Amritsar, July 7
The Amritsar rural police cracked a blind murder case which further led to the busting of an inter-state gang of robbers, who used to hire taxies and then snatch vehicles after killing the driver.

The police has nabbed four persons in this regard. The gang was active in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Those arrested were identified as Major Singh of Saravan village, Amrik Singh, Gurdev Singh and Jagdeep Singh of Ramana Albel Singh. The gang had killed three persons and snatched about 14 vehicles so far.

Preet Paul Singh Virk, SSP Amritsar (rural), said the police found an unidentified body from a roadside near Chauhan village, falling under Tarsikka police station, on the intervening night of June 11-12.

"Vehicles had run over the body during the night. However, there were strangulation marks on his neck following which the police got suspicious that he might have been killed," said the SSP.

During the investigation, he was identified as Avtar Chand of Bhagwan Bhaina, Pathankot, who has shifted to Batala. He was a taxi driver. But the police did not recover the vehicle which he had taken to ferry passengers. Following this, the police registered a case under Sections 302, 397 and 392 of the IPC in this regard.

"It was found that the accused hired the taxi from Batala taxi stand for Amritsar Airport. However on the way they took the vehicle to Tarsikka where they killed him and decamped with the vehicle," said the SSP.

The police has recovered three vehicles, including the one which was snatched from Avtar Chand. The accused admitted that they had killed three persons and snatched away 14 vehicles so far.

Investigations revealed that the accused first used to befriend the vehicle driver. On the way they gave drivers sweets mixed with some intoxicant or poisonous substance, which made them unconscious. The accused then used to kill them.

During past two months, the accused had snatched a Swift car from Mansa, Swift Dezire from Muktsar taxi stand, Hyundai Verna from Sadak (Faridkot), Ritz from Ganga Nagar and Swift Dezire from Rattia (Haryana).

Amritsar, July 7
A couple of days after the murder of Guru Nanak Dev University student Preeti Atri, the city police today claimed to have cracked the case with the arrest of Ravi Kumar of Lohgarh village, Dinanagar, who is reportedly an ex-lover of the deceased.

Preeti, a second year student of BSc (physics honours), was killed by Ravi with a sharp-edged weapon in the Kabir Park area near the GNDU.

Addressing the media, Police Commissioner RP Mittal said during interrogation Ravi said he had an affair with Preeti for the past four years. But now she had got into an affair with another boy and started avoiding him, Ravi said.

"This had infuriated him. He met Preeti just a few metres away from her PG accommodation in the Kabir Park area during which they had an altercation. Following this, he attacked her with a sharp-edged weapon and killed her," said Mittal.

The police has also recovered the weapon used in the crime.

"After his interrogation, the police recovered the weapon from bushes near CIPET centre on the government polytechnic road near the university," said the Police Commissioner.

The accused also tried to commit suicide by slashing his wrists and jumping before a train, but could not succeed. He then went to Pathankot.

The police got to Ravi by tracing the calls on Preeti's mobile phone.

Police authorities said he had made calls on Preeti's mobile phone before the incident. He had also called on her mother's mobile phone saying that some persons were trying to mislead Preeti and that her daughter was not at her paying guest accommodation.

Preeti had arrived in the city on the same afternoon after spending summer vacations at her native place Dinanagar. After half an hour of her reaching the paying guest accommodation, she had left for the university. While she was returning to her paying guest accommodation in the evening, Ravi met her and killed her.

Amritsar, July 7
At a time when Guru Nanak Dev University has taken the task of promoting Punjabi language by making it a compulsory subject in graduation classes, misspelling of several words, written in Gurmukhi, at many places in the university questions the seriousness of the authorities.

The callousness can be assessed from the fact that a suggestion box placed outside the Vice-Chancellor Dr AS Brar's office has wrong spellings.

Even his official car which carries a flag with a university emblem has wrong spellings of the word university. Further, spellings on boards outside parking slots are also misspelt at several places.

Even a parking opposite the Vice Chancellor's office has one such wrongly spelt board.

"Wrong use of one alphabet has changed the meaning of the word," pointed out a visitor.

Another visitor Gursharan Singh said, "Though these seem to be minor mistakes, it is intolerable when committed by an institute which we expect to be working for the highest standards."

When contacted, Vice Chancellor AS Brar said, "These are minor things and do not have any impact on the reputation of the highly renowned university." He said he is not aware of the wrong spellings on the flag used on his car. "The flag is being used even before I took over as Vice Chancellor," he said.

Amritsar, July 7
Music helps preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage. Taking up the task and progressively succeeding in it are the Gurmat Sangeet exponents and their students.

Not only have they taken upon themselves the task of teaching and promoting Gurmat Sangeet, but they are making the Sikh divine music a trend amongst the NRI community. When most believe that the NRI generations have lost touch with their roots, their youngsters are busy proving otherwise by embracing and popularising Gurmat Sangeet.

As the Gurbani music finds more and more students, we talk to some of the pioneers in the field and their disciples who have found their spiritual connection through the divine rhythm.

Sukhwant Singh, principal, Jawaddi Taksal Music Academy, one of the biggest learning centres of Sikh divine music, says the followers of the Gurbani music are increasing by the day. "Gurmat Sangeet comprises 31 main ragas and 31 mix ragas. The ragas used inspire both the folk traditions and the one that Gurus created. It has struck a chord with people world over. We have academies in Malaysia, New Zealand, US, Singapore, Nigeria and Germany. Eighty per cent of our foreign students are from Sikh NRI Community while the other 20 per cent are foreigners who are fascinated by the music."

He shares that the NRI community is more inclined towards the learning it and is dedicated towards their cultural heritage. "Parents in the community have maintained firm moral and spiritual values in their kids and want them to learn about the spiritual heritage. Most NRI students learn the music very easily, as they have the passion and the patience required to learn it." He has students from Italy, US and Canada who come to learn in his academies in Ludhiana, Amritsar and Tarn Taran.

Amongst many students, he mentions a teenager from the US, Sehajneet Kaur, who impressed one and all by her recital of Gurbani music in Amritsar recently. "Sehaj and her brother are my students and their parents have made sure that they come at least once a year to India to learn the classical kirtan. Their curiosity towards the spiritual music makes them embrace it with passion," he says.

Satnam Singh, a native of Bikhiwind, too has been learning Gurmat Sangeet for the past three years. The young lad, who serves as Hazoori Raagi at Darbar Sahib, feels the classical and divine music is the base of all forms of music. "The divine writings of Gurbani too find their base in the ragas, most of the classical music too is based on the same. There are many students from villages and humble backgrounds across Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur who are taking up this music and are promoting it among the young generation."

Similarly, Khuswant Singh who is also learning Gurmat Sangeet in Amritsar shares that the music is fast spreading worldwide, thanks to the foreign students. "Many of the NRI students go back and teach the music in their respective countries. Also, some of the students from here as well go for performances outside the country and receive loads of accolades."

y Gurmat Sangeet comprises 31 main ragas and 31 mix ragas. “It has struck a chord with people world over. We have academies in Malaysia, New Zealand, US, Singapore, Nigeria and Germany. Eighty per cent of our foreign students are from Sikh NRI community while the rest are foreigners,” says Sukhwant Singh, principal, Jawaddi Taksal Music Academy

Amritsar, July 7
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh today signed a pledge, promoted by ‘Voice of Tobacco Victims’ (VoTV), for saving the state from the tobacco menace. The Jathedar has also written to the SGPC to take up the matter with the state government.

Dr Prahlad Duggal, patron of VoTV, said they are running a campaign in the country and Giani Gurbachan Singh’s association would help them in a big way. “The state government should ban the sale of tobacco and its products,” said Duggal adding that three states --- Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Bihar --- have already banned the sale of gutka. — TNS

Amritsar, July 7
A year on, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s directions to the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) to undertake maintenance and repair of focal points, which house industrial units, in different towns of the state have not materialised into reality.

Tall claims of the SAD-BJP coalition government in providing best infrastructure to the industry fall flat considering the pathetic condition of focal points and other dedicated industrial areas in the city.

Before the Assembly elections, the government displayed its seriousness towards the needs of the industry and directed the PSIEC to carry out work of maintenance in the existing focal points on a priority basis and also explore possibility to develop new focal points equipped with ultra-modern facilities in such towns where big chunks of land were available.

The holy city has 10 big and small industrial clusters, including, two focal points, an industrial area and an industrial estate. But the government upgraded infrastructure at only New Focal Point, Mehta road. Besides, there are many unorganised industrial sectors in various parts of the city.

Raman Gupta, Director, Punjab Small Scale Industry Development Board, said as per the directions of the government, the PSIEC carried out development works only in the New Focal Point that falls under its jurisdiction. As much as Rs 1.62 crore was spent on laying sewerage system and relaying roads at New Focal Point, Mehta road. However, he claimed that sewerage pipes were not laid as per the requirement of the industry.

Gupta said the Industrial Estate, Chheharta, constructed by the industry department, is nowhere near completion.

In addition, the government in the master plan for the city proposed to set up of three more major industrial pockets at Bal Kalan on Majitha Road, second on Tarn Taran road and third at Mehta road.

Industrialists alleged that the government has only changed the land use of these villages, but no planning or amenities have been provided.

The scenario at Bal Kalan village is fast slipping out of control as many factories, following the adoption of the Master Plan, are coming up. Factories dealing in textile, plastic and other products have sprouted in the area, but face infrastructure blues without government support.

Amritsar, July 7
A group comprising 10 students from the US visited the Khalsa College as part of their schools’ programme to learn oriental religion and cultures here today.

They were overwhelmed by its architectural grandeur, Punjab’s cultural history and language. They interacted with college students from the Department of Punjabi Studies and asked questions about history and culture of Sikhs.

The delegation was received by college Principal Dr Daljit Singh who addressed students and answered their queries on Punjab’s history and culture.

Sean Laurent, who headed the US students’ team, said they had specifically come to the holy city to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple. He said they visited Khalsa College as part of their schools’ programme to learn about the oriental religion and cultures. “We are overwhelmed to see architectural grandeur of the Khalsa College building. It is heartening to see how the college had been serving the society by providing value-based education,” he remarked.

Marry, another student in the group, said the visit to college’s Sikh Museum and Library was most exciting as they saw rare art pieces, manuscripts, weaponry and books relating to the erstwhile Sikh kings and history of Punjab and India.

Amritsar, July 7
Various NGOs have demanded a high-level probe into the recent fire incident occurred at Khanna Paper Mill. The NGOs, including Mission Aagaaj, demanded that the CBI should be entrusted to inquire into the incident. Deepak Babar of the NGO said, “The CBI should find how the industrial house had actually made profits from the accident.”

He said even as the fire incident grossly polluted the environment of the area, an environment impact assessment (EIA) should be made to find out the facts.

“It has to be calculated that how much soil, water, air was affected,” said Babar adding that they are not against any individual, but they would leave no stone unturned to guard the natural resources of the city.

The NGOs alleged that the mill had polluted soil and underground water in the Tung Dhab drain area. The NGOs demanded that industrial houses should be made more responsible towards environmental issues. The representatives of other NGOs included Jagmohan Singh of Lok Kalyan Samiti, Dr BR Hastir, Chander Shekar and Daljit Singh Kohli of Amritsar Vikas Manch, Gurbhej Singh, KS Takkar, Rajeev Choudhary, Anil Khanna, Awan Prashar, Jyoti Grover and Rekha Mahajan.

Ward 65
Name: Satpal
Party: BJP
Sewerage, roads and water supply are some problems in my area. I will highlight the problems in the MC House and will try to get maximum funds for the development of the area. I will ensure that grievances of the general public are addressed on a regular basis. I will make sure that I remain approachable to residents

Ward 63
Name: Rajni Sharma
Party: BJP
The road between Azad Nagar and Subhash Nagar witnesses a heavy movement of trucks. As the stretch from the railway crossing to the Chehharta railway station is unpaved, vehicular movement leaves a layer of dust in the air. We demand ban on truck movement. Secondly, we will work to get the kuchcha road paved so that the problem of dust is solved

Ward 57
Name: Sarabjit Singh
Party: Congress

I plan to get the ward developed in a systematic and planned way. The haphazard development should be stopped. First, I will work to get adequate water supply. Then problems regarding sewerage and streetlights are on my priority list. Residents should be free to give suggestions regarding any development work

Amritsar, July 7
Buy two, get one free; up to 70 per cent off on hi-end brands; clearance sale… and one knows that the sale season has begun. Huge hoardings strategically erected at prominent public places around the city make a desperate attempt to show how far the retailers can go who slash prices to add to the temptation of customers.

The queue at the cash counters remind of a traffic jam. Even the "wisest" of us are enticed by the “special offers and discounts” and everyone gets to justify splurging on the things that otherwise wouldn't find space in our wardrobe.

Jack n Jones, Louis Philippe, Woodland and other major menswear brands have slashed their prices by 50 per cent. Benetton's has a 'Happy Hour' scheme. At Kouton's, one can find sale at any given time of the year. Nike, Puma, Kapsons, Calvin Kline, even brands like Satya Paul and Guess offer up to 50 per cent off on their clothes.

The word sale has taken the Indian consumer market by storm, with even the best of brands resorting to it to boast up sales. But while the discounts and offs easily make us believe that we are getting at best of things at cheapest prices; the fact is exactly the opposite. For the uninitiated, sale season is the time when we end up spending the maximum, without even realising it. "Shopping during the sale season has become a trend. In fact, most people now wait for the sale season to begin to fill their stocks for the season or two," says Priya Manchanda, a regular shopper during the sale season. Ask her and she reveals that she always ends up spending more than her usual budget. "Of course when you have such good offers one tends to go overboard with shopping. Most things that I buy during sale season end up unused in my wardrobe."

Nikki Virk, MA student at GNDU, says, "It is not just about saving a few bucks, but for the kick I get while buying during sales. Though, I do tend to become disoriented as everything is so cheap that I want to buy all of them. I mostly purchase clothes in bulk during sales which sometimes saves you a lot of cash." Well, her multiple membership cards for various shops are self explanatory. One thing that we usually miss out on during sale season is that the stuff is available on half the price but it still not free!

"The stock during sales is limited, if you are an early bird then fine but if you are late then chances are that you have missed out on the best clothes. Also, one has to keep in mind the 'no exchange, no return' condition. Mostly the brands hike prices before the sales and so things you buy on discounted rates are not cheap but just cheaper than their hiked rates," shares Ranjodh Madaan, a businessman from the city.