MC claims prove hollow
Jalandhar, July 7
The claims of the Municipal Corporation (MC) authorities regarding the quick disposal of rainwater on city roads after the installation of storm water sewers in low-lying areas fell flat just after the first moderate spell of monsoon showers early this morning.

Even as the storm water sewer system has been installed near the gate of the DC office, a manhole cover had to be partially opened to drain out the rainwater in Jalandhar on Saturday. Tribune photo: Sarabjit Singh

Health teams on alert
Jalandhar, July 7
The first monsoon showers this morning brought troubles to people in the Rajan Nagar and New Rajan Nagar areas. While the areas were already clogged and full of sewage ponds, the rain caused the water to spill onto streets at some places, letting out an unbearable stench and making the lives of residents all the more difficult.

Man done to death by wife, her paramour
Kapurthala, July 7
A woman and her alleged paramour killed the former’s husband at Shekupur village falling under the Kapurthala city police station. Usha Devi and Ajay allegedly murdered Dular Chand by attacking him with sharp-edged weapons on Friday night. Dular sustained injuries on several parts of his body, including head, which proved fatal for him.

Woman for probe into son’s death
Jalandhar, July 7
“My son was killed and did not die in a road accident. The accused has fabricated my son’s death story. Instead of initiating a probe into his death, police connivance with the accused showed the death scene as accidental by dumping the body on railway tracks.”

Motorcyclist killed
Jalandhar, July 7
A motorcycle-borne youth was killed on Friday evening when his bike rammed into a stationary truck on the Jalandhar-Pathankot road. The deceased has been identified as Amrik Singh, resident of Balla village, here.

6-year-old girl’s murder
Accused nabbed from Uttar Pradesh
Jalandhar, July 7
The accused, who strangulated six-year-old girl Khushboo to death at her residence in Globe Colony, near Gujapeer Road, a few months ago, finally landed in the police trap and was nabbed from Uttar Pradesh. He was evading arrest since February.

MC claims prove hollow
Despite storm water sewers in low-lying areas, first monsoon showers leave many such places inundated
Deepkamal Kaur
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 7
The claims of the Municipal Corporation (MC) authorities regarding the quick disposal of rainwater on city roads after the installation of storm water sewers in low-lying areas fell flat just after the first moderate spell of monsoon showers early this morning.

As it rained heavily for three hours till 10:15 am, several roads remained inundated till noon. Even the areas where storm water sewers had been recently laid, as those outside the DC office and alongside the bus stand, remained water-logged, indicating that the sewer channels were required to be cleared.

Since it was a public holiday, water-logging had little implications today, but motorcyclists and scooterists had a harrowing time as their clothes got soiled with splashes of muddy water. Since rainwater did not seep in through the road gullies, the MC employees were seen partially opening a manhole there and using sticks to clear the muck and force water in.

Commuters coming from the railway station too had a tough time crossing the railway road. The worst affected were those commuting past the 120-foot road towards Basti Sheikh or the ones going to and from the patch of the busy Jalandhar-Kaputhala road across Basti Bawa Khel. Motorists complained of vehicles breaking down as their vehicles got choked.

Regarding water-logging around the DC office gates, Surjit Singh, SDO (O&M), MC, claimed that the storm water sewer system could not be of much help, as it being the lowest-lying stretch, water from all surrounding colonies, including Master Tara Singh Nagar and Ladowali Road, flowed towards the side. “Still there could be chances of construction material falling into holes because of footpath re-construction and leading to blockade. We will make an effort to get the drains cleared again,” he said.

Senior Deputy Mayor Kamaljit S. Bhatia said it could not be resolved till the installation of four new sewer disposals towards Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and the Pathankot bypass sides. “We already have received funds for the same but work remains to be done,” he added.

Health teams on alert
Aparna Banerji
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 7
The first monsoon showers this morning brought troubles to people in the Rajan Nagar and New Rajan Nagar areas. While the areas were already clogged and full of sewage ponds, the rain caused the water to spill onto streets at some places, letting out an unbearable stench and making the lives of residents all the more difficult.

While two more patients were detected in the area today, (one diarrhoea and one typhoid), the concern within the health team can be gauged from the fact that teams also took blood samples of people from the New Rajan Nagar area today. Even though reports of the initial water samples taken from the Basti Peerdad area are yet to be made public, team members said the result of the blood samples taken today has already arrived and these were normal. Rajesh Chaudhary, a resident of the New Rajan Nagar area, said, “The rains have made the situation all the more difficult for us. While there wasn’t any dramatic increase in patients today, until the monsoons last, the residents will be living on the edge of a bigger outbreak threat.

Man done to death by wife, her paramour
Dharmendra Joshi
Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, July 7
A woman and her alleged paramour killed the former’s husband at Shekupur village falling under the Kapurthala city police station. Usha Devi and Ajay allegedly murdered Dular Chand by attacking him with sharp-edged weapons on Friday night. Dular sustained injuries on several parts of his body, including head, which proved fatal for him.

The victim and assailants were permanent residents of Bihar and were currently residing at Shekupur village for the past some time.

Dular Chand’s brother Arjun Shah told the police that his brother had been objecting to the affair between his wife and Ajay since he had come to know about it.

Instead of mending her ways, Dular Chand’s wife Usha Devi hatched a conspiracy along with her paramour to eliminate him to get rid of the “hurdle” in their way, he added.

The city police recorded Arjun Shah’s statement and registered a first information report (FIR) against Usha Devi and her paramour Ajay under Sections 302 (committing murder) and 34 (committing crime with same intention) of Indian Penal Code on the basis of his statement.

While the police succeeded in arresting Usha Devi, her paramour Ajay is absconding.

Meanwhile, body was sent to Civil Hospital for autopsy.

Woman for probe into son’s death
Nikhil Bhardwaj

Jalandhar, July 7
“My son was killed and did not die in a road accident. The accused has fabricated my son’s death story. Instead of initiating a probe into his death, police connivance with the accused showed the death scene as accidental by dumping the body on railway tracks.”

This was stated by an inconsolable Nacchtar Kaur, mother of the deceased Satnam Singh. Nacchtar said she had written a letter to the Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, seeking an inquiry into her son’s death.

“I urge the DGP to order registration of a murder case and initiate an inquiry to nab the accused behind his death,” Nacchtar said. She said her son had gone to attend the birthday party of his friend’s son at Qazi Mohalla and at 12 pm, they received a call from the railway police about the death of Satnam.

“When we reached the spot, the mutilated body of my son was lying on the tracks, but his valuables, cash and cellphone were missing, which raised our suspicion that Satnam was murdered,” she said. The grief-stricken mother asked the police authorities that if his son had died an accidental death, why the valuables were missing from the spot?

Motorcyclist killed

Jalandhar, July 7
A motorcycle-borne youth was killed on Friday evening when his bike rammed into a stationary truck on the Jalandhar-Pathankot road. The deceased has been identified as Amrik Singh, resident of Balla village, here.

Police sources said Amrik was heading home on his bike and when he reached near the flyover at Kahnupur village, he lost control over his bike and rammed into the stationary truck.

The sources said he was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. The police has impounded the truck. — OC

6-year-old girl’s murder
Accused nabbed from Uttar Pradesh
Nikhil Bhardwaj

Jalandhar, July 7
The accused, who strangulated six-year-old girl Khushboo to death at her residence in Globe Colony, near Gujapeer Road, a few months ago, finally landed in the police trap and was nabbed from Uttar Pradesh. He was evading arrest since February.

Though the police has not officially confirmed his arrest, sources in the Police Department said the accused, Jai Pal, had already been nabbed from Kosha Gaon, Faizabad district, Uttar Pradesh, and was being taken to Jalandhar by the police party of the Police Division No. 8. The sources said they were likely to reach here late night.

Acting on a tip-off, the police party headed by sub-inspector Avtar Singh of the Police Station Division No. 8 had already left to Uttar Pradesh a week ago and they had been keeping a tab on the movement of the accused.

Sources in the police confirmed that on the night of July 5, the accused had been rounded up after conducting raid at his residence.

Inspector Bimal Kant Sharma under the guidance of Balkar Singh ACP North has been investigating the case. They had sent a team to UP to nab the accused, a police official said.

After his arrest, the accused was produced before Deepa Rai, Remand Magistrate, Faizabad, on July 6 and was sent on transit remand till July 8. The accused is being brought to Jalandhar and will be produced in the court here for further remand.

Inspector Bimal Kant Sharma said his team had already nabbed the accused from his residence in UP but the police party was still on the way and was likely to reach Jalandhar late night.

The case

The accused, Jai Pal, a migrant labourer, who was residing in the same house in a separate rented room adjacent to the room of Urmla Devi, mother of Khushboo, a resident of Udras Poorva village, Uttar Pradesh. Urmla had reportedly borrowed Rs 1,500 from Jai Pal. On the intervening night of February 29 and March 1, the accused entered into the room of Urmla and asked her to return his money. When Urmla refused to pay, he turned furious and strangulated her minor daughter with ‘duppata’ and the girl died on the spot. Since then, he was evading arrest.