Nawanshahr, May 17
The ongoing struggle of the students pursuing the ETT course in self-financed colleges for the commencement of their semester examination by the SCERT led to a clash between them and the police here as the local police resorted to a lathi charge and manhandled the agitating students when they blocked traffic at Chandigarh Chowk here today.

Following the lathi charge and rounding up of the PSU leader Karam Singh Sekhan, the irate students, raising slogans against the state government and Punjab Police, marched towards city police station. The students forcefully entered into the compound of the police station and raised slogans demanding the release of the PSU leader. With a view to control he situation, the police took the agitating students, including girls, into custody. Though the police officials have been denying the allegations of the lathi charge or manhandling of the students, as many as three students - Baljit Kaur , Manpreet Kaur and Amandeep Singh - have been admitted to the Civil Hospital here.

Earlier, SDM Birpal Singh and DSP Manohar Lal tried to persuade the agitating students to lift the traffic blockade on the plea that they should not cause inconvenience to the general public. The PSU leaders, Karam Singh Sekhan, Raghbir Singh and Monika, said they had been running from pillar to post for the acceptance of their demand of commencement of their semester examination for the past couple of months.

“The ETT students studying in the self-financed colleges in the state have been finding themselves in a quandary as their semester examinations have not commenced yet,” rued the PSU leaders, adding that the ETT students had submitted memorandums to Deputy Commissioner Shruti Singh, Director, SCERT, Avtar Singh and even Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan, but to no avail.

“The Education Minister had promised to solve the issue by May 12, but nothing concrete had come out in this connection, consequently, the students have been finding their academic career in doldrums,” lamented PSU leader.

Sekhan said the self-financed colleges had been charging hefty fee from the students, even then they had to struggle for taking examinations.

The rounded-up students were released in the evening. The students gathered at the Civil Hospital for expressing solidarity with the students under treatment there. “Though our struggle is neither against the public, nor the police, but the police had manhandled them brutally,” rued the students, adding that even the girl students were taken in a bus and released at remote areas in the groups of two or thee girls and they had to face a lot of inconvenience to come back in the scorching heat.

The students demanded an inquiry into the episode and stern action against the errant officials. Leader of the All-India Federation of Trade Union (AIFTU) Kulwinder Singh Warraich, while criticising the police lathi charge on the students, endorsed their demand.

The SP (Operation), Dharam Singh Uppal, when contacted denied the allegations of the lathi charge and manhandling of the students by the police and said the police just kept them in the police station to resolve the issue peacefully and amicably. The student leaders promised that they would not cause inconvenience to the public while holding demonstrations for pressing the state government to accept their demands.

Batala, May 17
The controversial Batala Improvement Trust auction, which raised a lot of political heat and dust in this industrial town, was today cancelled after a resolution to this effect was passed by the trustees.

Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Pirthi Chand confirmed the cancellation and said that the trust had done the right thing after the issue had threatened to snowball into a major controversy with senior politicians severely criticising the sale of prime land held May 9. It is pertinent to mention here that The Tribune was the first to report the alleged wrong doings during the sales’s proceedings following which trust chairman Dev Raj Chachowalia convened a meeting of the trustees where the decision to cancel the site measuring 5,300 square yards, which fell under the hammer on May 9, was nullified.

Wilting under sustained pressure built up by politicians and some influential city residents, the chairman was left with no option except to convene a trust meeting.

Once the quorum was complete, the trustees, including the Chairman, passed a resolution calling for the cancellation of the sale.

Seven out of the nine trustees attended the meeting with SDM Rahul Chaba, who is an ex-officio trustee, sending his emissary Naib Tehsildar HS Gill. The others who abstained were government nominees-the District Town Planner and PWD Executive Engineer (XEN).

It may be recalled that after the auction an NRI Baljinder Singh Boparai had claimed that the site which was auctioned at Rs 4.01 crore against a reserve price of Rs 3.40 crore could have fetched a revenue of at least Rs 10 crore had he been allowed to take part in the proceedings. The NRI had later addressed a press conference where he claimed that the chairman and other officials of the trust had conducted the proceedings in a farcical manner.

Dev Raj Chachowalia claimed that he would extend an open invitation to the NRI whenever the auction was re-held. He added that he would be happy to see the NRI commence the auction from Rs 10 crore against the reserve price of Rs 3.40 crore. 

Amritsar, May 17
BJP national spokesperson Parkash Javadekar has demanded that the UPA government must enact a legislation to categorise country’s illegal money stacked in foreign banks as property of the Indian government.

Addressing a national convention on ‘Corruption and Recovery of Black Money’ organised by BJP’s Chartered Accountants Cell here today, he said then the government must proceed to retrieve the money from foreign shores.

Javadekar alleged that over 200 private companies were given mining rights on first come first serve basis during 2006 to 2009.

He alleged that Dr Manmohan Singh could not be absolved of 2G spectrum scam as he did not raise his voice against former Telecom Minister A Raja.

MP Navjot Singh Sidhu attacking the Prime Minister said he was the honest king of the corrupt government.

Phagwara, May 17
Municipal employees of Phagwara, Phillaur, Goraya, Noormahal and Nakodar and safai karamcharis observed strike in support of their long-pending demands on second day Tuesday. The strike was called by the Municipal Employees Action Committee, Punjab. 

The employees sat on dharnas and raised slogans against the state government for adopting indifferent attitude towards their demands. Their major demands included regularisation of ad hoc employees and better pay scales according to the Minimum Wages Act. — OC

Batala, May 17
Head constable Rawail Singh died in a road accident here on Sunday.

While talking to mediapersons here on Monday, Gurdeep Singh, SSP, said head constable Rawail Singh after doing his duty was going back to his village Karindian on his motorcycle (PB-18A-6842). When he reached near the canal bridge of his village a Maruti van (PB-18K-0072) coming from opposite side hit his motorcycle. Rawail Singh was taken to the Civil Hospital, where he died.

A case under Sections 304A, 279 and 427 of the IPC was registered against Harjit Singh, resident of Salochahal village, at Quila Lal Singh police station.

The accused had not been arrested.

Tarn Taran, May 17
An old NRI couple were robbed of Rs 2.5 lakh and 800 dollars by a relative and her lover after being drugged. Baljit Kaur and her lover Mandeep Singh have been booked under Sections 328 and 506 of the IPC by the Chohla Sahib police.

Baljit Kaur, daughter of a relative of the couple, Jagir Singh and his wife Amarjit Kaur, had been living with them for the last two years looking after them and cooking food for them.

Baljit developed relations with Mandeep sometime back.

Two days ago Baljit Kaur and Mandeep Singh served the couple with some intoxicant. Then they entered their bedroom and demanded the keys of the almirah from Jagir Singh threatening him with a sword. After sometime Jagir Singh went unconscious. When the couple woke up in the morning they found Rs 2.5 lakh and 800 dollars missing from the purse of Amarjit Kaur. 

Hoshiarpur, May 17
Kuldip Singh (48) of Nai Abadi Galowal was found murdered near his village on Monday.

According to the police sources, deceased's wife Gurdip Kaur said her husband was working in a private transport company and used to return house between 9 pm to 11 pm.

On May 15 at 9 pm, Kuldip Singh called up to inform that some persons were chasing him and to protect himself, he was staying in Kotli village. He asked his wife to come to Kotli village along with Sarabjit, alias Kuku. The call was attended by his daughter Kamlesh Kaur.

Gurjit Kaur along with Sarabjit went on a motorcycle to Kotli village where they met Kuldip Singh and later, they proceeded towards their house on two motorcycles.

On the way Kuldip Singh who was going alone on his motorcycle disappeared and did not reach home. In the morning his body having marks of sharp edged weapons was found near the village. His murderers decamped with his said motorcycle, mobile phone and a bag of cash.

The police has registered a case under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC in this connection.