NEIGHBOURHOOD

Routes diverted for Khatkar Kalan function
Tribune News Service

Kalka, March 21
A team of local administration, along with a police team, headed by Duty Magistrate Naresh Kumar, today razed several illegal structures constructed on the panchayat land in Ravi Dass Colony of the BCW, Surajpur, Pinjore Block, despite opposition by the women residents of the colony.

The anti-encroachment drive continued for more than one hour. Kalka MLA Pardeep Choudhary, who also reached on the spot, condemned the drive and flayed the state government for not extending redline of villages. Notably, the local administration had provided electricity meters and water connections in the houses illegally constructed on the government land.

Ambala, March 21
A middle-aged couple and their daughter were seriously injured as a leaking gas cylinder caused a major fire in their kitchen. According to sources, Usha Gupta (48) was cooking food in the kitchen of her Ekta Vihar residence.

Suddenly the gas pipe caught fire and the fire spread in the kitchen. Her husband Rajiv Gupta (54) came to her rescue and tried to douse the flame. He was also seriously injured in the process.

Their 20-year-old daughter, Shivani, came rushing in and she also sustained serious burn injuries as she tried to save her parents.

The neighbours rushed to the spot and doused the fire. They rushed the three to the local Civil Hospital.

Rajiv and his wife Usha had sustained about 90 per cent burns and in view of their critical condition they were referred to the PGI, Chandigarh. Shivani was undergoing treatment in the Civil Hospital, Ambala Cantt, where her condition was said to be serious, sources added.

Chandigarh, March 21
The Punjab and Haryana High Court wants the UT Home Secretary to decide the controversy over the appointment of Chandigarh Wakf Board’s chairman Shakeel Ahmed.

A Division Bench of the High Court has also fixed a deadline for the Home Secretary to decide the controversy over the appointment.

After receiving a representation against the appointment, the officer gets six-week time to adjudicate the matter.

The present incumbent’s appointment was challenged on the ground that he was a full-time employee and was allegedly involved in a civil litigation on Wakf properties.

The orders fixing the deadline came on a petition filed in public interest by Mohammadi Social Welfare Society through counsel Ashish Verma against the Union of India and other respondents.

Taking up the petition, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Augustine George Masih asserted, “The challenge in the public interest litigation is two orders dated April 8, 2010, and December 9, 2010, by which a respondent has been appointed as a member and, thereafter, as the chairman of the Chandigarh Wakf Board.”

The Bench added, “The challenge is founded on the basis that the respondent is a full-time employee and further he was involved in a civil litigation arising from the alleged illegal possession of the Wakf properties by the said respondent.”

The Bench added, “Having regard to the subject matter involved, we are of the view that this public interest litigation challenging the appointment/nomination of the respondent on the grounds noticed should not be entertained by us at this stage.

“Instead the petitioner should highlight its grievances in the matter by filing a representation before the Home Secretary, Union Territory, Chandigarh.

“Thereafter, the said authority will decide the matter and communicate his decision to the petitioner. In the event the petitioner continues to feel aggrieved, it will be open for it to avail of its legal remedies.”

Before parting with the order, the Bench added, “The Home Secretary will decide the matter within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of the representation of the petitioner, if any. PIL is disposed of in the above terms.”

Panchkula, March 21
Four youths chopped off the ear of Sharief, a rickshaw puller and a native of Uttar Pradesh, when he refused to give Rs 200 to them for gambling in Sector 20 late last night.

Narrating the incident to the media at the General Hospital, Sector 6, Sharief said he was sitting at his house after celebrating Holi with his family members.

The accused, whom he identified as Usman, Irfan and Bhura and his nephew, came to his jhuggi around 8.30 pm in an inebriated condition and demanded Rs 200 from him. He said he told them that he was very poor and could not afford to give any money to them. Infuriated over this the accused first indulged in heated arguments and then Usman drew a knife and chopped off the victim’s ear.

Sharief alleged that when he went to the Sector 20 police station to lodge a complaint in this regard, the police officials present there refused to do so.

He alleged that one of the police officials dropped him outside the hospital and went away. He said the doctors at the hospital did not attend to his profusely bleeding ear and bandaged his ear only when he protested against this.

After coming to know about the case, Manjit Kaur and BS Dhillon, chairperson and president of the Human Social Justice Panel, and Jaspal Singh, president of the Panchkula Bar Association, took him to DSP (HQ) Badri Parshad, who asked police officials to look into the matter besides booking the guilty.

Later, a case was registered under Sections 322, 326, 506 and 34 of the IPC and the police arrested the main accused, Usman. The police was investigating the case and raided at several places to nab the other accused.

Chandigarh, March 22
Victoria Chahal of Haryana defeated local player Nimrat Walia in the girls’ U-14 category during the ongoing CLTA-AITA Super Series Tennis Tournament being held at the CLTA Complex and Lake Sports Complex here today.

Victoria defeated Nimrat in straight sets 6-4, 6-1. In the boys’ (U-12) category, Durvish Handa of Delhi defeated Kunal Shaukeen 6-0, 6-1, whereas in the boys’ (U-14) group, local lad Sachin Kumar defeated Shramay Dhawan 6-2, 6-2.

Main draw first round results

Boys (U-12): Sanket Tomer defeated Sabrang Sandal 6-1, 7-5,

Durvish Handa defeated Kunal Shaukeen 6-0, 6-1, Krishna Shree defeated Karthik Sambath (TN) 6-0, 6-2, Kabir Manrai defeated Asav Kumar (CHD) 6-0, 6-0, Ankit Rao defeated Chiraz Singh (CHD) 6-1, 6-4, Shramay Dhawan defeated Abhishek MK (DLI) 6-0, 6-0, Vatsin Thakar defeated Rishabh Sharda (CHD) 6-3, 6-1, Subham Malhotra defeated Sanjit Singh (DLI), Rohit Kumar defeated Kotak Kunj (GUJ) and Yash Yadav defeated Himanshu Mor (HAR) 6-3, 6-1.

Boys (U-14): Sachin Kumar defeated Shramay Dhawan 6-2, 6-2, Mayank Yadav defeated Avilash Mishra (ORS) 6-2, 6-2, Paramveer Singh Bajwa defeated Krishna Shree 6-2, 6-3, Anurag Nenwani defeated Shumbahm Malhotra 7-6(7), 6-2, Sahil Sehwag defeated Kunj Kotak 6-1, 6-3, Sumitpal Singh defeated Santbir Singh 6-3, 6-4, Shrey Gupta defeated Parikshit Somani 6-2, 6-4, Amarnath Arora defeated Vashisth Cheruku 7-6(6), 6-4

Surya Prasad defeated Rohit Kumar 6-3, 6-1, Yash Yadav defeated Anshuman Gulia 6-1, 6-2, Adhhayan defeated Yugal Bansal 6-3, 7-5 and

Ishaque Eqbal defeated Nishant Kumar 6-0, 6-2.

Girls (U-12): Pranjala Yadlapalli defeated Shreya Kalia 6-2, 6-4, Bakul Negi defeated Agrima Sharma 7-5, 6-4, Seerat Kaur Pannu defeated Akriti Gupta 6-0, 6-0, V Surya Narayani Shrishty Dass 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, Himani Mor defeated Ayushi Gupta 6-0, 6-0, Prinkle Singh defeated Anushka Burman 6-2, 6-0, Aastha Malhotra defeated Rachita R 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, Isha Budwal defeated Jannat Khurana 6-0, 6-1, Zeel Desai defeated Tanya Batra 6-1, 6-0, Rubani Ahluwalia defeated Taru Ahluwalia 6-1, 6-3, Aarja Chakraborty defeated B. Celine Mariya 6-3, 6-1, Snehal Umesh Mane defeated Akshita Singh 6-1, 6-0, Apekshia Alkesh defeated Moksha Thukral 6-2, 6-1, Shristhy Dhanda Zeel Gandhi 6-1, 6-1, Mihika Yadav defeated Sabhayata Nihlani 6-1, 6-2 and Nidhi Suraprakash defeated Shwani Kumar 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Girls (U-14): Zeel Desai defeated Sharishty Dhanda 7-6(4), 6-1, Aarja Chakraborty defeated Anushka Burman 6-0, 6-1, Snehal Umesh (MAH) defeated Prinkle Singh (J&K) 6-2, 6-2, Jahnvi Gupta defeated Sachi Belwal 7-6(4), 6-1, Harsimran Kaur defeated Gayatri Kumariah 6-4, 6-3, Abhilasha Mudgil defeated Kanika Negi 6-0, 6-0, Mihika Yadav defeated Bhavya Wadhawan 6-2, 6-2, Himani Mor defeated Apekshita Alkesh 6-3, 6-3, Shreya Kalia defeated Karishma Mehta 6-4, 6-4, Isha Budwal defeated Shrishti Dass 6-0, 6-1, Pranjala Yadlapalli defeated Moksha Thukral 6-1, 6-2 and Dhwani Kumar vt Sharvini Shivapuri 6-1, 6-2.

Chandigarh, March 21
The 29th All-India Police Equestrian Meet began at the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) basic training centre at Bhanu near here today.

A total of 328 riders and 174 horses from paramilitary forces and police organisations across India are participating in the meet.

The participants, which include national and international riders, have been divided into 11 teams and they would be competing for the top honours in 27 events spread over seven days. For the first time, a 42-km endurance race has been included in the meet.

Inaugurating the meet, ITBP director-general RK Bhatia said the aim of the event was to promote equestrian sports among police personnel and also to improve the standards of professional horsemanship in the police duties, be it crowd control, patrolling or other operations involving equines.

Show jumping, dressage, tent pegging, cross-country, medley, hacks, veterinary first-aid competition and mental hazard are among the events to be held during the meet.

Results:

Show jumping (NGO): Ct Nagender Singh (BSF), Ct Lakhbir Singh (ITBP), Ct Baldev (ITBP).

Show jumping (novice): H/c Bhagat Das (Rajasthan Police), H/c Radhey Shyam (Delhi Police), Ct Manjit Singh (Punjab Police).

Tent pegging (individual): ASI Nirmal Singh (Haryana Police), Ct Sahid Singh (Chandigarh Police), Ct Gurdeep Singh (Punjab Police).