Jalandhar, November 30
The Punjab Armed Police (PAP) today gave a rousing welcome to ace athlete Manjit Kaur, who won a gold in the 4X400 metres relay race at the Asian Games at Guangzhou, China. Manjit reached home this afternoon from Delhi.

As soon as Manjit landed at the city railway station, she was garlanded and given a floral welcome. The athlete was accompanied by PAP officials, sportspersons and her relatives while the local people jostled to greet her enroute on such a spectacular victory. The city railway station too wore a festive look as people gathered with flowers and sweets to congratulate her.

Sports Secretary of Punjab Police, SP Shivdev Singh congratulated Manjit Kaur and came along with her in a decked up cavalcade.

Earlier, Manjit had a brief halt at her alma mater Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Nehru Garden, where the school students and teachers thronged her and accorded a warm reception. The students too left no chance in getting their pictures clicked with the Asian Games gold winner. And Manjit too was more than happy posing with one and all.

Talking to The Tribune a virtually overwhelmed Manjit Kaur said, “It was a nostalgic moment meeting my old teachers and the students. I have fond memories of this school where I took my baby steps in athletics. It is an amazing feeling receiving greetings from your teachers,” she added.

The Nehru Garden School has decided to invite Manjit Kaur for a special felicitation function. Manjit would be here in the city for at least 15 days. Asked about her vacation plans, she said, “I am looking forward to a complete rest and enjoy my stay with my family”.

Further on being asked about her promotion as DSP, she said, “It has been over a month and I didn’t receive any written orders pertaining to my promotion. I am still awaiting for a formal function in this regard”. At present Manjit is serving as an Inspector with PAP.

When asked about any congratulatory message from Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on her victory, she said, “I didn’t receive any call from the CM or the Deputy CM. However, rumours are rife that the Punjab Sports Department would be conducting a grand function in the mid of December”.

Victorious women’s 4X400 relay quartet team included Manjit Kaur, Sini Jose, AC Ashwini and Mandeep Kaur.

Manjit also highlighted the need for private companies to sponsor athletes for better results. “We have scores of leading companies in the country which can set a trend by sponsoring the athletes and giving them the opportunity to excel in their disciplines. If given a chance we can excel like anything with better training facilities”, she quipped.

While the city residents gathered to greet Manjit Kaur, Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti did not turn up for the grand welcome ceremony and remained absent. 

Amritsar, November 30
The illicit relations of a father took the life his eight-year-old son, who was allegedly murdered by his beloved.The deceased, Mandeep, resident of Vadala Johal village, was stabbed while his sexual organ was chopped off by the accused. His body was found in the fields.

The Jandiala police has registered a case under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC on the statement of his Baldev Singh, father of Mandeep, against Paramjit Kaur. The police has started investigations, while no arrest has been made so far.

Baldev in his complaint stated that Mandeep had gone to watch the nagar kirtan (religious procession), but he did not return. He said they searched for him everywhere, but could not locate him till late in the evening.

“Next morning when we went to the fields, we found his naked body with scars while his sexual organs were chopped off by the murderer,” he said. He said he had illicit relations with Paramjit Kaur, which he snapped. He alleged to avenge this, Paramjit Kaur murdered his son.

Pathankot, November 30
More than 200 residents of Sujanpur and Pathankot town yesterday staged a demonstration against an acute shortage of cooking gas at Sujanpur.LPG consumers, mostly women, blocked traffic on the Sujanput-Pathankot road to protest against the acute paucity of cooking gas. They alleged that they had not been receiving supplies even after 45 days.

Alleging that the cooking gas agencies were selling cylinders in the black market, they sought action against the owners. Later, they burnt an effigy of the artificial scarcity of LPG.

The SDM, R.P. Singh Walia, warned the owners of the gas agencies falling in the subdivision against creating an artificial scarcity of LPG. He also cautioned them against indulging in any kind of malpractice or trying to exploit the common man by overcharging through black marketing. This correspondent tried to contact an IOC official of the, but efforts proved futile. — OC

Hoshiarpur, November 30
With the arrest of two persons, identified as Makhan Lal of Mehtiana and Vijay Kumar of Panshta (Kapurthala), the district police has claimed to have unearthed an inter-district gang of robbers.

Talking to mediapersons this afternoon, Hoshiarpur SSP Rakesh Aggarwal said the police was tipped off that Makhan Lal of Mehtiana along with his accomplice Sabbi of Kahri village used to steal LPG cylinders from government schools and sell them to Vijay Kumar of Panshta.

Acting on the tip-off SHO Model Town police station set up a special naka at Phagwara bypass crossing near Purhiran and nabbed Makhan Lal who was going on a motorcycle (PB 08 AX 3827) with 4 LPG cylinders.

During his interrogation, Makhan Singh confessed that he alongwith Kuldip Singh of Gajar and Gian Chand of Chankoya murdered Gandharav Singh of Gajar village before committing robbery at his house in 2008 for which his two accomplices were arrested and was sentenced life imprisonment and he (Makhan Singh) was declared proclaimed offender in the said case.

He along with his accomplices committed more than 100 thefts in various schools, shops and houses in Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar and Phagwara areas. They also snatched a Tata 407 mini-truck near Purhiran bypass on October 6. Makhan Singh purchased a DJ system with the looted money.

The SSP said the police recovered 57 LPG gas cylinders, one motorcycle, 6 mobile phones, one DJ system, 4 packet refined oil, 4 gel, 7 badminton rackets, 5 combs, 3 sweaters and 3 pairs of shoes from Makhan Singh and Vijay Kumar.

As many as 10 criminal cases including of rape, robbery, theft and dacoity etc. were registered against Makhan Singh. Makhan Singh, who had worked in GNA factory as a labourer, later started working in a tent house and had strain relations with his wife due to his illicit relations with another woman. Due to shortage of money he started committing robberies.

Vijay Kumar who had been running a pesticides shop and were selling refilled LPG cylinders in black market after getting the same from the agency holders, used to purchased stolen LPG cylinders and later sold them to the inhabitants of the locality.