Ludhiana, December 5
The death of 35-year-old ragpicker Manoj Kumar, who died on December 1, has raised a question over the working of the police. On November 27, residents of Issewal village intercepted Manoj Kumar mistaking him for a thief. Manoj was beaten up. His companions Pankaj and Manjeet were also thrashed by the residents.

The residents claimed that after thrashing Manoj and his accomplices, they handed him over to the Mullanpur police on November 28.

Even Pankaj, who happened to be the brother-in-law of the victim, said Manoj was kept at the Mullanpur police station along with him.

"It was when the condition of Manoj deteriorated that he was rushed to a hospital, where he succumbed to injuries," he stated.

But the police are in a denial mode. Navreet Singh, DSP, Mullanpur, maintained that the police had refused to take Manoj in their custody as the victim was bashed up.

"Either the police are lying or the villagers. We consider the police version that they refused to take the victim in their custody as he was seriously injured. But why the police took action against the villagers only after the death of Manoj Kumar. It gives a clear impression that assaulting someone is not a crime in the eyes of the police," said Amandeep Singh, president, Swatantra Awaz Welfare Organisation.

Unhappy with the delay in action, president of the NGO said the police had just registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against Gurinder, Jatinder and Kulwant Singh and their five accomplices, but no action was taken against the police officer, who did not register the case when the victim was brought to them on November 28.

Even the urgency in which the postmortem was conducted raises a question.

It is learnt that Manoj's condition deteriorated on December 1 following which he was rushed to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Instead of taking the body to Lord Mahavir Civil Hospital, the Mullapur police conducted the autopsy at a government hospital in Sudhar, 25 km from the city.

The police then cremated the body at the Civil Lines crematorium.

All this while, Manoj's relatives kept looking for Manoj. Even the police kept changing their statements and appeared to be working under pressure.

Ludhiana, December 5
Work came to a standstill in government officials following a two-day pen-down strike by the State Ministerial Services’ Association. Residents visiting the offices were at the receiving end as they had to return disappointed.

The protesting employees gathered in front of their offices and raised anti-government slogans.

Residents visiting the offices of the Deputy Commissioner, Civil Surgeon, Revenue, Excise and Taxation, Education Department, Ludhiana Improvement Trust, Irrigation Department, Transport, Health Department, Agriculture Department and Public Works Department had to return empty-handed after waiting for hours.

Applicants were not issued death and birth certificates, handicapped certificates and medical certificates at the Civil Surgeon’s office.

Jagraon, December 5
High drama was witnessed at Roop Vatika School, Jagraon, when the family members of students studying in the school raised slogans against the school authorities. The protesting parents alleged that the school authorities were pressurising the students to buy new uniforms from the school premises. 

“The students whose families refused to buy the new uniforms as they already have the uniforms of last season were abused in the school,” said Parveen Kohli, father of a student studying in the school.

However, the authorities have denied the allegations. “No student was abused in the school. We have changed the logo on the uniform. They were only asked to buy new uniform for the winter season. The parents can buy the uniforms from anywhere they want,” said principal Paramjit Kaur Dhaliwal.

The parents were not satisfied and hence they approached the higher authorities. Later, a police team led by SI Hari Mittar also arrived on the scene and pacified the enraged parents.

Meanwhile, the parents approached Jagraon SDM Apneet Rayat and brought the issue into her notice. The SDM assured that a suitable action would be taken against the school authorities if anything wrong was found in the report to be submitted by the team members who visited the school.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, December 5
Owners of marriage palaces and other community centres will have to face music in case the rules and regulations on environmental pollution are not implemented in letter and spirit.

Special teams, each headed by a gazetted officer such as block development and panchayat officers, executive officers, panchayat secretaries and SHOs, have been constituted to ensure meticulous compliance of orders passed by the Deputy Commissioner Sangrur, Dr Indu, and to get the violators booked under Section 188 of the CrPC.

Social functions will now conclude early in the night, thus avoiding late night accidents and other problems linked with the tendency.

Welcoming the decision taken by the administration, marriage palace owners said now they would be in a better position to get the regulations implemented at their premises. “Though we wanted to implement the directions earlier too, we were helpless before guests who forced the DJ operators to continue till late in the night. Now when the government officials will be present to check the situation, the guests can not force us to violate rules,” said manager of a marriage palace situated at Malerkotla-Ludhiana road.

Referring to information received from SDM Malerkotla Amit Bambi, DC Sangrur Dr Indu said besides ensuring that no music system or DJ works between 10 pm and 6 am, the marriage palace owners had undertaken disposal of leftovers and other materials in such a way which does not cause degradation of the environment.

Ludhiana, December 5
The General House meeting of the Municipal Corporation being convened tomorrow (December 6) is bound to be a stormy affair as all three Congress legislators, along with the party councillors and other allies, are all set to confront the ruling combine on various issues, especially the alleged discrimination on political grounds in allotment and execution of development projects.

Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu told The Tribune after a meeting of party councillors and other legislators that there was resentment among the Congress councillors over the deliberate delay in approval of development projects for their respective wards.

"Even after the estimates are prepared and projects are approved for wards represented by the Congress councillors, work orders are not issued for months together on one pretext or the other. Development projects are executed with undue haste on the recommendations of councillors belonging to the SAD and the BJP," complained the opposition councillors.

Ashu said a broader strategy was chalked out at the meeting to raise various other contentious issues in the General House. "Our party councillors will staunchly oppose the proposed hefty increase in the licence fee and at the same time flog the ruling combine in the MC for its failure to form the statutory Finance and Contracts Committee even after more than a year of the new house having come into being."

The Congress councillors and legislators, he added, would also press for reconstitution of the house committee for town planning (TP) schemes and setting up of an all-party committee of councillors to discuss in detail the Punjab State Outdoor Advertisement Policy 2013 announced by the state government before it could be adopted in the MC general house.

The Congress councillors and legislators decided to put the MC functionaries on the mat during zero hour over discrimination on political grounds in allotment and execution of development works.

Ludhiana, December 5
The birth anniversary of Punjabi poet Bhai Veer Singh was celebrated in the city today. A programme was organised at Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle to commemorate the occasion.

Prof Baljinder Pal Singh from the language and literature wing of the organisation said, "The poet is considered Wordsworth of Punjabi literature."

"He has written on world peace and communal harmony, need for saving time and interpretation of Gurbani," he said. There is a need to promote such rich and lively literature to curtail songs and literature of violence and vulgarity prevalent these days. Young writers, including school and college students, were honoured. The event was attended by Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor Jaspal Singh, litterateur and researcher Anurag Singh. Anurag Singh shared memories of the association of his father Tarlochan Singh with Bhai Veer Singh.

Flower lover

The birth anniversary of Bhai Veer Singh coincides with the season of chrysanthemums, the flowers he profoundly loved. Bhai Veer Singh was the lover of nature and he particularly had a penchant for chrysanthemum (guldoudi). He wrote poems, especially dedicated to the flowers. The poems reflect the elation and delight he felt seeing chrysanthemums. His poem 'Guldoudian Aayian' reflects the joy that these flowers brought with them. "Khirde khirde matthe aayiyan, Khera naal liayian" (the flowers have come with happiness on their brow and brought happiness with them).

"Ethe vekho daal daal te hai, chand chand chabe denda" (Look here on every branch, moons radiate). Melancholy is reflected in the poem when the flowers didn't bloom in a year and he wrote 'Aetki Guldoudiyan Nahin Aayian'. Another poem bidding farewell to the flowers 'Meriyan Guldoudiyan Di Vidaigi' bidding farewell to the short-lived flowers, in which he addresses the flowers as his friends and feels sad that these were there only for 20 days. 

Ludhiana, December 5
After three years, the organisers of World Cup Kabaddi will follow the international flag code this time. Earlier, when kabaddi cup was held in Punjab and during 2010 Punjab Games, the flag code was not followed by the authorities and the flags were displayed as per the names of the countries in an alphabetical order.

One of the officials of the Sports Department, on condition of anonymity, said that earlier, the Indian flag was displayed at number sixth or seventh place (as per the alphabetical order). But it generated condemnation by people from various walks of life that being the host country the Indian flag should be displayed first (following the flag code). This time, it has been ensured that host country’s flag (India) is displayed first on both the inauguration and closing day.

In the fourth kabaddi cup organised by the Punjab government, 16 countries including India, Pakistan, USA, England, Mexico, Denmark, New Zealand, Canada, Kenya and Australia etc are participating.

The Deputy Director Sports, SL Lotey, confirmed that the flag of India would be displayed first followed by other countries as per the alphabetical order. When asked that it was being followed for the first time, Lotey said that he could not recall what had happened in the last three years.

The closing ceremony of the World Cup Kabaddi will be held at Guru Nanak Stadium here on December 14 and Bollywood Actor Ranbir Singh will be the main attraction of the event. Mumbai- based event management company has been engaged by the state government to make the closing ceremony a memorable event.

More than Rs 5.5 crore is expected to be spent on the closing day of the kabaddi cup.

Ludhiana, December 5
Cricketer Harbhajan Singh was in the city today. The ace spinner said that a lot of cricket was left in him. He said that he was performing well at the domestic level and hoped to get a chance in the playing 11 soon. He was in the city to launch Advanced Hair Studio.

He said he felt sad that even after performing well he was not picked up in the squad at the end of the day. He dismissed rumours regarding differences between him and captain MS Dhoni.

Bhajji said that former captain Saurav Ganguly was the best captain he had played with as he brought the team together and built it when it was in a complete mess and infused the spirit to win. Dhoni had also done a great job and taken the team to new heights, he said.

Denying that he was foraying into Punjabi cinema, he said his role in Bhaaji In Problem was a cameo, and he wouldn't be doing any more films. "I am a cricketer and will rather play cricket," he said. It was because of Akshay Kumar and Gurpreet Ghuggi, who are his good friends, that he agreed to do a role in the movie, he said.

He said that cricket in schools was not being promoted. "School cricket needs to be backed" he said. He said that he wanted to promote cricket and begin coaching in villages as there was immense talent there. He said that he had approached the state government to support him in the initiative. Bhajji has set up cricket academies in Nawanshahar, Hoshiarpur and is looking for space to set one up in the city and other places as well.

Ludhiana, December 5
According to the new RBI mandate, from December 1 onwards, the debit card users are required to use their existing ATM PIN for shopping. Banks are also sending SMSes to the costumers to inform about the same.

"Every merchant transaction that involves payment through debit card for example, shopping at a mall, payment at a restaurant or petrol pump, the debit card holder will have to key in the ATM PIN after the card is swiped at the handheld electronic device. The transaction will be validated only after the account holder keys in the PIN," said a senior bank official from HDFC Bank.

The step has been taken to increase security of card transactions. If entering a PIN is mandatory then someone with a stolen card will not be able to use it for payment at merchant outlets. — TNS

Ludhiana, December 5
A delegation of the United Cycle and Parts Manufacturer Association had a meeting with Harbhupinder Singh Nanda, Labour Commissioner, Punjab, and Kashmir Singh, Joint Director of Factories, Punjab, under the leadership of Charanjit Singh Vishivkarma, president of UCPMA. 

Amloh, December 5
The Amloh police have booked five persons following a complaint by Amandeep Kaur, a resident of Sounti village, near here, today. According to DSP Amloh Parshotam Singh Ball and SHO Savinderpal Singh the victim, Amandeep Kaur, complained to the police that her in-laws allegedly assaulted her and demanded dowry.

The police then registered an FIR number 144, dated December 5, 2013, under Sections 498A, 323,406,506,147 and 149 of the IPC against Gurjant Singh, Gagandeep Singh, sons of Darshan Singh, Achhar Kaur, wife of Darshan Singh, Darshan Singh, son of Pakhar Singh and Jaspreet Kaur, wife of Gagandeep Singh, all residents of Tibbi village.

Out of all, the police arrested three persons, namely Gurjant Singh, Gagandeep Singh and Darshan Singh and presented them in the Amloh Court. The court sent Gurjant Singh for police remand till December 7 while Gagandeep Singh and Darshan Singh under judicial custody to Nabha Jail.

Residents block road

It is pertinent to mention that the residents of Sounti village today blocked the Amloh-Mandi Gobindgarh road demanding strict action against the culprits. Addressing the dharna, Akali leader Darshan Singh Babbi and youth leader Sukhwinder Singh Sounti said the victim, Amandeep Kaur, was admitted to the Amloh Civil Hospital a week ago. The dharna was lifted on the assurance of DSP Ball and SHO Amloh to take legal action against the alleged accused.

Theft in school

Some unidentified miscreants decamp with four computers costing around Rs 1.5 lakh on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday from the computer room of Government Senior Secondary School, Naraingarh.

Principal Jaspal Singh Gill said the watchman, Chamaroo, informed him around 1.15 am after which the Amloh police was informed.

SHO Sabhwinderpal Singh reached the school with a police party. When contacted, DSP Poshotom Singh Ball said the police was investigating the matter and would soon crack the case. It is pertinent to mention that one 42 inch LCD and a Sony camera were also stolen from the school on September 13.

Computer teacher Jaspreet Singh said, “The education of students and office work of the school has been affected by this incident.”

District Grievance committee member Captain Jaswant Singh, Parent teachers’ Association president Kirpal Singh and Ex- Sarpanch Gurpreet Singh who were present in the school have urged the police to solve the case as soon as possible so that the work in the school may not suffer.

Two held with 2-kg opium

In a campaign launched by District Police chief Gurmeet Singh, the Amloh police have booked two migrant labourers, Raghu Parshad of Amloh-Maangarh chowk and Punkar of Annian village and have recovered one kg of opium from each one of them
at a naka set up by ASI Jawinder Singh.

The accused have been booked under Sections 18, 12, 61 and 85 of the NDPS act. They were produced in the local Judicial Court and have been sent to police remand up to December 7.

Man arrested with 12 bottles of liquor

Khanna: The Khanna city police claimed to have arrested a person and recovered 12 bottles of liquor from his possession.

ASI Amarjit Singh, Khanna city police station, said he along with a police party had laid a naka at the railway chowk last night. As per the ASI they signaled a person who was coming on a scooty from the railway station side and was holding a bag. On search, the police party recovered 12 bottles of English-made liquor ‘Royal Stag’ from his possession.

He was identified as Dinesh Kumar (42), a resident of Peer Khaana road, Khanna. He was booked under relevant excise act and was later released on bail. As per ASI, Dinesh works as a peon with a wine contractor and was caught red-handed while taking the liquor bottles without prior permission. — OC

Ludhiana, December 5
Jail inmates should concentrate more on sports activities as it will help them avoid drug addiction and other evils in society and ensures a bright future. This was stated by Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Secretary of Legal Services Authority, K K Singla, today while addressing the jail inmates during the ongoing prison Olympiad on the premises of Central Jail, Ludhiana.

The CJM declared that there would be recruitment of para-legal volunteers from among the winners of the prison Olympiad. He promised to pay them honorarium in lieu of their services. Central Jail Superintendent SP Khanna expressed gratitude to the CJM for providing free legal services to jail inmates. 

Ludhiana, December 5
Punjab gave an excellent performance in the women section to emerge champions in the 28th Senior National Baseball Championship held between November 28 and December 2 at Solapur in Maharashtra.

On the way to the final, Punjab women blanked hosts, Maharashtra 11-0 to begin their title hunt on a rousing note. In the second match, they overwhelmed Himachal Pradesh 10-0. They wrapped up their last league match against Orissa whom they defeated convincingly (12-2) to advance into the knock out stage.In the quarterfinals, Punjab players came out victorious against Chandigarh without being challenged (10-0) and in the semifinals, they trounced Goa 7-0 to set up the title clash with Orissa.The final turned out to be a low-scoring match in which Punjab outclassed Orissa 5-1 to lift the title.