Barnala, May 27
A total of 25 girl students undergoing GNM course in the Guru Nanak Dev Nursing Institute alleged mental torture by the college authorities as they could not pay the college fee.

Even as the students according to the college authorities have not deposited their fee, the college authorities to build pressure have allegedly stopped teaching them and also made them sit in a separate room.

The matter came to light on Friday after Malkeet Singh, former sarpanch of Deedargarh village, father of an ailing student Mandeep Kaur studying in the third year went to see her at the college.

Malkeet Singh said the principal of the college misbehaved with at least 25 girls of the institute and has been mentally torturing them for the last three days as they could not pay the full amount of fee. He added that of Rs 35, 000 charged by the institute for a year, he had deposited Rs20, 000 and was about to deposit the remaining amount Rs15, 000 today.

Singh pointed out that despite depositing the major part of the annual fee by the 25 students, the college authorities not only misbehaved with them but also tortured them mentally.

Daughter of Malkeet Singh, Mandeep Kaur and other victim students including Ravneet Kaur, Maninder Kaur, Jaspreet Kaur, Manpreet Kaur, Birpal Kaur, Amandeep Kaur, Sandeep Kaur and others said even when they were mentally tortured by the college authorities, they did not speak against the torture meted out to them. They alleged that the college authorities even warned them that they would be thrown out of the institute, if they spoke to anyone regarding this outside the college.

Malkeet Singh, father of Mandeep Kaur, warned that if any student takes any extreme step due to mental torture, college management and principal would be responsible for that.

Principal of the college Parminder Kaur said the fee of these students is outstanding. She said if the college authorities asked the students to pay fee that does not amount to mental torture the students. “If the students do not pay their fee, how can the college run?” the principal asked.

Abohar, May 27
With shifting of the sub-divisional office of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) from Abohar to Fazilka, all hopes pinned on extension and augmentation of water supply and sewerage system during the period of present government led by the SAD-BJP alliance stand shattered. The office has been packed off in compliance with a letter issued by the PWSSB chairman Dr Baldev Raj Chawla, a veteran leader of the BJP.

Intriguingly, CM Parkash Singh Badal assured hundreds of citizens led by the local legislator Sunil Jakhar last month at his Sangat Darshan function on the Malout road here that adequate funds would be made available to give some life to the outlived system. Accordingly a team headed by a superintending engineer visited the sub-divisional town to examine technical viability of the proposals put forth. The sub-divisional office had later submitted a detailed report on extension and augmentation of water supply under phase 1 and 2 at an estimated cost of Rs 40.14 crore in view needs of the area till 2025. Also Rs 39.94 crore was estimated for extension and augmentation of sewerage system to meet the requirements till 2040. The report suggested that Rs 22 crore should be earmarked for providing sewerage treatment plant by arranging 10 acres of land through the local MC.

Congress MLA Sunil Jakhar said his elder brother Sajjan Kumar Jakhar had in 1992 got office of executive engineer of the PWSSB for Abohar sanctioned as member of the cabinet. It was later downgraded to sub-division after formation of the SAD-BJP alliance government. The PWSSB chairman Dr Chawla had during his maiden visit to Abohar last year promised a moon to functionaries of his party here. The latest report submitted by the PWSSB has confirmed that tenders worth Rs 39.94 crore were called on October 11, 2010 but no funds have been provided. The tenders had thus expired on technical grounds.

Abohar, May 27
Gurdev alias Babbu was shot dead in Balluana village of this sub-division when he along with others was attacked by 14 persons including two cops late last night.

Babbu was killed when a shot from 12 bore double barrel gun, allegedly fired by one of the accused, was hit in his chest. Though he was rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to his injuries. The deceased, a resident of Arniwala, came to his friend Varinder Singh’s house last evening.

Varinder Brar, SP, Abohar, said as per the FIR registered in this connection on the statement of Varinder Singh, 14 persons attacked his house last night when he along with his mother Sumitra Devi, cousin, Ramesh Kumar and friend Babbu was present there.

Varinder had alleged that Swaran Kumar and Raj Kumar, who were living in his neighbourhood, had made a number of attempts to possess his house. Fearing threat to his life, Varinder had been living at some other place for the past few days. Yesterday, when Varinder came to know that the accused were erecting a wall in his house to possess it illegally, he came there with his mother and two others.The accused fled from the scene after they entered their house.

However, after some time, the accused descended on his house carrying firearms and sharp-edged weapons and attacked them. When one of the accused fired a shot from 12 bore double barrel gun, its bullet hit Babbu, who died subsequently. Brar said that on the statement of Varinder, a case under Sections 302 and 452 of the IPC and Section 27 of Arms Act was registered against the accused at the police station concerned.He added that an investigation in the case had been launched.

Bathinda, May 27
Though people are more prone to malaria fever during summers, the Muktsar city is nowadays witnessing cases of dengue fever, which is otherwise a post-monsoon disease.

During the past five days, as many as 17 suspected cases of dengue have come to the notice of the health authorities of Muktsar district. The blood samples of all these suspected cases had been sent to the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Faridkot, for conducting Mac Elisa test (a confirmatory test for dengue).

Some of the suspected dengue cases belong to Gandhi Nagar, Bagh Wali Gali, Pandit Mohan Lal Street and Mithan Lal Street of the Muktsar city.

When contacted this evening, Muktsar Civil Surgeon Dr Tirath Goyal said they had received information about 17 suspected dengue fever cases from the city during the past four to five days. They had collected and sent the blood samples of the suspected cases to the Faridkot Medical College for Mac Elisa test, he added.

The Civil Surgeon further said they had received reports of 14 blood samples so far, of which nine had been tested positive for dengue. He said they had already started spraying Pyrethrum Ext 2 percent in the affected localities besides other areas of the city.

Meanwhile, a team of the health department from Chandigarh, led by Dr Amit Arora, today visited Muktsar to take stock of the situation.

Dr Goyal said they had also started educating people on how they could protect themselves from dengue mosquitoes.

He said people had been told not to allow accumulation of clean water in earthen pots and waste tyres etc to check dengue mosquito from breeding. Besides, people had also been advised to keep their desert coolers clean and dry them properly before use.

On the demand of the Muktsar health authorities, Bathinda Civil Surgeon Dr Neelam Bajaj today sent six spray pump operators to kill dengue mosquitoes in the Muktsar city. She said as a precautionary measure, they had also started educating residents of Bathinda about the disease.

Bathinda, May 27
The super-specialty cancer hospitals of the Max Healthcare would become functional in Bathinda and Mohali by August.

Executive director Dilpreet Brar today said the 200-bed hospital here would also have super-specialty in cardiac disease while the one at Mohali would have super-specialty in trauma besides cancer.

Both hospitals are being built at an estimated cost of over Rs 100 crore each in a public private partnership (PPP) mode with the Punjab Government. These will provide comprehensive primary, secondary and tertiary level services in all medical specialties, Brar said.

The hospital here is being built on a 4.80 acre in the precincts of the Civil Hospital while the Mohali hospital will come up on 3.15 acres.

Brar said as a part of the PPP agreement, five per cent of the gross revenue generated by the hospital shall be earmarked for providing treatment to poor patients. 

Bathinda, May 27
Launching a joint operation, the GRP staff and the Nehianwala police today claimed to have cracked the mystery shrouding the murder of one Krishan Lal of Nehianwala, whose body was found on the Bathinda-Faridkot railway track on May 20.

SHO of the GRP, Bathinda, Banarsi Lal said the accused, who was identified as Binder Singh of Nehianwala, had been arrested in the case. He claimed that the accused was a friend of the deceased's son. Krishan and Binder were consuming liquor at the former's house on the night of May 19. Both were inebriated when they indulged in a verbal duel.

In a fit of rage, Binder repeatedly assaulted Krishan with the handle of a hand pump and killed him on the spot. Later, he dragged the body to the railway track and placed it there to mislead the police, the SHO said.

The police has registered a case under Section 302 of the IPC. The accused was produced in the court and the GRP has got his remand till Sunday. — TNS

Bathinda, May 27
A man along with his father-in-law was killed while his wife sustained multiple injuries in a truck-car accident that took place on the Nathana-Bhagta road here this evening.

The injured was rushed to the Civil Hospital Bathinda while the dead bodies were lying in the police custody at Nathana till filing of this news.

According to information, one Gulab Singh of Kalianwali village (Haryana) along with his father-in-law Kulwant Singh and wife Kuldeep Kaur was going to village Kalian Sukha in Bathinda district on a car (white WagonR) being driven by him. Near the Rainbow Marriage Palace on the Bhagta-Nathana road, a truck trailer coming from the opposite direction hit the car. The collision was so forceful that the car overturned into the fields nearby. Further, the truck-trailer also fell on the car and crushed it badly.

A large number of passers-by rushed to the spot and informed the police about the incident. Launching a collective effort, people pulled out the occupants of the car and found that two of them were dead while a woman on the rear seat was gasping for breath. She was rushed to the Civil Hospital, Bathinda.

Meanwhile, people nabbed the truck driver, who was inebriated and identified as Bhinder Khan. The Nathana police has registered a case under Section 304-A of the IPC and put the accused behind the bars.

Nathana SHO Sandeep Kumar said the preliminary investigation found the truck-trailer driver guilty as he was in an inebriated condition and lost his control over the vehicle that led to the mishap.

Bathinda, May 27
The 47th death anniversary of first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru was observed by the District Congress Committee (Urban) at the Congress Bhawan here today.

On the occasion, Congress leaders and workers paid floral tributes to Pandit Nehru.

District president Ashok Kumar, Mohan Lal Jhumba, Jugraj Singh, Nand Lal Singla, Ashu Thakur, Manjit Kaur, Raja Singh Sangat, Rattan Rahi, Parminder Singh Sarni and Harinder Singh Ladoo were among those who paid tributes to the late Prime Minister. — TNS

Mansa, May 27
As many as seven accused, involved in attacking the owner of a petrol pump Bahadur Singh in Uddat Bhagat Ram village and looting of Rs two lakh from it besides snatching weapons from the victim on April 13, were arrested by the police, today.

A special police team led by Raghubir Singh Sandhu, SP (D) arrested the accused from Aklia Kalan village of this district. The police also recovered Rs 50000 out of the total amount looted from the petrol pump, two weapons and three vehicles. A case in this connection was registered at the police station concerned. Mansa SSP HS Mann said the accused were identified as Gurtej Singh, Jagsir Singh, Manpreet Singh, Balkar Singh, Gurjeet Singh, Kaka and Balbir Singh.

In another case, Nachhattar Singh alias Kala, a resident of Muktsar district, was arrested by a team of Jhunir police station for his alleged involvement in smuggling of narcotics, the SSP said — TNS 

Abohar, May 27
Resenting failure of the Municipal Council in maintaining streetlights, sanitation, supply of drinking water and sewerage disposal, hundreds of residents of Nai Abadi on Friday took out protest march under the banner of Durgiana Market Association.

While covering about two kilometres distance, they shouted slogans against the president of the Council and sought his resignation. After entering the Council complex, the protesters virtually brought the normal office work to a halt by organising demonstration. Durgiana Market chairman Prem Kalra, president Des Raj Mutneja and general secretary Ashok Makkar warned that shopkeepers would keep shops closed on Monday, if measures were not taken to improve the status of basic amenities. They alleged that the Council had failed in maintaining streetlights due to the purchase of sub-standard material. 

Ferozepur, May 27
An employee of the PSPCL died as he slipped down from the electric pole while repairing an electrical snag here today. The deceased was identified as Jaswinder Singh. He was immediately taken to a private hospital from where he was referred to Amritsar. However, he died on the way. — OC

Retired employees demand pension: There is resentment amongst the retired employees of the local self government of Ferozepur and Bathinda regions as they have not been paid their pension and installment of Dearness Allowance (DA) for the last 34 months. While giving details, Punjab Municipal Pensioners’ Association, Ferozepur and Bathinda regions, general secretary Mohan Lal Goklany said the government has also not paid one third part of the revised pay-scale for the last 43 months. He rued that the employees have been running pillar to post for getting the pension. Goklany demanded that pension and other benefits should be released immediately otherwise the retired employees would be compelled to resort to agitation. — OC

Ferozepur, May 27
The Congress workers organised a blood donation camp near the National Martyrs Memorial, Hussainiwala, to observe the death anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister.

Ravinder Singh Sandhu (Babbal), ex-MLA, who had organised the blood donation camp, thanked the Youth Congress workers and social organisations for their contribution.

On the occasion, several Congress leaders including Rajinder Sharma, Ashok Gupta, ex-president, MC, Javed Akhtar, Bhajan Singh Syal, Ravinder Toot besides others were also present.