Jalandhar, November 30
The district administration and officials of the Jalandhar Improvement Trust are on their toes these days to ensure that the renovation work of Guru Gobind Singh Stadium is completed ahead of the World Kabaddi Cup matches scheduled to be held here on December 13.

The work being done at a cost of Rs 22 crore for the past nearly two years is about to be completed. With barely just a week left with the Trust, the work on the elliptical sides of the stands is yet to be completed with roofs being laid on the iron arcs and broken cement steps yet to be plastered and painted.

The VIP pavilion and the other pavilion opposite it will adorn an all new look with colourful plastic chairs already fixed, new roofing done, and new tiles fixed on the steps. Paint work and other cosmetic work is on all around the stadium to impart it finishing touches. The new gallery atop the VIP pavilion has the entire frontal part in glass to give it a panoramic view. This part, which will house media centre, restaurant, activity room and conference room, may not be used as it still is devoid of any basic infrastructure.

JIT SE Mukul Soni said the civil work took a little longer owing to problem in the availability of construction material due to the ban on mining. “All those areas which are to be used, including 17 rooms for the players, their shower areas and offices along the VIP pavilion are fully ready for use. We are in the process of installation of an elevator in this area now. A special provision has been made to allow physically challenged persons access to the stadium and enjoy the matches sitting in their wheel chairs in the stands,” he added.

In all, there will be a seating capacity for 17,000 visitors, including 5,000 chairs and the remaining on steps of the elliptical sides. Four tower lights have been erected by the Punjab Mandi Board for use while playing day and night kabaddi matches.

Jalandhar, November 30
Representatives of the US kabbadi team today arrived in the city to take part in the third World Kabbadi Cup, which is to start on Saturday. The team management expressed full confidence in the players and said the players were ready to face the dope test.

Kulwant Singh Khera, team manager, while recalling the plight of the US team in the last year kabbadi cup, in which some of their players had tested positive in the dope test, said this time, they had already conducted a preliminary dope test of their players from a certified agency of the USA and now they did not fear any drug test.

“Our team comprises players of Guru Teg Bahadur Sports Club, Kings Sports Club, Punjab Sports Club, Bay Area Sports Club, Punjab Sports Association, Saraba Sports Club, Meeri Peeri Sports Club. The team also has two American citizens,” he said added.

Jalandhar, November 30
Started as part of welfare activities for the HIV positive patients at Civil Hospital, NGO Koshish has been doing a yeoman’s service, having counselled them to live their life with positivity, fighting for their cause whenever their job is at risk and assisting them in matrimony.

With nearly 60 per cent of the victims in the age group of less than 30 and in their celibacy as quoted by Jalandhar ART Centre SMO Dr Kulbir Sharma, marriage remains a major issue. Since doctors suggest the tying of nuptial knot preferably with an HIV positive girl, who are far too less in number, the intervention of such a social organisation is all the more relevant. The NGO maintains a record of all boys, girls and married men and women who have lost their spouse owing to disease and want to remarry.

Operating through a small room adjoining the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) centre under a project of the Punjab State AIDS Control Society, Koshish has got arranged at least 11 marriages in the past two years. While one occurred two days ago and another one is scheduled this Sunday. Karamjit, project coordinator, Koshish, said that even as most marriages were between HIV positive men and women, there have been exceptions too. She narrated one instance, “An HIV positive married man passed away. His wife (who too was detected HIV positive) after due counselling at the ART centre of Civil Hospital was wedded to his younger brother. Surprisingly, the man had no inhibitions with the marriage even as he was HIV negative. The couple wanted to have a baby. So, we suggested them to go in for test tube technique or else the man faced a very high risk of contracting the infection. The baby was given medicine at the time of birth. The mother was counselled not to feed him. Their child is two years old now and so far they have not contracted the infection. The trio is living a happy life.”

The project coordinator said that even this was the lone case of a man marrying an HIV positive woman, there have been three instances of HIV men insisting for a marriage with HIV negative girls. “Even as we dissuade them from doing so, the girls smitten with love bug are adamant on their stand. Then only thing we do in such cases is to counsel them, suggest them of taking necessary precautions and inform the ART centre doctors immediately after the delivery,” she added. She further disclosed that two HIV positive girls - one nurse and another engineer- were also registered with her wanting to marry.

The counsellors of the NGO even narrated incidents wherein doctors avoided giving any surgical interventions to the HIV positive patients who eventually reached out to them for help. They even quoted a case where a chef was being thrown out of job because the employer and colleagues got to know of his HIV positive status. “We counselled the employer and staff of the eatery and helped him retain his job,” they added. 

Jalandhar, November 30
The rural police today claimed to have busted a gang of vehicle lifters and recovered 10 stolen vehicles from them. The gang was cracked by the Kartarpur police and the special staff team in a joint operation.

The accused have been identified as Bhupinder Chopra, Amandeep, Labhjot Singh, Harjit Singh, alias Tinku, and Sukha Singh, all residents of Reru village in the Maqsoodan area.

Senior Superintendent of Police Yurinder Singh Hayer said the police had received secret information that these five persons had been running a gang of vehicle lifters for the past some time and today they were to finalise deals with the clients to sell stolen vehicles.

The SSP added that the raid was conducted at the specific location and the accused were nabbed red handed while they were selling vehicles.

A case under Sections 379, 411 of the IPC has been registered against the accused at the Kartarpur police station.

Jalandhar, November 30
In the yesterday’s clash between two groups outside a dhaba near Pathankot Chowk, the Maqsoodan police today booked three brothers (owner of Duggal Vaishno Dhaba) on the charges of attempt to murder. Both the parties had reportedly resorted to firing in which one person had sustained bullet injuries.

A case under Section 307 of the IPC has been registered against Davinder, Jagjivan and Bittu.

The clash had taken place last evening, when some bike borne youths had reportedly indulged in arguments with the dhaba owners. Heated arguments had turned into a clash, and both the groups then allegedly resorted to firing and also pelted stones at each other.

In the melee, Manpreet of a group sustained bullet injuries on his leg, while three brothers had also sustained minor injuries.

Manjit Singh, investigating officer, said acting on the statement of Manpreet (who sustained bullet injuries), an attempt to murder case was registered against the three brothers, who owned the dhaba, adding that the required action would be taken against the rival group (bike-borne persons) after recording the statement of the dhaba owners.

Jalandhar, November 30
Shooters of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) bagged the overall trophy (men section), while the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was adjudged the winner in the women section of the sixth All-India Police Shooting (Sports) Championship held at the PAP shooting range here.

The ITBP also had a reason to cheer with its ASI Rajinder Singh becoming the best shooter of the championship.

The ITPB shooters created history by winning the championship third time in a row.

Continuing hitting the bullseye, shooter Rajinder Singh bagged four gold medals, two each in the individual and the team events in the championship.

The ITBP team also clinched the title of the best rifle team in the men section, while the title of the best pistol team in the men section goes to the Border Security Force (BSF). The Andhra Pradesh Team won the best rifle team title in the women sections, while the CRPF was adjudged the best pistol team in the women section.

The BSF came the overall runners-up in the men and women section. The BSF shared the overall runners-up position in the women section with the Andhra Pradesh team.

The championship concluded with an impressive ceremony presided over by Nehchal Sandhu, Director, Intelligence Bureau, who is also the chairman of the All-India Police Sports Control Board at the PAP outdoor stadium.

Over 450 shooters (men and women) from 23 states and union territories in the country contested in 17 events organised during the championship.

While addressing the participants, Sandhu expressed happiness at the growing level of the participation of police shooters in national and international events since the first edition of the All-India Police Shooting (Sports) Championship in 2007, hosted by the BSF at the CSWT, Indore.

Police sportspersons had made the nation proud by winning medals at the Olympic Games held this year in London. So far, total 82 police sportspersons had received the Arjuna Award from the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, he claimed.

Later a march past, led by the champion team and followed by participating teams, was taken out.

Daredevils of the Punjab Police kept the audience spellbound during the motorcycle and tent-pegging shows. Bhangra and scintillating fireworks enthralled the audience on the occasion.

Earlier, Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini welcomed Sandhu, while Gurdev Singh Sahota, Additional Director General of Police, Armed Battalions, Punjab, presented a vote of thanks.

The best shooter
"Concentration and meditation are the keys to my success. It requires a lot of concentration to hit the target at the right place, claims ASI Rajinder Singh, who was awarded with the best shooter title in the championship. "I will prepare for the next Olympics now," he claimed. Rajinder Singh claimed that he had been practicing from eight to 10 hours daily at the ITBP shooting range in Bhanu Complex, near Ramgarh, in Panchkula district of Haryana. He also gave credit to his coach Inspector Rajinder Pal Singh for boosting his moral and spending enough time on his training. Rajinder Singh had also won a gold medal in a shooting meet held at Cuttack in Orissa in October.

Jalandhar, November 30
Commuters are facing a huge inconvenience due to the sorry state of a road stretch near BMC Chowk. Despite this road having a huge vehicular traffic, officials of the Municipal Corporations (MC) are not paying heed to its sad state.

Residents who commute ON the road rued that MC had failed to initiate the patch-up work on the road for the past few months and they were being forced to have a bumpy ride.

It is two-wheeler riders more than the four-wheeler riders who face problem while riding on this stretch. Every day or other, motorcyclists often skid off the road, leading to accidents.

“Yesterday, while I was returning home from office, my bike skidded and I fell and sustained minor injuries” Raman Kumar, a private employee, said alleging that the MC should initiate its patch work as soon as possible to prevent any serious accident in future.

Aman Sharma, a local businessman, said that foggy season was round the corner and if its repair work was delayed, the MC should be held responsible if anything serious happens in future. 

Jalandhar, November 30
Dr Anil Joseph Thomas Couto, Bishop of Jalandhar, has been appointed the Archbishop of North India and Delhi by Pope Benedict XVI.

Following the announcement this evening, the entire Christian community of Jalandhar and surrounding areas came to congratulate Bishop Anil Couto. They welcomed the decision of the Vatican and offered special prayers.

Anil Couto belongs to the state of Goa and came to North India about 30 years ago with a desire to uplift the poor, unwanted and orphan. He was appointed as the Bishop in 2001.

While congratulating the Bishop, Father Peter Kavumpuram, PRO, Diocese of Jalandhar, termed him an unbeaten icon of North India, a man with vision and full of zeal and enthusiasm who works amidst the poorest of the poor with utmost faithfulness and sincerity.

Jalandhar, November 30
Members of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) today burnt an effigy of the Jalandhar rural police, alleging police inaction in several cases in which Dalits were the complainants.

They alleged that the police was working under the pressure of an Akali minister and some Akali jathedars.

Kamal Dev Jandusingha, BSP leader, while terming the attitude of the rural police callous towards Dalits, asserted that a few months ago, daily wage Dalit women were thrashed by a farmer of Nijara village. Instead of registering a case against the farmer, the Lambra police, under the pressure of the Akali minister, registered a fake case of theft against the women.

“We had also apprised the SSP of the issue several times, but no action has been taken against the farmer till day,” he further alleged. If the rural police continues with its callous attitude, we would intensify our protest against the police.

Similarly, in a recent incident at Rehimpur village, where a Dalit girl was abused and tortured by some miscreants and the police had also registered a case against the accused in this case, the BSP leader alleged that now the police, under the pressure of Akalis, was pressurising the victim girl to take back her complaint.