.

Kuldip had added that Sandhu, a resident of Amritsar district, had been associated with Gupta since the IPS officer was posted as SSP there.

Gupta had acquired movable and immovable property and assets, including ‘benami’ property, with the help of Sandhu and another person, he said.

Chandigarh, October 28
Two women, both in their twenties, committed suicide in the city today. Rita Sharma, mother of a two-and-half-year-old, set herself afire at the servant quarters of a private school in Mani Majra this morning.

Kamla ended her life by consuming some poisonous substance at her residence in Ram Darbar. The police said Rita was mentally upset and had been undergoing treatment at her native place in Bihar before coming to the city a month-and-a-half ago.

She would get agitated over trivial issues and used to confront her husband Varinder and brother-in-law Dharminder. Her husband worked as carpenter at the DC Montessori School, Mani Majra. They had got married four year ago.

The SHO of the Mani Majra police station, inspector Partap Singh, said the police received information about the incident at 7:30 am.

Rita locked herself in a bathroom, poured kerosene and set herself afire after her husband left for the market to buy milk.

When he returned, Varinder saw smoke coming out of the bathroom and heard his wife screaming inside. He tried to break open the door, but failed.

He climbed the tin roof of the bathroom, broke it open and entered the bathroom. He doused the flames and called the police.

The police rushed Rita to the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital, Sector 16, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

In the second incident, Kamla consumed some poisonous substance around 10:30 am and informed her brother Vikas over telephone about it.

Vikas rushed to her residence from Mauli Jagran. He shifted her to the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital, Sector 16, where she died.

The police said Kamla, a housewife, was alone at home at that time and her husband Naresh, a private company employee, had gone for work and her children were away.

The police was yet to ascertain the reason behind her death. Naresh told the police that they had been leading normal lives and celebrated their son’s birthday last night.

The police initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code in connection with both incidents.

Chandigarh, October 28
The police arrested three persons from Sector 38 here yesterday. It recovered 600 grams of charas from their possession.

Sources said the accused were identified as Sunish Verma, a resident of Sector 41, and Sitanshu Saini and Vishrut Malik, residents of Sector 38-West.

2 injured in mishaps
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 28
A pedestrian and a motorcyclist have been injured in two hit-and-run road accidents in the city. The police has registered two separate cases.

Akash Ghosla of Sector 34-D reported to the police that he was knocked down by a car (PB65G-0242) at the traffic light point on the road separating Sectors 34 and 35 on Tuesday.

The car driver sped away after the mishap. The victim was admitted to the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital, Sector 16.

In the other incident, Ashok Kumar of Khuda Ali Sher village was hit by an unidentified vehicle at Kaimbwala village on Wednesday.

Chandigarh, October 28
The police today arrested an accomplice of the three youngsters who were arrested on charges of committing a spate of snatchings in the city. Sources in the crime branch said the accused was identified as 19-year-old Rahul. He was working with the Verka milk plant at Mohali.

He was arrested from Sector 40 on information provided by his accomplices, Talwinder Singh, Sahil and Mandeep Singh, who were on police remand. The police impounded Rahul’s motorcycle.

Chandigarh, October 28
Budding local shooter Shivendu Sharma has alleged injustice on part of the Chandigarh Rifle Association during the recently concluded Chandigarh State Shooting Championship here.

According to Shivendu, he had clinched four medals and ‘best shooter’ title during the three-day championship that concluded at Patiala ki Rao Shooting Range on October 26.

“I was given best shooter trophy and three medals by chief guest Parminder Singh Dhindsa, PWD Minister, Punjab. But I was shocked to see the medal winners’ list that appeared the next day in all newspapers. My name was not mentioned anywhere among the winners,” claimed Shivendu.

Shivendu, who represented the NCC, claimed that he had deposited Rs 2,100 as match fee along with Rs 100 towards annual membership of the association after getting permission from the authorities concerned regarding his participation in the event.

Shivendu alleged that his awards had been given to another shooter, who had influential background.

Association general secretary Vijay Pal said Shivendu was not claimant of the awards as he represented the NCC.

“Under the rules, any shooter from outside can take part in our event but just for practice purpose,” said Vijay Pal.

The general secretary added that the best shooter award had been given to another shooter, as he was later found to have received more medals than Shivendu.

However, Shivendu claimed that he was declared winner in both senior and junior categories of air pistol event.

“I won a silver in standard pistol event (senior), a silver in centre fire pistol and a silver in free pistol (junior).

Chandigarh, October 28
Amandeep Singh, KLSD College, Ludhiana, stood first in the 100 m race (clocking 10.71 seconds) while Ajay Tandon (10.82 sec) from the same college and Gurpreet Singh (10.97 sec) from SGGS Khalsa College, Mahilpur, secured second and third positions, respectively, in the Panjab University Annual Athletics Meet at Panjab University grounds here today.

Around 1,000 athletes, representing nearly 100 affiliated colleges, are taking part in this four-day meet.

Results: Men: 800 m: 1 Bhupinder Singh (SGGS College, Chandigarh), 2 Trilochan Singh (SGGS College, Chandigarh), 3 Parwinder Singh (KLSD College, Ludhiana).

10,000 m: 1 Rakesh (SGGS College, Chandigarh), 2 Mandeep Singh (SCD Government College, Ludhiana), 3 Inderjit Singh (SGGS College, Chandigarh).

Shot put: 1 Gagandeep (DAV College, Chandigarh), 2 Gurdev Singh (LLR Government College, Dhudike), 3 Ranjot Singh (GPC, Alour, Khanna).

Women: 100 m: 1 Shiksha (GGD SD College, Chandigarh), 2 Rajpreet Saini (GTB Khalsa College for Women, Dasuya), 3 Karamjit Kaur (Dev Samaj College for Women, Ferozepur).

800 m: 1 Kulwinder Kaur (GGS College for Women, Chandigarh), 2 Rajni (SGGS Khalsa College, Mahilpur), 3 Rubina Sharma (GGS College for Women, Chandigarh).

10,000 m: 1 Harinder Kaur (GTB Khalsa College for Women, Dasuya), 2 Amandeep Kaur (GGS College for Women, Chandigarh), 3 Tejinderpal Kaur (Dasmesh Girls College, Mukerian).

Shot put: 1 Lovemeet Kaur (Dasmesh Girls College, Badal), 2 Amarjit Kaur (SGG Janta Girls College, Raeot), 3 Harshran (MCM DAV College for Women, Chandigarh).

Men (evening & education colleges) C-division: 100 m: 1 Chet Ram (DAV College of Education, Abohar), 2 Gurwinder Singh (MD College for Education, Abohar ), 3 Pawandeep Singh (BCM College of Education, Ludhiana).

800 m: 1 Ranjit Singh (Lala Jagat Narayan Education College, Jalalabad), 2 Paramjit Kumar (DAV College of Education, Fazilka), 3 Parkash Chand (Kenway College of Education, Abohar).

Shot put: 1 Hardev Singh (GHG Khalsa College of Education, Abohar), 2 Palwinder Singh (Surjeet Memorial College of Education, Malwal), 3 Lakhveer Singh (JD College of Education, Muktsar).

Women (education colleges) C-division: 100 m: 1 Amanpreet (Government College of Education, Chandigarh), 2 Maya Devi (DAV College of Education, Abohar), 3 Bindu Kamboj (DAV College of Education, Abohar).

800 m: 1 Rupinder Kaur (Doraha College of Education, Doraha), 2 Kumari Deepa (DAV College of Education, Abohar), 3 Amandeep Kaur (Malwa Central College of Education, Ludhiana).

Shot put: 1 Gurbinder Kaur (Dasmesh Girls College of Education, Badal), 2 Kanwaljit Kaur (SDS College of Education, Lopon), 3 Navdeep Sandhu (GHGH College of Education, Sidhwan Khurd).