Amritsar, December 1
The police today claimed to have rescued two minor girls who had allegedly been kidnapped by several persons on the promise of marrying them. The police has arrested Surinder Singh, a resident of Sultanwind Road, while two of his accomplices, including a girl, escaped from the spot.

As both the girls were minors, a case under Section 363, 366, 342 of the IPC has been registered at Sadar police station in this connection on the basis of the statement of John Masih, father of one of the victims.

RP Mittal, police commissioner said two girls aged 13 and 14, both residents of New Green Field Avenue, Majitha road, were allegedly kidnapped while they were coming home from their Oxford Public School on November 29. “Surinder Singh told the girls who were on their way home from school that someone was beating Gurleen’s father. He took them to New Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar,” said Mittal. When Gurleen’s parents called on her mobile phone, the accused Surinder Singh picked up the phone the first time while the second time a girl called Punam talked to the family and said that their daughters were with them.

The police started the investigations and zeroed in on Surinder Singh and raided his residence at Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar and found both the girls. The police arrested Surinder Singh from spot while his brother Lakhwinder Singh and sister Punam managed to flee.

Amritsar, December 1
Protesters stopped a DMU train at the local railway station as part of the country-wide bandh call given by traders to protest against foreign direct investment (FDI) in the retail sector. The passengers had to cover the remaining distance on foot. The bandh evoked a partial response in the city today. Businesses in most parts of the city, however, remained unaffected.

Areas where most of the establishments remained closed include Hall Bazar, Katra Sher Singh, Katra Ahluwalia, Katra Jaimal Singh, Majeeth Mandi, Shastri Market and Namak Mandi. Traffic on the roads in and around the Hall gate, where most activists of trade organisations and BJP workers had gathered to stage dharnas was badly affected.

The commuters said blocking road and rail traffic was uncalled for. Satnam Singh, a commuter said, “By blocking road traffic, the traders and BJP workers have caused inconvenience to the common man who is already against the FDI. It would have been better if the organisations had tried to sensitise people and not harass them.”

After the bandh call, most of the shopkeepers in city were in a dilemma whether to open their shops or not. At Lawrence road, the shops keepers preferred not to display their goods on the footpaths outside the shop as usual as the protesting organisations may ask them to shut down, they said.

Vinod Kumar Samra, president of the Chemists association said, “Owners of all chemist shops in the city had decided to support the bandh. The entire traders’ community is up in arms against the government for its decision of allowing FDI in the retail sector.”

Meanwhile, the Amritsar Distributors’ Association has also extended support to the bandh. Association president Anil Kappor said, “The government had allowed FDI in Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) in 2007. So far we had been fighting this battle alone and now we have decided to support retail traders to achieve common goals.”

Amritsar, December 1
The controversy that erupted following a spat between Sales Tax Department officials and medical store owners situated opposite Guru Nanak Dev Hospital refuses to die down. The Civil Lines Police has registered cross cases against the two parties involved in the row.

While four chemist shop owners and Rakesh Mintu, personal assistant to BJP MLA Anil Joshi, has been booked under Sections 353, 332 (assaulting and using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty) and 341 of the IPC (wrongfully restraining a person), the Sales Tax department officials have been booked on charges of cheating (Section 419 IPC), theft (Section 380) and corruption. The Punjab Chemist Association and Majitha road chemist shop owners carried out a protest march at Katra Sher Singh area inside the walled city against the alleged high handedness of sales tax officials. The chemist shops in wholesale market remained closed in protest while supporting the chemists of Majitha Road.

Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner Amritsar-II Pawinder Kumar and other employees in their complaint to the police alleged that owner of Vishal Medical Hall, Sallow Medicos, Tuli Medicos, Mohindru Medicos and 80/90 unknown persons abused, snatched and torn the government record which the officials had seized during the surprise checking at various medical stores located opposite Guru Nanak Dev Hospital on Majitha Road on November 28.

Amritsar, December 1
The Punjabi music world paid tributes to the legend Kuldeep Manak who died yesterday. Gurdas Maan tributes to Manak with “Manak hadd muka giya naviyaan kaliyaan di...” in his song ‘Pind diyan galian’.

For someone who broke all limits of traditional Punjabi Kali, earning him the title of Kalian da Badshah, his demise has left a vacuum, impossible to be filled. The celebrated folk artiste who celebrated his 62nd birthday two weeks back, passed away on Wednesday due to lung infection and that left many from the industry and outside mourn the end of an era.

"Kuldeep ji was an inspiration for singers like me, who have grown up on listening to his folk songs. He was an ideal for generations of singers to come and his death is a huge loss for Punjabis," says singer-actor Amrinder Gill, who is a close friend of Yudhveer Manak, Kuldeep Manak's son. "Although I never had the chance to collaborate with him, but I have shared stage with him for one of our live shows in Canada. He was an exceptional singer, an open minded artiste, who maintained his traditional identity despite acknowledging the fusion culture of music," Amrinder shares.

Starting his career at the age of 17, Kuldeep Manak became an overnight star with his distinct style and a rustic voice. A career spanning over 43 years, he himself did not know how many songs he had sung till date and collaborated with various popular Punjabi singers, the recent one being Jazzy B, who was at his bedside during his final moments.

In his own way, Jazzy B too paid homage to Kuldeep Manak in his track Jadu (Rambo), "Main Manak Da Chela, Dass Doon Aal Dawaale Nu, Meri Umar Vi Lagg Jey Jandu Littranwale Nu" (I am Manak's disciple he is my ustaad, tell everyone and everything I hope that Jandu Littranwala (lyricist) lives with my age added onto his (paying homage). Singer actor Diljit Dosanjh, who was in Ludhiana after getting the news too feels that Punjabi music industry has lost one of its gems. "My father and I used to listen to ustadji together and I was a huge fan and took inspiration from him," he said.

Noted singer Labh Janjua too expressed his grief, "My guru Jaswant Vora was close to Kuldeep ji and that's how I came in contact with him. I learnt music from him briefly and respect the fact that Kuldeep Manak made Punjabi folk music popular to a level unmatched till date." The singers' body will be cremated in his ancestral village of Jalal in the Bathinda.

Noted writer Hardev Dilgir also known as Dev Thrikewala spotted Manak at one of his live performances and penned Lok Gathavan (folk/old stories) for him.

Amritsar, December 1
The Khalsa College for Women observed World AIDS Day here today. On the occasion, Red Ribbon Club organised a lecture on AIDS.

Delivering the lecture, Dr Krishna Murari Tripathi, said, “AIDS is a silent invader. Reported in 1980, it has invaded almost all the countries. Much needs to be done in the research and cure field.” He also focused on social, moral and psychological implications of AIDS.

Meanwhile, at Sri Guru Harkrishan Senior Secondary School, students were sensitised about the causes, symptoms, effects and prevention of AIDS through poster making competition. Principal Dr Dharam Veer Singh in his speech stressed on the importance of prevention of AIDS as there is no cure for it.

Amritsar, December 1
It was a rare sight for aspiring students at Springdales School where the sound of Dhrupad mingled with the soul of Sufi music at an event, organised by SPICMACAY.

Indian Dhrupad exponent Amita Sinha Mahapatra collaborated with Aliya Rasheed, her visually impaired Pakistani counterpart, who is the first woman dhrupad exponent in Pakistan, to belt out soulful Indian classical and Sufi dhrupad melodies.

Holding hands, not only did the two feisty singers regale the audience with their mellifluous voices, but also gave a message that music can melt borders by bringing hearts together. The fact that Aliya trained under the same guru-the Gundecha Brothers, who also trained Amita, further

strengthened her assertion that music knows no bounds. “We are disciples of the same guru,” she said with a hint of pride. She added that it was during her stint in India that she became familiar with the ‘Guru-Shishya Parampara’, which made her take up residence with her guru during her training period, at a gurukul in Bhopal.

Despite hailing from a country rich in Sufi musical traditions, Aliya was drawn towards the simple complexity of dhrupad music, which made her enroll as a disciple of Umakant and Ramakant Gundecha, after she was recommended by Surbahar exponent Shubha Shankaran.

“I came to India in 2001, when the relations between the two countries were strained after the Kargil war. Before that, I had learnt music at Sanjana Institute in Lahore. In India the training lasted for four years, where after I started giving performances in 2008,” she said.

She said music knows no boundaries and when it comes to popularity, people from both the sides stand together. “The fact that the people of Pakistan have welcomed dhrupad music is a testimony of their openness towards India,” she said.

Her chaste rendition of Hindi vocabulary is another declaration of her love for the language despite being a Pakistani. Aliya, who is a lecturer in the Musicology Department of National College of Arts, Lahore, says that her future plans include promotion of Dhrupad music in Pakistan and its integration with Sufi music to promote peace.