NEIGHBOURHOOD

Nine held for murder

Ambala, May 2
The police claimed to have arrested nine persons here today after conducting several raids yesterday. They were involved in a murder of a taxi driver Gaurav by stabbing him near railway station.

According to sources, there was a heated argument between two groups of drivers over the lifting of passengers outside the railway station and bus stand.

Eight taxi drivers had stabbed Gaurav several times killing him on-the-spot. The taxi drivers, however, managed to flee.

The police had arrested two persons Harish and Vinod on April 30. They were produced in the court today and remanded in judicial custody. — TNS

Fatehgarh Sahib, May 2
The court of District Sessions Judge GS Gill today awarded 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment to Pardeep, alias Nimm Bahadur, a resident of the Mugalmajra area of Mandi Gobindgarh. A native of Nepal, he was convicted of raping his stepdaughter.

The Fatehgarh Sahib police booked Nimm in December last on a complaint by his wife. In her complaint, the wife of the accused alleged that Nimm had repeatedly raped her daughter and threatened her not to reveal anything about the sexual assault.

She married Nimm Bahadur, a watchman deployed in a godown at Mandi Gobindgarh, around a year and-a-half ago. She was expecting at the time of the incident.

This was the second marriage for both. The complainant’s husband and Nimm’s wife had died a few years ago. The complainant had an 11-year-old daughter from her previous marriage.

Mandi Gobindgarh SHO Bikramjit Singh said it had been medically proved that Nimm had been raping his stepdaughter and a case under Sections 276 and 506 of the IPC was registered. He said when Nimm’s wife got pregnant, she told her daughter to sleep with Nimm and he kept exploiting her.

Twenty days after childbirth, Nimm’s wife told her daughter to sleep with her father again, but visibly upset and frightened, the girl refused. When her mother enquired, the girl broke down and informed her mother about the exploitation. 

Chandigarh, May 2
Issuing a notice of motion to the State of Punjab and other respondents, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the move to remove Dera Bassi municipal council (MC) president Manjit Kaur Dally.

The directions by Justice MS Sullar came on a petition filed by Dally, challenging the holding of a meeting for her removal. The meeting was scheduled to be held this afternoon. In her petition, Dally had contended that the meeting was being held against the provisions of the law.

Quoting the rules, Dally had asserted that as per existing rules, the minimum gap between two meetings for the removal of MC president was six months, but a meeting for her removal was held only a few days back.

Dally had added that an attempt was being made to oust her due to political reasons. Despite possessing a majority in the MC, Jasjit Singh Bunny, Shiromani Akali Dal MLA from Banur, had only recently failed to remove Congress councillor Dally from the post of president.

Dally retained her position after Bunny, as an ex-officio member, managed to garner the support of only eight councillors in the 13-member House. In the process, he fell short of the mandatory two-third majority required to oust the president.

Chandigarh, May 2
The crime branch of the Chandigarh Police today claimed to have solved 10 cases of vehicle thefts in the city with the arrest of three persons.

The police arrested 26-year-old Ajay Kumar Modi, a resident of Hoshiarpur district, 20-year-old Paramjit Singh, alias Pamma, and 33-year-old Ashok Kumar, both residents of Ghamour village in Nawanshahar.

During interrogation, it was revealed that the gang was active in and around Chandigarh. As the police was trailing the gang, the prime accused, Ajay Kumar Modi, deliberately surrendered before the court in an earlier case in which he remained absent from long time. He tried to evade fresh arrest, but in vain. The crime branch sleuths brought him on a production warrant and his interrogation led to the arrest of his two accomplices and recovery of stolen vehicles. The team headed by sub-inspector Krishan Kumar under the supervision of inspector Amanjot Singh busted the gang.

Chandigarh, May 2
Three snatching incidents were reported in the city today. Anju, a resident of Sector-19-D, reported that two unidentified motorcycle-borne miscreants snatched her purse containing a bank draft and a cheque for Rs 5,000 from near Palika Bazar, Sector 19.

Geeta Ram, a resident of Sector 42-B, Chandigarh, alleged that a motorcyclist snatched the purse of his wife containing Rs 200, a mobile phone and some documents from the Sectors 36, 37-D road.

Chandigarh, May 2
A 24-year-old Home Guard volunteer with the Chandigarh Police died after being hit by a rashly driven Tata Magic here last night.

The victim, Raj Kumar, was going on his bicycle when he was knocked down. The police has arrested the driver, Hari Babu, a resident of Pillibhit, Uttar Pradesh, in a case of causing death due to negligence under Section 304-A of the IPC.

The mishap took place at around 9 pm yesterday near the traffic lights point in Sector 28 when Raj Kumar was going towards his residence in Police Colony, Sector 26.

The Tata Magic (CH-01-TA-7686) hit the cyclist from the rear following which his head came under the front wheels of a bus. The driver of the vehicle then rushed the victim to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32 where he was declared brought dead. The police has arrested the driver of the Tata Magic.

Raj Kumar was posted in the canteen of the Chandigarh Police headquarters and is survived by wife and a three-year-old son. 

Chandigarh, May 2
The technical team of the Police Control Room arrested five persons on the charges on liquor smuggling today.

PCR van (Echo-32) arrested Kulwant Singh, resident of Mouli Complex, and Budh Singh, a resident Kangra, from near Daria. They were carrying 256 boxes of different brands whisky and beer in a mini-truck (HR-49-F-0250).

A case under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act has been registered against the accused at the Industrial Area police station.

In another incident, a team led by inspector Sukhwinder Singh nabbed Sunil Kumar, a resident of Una, and Sarabjit Singh, a resident of Hoshiarpur, from near Tribune roundabout while carrying 60 boxes of whisky in a pick-up truck (HP-12-A-7215). A case has been registered at the Sector 31 police station.

In another incident, Parkash, a resident of Sector 40, was arrested while carrying 150 boxes of whisky in a mini-truck (CH-01-TA-2636).

Chandigarh, May 2
The UT Police has booked three residents of Ramdarbar, Phase II, for allegedly duping a Sangrur resident, Gurdev Singh, on the pretext of arranging a job for him in the Punjab Health Department.

The accused have been identified as Mewa Singh, Bholi and Tony. The accused allegedly took Rs 4.50 lakh from the complainant in August 2010 but never fulfilled their promise.

The police said Gurdev came in contact of accused through a common friend and the accused had assured him of the job as he was “well connected” with senior Punjab bureaucrats.

The police said a case of forgery, cheating and criminal intimidation was registered after investigation. The accused are still at large. 

Chandigarh, May 2
It was a double delight for Rohit Dhiman of Total Tennis Academy, as he outclassed Chirag Bajwa 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in a tough contest to win the top honours in the boys’ under-14 singles in the Ajit Karam Singh International Public School Total Tennis Tournament, played at AKSIPS Total Tennis Academy, Sector 45, here today.

He had clinched the under-18 singles title the other day.

Rohit Dhiman of Shishu Niketan School dominated Bajwa in the beginning, taking the first set 6-3. However, Chirag fought back in the second set and displayed some good single-handed backhand shots.

He made Rohit move all around the court and took the second set 6-4. In the decider, Bajwa threatened a comeback in the match and went 3-1 up.

He, however, lost focus, enabling Rohit to take full advantage of the situation and clinch five games in a row. He trounced Bajwa 6-3 and completed the double crown.

Neamat Aulakh of Sacred Heart made up for her defeat to Sonali Bansal yesterday in girls’ under-18 final and got the better of her schoolmate Pallavi Hooda in the girls’ under-14 final 6-3, 6-2.

Neamat showed great temperament and played controlled and consistent ground strokes against lanky Pallavi to take the first set 6-3.

Both players played neck and neck till the scorecard read 3-3 in the first set. Neamat then broke away and took the next three games to close the set 6-3.

In the second set, Pallavi showed some resistance in the first two games but surrendered to Neamat, who punished Pallavi by winning the second set 6-2.

Yesterday, Sonali Bansal of Carmel Convent School had claimed the under-18 title by defeating Neamat Aulakh 6-2, 6-1.

Asav Kumar won the under-10 title defeating Chiraz Singh 1-4, 4-0, 4-0.

LN Patnaik from Total Tennis Academy gave away the prizes to the winners.

Chandigarh, May 2
Displaying good batting skills, Shivang Saini slammed 57 not out to help St Kabir Public School, Sector 26, register a 83-run win over St Soldier’s School, Sector 28, in the opening match of the St Kabir Trophy Tournament for Under-13 at St Kabir’s ground, here today.

Batting first, St Kabir team scored 149 runs in the allotted 20 overs with the help of Saini’s knock. However, the other batsmen failed to contribute much to the total.

Rajat finished as the most successful bowler for the St Soldier’s team, picking up 3 for 29, followed by Sachin, who claimed 1 for 18.

In reply, St Soldier’s team succumbed to the pressure and were bundled out for paltry 66 runs. Only Manjot could reach the double figures with his 11 runs. Shivanshu broke the back of the rivals with his 3 for 9, while Shivang Ahuja took 2 for 11 for the Kabir team.

Brief score: St Kabir: 149 for six in 20 overs (Shivang Saini 57, Archit Garg 18; Rajat 3 for 29, Sachin 1 for 18).

St Soldier’s: 66 all out in 20 overs (Manjot 11; Shivanshu 3 for 9, Shivang Ahuja 2 for 11).

In the second match between Saupin’s School, Sector 32, and St Anne’s Convent School, Sector 32, the former won by a margin of 26 runs.

Batting first, Saupin’s team reached 125 runs for seven in 20 overs with the help of Anhad’s 30 runs and Aayush’s 26 runs. For St Anne’s team, Utkarsh bowled well and snapped 2 for 12.

Chasing the target, St Anne’s team put up a fight but eventually gave up at 99 in 19.4 overs. Jaideep emerged as the highest scorer with his 29 runs whereas Paras contributed 21 runs.

For Saupin’s, Manav and Aayush took two wickets each.

Brief score: Saupin’s-32: 125 for seven in 20 overs (Anhad 30, Aayush 26; Utkarsh 2 for 12).

St Anne’s-32: 99 all out in 19.4 overs (Jaideep 29, Paras 21).

Tomorrow’s matches: Millennium v St John’s at 9 am; Strawberry v St Soldier’s, Mohali, at 12.30 pm. 

Chandigarh, May 2
Pardeep hammered unbeaten 82 runs off 59 balls to help Chandigarh district team maintain their winning spree by beating Amritsar district team by 77 runs in the ongoing CCA Cricket Tournament (U-14) at Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 36, here today.

After winning the toss, Chandigarh team elected to bat first and scored 292 runs for the loss of seven wickets in the allotted quota of 40 overs. Pardeep shone with his willow as he hit an unbeaten knock of 82 runs.

The other batsmen, including Raman Bishnoi and Yogesh, also played good knocks. While Raman contributed 69 runs off 44 balls, Yogesh chipped in with 39 runs off 54 balls. Abhishek claimed two for 56 runs for the Amritsar team.

In reply, the Amritsar team were largely dependent on Abhishek, who slammed 91 runs off 90 balls.

However, he did not get enough support from other fellow batsmen as wickets kept falling at regular intervals.

Arun showed some valiance with his 24 runs in just 10 balls.

But their efforts went in vain as the team were restricted to 215 for nine in the allotted overs.

For Chandigarh, Rakshat was the pick of the bowlers as he returned with figures of three for 45, followed by Nipun, who took two for 22.

The tournament is being organised by the Chandigarh Cricket Association, affiliated with the Punjab Cricket Association.

Brief scores: Chandigarh district: 292 for seven in 40 overs (Pardeep 82 n.o, Raman Bishnoi 69, Yogesh 39; Abhishek 2 for 56).

Amritsar district: 215 for nine in 40 overs (Abhishek 91, Arun 24; Rakshat 3 for 45, Nipun 2 for 22).

Fatehgarh Sahib, May 2
Ten acres land of the municipal council, Sirhind, has been converted into a sports stadium.

Kabaddi, hockey, football and cricket matches were held at the stadium on Friday.

Earlier, the land was encroached upon by a section of people and was vacated with the district administration’s intervention.

The stadium, which was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Yashvir Mahajan on Friday, has come up at a cost of Rs 20 crore.

The DC said a cricket ground, a volleyball ground, two hockey grounds and a basketball court would also be constructed. Earlier, the government sports department used to organise matches in institutions run by the SGPC.

DSP Baljit Singh Dhillon, member of the hockey squad that won a gold medal during the Asian Games in 1998, appreciated the move of the district administration. He added that a sports academy was a must in order to hone sportspersons’ skills.