Amritsar, May 11
Negligence of the workers unloading wooden logs from a tractor-trolley resulted in the death of a four-year-old child at Lahori Gate area. The child was crushed under the logs. Irate residents held a protest in Lahori Gate area outside D-division police station and blocked traffic. Some of them allegedly pelted the police vehicle with stones. They demanded strict against the accused responsible for the death. A complaint was lodged with the police in this regard.

Victim’s father Rajinder Kumar, a resident of Gali Jattanwali, inside Lahori Gate, in the walled city said he runs a kulfi shop near the spot. He said his son Ridam (4) was playing along with his mother at the spot. He said the labourers were unloading huge wooden logs from the tractor trolley parked near the spot located inside the gate. He said a wooden log fell on Ridam, hitting him on his neck killing him on the spot.

Soon after the incident, the residents of the neighbouring areas started gathering at the spot and started raising slogans. They also threw stones at the police party from the D-division police station located a few metres from the spot.

Senior police officials including Deputy Commissioner of Police, Satpal Joshi arrived to take first hand information and tried to pacify the mob.

Following his directions and on the statement of Rajinder Kumar, the police registered a case under section 304-A, 34 IPC against four persons including son of the owner of the saw.

Those booked include Darbara Singh of Rajinder Nagar, Kasa Lumberdaar, driver of the trolley and resident of Dhapai, Mahabeer, a labourer and Gurdeep Singh son of the owner of the Saw Mohinder Singh.

The police authorities said further investigations were under progress while adding that no arrest has been made so far.

Amritsar, May 11
In a shocking case of crime against women, Manjinder Kaur (23), a resident of Chauhan village near Jandiala, told mediapersons here today that she was forcibly married to her 14-year-old cousin belonging to Dheerekot village.

She alleged that she was sexually abused by the paternal uncle of her minor husband. She said her repeated pleas to her parents and family fell on deaf ears and the police also did not lend help her. She alleged that the police, instead of taking action on her complaint, informed her family.

She alleged three years ago she was forcibly married to her 14-year-old cousin Bhala Singh. She protested against her family and repeatedly pleaded them to not to marry her by force but to no avail.

She said a paternal uncle of the minor boy made advances towards her and when she resisted, he thrashed her. She said she complained about this to her in-laws but they asked her to “adjust” instead.

“I went back to my parents’ home and told them but they took me back to Dheerekot where the accused uncle tried to physically harass me again,” she said. “Fed up of all this I ran away from my house two months ago and took shelter in a gurdwara. But here also the relatives of my husband attacked me and tried to take me back with them,” she alleged.

Advocate Kuldeep Bawa said a criminal complaint has been filed in the court in this connection. He said a complaint will also be filed against her marriage in the court soon.

Amritsar, May 11
Can we really say Saadat Hasan Manto does not need an introduction in the city he spent one third of his life, no is the answer going by the reactions of Gen next here. On the day of his birth centenary is that the young don’t know about the legend and the older generations do not remember him either.

Time seems to have stolen the memory of the man who said, “I consider myself a thief, who picks his own pocket and gives it to the world. What could be more stupid than that?”

“I have never heard of him, but I will find out about him on the internet now that I know he had some connection with the city,” says Payal Sharma, a student of journalism at BBKDAV College. The 20-year-old is clueless about Manto and his works even as his admirers across India and Pakistan celebrated his birth centenary today. “Sorry, but I don’t know about him,” comes the reply from another youngster, Sahil Sareen, studying art in Delhi. Youngsters, who don’t know about him and are not interested.

Amidst the celebrations, theatrical performances and literary appraisals to commemorate his 100th birth anniversary, the common man who inspired his writings and characters doesn’t seem to acknowledge the forgotten hero. “After he moved to Pakistan, the number of his admirers also came down. Not many people are in the city who knew or read about him. The young generation too is indifferent,” says Kewal Dhaliwal, theatre person from city who is staging a play ‘Ik Si Manto’ in city to honour the great Urdu writer.

“No one seems interested in Manto, which is tragic as he had a deep emotional and literary connection with the city,” says Naresh Johar, one of his admirers from the city. “The indifference to his memory is shocking, the house he used to stay in has been turned into a cloth shop,” he adds. But let us not play the blame game here. “Why should we be dependent on anybody to preserve something that is our history,” asks artist Navdeep Sandhu.

“It is sheer lack of awareness and responsibility on our part that we have failed to preserve the memories of one of the most talked about and celebrated writers of our times. People, artists must come forward to do their bit to keep his memory alive.

Amritsar, May 11
The police has booked three employees of an insurance firm for committing fraud with a doctor and his wife. ENT specialist at Jallainwala Bagh Memorial Civil Hospital Dr Sandeep Kakkar told the police that the accused took ~7 lakh as premium for them but didn’t deposit it against their polices.

Company’s assistant business development manager Gopi Kapoor, branch sales manager Rishab Asthir and Cluster head Pawan Chopra have been booked under Section 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120B of the IPC in the FIR registered at Civil Lines police station. He said he came to know about the fraud when he received an official communique from the company that the premium was due. Dr Kakkar lodged his complaint with the Police Commissioner after which an enquiry was conducted into the matter. 

Profile

Serving the Congress party for over two and half decades, Mukhtiar Singh switched loyalties to the SAD during the MC polls in 2007 and won defeating the Congress candidate Sukhdev Singh Lalli. During his stint with the Congress, he remained the vice president of the District Congress and held the post of the senior vice president of the DYC.

Amritsar, May 11
Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal, in a meeting held here today, said stringent measures would be adopted to curb tobacco smoking in the city.

Aggarwal said sale of tobacco and its products to minors would be checked and defaulters would be punished. Action will be taken against vendors selling tobacco products within 100-meter radius of schools and colleges, he added.

District Health Officer Dr Pradeep Singh Kahlon said they are committed to make the city a smoking free zone. They have started a campaign to punish people for smoking at public places.

He said so far 20 people were challans by the department. He said the department has collected Rs 2,100 as fine. People smoking at public places could be fined between Rs 20 to Rs 200, he added.

He said that heads of departments such as police, railways, roadways, administration and educational institutions should be curbing smoking at their respective areas.

They would be issued challan books and would be authorised to challan violators in their personal capacity, he added.

He said the owners of hotels, restaurants, cinema halls and other recreation places would be asked to display posters issuing warnings against tobacco smoking.

He said the state government has already declared Mohali as a smoking free district and soon Mansa will be a smoking free area too.

Kahlon said Deputy Commissioner would preside over the meeting of officials to chalk out plan for curbing the menace of tobacco smoking in the city.

Amritsar, May 11
As many as 50 delegates of DAV Institutions from across the country are participating in the three-day national level workshop on creating sample question paper of Economics for Class XI for the academic session 2012-13. The workshop began at DAV International School today.

The host school principal, Anjana Gupta, said the teachers have arrived from states like Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Haryana, New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu-Kashmir and Punjab.

Highlighting the significance of the workshop, Gupta said the workshop aims at designing sample question paper of Economics for Class XI.

Director (PS-I) and Aided Schools, DAV College Managing Committee, JP Shoor, congratulated the delegates for being a part of the workshop. He said in the current rapid changing scenario the workshops and seminars are a medium to enable the teachers to share their thoughts and acquaint themselves with modern teaching techniques and pedagogies.

Shresta Sharma, Education Officer of DAV Education Board, and Dr Neelam Kamra Regional Director, Amritsar Zone, also addressed the gathering.

Amritsar, May 11
In a meeting held today at Circuit House, Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal informed officials of agriculture, forest and pollution department that six lakh saplings would be planted in the district in July.

He said area covered by trees has increased by approximately 16 square kilometres in the district.

He said that schools, colleges and NGOs should be involved in tree plantation drives.

People should also do their duty towards nourishing the saplings, the Deputy Commissioner added.