The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Dug-up road creates problems for residents, commuters Tribune News Service Jalandhar, August 8 Residents and commuters on the road connecting Gol Market with Vasant Vihar are much upset as the sewer pipes that were dug up by MC officials during some road-laying work on Friday have been overflowing. The residents said some officials came over on Friday and got the roadsides dug up to 2 feet deep. Accidentally, some pipes broke. Since then no labourer, contractor or official had visited the site, they rued. Incidentally, a centre for the visually challenged, Rashtriya Andh Vidyalaya, falls on the road and this has been causing much inconvenience to the inmates and the administrators, both of whom themselves are visually challenged. Residents of Guru Nagar, Joti Nagar, Urban Estate and other colonies, who use the way as a short cut towards Mithapur Road side, are also much annoyed. Executive Engineer (B&R), Minicipal Corporation, Mukesh Dhawan said, “No road is being constructed on the site as it is undeclared and we have no fund allocation for the purpose.” He expressed ignorance about any road-digging work.
	Downpour leads to ‘overflowing’ of nullah Our Correspondent Batala, August 8 Downpour made the Hansli Nullah, running through the town, to flow at a level touching the bridges on it here today. The administration has to close one bridge on the Jalandhar road as the weeds flowing with water obstructed the flow of water under it. The obstruction created by the weeds was manually cleared by municipal employees and also with the help of two JCBs. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and other officers supervised the operation. The Hansli Nullah has not been cleaned for the past eight years. Many low-lying areas, like Bank Colony, Tehsil Complex, Dharampura Colony, Cinema Road and Khajuri Gate, were having almost 4 feet-deep water. When contacted, the SDM, Paramjit Singh, said the situation would be brought under control as the clearing process was going on at Hassanpura Kalan village.
	Gurdaspur advocates to go on strike from today Protest against demolition drive in judicial complex Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, August 8 So ruthless was the Saturday’s demolition drive in the judicial complex that the district administration did not even spare the half a dozen photocopy shops and the structures of 20 odd typists, who were earlier told that their edifices would not be touched. The issue is turning into an emotive one and at a meeting of the Gurdaspur District Bar Association (GDBA) held here this morning there were a lot of dissenting voices against the administration’s decision to do away with the chambers. The GDBA has called for a strike from tomorrow, which will go on for a week, and decided to form a committee, which will draft a complaint, on the basis of which a FIR will be lodged against some high-ranking district administration officials. The advocates will be filing a petition in the Supreme Court against the demolition even as scores of lawyers raised slogans against the District and Sessions Judge today. “Since the human rights of the advocates have been transgressed upon, there is also a move to petition the National Human Rights Commission,” said a lawyer. However, the administration has sought to distance itself from the episode with Deputy Commissioner Mohinder Singh Kainth claiming that the administration had nothing to do with the demolition drive. “It is a matter between the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s Building Committee and the advocates. Our only aim was to provide the PWD authorities with police protection to avert any untoward incident.” Politicians, as usual, seem to be making hay while the sun shines and many of them, including former minister Sucha Singh Chottepur, visited the judicial complex to lend support to the advocates. Other middle rung politicians, cutting across party lines, also toured the judicial complex. The drive, which commenced on Saturday and stretched till Sunday evening, devoured nearly 200 odd chambers, although the lawyers claimed that the demolition notice was given to just 133 advocates. Lawyers are sour that the district administration has not cared to provide them with alternative arrangements. Rajiv Mehta, an advocate, said, “Some makeshift arrangements should have been made to ensure that work does not come to a standstill in the complex. Where will our clients sit?” Amritsar lawyers show solidarity Amritsar : Showing solidarity with their counterparts in Gurdaspur district, the Amritsar Bar Association today declared to observe one-day strike in district courts tomorrow. Pardeep Saini, president of the association, in a press note issued here today said, “The act of the district administration of Gurdaspur of initiating harsh process of demolishing the lawyers’ chambers is highly condemnable.” The decision was taken during an emergency meeting of the executive body of the Bar association. Saini said August 9 would be observed as “no work day”. They urged the Gurdaspur district administration to accept the demands of the advocates without any delay.
	Dropsy patients to be shifted to PGI No other case detected Our Correspondent Nawanshahr, August 8 As the condition of the suspected dropsy patients, currently under treatment at the Isolation Ward of the Civil Hospital here, is stable, they would be referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, said the Civil Surgeon, Dr Bhag Mal, adding that strangely the disease was found only in a single family of Fatehpur village in the district. The district Health Department had conducted survey in Fatehpur and adjoining villages, but no other such case had come to its notice so far. Besides, the family members suffering from the disease had been stating that they had not purchased mustard oil, but got it extracted from an oil mill. The samples of the mustard oil consumed by the family had also been taken and sent to a laboratory for examination, the Civil Surgeon said. While two members of the family, Kamajit Kaur (35) wife of Arjan Dass, and their son Ajay Kumar (10) had died, six members, Simar Kaur (60), Arjan Dass (40), Ram Lal (25), Binder (24), Avtar Singh (28) and Manpreet (2), are under treatment in the Civil hospital here. Narrating their woes, Arjan Dass said the family members had been suffering from swelling of their lower limbs, fever, etc for the past about two months. They had been taking treatment from here and there and when the condition of his wife and son deteriorated, both of them were taken to the Civil Hospital, Ropar. Both died on Thursday. Afterwards, the other family members came here for treatment, he added.
	MP seeks collapsible gates at unmanned crossings Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, August 8 In view of the increasing accidents at unmanned railway crossings in the district, local MP Santosh Chaudhary has urged the Railway Minister to set up collapsible gates to avoid mishaps in the future. In a press release issued here, Chaudhary said she raised the issue in Parliament and urged the Railway Minister, Mamata Banerjee, to provide collapsible gates at dozens of unmanned crossings at Mukerian, Dasuya, Hoshiarpur, Sham Chaurasi and Phagwara segments.
	Illegal de-addiction centres in holy city PSHRC seeks report from state govt P.K. Jaiswar/TNS Amritsar, August 8 The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has sought report from the state government regarding the illegal de-addiction centres running in the holy city. Avinash Rai Khanna, MP from Hoshiapur, filed a petition quoting the news item “Freed from hell, youths tell heartrending tales”, published in The Tribune columns. The commission directed the Principal Secretary, Department of Home Affairs and Justice, Punjab, with copies to the Additional Director-General of Police (IVC)-cum-Human Rights Punjab Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Civil Surgeon, Amritsar, to submit the report soon. It is evident to mention here that the district administration in association with the Health Department rescued as many as 50 inmates from an alleged illegal de-addiction centre on May 7. The rescued inmates told heartrending tales, while alleging that they were kept in inhuman conditions besides subjected to physical and mental torture. The then Health Minister, Laxmi Kanta Chawla, interacted with the rescued youths on the very next day. She had revealed that the government had already issued a notification asking the de-addiction centres to get recognition from the government after fulfilling the requisite conditions. She admitted that the centre did not have any licence.
	Suicide turns out to be murder Deceased’s son, wife, her paramour booked Tribune Reporters Nakodar August 8 A case of suicide by a man turned into a case of abetment to suicide and then to a case of murder. The case of suicide by Baljinder Singh of Jafarwal in Shahkot was turned into the case of abetment to suicide and his wife and her paramour were arrested by the Shahkot police a few days back. But today when Baljinder Singh’s wife and her paramour confessed to murdering the deceased, the involvement of deceased’s son in the crime also came to light. The police today registered a case under Sections 302, 201 and 120 B of the IPC against Baljinder’s son Sadik, wife Bholi and her paramour Raju. Sadik is still at large and raids were on to nab him. Inspector Gurmit Singh Sandhu of the Shahkot Model police station said the police had sought a two-day remand of Bholi and her paramour Raju and during interrogation they confessed to committing the murder with the help of Sadik. Bholi revealed to the police that she had illicit relations with Raju, who runs a poultry farm in her house, but his husband was against their relation. The police said both husband and wife used to quarrel over the issue. Bholi revealed that she used to give sleeping pills to her husband every night just to clear the way to meet her lover. Last Tuesday, as a routine, she mixed sleeping pills in her husband’s food and when he fell asleep, she and her son forcibly put poison (sulfas) in his mouth and later strangled him. The accused also revealed that to make it look like a case of suicide, they took the body of Baljinder to Sarangwal village in Shahkot and placed poison and his scooter near the body. PO arrested Pathankot: The police today arrested a proclaimed offender (PO), Avtat Singh, a resident of Bazri Company locality here, who was wanted by the police in a case registered under Section 302 of the IPC for murdering his uncle Karnail Singh in 2009. The SSP, Dr S.K. Kalia, said the accused had been evading arrest for the past three years. Youth ‘kidnapped’ Amritsar: Tarun (25), alias Gobind Gonika, a resident of Katra Sher Singh, who is a depot in charge of Bisleri water company at Ram Talai here, was allegedly kidnapped by unknown persons when he was going to Ludhiana for a meeting. The Circuit House police has registered a case under Section 365 of the IPC on the statement of his brother Varun Goenika. Varun told the police that he had left his brother at Amritsar railway station as Tarun had to attend a meeting in Ludhiana on July 29. However, Tarun failed to return till now. Vishwa Mittar, in charge, Circuit House police chowki, said call details of the mobile phone of the victim were being traced. He said his mobile phone was traced till Phagwara, after which his mobile phone was switched off. He said the family had received no ransom call till now.
	Gang of child kidnappers busted, two arrested 6-year-old girl rescued Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 8 The Chheharta police today claimed to have busted a gang involved in the kidnapping of children and then forcing them to beg at religious places. The police rescued a six-year-old girl, Mehak, who had gone missing on August 2, from them. Arjun Singh, SHO, revealed that the gang had kidnapped the girl, daughter of a widow, Asha Rani, resident of Naraingarh, Chheharta, who used to work as a domestic help in the Chheharta area. Asha Rani had gone to work when Mehak reached near Guruwara Chheharta Sahib. The accused, identified as Mangal Singh and his sister-in-law Manjit Kaur (who also used to beg), were begging near the shrine. They lured the girl and took her away to Khadoor Sahib, said the police authorities. Asha Rani lodged a complaint with the police. The police team, which had laid a naka near Gateway of India here, stopped two persons, Mangal Singh and Manjit Kaur, on suspicion and recovered the girl from them. During investigation, they revealed that they were taking the girl to Ramtirth temple for begging. The police registered a case under Section 363-A of the IPC against Mangal Singh, Manjit Kaur, Harjinder Singh and Baldev Singh, all residents of Makhi Kalan village in Khadoor Sahib (falling in Tarn Taran police district) in this connection. Harjinder Singh, husband of Manjit Kaur, and Baldev Singh were absconding. Arjun Singh, SHO, said during interrogation Mangal Singh and Manjit Kaur revealed that they had sold two children for Rs 10,000 each.
	1 held for liquor smuggling Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 8 The CIA Staff today nabbed Ravel Singh, resident of Maqboolpura, in connection with the seizure of a huge quantity of liquor on August 5. He and his accomplice had managed to give a slip to the police at that time. Vikram Sharma, in charge, CIA Staff, revealed that acting on a tip-off, they had laid a naka near the Gujjarpura area. The police signalled a Bolero jeep to stop. Ravel and his accomplice Mangal Singh, who were in the vehicle, stopped it before the naka and fled away. The police recovered 30 containers, each having 35 litres of liquor. The police registered a case under the Excise Act. Ravel Singh was caught from Industrial Centre situated on Mehta Road here today. “During investigations, Ravel Singh revealed that he used to bring liquor from near Karnal bypass and sell it in Maqboolpura and other areas,” said Vikarm Sharma. Mangal Singh was still absconding, he said. Meanwhile, the CIA staff arrested Lovejeet Singh, alias Labhu, and recovered 60 bottles of illicit liquor from him.
	Policeman killed in accident Our Correspondent Nakodar, August 8 A head constable died in a road accident at Nangal Jeevan village here today. Shinder Pal (45), head constable in the Punjab Armed Police (PAP), went to his duty on his motorcycle this morning. His brother also went with him on his own motorcycle Shinder Pal’s brother told the police that his brother was driving slowly and left behind. After waiting for a while when he turned back to see him, he found him lying unconscious near Nangal Jeevan village. Shinder Pal, who sustained injuries on his head, was immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him “brought dead”. The police has registered a case under Section 304 A of the IPC.