Jalandhar, June 16
Scorching heat coupled with erratic power supply has made the lives of the city residents nightmarish.

Intermittent, unscheduled cuts totaling up to a duration of two to three hours a day have become a routine since the past over a week. Cuts are imposed any time in the day, once in afternoon, another in the evening and a third one in the night, varying from area to area.

Since the residents have not been used to any cuts since the past nearly two years, it has become difficult for them especially with mercury soaring up to 45°Celsius and fans alone not giving any respite. Further, voltage fluctuation owing to rampant use of ACs in every household has also become common.

“Cuts should rather be imposed in a scheduled manner so that we can plan household chores accordingly. At times, I am in the mid of washing clothes or using blender in the kitchen when power goes off. There is then no option but to keep the work suspended for an hour or so,” said Srishti Jain, a housewife.

Kapurthala, June 16
In a rare achievement, a couple residing in a Kapurthala locality has cleared the Punjab Civil Services (PCS) examination, the result of which was recenly announced by the Punjab Pubic Service Commission (PPSC).

Rohit Garg and his wife Richa Goel’s joy knew no bound when they came to know that both of them had cleared the examination, that too in their first attempt.

While Richa Goel (26) secured 37th rank, her husband Rohit Garg (30) got 50th rank in the general category in PCS merit list.

They are planning a party at Rohit’s native place in Patiala next week.

Posted as Assistant Audit Officer at Audit Department of Postal and Telecommunications in Kapurthala for the last four and a half year, Richa Goel gave credit of her success to her businessman father Krishan Chand and housewife mother Banti Devi, residents of Bhawanigarh sub-division of Sangrur district, and her teachers especially Vinod Sharma.

Working as Income Tax Inspector in Jalandhar for last two and a half years, Rohit Garg also give credit of his achievement to his businessman father Ashok Garg, housewife mother Reena Garg and teachers GS Bajwa and Anil Narula.

Richa did her schooling from Alpine Public School at Bhawanigarh, graduation from Government College for Girls in Patiala and MA (sociology) from Punjabi University. Earlier she also tried her luck for IAS, but was unsuccessful.

Rohit did his schooling from DAV School at Surajpur in Panchkula district, BCom from Government College for Men at Sector 11 in Chandigarh and LLB from Punjabi University.

Richa said she would again try her luck for the IAS.

Jalandhar, June 16
The city police today claimed to have busted a gang of looters. It arrested three members of the gang and recovered 19 mobile phones, gold ornaments, a stolen motorcycle and intoxicant powder from them.

Those arrested were identified as Mahinder Pal (26), a resident of Sant Nagar, Arun Kumar (25), a resident of Bhargo Camp, and Balwinder Singh (22), a resident of Basti Danishmanda here.

The gang used to commit crime on stolen vehicles.

Acting on the tip-off, Rajinder Kumar, inspector, Police Division 5, along with other police personnel, laid a naka at Daldal Chowk. The trio riding a motorcycle fled when intercepted at the naka. But after few minutes of chase, the police nabbed them. During search, the police recovered 130 grams of intoxicant powder from Mahinder and 160 grams of powder from Arun.

Gagan Ajit Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, City II, and Ravinder Pal Singh Sandhu, Assistant Commissioner of Police (West), said Arun and Mahinder have a criminal past. Officials said the duo has admitted to have committed several incidents of looting, motorcycle lifting and snatching.

The accused during a preliminary investigation told the police that on June 12, they had snatched a purse from a woman Gurjit Kaur from near Daldal Chowk. The ADCP said the police has also recovered the looted purse along with the cash and gold ornaments.

The motorcycle, which was recovered by the police, was also stolen from near Basti Shiekh on June 15.

The gang had been active for the past two months. The police said two members of the gang were still absconding.

Jalandhar, June 16
Even as none of the six Independent councillors have joined any party, five of them have already extended their support to the ruling alliance.

All the six candidates have remained closely associated with one party or the other and had chosen to fight as Independents after being denied ticket for the MC polls.

Satya Bhagat from Ward 32 is the wife of outgoing BJP councillor Kirpal Pali who had been denied party ticket. She fought against the party’s office bearer Usha Kala who is also incidentally her neighbour in Garha. Even as Pali couple has not re-joined the BJP from which they had been ousted during the polls, Pali claims that he would definitely support the BJP at every stage. “The party may have expelled me, but I will always be there for the party”, he said.

Similar is the case of Darshan Lal from Ward 59. He too had been denied ticket which went to Local Bodies Minister Bhagat Chunni Lal’s confident Varesh Mintu. Darshan Lal managed to restore his seat, although as Independent. He too stands with his party he had been ousted from.

Almost similar is the story with Akali rebels. Mandeep Jassal from Ward 13, who too had been overlooked despite his strong links in the alliance, chose to stand as Independent. Being a nephew of Chief Parliamentary Secretary Avinash Chander, he had been a SAD worker. He also enjoys a close association with Jalandhar Central MLA Manoranjan Kalia. Having defeated the SAD candidate Rohit Kumar Vicky, he had reportedly expressed his desire to join the BJP which had to be turned down since it would have amounted to violation of the coalition dharma.

Raminder Kaur Dhindsa from Ward 31 had been a sitting councillor. She had fought last time also as Independent since her husband Iqbal Singh Dhindsa has been an Akali leader while her ward is in BJP’s kitty. The couple tried in vain to get the ward shifted for the SAD. A close aide of Kapurthala MLA Sarabjit Makkar, he does not go along well with the SAD MLA from Jalandhar Cantonment Pargat Singh in whose Assembly constituency the ward falls. The couple too was expelled from the SAD days ahead of polls on the insistence of BJP candidate Ram Lubhaya Kapoor. He too wants a comeback, but the party perhaps will take time. “I had always been there for the SAD. So what if they have expelled me”, say Dhindsas.

Interestingly, the Congress rebel councilor, Kanwaljit Kaur, from Ward 26 has already declared support for the BJP. Her husband Mahinder Singh Gullu had met former minister Kalia at his place and made the announcement. The couple, however, has not joined any party claiming that people had given them a mandate as Independents.

Ward 19 councillor Amit Dhall is also a Congress rebel councillor and cousin of Dinesh Dhall, who had fought against Avtar Henry from Jalandhar North in the recent Assembly polls. Dhall says, “I may have fought as an Independent, but joining a party is a must to improve in political career. Having remained with the Congress for four generations, I cannot think of joining any other party. Since there is no immediate pressing need, I believe I have enough time to think on which way to go”.

Jalandhar, June 16
KD Bhandari, BJP MLA from Jalandhar North, had denied any claim over the Mayor's seat. Accompanied by BJP general secretary Kamal Sharma at a press conference held to chalk out party's detailed programme for the state against sky-high petrol prices, Bhandari said, "I really wonder how the issue has come up. Only the councillors have their claim over it. There is no reason why I will opt for the Mayor's post when I have been appointed the Chief Parliamentary Secretary for the state." Asked as to whose name he proposed, he said, "Let the councillors decide it among themselves." When asked if he would vouch for Sunil Jyoti, he did not respond in the affirmative.

Jalandhar, June 16
As many as 631 degrees were awarded at the annual convocation of DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology here today. Of the total degrees, 484 were awarded to BTech students, 112 to MBA/MCA students and 35 for MTech students.

RS Sharma, general secretary, DAV College Managing Committee, said the teachers had equipped the students with best of the knowledge to become capable engineers and managers and now its their turn to blend this knowledge with character and integrity to serve the nation. He said the real wealth of a nation is its sincere and hard working manpower, its human resource. He called upon the graduates to contribute towards nation building and serve the nation with honesty and sincerity. He recited several motivational rhymes to inspire the graduates to work for the nation.

During the alumni meet, distinguished alumni awards were bestowed upon the alumni who have excelled in their career and who remained outstanding during their college days too. — TNS

Jalandhar, June 16
The city police today solved a robbery case and arrested three youths including an NRI in this regard. The police has also recovered part of the stolen cash and a motorcycle used in the crime.

The accused were identified as Amrik Singh of Jandiali village, Sukhjinder Singh of Bajua Kalan village and Uskar from Jharkhand.

The accused looted Rs 52,000 from a money exchanger of Jamsher village on Thursday, ADCP City II Gagan Ajit Singh and ACP Cantt, Manpreet Singh, said Sukhjinder Singh had recently returned from Australia. Amrik was a carpenter by profession. The police recovered Rs 25,000 of the total looted amount.

During investigation, the accused told the police that they were under the influence of some drugs when they committed the robbery.

Jalandhar, June 16
The traffic police today told educational institutions to comply with the guidelines of Punjab and Haryana High Court and keep the college and school buses in a good state to prevent any untoward incidents.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Sukhdev Singh and Assistant Commissioner of Police, Traffic Jasbir Rai at a meeting with principals of about 150 educational institutions of the city urged them to keep the old vehicles, which are not in a good condition, off road.

The ADCP warned the school authorities that vehicles found without valid permit, insurance, pollution certificate would be taken off road.

He said special nakas would be installed outside the educational institutions to conduct surprise checks of vehicles and on-the-spot challans would be issued.