Chandigarh, October 2
The UT police today arrested a Nigerian national in a case of drug peddling. The accused, 37-year-old Daniel Ebera, was arrested with 19 gm of cocaine at the Inter-State Bus Terminus in Sector 17. The value of cocaine seized from him is estimated to be over Rs 38 lakh in the international market.

A police team deployed for conducting a search operation at the bus stand arrested Daniel and seized 19 gm of cocaine from his possession.

The police said Daniel was holding a white polythene bag in his hand. He tried to hide the polythene bag on seeing the police.

The police team got suspicious and rounded him up for verification. Cocaine was found inside the polythene bag. Interrogation of the accused revealed that Daniel was staying at Nawada in New Delhi. He was to board a bus to deliver the consignment in Amritsar to someone at 7 pm.

The police is investigating the source of the cocaine and is questioning the Nigerian regarding the person to whom the consignment was to be delivered.

The accused was arrested under the NDPS Act and a case has been registered at the Sector 17 police station. He will be produced in court tomorrow. Sub-Inspector Sarita Rai said the accused had been staying in India since 2011 and they had written to the Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) to check the validity of his passport and visa.

The accused was arrested in the afternoon during a special search operation by a PCR (Special Technical Operation Cell) team, led by Inspector Ranjit Singh Dhillon, SI Ghansham and SI Sarita Rai, in charge of the police post at the ISBT, Sector 17.

DSP, PCR, Roshan Lal said the arrest of the Nigerian was a "huge achievement" for the police.

Panchkula, October 2
A 32-year-old woman allegedly poisoned her 10-year-old daughter to death before taking poison at her Sector 8 residence here this evening. The girl, Ameesha, died on the spot, while her mother, Reena, survived and has been admitted to the PGI, Chandigarh. Incidentally, the girl's father, Mohit Garg, had committed suicide after taking a pesticide at the Leisure Valley, Sector 10, Chandigarh, three months ago.

Ameesha was a student of Class V at St Kabir School, Sector 26, Chandigarh.

The mother-daughter duo was staying alone in a rented accommodation in Sector 8. Reena was reportedly unemployed and was dependant on her parents. The police said the girl had called up her friends to inform that her mother was forcibly giving her poison. However, before help could arrive, Ameesha had died and her mother had taken poison.

A relative of the family visited their house after Ameesha’s distress call, but by then the girl had died. The relative saw both of them lying on the bed and rushed them to the General Hospital in Sector 6, Panchkula, said a police official posted at the Sector 7 police post.

The postmortem of the girl will be conducted tomorrow. Her body has been kept in a mortuary.

“Doctors at the PGI have said that Reena is unfit to give a statement. We will record her statement tomorrow morning and investigate the matter,” said ASI Surja Ram, additional in charge of the police post at Sector 7. He said, “Preliminary investigations have revealed that Reena gave poison to her daughter and then took poison herself.”

According to neighbours, Reena was upset after her husband’s death. Her husband. Mohit, used to run a grocery shop in Chandigarh and used to deal in property as well. “Reena used to say that after Mohit’s death, there was nothing left in her life. She used to say that it was becoming difficult for her to make both their ends meet,” said Veena Kanta (name changed), Reena's neighbour.

She said, “For the past few days, Reena was very depressed and had even stopped talking to people.”

Chandigarh, October 2
Six months after he was arrested for ransacking a house in Sector 30 a day after he was employed, a servant was arrested yet again today for ransacking another house belonging to a businessman in Sector 18. Making a mockery of the law, the thief, identified as Sonu Kumar, alias Rahul, was out on bail when he got himself another job and stole jewellery in a similar fashion from his employer’s house.

A team of the police from the Sector 19 police station and the crime branch arrested Sonu Kumar from Rai Bareli today. The team is yet to reach Chandigarh. The accused stole Rs 45,000 and diamond and gold jewellery from the house of Naveen Gupta, a Sector 18-based businessman, on September 28. He was earlier arrested on February 7 by the crime branch for committing a theft in the house of another businessman in Sector 30 from where he had decamped with jewellery worth Rs 8 lakh.

“The thief has a peculiar modus operandi. He first enrols himself as a servant with a potential employer and later flees with cash and jewellery the very next day after being employed. He has committed three such thefts in the past and was out on bail when he committed a similar theft by ransacking a house in Sector 18,” said a police officer.

In February, Anuj Gupta, a businessman residing in Sector 30, had reported that a person named Rahul approached him on January 27 in search of work.

“He gives no time for verification and flees with jewellery the very next day after being employed. He is adept in sweeping an almirah of jewellery in no time,” said the police officer.

Modus operandi

“The thief, Sonu Kumar, alias Rahul, has a peculiar modus operandi. He first enrols himself as a servant with a potential employer and later flees with cash and jewellery the very next day after being employed. He has committed three such thefts in the past and was out on bail when he committed a similar theft,” said a police officer.

Chandigarh, October 2
The grounds at Panjab University, meant for nurturing players’ skills, today witnessed free movement of VIP cars. The VIPs, who had arrived to witness the closing ceremony of the 37th North Zone Ball Badminton Championship for Men and Women, were allowed to drive in on the athletics and kho kho field.

Two cars, an SUV and a police escort of former union minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia were allowed to move on the kho-kho and athletics track to take the guest to the dais. No security personnel or any official of the Directorate of Sports stopped the vehicles from entering the field.

Despite repeated attempts, the Director, Sports (Additional Charge), PU, Gurmeet Singh, was not available for comments. Deputy Director, Sports, PU, Dolly said she was not authorised to comment on the issue. She said, “You can contact the Director, Sports, in this regard,” said Dolly.

Incidentally, the Directorate of Sports has no direct role in organising the tournament. The national-level tournament was conducted under the aegis of the Ball Badminton Federation of India. The local association organised the tournament after paying the "ground use fee" to the PU authorities.

Chief Security Officer, PU, PK Dhawan said no vehicle was allowed inside the field. However, when he was apprised of what happened at the PU grounds today, he termed it as "a minor incident that does not attract any action". Asked whether the PU authorities will take action in the matter, he said, “I don’t think it is an important issue. I have not received any complaint regarding the movement of vehicles. There is also no report of any damage to the field. However, I will check again to ascertain the facts.”

As per rules and a gesture of good sportsmanship, no vehicles are allowed inside the field. Today's incident has left many players upset. “Only a sportsperson can understand the value of a ground. These grounds are not meant for driving vehicles or for parking purposes. The officials concerned should keep in mind the sanctity of the grounds; these fields are meant for nurturing playersw' skills and promoting sports, not for providing comfort to VIPs,” said Rahul, an athlete.

Chandigarh, October 2
Schools and bus operators are yet to reach a decision on the monthly hike of Rs 50 per student in the school bus charges announced by bus operators last month. The hike, which was to come into force from October onwords, has been deferred for the time being.

HS Mamik, president of the Independent Schools Association, said, “A delegation of bus operators came to meet us. However, we made our stand clear that unless the Punjab and Haryana High Court takes a decision on a case pertaining to fee hike or other expenses, nothing can be done in this regard.”

In May this year, the court had decided that no private school under its jurisdiction will be allowed to increase the fee or other expenses without the consent of the respective education board. The decision was challenged by private schools in the Supreme Court last month. The apex court directed them to approach the high court again. The case was heard in the high court on September 26.

Mamik said the final decision in the case was likely to come during the next hearing, scheduled for October 8. Negotiations with bus operators were possible only after that. “In case the decision does not come by then, the association may apply to the CBSE for permission on the issue,” he said.

President of the Chandigarh School Bus Operators Welfare Association Manjit Singh said they were firm on the decision and would "charge arrears for the delay".

Chandigarh, October 2
Repair works of the Public Health Department of the Municipal Corporation have been stalled in the city as contractors have unanimously decided not to bid for the tenders floated by the MC authorities. For the past fortnight, no contractor has made any bid for the tender floated for the repair of damaged sewer lines and road gullies. These damaged sewer lines and road gullies pose a serious threat to residents’ lives.

The MC Commissioner, VP Singh, said no memorandum had been submitted to him by the contractors last week. He said the authorities would not revise the rates of raw material on the whims and fancies of the contractors and if any contractor felt that the rates were low he should not make a bid for tenders. He said the corporation did not depend on a handful of contractors as e-tendering had been started by the MC departments.

During a visit to Sector 23, it was found that none of the road gullies were covered. The records of the corporation revealed that a tender for this work was floated but no contractor made any bid for it. Similar is the situation in Sector 17 where there are no lids on the road gullies.

Five damaged sewer lines have been not been repaired for a long time as no contractor made a bid for the tender. During a visit to Sector 31, it was found that a road, which had been dug up by the MC staff for carrying out repairs at a damaged sewer line, had been left uncovered as repair work has not started on the sewer line for the past one month. Similarly, the damaged sewer lines at the Sector 43 light point, 46, 49 and 51 have not been repaired for long.

Members of the Public Health Contractor Welfare Association stated that they had submitted a memorandum to the MC Commissioner. They have demanded that as the daily schedule rates are very low they are not going to make bid for any tender till the rates are revised by the authorities. In the memorandum, the contractors have also stated that officials of the corporation often delay their payments due to which they suffer losses.

Chandigarh, October 2
A Sub-Inspector was suspended for his lackadaisical approach to arresting an accused in a case of assault on a college girl in Sector 42 on September 19.

A day after the UT SSP reprimanded the SHO of the police station at Sector 36, Inspector Bhupinder Singh, for failing to arrest the accused, the investigating officer in the case, Sub-Inspector Jagdish Chander, was placed under suspension.

Meanwhile, the police has also issued notices to the surety providers of three accused to appear before the police.

Taking advantage of lackadaisical approach of the Chandigarh police, prime accused in the case Lakhbir Singh had managed to secure anticipatory bail from the district courts, Sector 17, on September 29.

SI Jagdish Chander had failed to strongly oppose the bail application to Lakhbir in the court. Two other accused, Khushwinder and Karandeep Singh, have absconded.

Three of them had attacked a college student, Komal Kohli, and made an attempt to kidnap her at a bus stop in Sector 42 on September 19. The accused were arrested on the same day but released on bail. The police later added sections of attempt to kidnap in the case and the accused have absconding ever since.

Chandigarh, October 2
Finally, waking up from deep slumber, the UT Administration has decided to conduct a survey to quantify e-waste generation in the city. The survey will be conducted to ensure an effective management of electronic waste (e-waste) in Chandigarh.

At present, there is no authentic data available with the UT Administration regarding the e-waste generation in the city.

The UT Administration will outsource the work of experts to ascertain the quantity of e-waste generated in the city.

The e-waste is defined as discarded electronics goods, including computers, computer peripherals, printers with cartridges, copying equipment, electrical and electronic typewriters, facsimile, mobiles, television sets, refrigerators, washing machines, etc.

The e-waste is considered dangerous, as certain electronic components contain harmful substances like lead, lead oxide, toxic gases, cadmium, toxic metals, acids and plastics.

“As of now, the department does not have any factual data regarding e-waste generation in Chandigarh. According to the estimates, 10 per cent of the total hazardous waste generated in the city is e-waste,” an official of the UT Administration said.

Recently, the UT Environment Department had initiated an e-waste collection drive in Chandigarh.

The official said around 18 specially designed e-waste collection bins had been placed at locations, including the UT Secretariat building at Sector-9, EDC Centre at IT Park, Sector-17 Plaza, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) office at Sector 31, Deputy Commissioner’s office at Sector 17, Government School at Sector-36, MCM-DAV College at Sector-36, Punjab Engineering College at Sector-12.

The official added, “The e-waste project was launched with an objective to promote greener and healthy environment by ensuring a scientific collection and processing of e-waste in the city.”

During the launch of this initiative, the city denizens were also requested to dispose of small waste through the e-waste collection bins.

As there may be equipment of larger sizes, which cannot be put in the e-waste collection bins, the UT Administration had launched a toll free number 1-800-419-3283 for help in this regard. The citizens will be provided the facility of healthy disposal of e-waste and their call would be attended within 72 hours.

Chandigarh, October 2
Kingfisher Airlines’ Chandigarh operations have remained shut down for the last 24 hours following the partial lockout declared by the Vijay Mallaya-promoted private carrier in Delhi on Monday.

According to reports, the airline management was forced to take the step following intervention by the Civil Aviation Ministry, which was concerned about its safety amid protests by its ground staff.

All the scheduled flights of the airline at the domestic airport here were cancelled on Monday and it did not take any fresh booking on Tuesday either.

An executive of the airline posted at its local office at the airport said the airline would not take any fresh bookings till October 7 and further delays were expected. Gaurav Lakhanpal, airline manager in Chandigarh, however, said their flights were expected to resume after Thursday.

The Kingfisher at present handles around 250 passengers every day through its two direct flights, one each to Delhi-Mumbai and the same number of arrivals at the domestic airport here.

There has been a major decrease in the number of flights of the airline from the Chandigarh airport post-liquidity crisis in the airline.

Meanwhile, there are no reports of passengers’ inconvenience at the airport due to the cancellation of the flights. Director, Chandigarh Domestic Airport, HS Toor said his office did not receive any such complaint. Gaurav Lakhanpal said all the passengers were informed on time and they were felicitated travel in other flights.

Chandigarh, October 2
Shoes worth lakhs of rupees were reduced to ashes in a fire that broke out at booth number 22 in Sector 27 early in the morning today. A fire team reached the spot at 7:05 am after it got a call from a passerby, Sham Lal, about the fire incident.

Officials of the Fire Department said as fire tenders reached the spot on time, the fire was controlled in an hour. There was no loss of goods in the adjoining booths. The officials said the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained. One fire tender was sent to the spot.

Panchkula, October 2
In a development in the ATM theft case, the police has come to know that the work of pasting leaves on the lens of CCTV cameras was done at 10.44 pm.

“We have come to know that around 10.44 pm, a youth pasted leaves on all three CCTV cameras installed in the ATM room. As the lens were covered with the leaves, we can’t say what happened after that,” said a senior police official of the Sector-14 police station.

The police is also investigating from officials of the Prism Company that puts cash in the ATM.

It was on September 30 when some miscreants cut the ATM cash box open with a gas cutter and stole around Rs 8.31 lakh from it. While retrieving the booty from the ATM, the thieves pasted leaves on the lens of the CCTV cameras installed in the room and put a board “ATM not in service” to ensure that no one enters the room.

The police had mentioned that there was no guard outside the ATM, as no one was appointed by the market association for the same.

Panchkula, October 2
In a glaring act of sheer negligence on the part of Panchkula police, no FIR was registered in a five-day old dacoity case. In the wee hours on September 27, six armed youths snatched a car after firing in the air.

After doing rounds of the police station, the victim, Navneet Kumar, a resident of Ludhiana, later approached the court for registration of the case.

It was on the orders of the court that a case under Sections 395 (punishment for dacoity) and 397 (dacoity with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) of the IPC, and Sections 25, 54 and 59 under the Arms Act has been registered today.

“The victim had gone to the Mansa Devi temple to pay obeisance. He had just stepped out of his car when around six youths came and thrashed him. They threatened him to give whatever he had,” said a police official.

He further added, “As the victim resisted, one of the youths fired gunshots in the air. They pushed the victim aside and fled with his Volkswagon car.”

The Mansa Devi police tried its best to hush up the dacoity case. “I just rushed to the Mansa Devi police station. In the first instance, policemen did not open the door, as they were sleeping. Later someone came out and when I told him about the incident, he asked me to come later. I kept waiting and knocked the door at 5.30 am again, but they asked me to come at 9 am,” said Kumar.

He further added, “I went at 9 am and they asked me to submit my complaint and go. As they did not take any action, I had no other option, but to move the court.”

Station house officer of the Mansa Devi police station, Aruna Kumar, confirmed the dacoity. “It was yesterday that we received the orders of the court and have registered a case.” On being asked as to why the police did not perform its duties by not registering a dacoity case, she said, “The complainant did not meet me.”

Mohali, October 2
The local police had a tough time in tracing two children of migrant labourers, who had gone missing for over four hours today.

Both children, four-year-old Arun and three-and-a-half-year-old Anjali, have been traced from Bhagomajra village, which is over 3 km away from their residences in Udham Singh Colony in the industrial area.

They were found standing along the main road at Bhagomajra village. Denying any foul play, the police said the children reached Bhagomajra village on their own, as they forgot way to their houses.

Earlier, Raghav Ram and his neighbour Arjun Kumar, parents of the children, were panicked when they found their children, who were playing nearby their houses at around 8 am, missing.

The anxious parents informed the police immediately, which started a search in the industrial area and its periphery.

Later, a milkman informed the police after seeing the children standing along the main road in Bhagomajra village.

The police recovered the children from the village and were handed over to the parents after identification.

Chandigarh, October 2
After an exciting night studded with cultural performances at SD College’s main auditorium, today, on the International Day of Nonviolence, young delegates at the 7th International Youth Peace Festival woke up early along with American Gandhi Bernie Meyer to ‘Walk for Wildlife and Peace’.

About 500 young participants flocked to the city from diverse countries like Malaysia, Germany, Spain, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, USA, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Sudan, Mallawi and Congo to take part in the peace festival.

In their Indian hosts, they discovered an extension of their own family. Today, they separated with a pledge to extend the ‘peace family’ by involving more and more people.

Before leaving for their respective countries, the participants pledged that in the next two years, peace activists from over 100 countries shall meet in Chandigarh to organise such peace initiatives.

At an impressive ceremony Justice Jitendra Chauhan released the logo of 8th International Youth Peace Festival, which will take place from September 27 to October 2, next year.

On the occasion, participants from Malaysian Indian Youth Council also offered to host a similar peace fest next year in Malaysia.

A valedictory function was held today at the GGD SD College, Sector 32. It once again brought to the fore the talents of young participants, who presented self-composed poems, songs and dances as a parting gift for their hosts, who will long cherish the memories of their new formed friendships.

As a special gesture, youngster from Sikh International Martial Art Academy, Patiala, presented ‘gatka’ skills to woo the international and national guests.

Chandigarh, October 2
As many as 30 persons donated blood at a camp organised on Gandhi Jayanti by DIYA, youth wing of the Akhil Vishwa Gayatri Parivar, at Lala Lajpat Rai Bhawan, Sector 15, in the ongoing Pustak Mela.

Chandigarh, October 2
Even after spending lakhs of rupees on the extravagant election campaigning in violation of the Lyngdoh Committee guideline of restricting the expenditure limit to Rs 5,000, the Panjab University (PU) has failed to take any action against student organisations.

This has happened even after the Chandigarh Police in its report on the PU elections pointed out that the student organisations in lieu to woo voters arranged parties at discotheques, lavish dinners at restaurants, movies at multiplexes and uphill trips.

Even after making tall claims of initiating an action against candidates violating the Lyngdoh recommendations, the
university is still silent on the issue.

The university, this year, had appointed hostel wardens as observers to maintain an audit of the election expenses, however, the report is yet to be placed before the dean student welfare (DSW).

The report submitted by the police on the PU elections has mentioned serious violation of the Lyngdoh guidelines, especially in case of the expenditure limit. The UT police in its report, which was submitted to the university, had also mentioned the dates and venues where discotheque parties, lavish lunch, etc, were arranged for the students to attract their votes.

Interestingly, the police had also named the student organisations that violated the Lyngdoh Committee violations.

The fact-finding report prepared by the police stated that the poll expenditure crossed the specified limit of Rs 5,000 per candidate.

Admitting that no action has been taken by the university, DSW AS Ahluwalia when contacted said emphasis was being made on ensuring all recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee were being followed, which would take time. “The Lyngdoh Committee recommendations clearly states that the institutes can amend the guidelines as per their requirements, following which we are planning to make some amendments in the guidelines that may also raise the expenditure limit for each candidate,” said the DSW.