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Woman, ‘brother’ hacked to death by paramour
PK Jaiswar
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, April 5
A 42-year-old woman and her acquaintance were hacked to death by her alleged paramour at Gagan Avenue area at Shershah Suri road falling under Chheharta police station here last night. The incident came to light when the eight-year-old son of the deceased escaped through the roof of the house and raised an alarm.
The deceased have been identified as Darshan Kaur and Rajpal. Their bodies were almost cut to pieces by the accused who has been identified as Mangal, a resident of Rasulpur village. The police has registered a case under Section 302 IPC at Chheharta police station on the basis of the complaint filed by Sonu, the elder son of the deceased. Sonu told the police that his father and mother had separated eight years ago after which his mother started living with the accused Mangal in a rented house in Chheharta area. He said two months ago Darshan Kaur made Rajpal, a resident of Mulla Behram village, her brother who also started living in the same house. Sonu said, Darshan Kaur and Mangal had jointly bought a plot at Shershah Suri road. The registry of the plot had been mortgaged for Rs 2 lakh. They planned to sell the land for Rs 3 lakh and the date of the registry of the plot was fixed for today. “Last evening, Mangal came to the house. He and Rajpal consumed liquor till late in the night,” said Sonu, who drives an autorickshaw. He left for his work at 10.30 pm, he said. He said when he arrived in the morning at 2 AM, he saw Mangal killing his mother with a spade while the body of Rajpal was also lying in the house. He said he ran away from the house to call for help while his younger brother Akash also escaped through the roof. On seeing the two escaping from the spot, the accused fled the scene leaving the spade behind. “As I ran towards the roof, the accused followed me. However, I saved myself by hiding and jumped on the roof of the neighbouring house,” said Akash. RP Mittal, police commissioner, Amritsar, said as per preliminary investigations, the accused wanted to usurp the entire amount after selling the plot. He said raids were being conducted to nab the accused.
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Notices issued to two sweetmeat shops
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, April 5
The health department of the Municipal Corporation conducted raids at popular sweetmeat shops in city last evening. A report regarding the raids will now be put before the commissioner, MC, by this weekend of early next week to for further action.
The department had conducted raids at New Munim Di Hatti and Kanhya Lal Harbhajan Singh sweetmeat shops on the posh Lawrence Road area here. The team found that the eatables were being prepared in utter unhygienic conditions in the kitchens. The MC had issued notices to the two shops in February directing them to improve the condition of the shops and their kitchens. Owners of the two shops had assured the authorities that hygiene will be maintained in their kitchens. However, a re-inspection of the shops exposed their claims of maintaining cleanliness. “In violation of the MC norms, the shop owners had failed to improve the hygienic standards of their shops despite the earlier notice. We will put up our reports by next working day and recommend the suspension and subsequent cancellation of their licences,” said Dr Yogesh Arora, the health officer of the MC. Notices were issued to Aura and Sub-way restaurants at Ranjit Avenue area for lack of hygiene in their kitchens. He said the kitchens at these two places lacked cleanliness and safety measures like fire extinguishers, which is mandatory as per the MC norms.
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Residents oppose sale of drugs, liquor
Manmeet Singh Gill
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, April 5
Residents of Sudarshan Nagar on the 100 Feet Road held a protest demonstration today against the sale of illicit liquor and drugs in the area.
They gathered outside the Hanuman temple and vowed not to allow sale of drugs in their area.
They also submitted a memorandum signed by 162 residents to the Chief Minister, the Deputy Commissioner and the Police Commissioner, besides political leaders and officials. The memorandum stated that hooch, unlicensed liquor, heroin, smack and habit-forming drugs were openly being sold in the locality. Makhan Singh, a resident, said: “Liquor and other drugs are sold openly here and the administration has turned a blind eye to this menace.” Another resident Jaspal Singh Sethi said: “The crime has increased in the area. Women fear going out.” He said the drug peddlers often threaten residents of dire consequences if they oppose their illegal trade.
He unidentified goons supporting illegal trade were face to face today as the former were holding the protest. However, timely intervention by the local police averted the clash. Later, the residents marched towards the local police station where
they submitted a memorandum to the in charge of the B Division police station.
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Jewellers clash as some open shops
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, April 5
Tension gripped Chaurasti Attari and Patel Chowk areas in the walled city following a clash between two groups of jewellers. The jewellers have been on a strike for past 20 days in protest against the central government’s decision to impose excise duty on the jewellery industry.
The groups clashed following information that certain members of the jewellers association had opened their shops at Chaurasti Attari. The
owner of the shop allegedly opened fire to intimidate members of the opposite group. The police teams reached the spot
immediately. The D-division police has registered a case under Section 336, 148 and 149 IPC and 25/27/54/59 of the Arms Act against Ashwani Nameshah, senior vice president of the district Swarnkar Sangh. A group of the jewellers, headed by Bhajan Singh Sheen, president of Mazdoor Swarnkar Morcha, alleged that the association members had opened their shops despite the fact all the shops were closed in view of the strike called by the Sarafa Association and Swarnkar Sangh.
He alleged when they opened their shops they were slapped fines by the Swarnkar Sangh while certain members of the association had themselves opened their establishments during the strike. Sheen and his group allegedly reached the shop owned by Ashwani Nameshah who allegedly opened fire at them. However, Satnam Singh Kanda of the Swarnkar Sangh refuted the charges and said it was Sheen and his associates who had opened fire. A case has been registered on the basis of information received from the control room.
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FaceBook group to make city beautiful
Manmeet Singh Gill
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, April 5
Meeting each other on a social networking site page, a few city activists are all set to become a pressure group to set administration on the path of making Amritsar a beautiful city. Dozens of members of the Voice of Amritsar, a group on Facebook, gathered outside the Deen Dayal Upadaya market near the Hall Gate to initiate their symbolic “safai abyhan” to embarrass the Municipal Corporation (MC), which they complained had failed to deal with the problem of garbage.
The activists held an awareness march, besides cleansing and collecting litter on their way to the Town Hall and back. “We all had been very active on the Internet. Someday someone suggested that instead of criticising others, we should set an example and do something ourselves,” said Dr Rakesh Sharma, a member of the Voice of Amritsar. Another member Dr Jatinder Singh said, “The community has around 1,500 members. We are a group of students, homemakers, doctors, engineers and professionals from all walks of life.” He said activism on the Internet or social networking sites were not enough to change the ground reality. “People would have to take the initiative,” he said. The participants in the march expressed their anguish against the much publicised “Go Green” and “Solid Waste Management projects”, which they complained had failed to yield any results. After the march on roads, a member, Mohinder Dhingra, wrote on community page, “I just came home after attending the long march of VOA. It was for good cause, I enjoyed being a part of it. My request to all of you is that do not get lazy after this.”
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Earthy handicraft attract many to exhibition
Manmeet Singh Gill
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, April 5
Amritsar Craft Bazar-2012, sponsored by the Ministry of Textiles, is pulling handicraft and handloom lovers of the holy city. With more than 100 stalls by artisans from various states, the 10-day craft bazaar was inaugurated on March 30.
Sponsored by the Development Commissioner, Handicrafts, of the ministry of textiles and organised by Dilnawaz Sonzi Embroidery Industrial Co-operative Society, Jammu and Kashmir, the exhibition has artisans from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu Kashmir. Cooperative Society president Manzar Husaain, “The craft bazaars are helpful in establishing direct relations between the artisans and buyers. Sometimes the artisans are able to get export orders also.” He said 50 more artisans will arrive to take part in the exhibition on the last three of the programme. Artisans of jewellery, blue pottery, mojdi craft, wood carving, madhubani paintings, beed work, leather products and carpets have set up their stalls at the exhibition. “The design and motifs used in the product range are traditional and the products are new and attractive,” said Saleem, an artisan from Kashmir. He said he keeps coming to the city as they have a committed clientele of handicrafts in city. Pooja, a shopper said, “I have come especially for the embroidered kurtas here. Though embroidered clothes are sold in the local market as well, hand embroidered clothes have a special attraction.” She claimed Rajasthani juttis were the biggest attraction at the exhibition.
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Sikh heritage building razed in Pak
Amritsar, April 5
The land mafia active in the North-West Frontier of Pakistan had allegedly demolished a Sikh heritage building belonging to Baba Karam Singh, who had established a dera at Khaibar Pakhtuana (Pakistan).
Revealing this, Surinder Kochhar, a historian, in a press note issued here today alleged that the land mafia demolished the 35-foot high heritage structure on March 30, while the authorities concerned there remained a mute spectator to this. He alleged that Baba Karam Singh had resigned from the British army and had set up a dera in 1850 and gave it a shape of gurdwara by installing Guru Granth Sahib. This is the fourth instance in the past three months in which a Sikh heritage structures in Pakistan has been demolished by miscreants. Earlier, Guru Singh Sabha at Sahiwal, ancestral house of Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Gujranawala and samadh of Maharaja Sher Singh located in Lahore were damaged.
— TNS
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MC to rid streets of mosquitoes
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, April 5
To prevent the spread of diseases such as dengue and malaria, the Municipal Corporation will begin fogging in city from April 15. For this the local body plans to buy chemicals worth Rs 20 lakh.
MC health officer Dr Yogesh Arora said a route plan for the fogging has also been prepared. He said the fogging will be conducted in all 65 wards under the MC. He said every street will be covered to save residents from mosquito bites. He said the MC has eight fogging machines which will be used in the coming summer season. District Epidemiologist Dr Charanjit Singh said a meeting of the district monitoring committee will also be organised soon to develop coordination among employees of the various departments concerned. He said this year the administration is proactive in tackling the mosquito threat. Last year the administration had a tough time dealing with malaria and dengue patients as around 150 cases of dengue were reported. Though no deaths were reported but residents of few areas had complained of dengue deaths also. Areas such as Indira Colony, Mustafabad, Maqboolpura, Kot Khalsa, Wadali Guru and few others in the interior of the city where the problem of stagnant water and garbage is prevalent will also be covered on a priority basis, officials said.
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Varsity teachers yet to decide on next course of action
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, April 5
Guru Nanak Dev University teachers will decide on the next course of action after receiving a copy of the proceedings of a meeting of the executive committee of Guru Nanak Dev University Teachers Association held yesterday.
The varsity faculty which has been protesting for past one week had earlier met the Vice-Chancellor AS Brar in his office yesterday evening. Meanwhile, the association continued with its symbolic protest even
today. GNDUTA president Balwinder Singh said, “The association will take a decision only after getting the formal copy of the proceedings.” He said the association will get the copy on Monday. He said, “The meeting with Dr Brar was held in a very congenial atmosphere. All the issues were discussed in detail. The university authorities took point by point discussion of the contentious issues and expressed flexibility and concern towards the teachers.” Refusing to give any further details, Balwinder Singh said the association wants to get the decisions of the meeting in written form before proceedings further.
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