Residents protest over sewer blockage
Bathinda, January 21
Residents of the Guru Nanakpura area, ward number 25, today blocked the traffic and burnt an effigy of the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) on the road leading from the grain market to the Multania overbridge.

Residents of Guru Nanakpura shout slogans to protest against the insanitary conditions in the area; and (right) protesters burn an effigy of the MCB on Tuesday. Tribune photos: Pawan Sharma

Student booked for cheating his teacher
Bathinda, January 21
The Bathinda police today booked a student of BBA for cheating an assistant professor and pocketing Rs 40,000 from him to get his (professor’s) wife transferred. In his complaint to the police, Baljeet Singh, an assistant professor, residing in a Malout town of Muktsar, complained to the police that his student pocketed the money from him in March 2012 for the transfer of his wife, who works as a government teacher.

Suit Punjabi pa ke: Students of SSD Girls College perform a dance item during a National Youth Day function in Bathinda on Tuesday. Tribune photo: pawan sharma

Eight booked in separate cases
Bathinda, January 21
Eight persons were booked in separate cases of beating and inflicting serious injuries by the police here today. Harnek Singh, a resident of Mohalla Kikkar Das, reported that Gurmeet Singh, a resident of the same locality, used to abuse people over trivial issues and shout at the passers-by.

Students remember Swami Vivekananda
Bathinda, January 21
The NSS unit of SSD Girls College organised a function to mark the birth anniversary Swami Vivekananda today. The celebrations were dedicated to the Punjabi culture which is being influenced by the Western culture. Urmila Singla, wife of Bathinda (Urban) MLA Sarup Chand Singla, was the chief guest at the event.

Two arrested for selling China-made kite string
Bathinda, January 21
The local police today arrested two people for selling the China-made kite string which is banned. On tip-off from the members of Bathinda Association of NGOs (BANGO), the Kotwali police arrested two shopkeepers at the Mehna Chowk red-handed while trying to sell the illegal kite string.

Three held with stolen motorcycles
Bathinda, January 21
Three persons were arrested by the police with three stolen motorbikes here today. The police said 500 gms of some intoxicant power has also been recovered from their possession. SSP Gurpreet Bhullar said the thieves were arrested by the Rampura police.

Dharna by lecturers
Bathinda, January 21
The Guest Faculty Lecturers’ Union sat on a dharna outside Government Rajindra College today. The union said the government should implement its decision taken in December 2011 of increasing the salaries of guest faculty lecturers by 10 per cent every year. The union said the stir will continue till their demand is fulfilled. — TNS

Residents protest over sewer blockage
Block traffic, shout slogans; burn effigy of Municipal Corporation Bathinda to vent their ire
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 21
Residents of the Guru Nanakpura area, ward number 25, today blocked the traffic and burnt an effigy of the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) on the road leading from the grain market to the Multania overbridge.

Protesting against the stagnant sewer water at the T-intersection on the main road, residents of the area alleged that the authorities of the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) were unable to keep the sewer system clean.

“There has been a trouble due to sewage in the area for the last three to four days. On Monday evening, the entire portion on the T-intersection was clogged and sewage had started overflowing forming a pool,” said Darshan Singh, a local resident. The road leads to a gurdwara in the locality and an elementary school. Residents said due to the clogged sewage, the devotees visiting the gurdwara faced problems. “School students were the worst sufferers as they had to wade through the dirty water to reach the school,” added another resident, Ranjit Singh.

In the morning, people assembled at the spot and shouted slogans against the MCB. They also blocked the traffic that comes on to the Multania Road from the Shaeed Jarnail Singh roundabout. The traffic police were seen navigating the traffic from near the grain market area towards the city.

MCB’s effigy burnt

President of the District Congress (Urban), Mohan Lal Jhumba, and others also joined the protestors. They alleged that the Bathinda MLA, Sarup Chand Singla, had failed to maintain cleanliness in the city. They also demanded a probe into the money spent on laying and maintaining the sewer system in the city.

Meanwhile, the XEN, Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB), Shiv Dass Kansal and his team reached the spot and tried to pacify the protesters. The protesters kept shouting slogans despite the official’s promise of finishing the work soon.

Within 30 minutes, the MCB put its sewer cleaning staff and machines to work and by the evening, the stagnant water was drained out. MCB officials said the sewer in the area was de-silted a few months ago. But the silt was back due to the presence of illegal dairies in this oldest habitated area in the city.

Student booked for cheating his teacher
Took money on the pretext of getting the teacher’s wife transferred to another school
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 21
The Bathinda police today booked a student of BBA for cheating an assistant professor and pocketing Rs 40,000 from him to get his (professor’s) wife transferred. In his complaint to the police, Baljeet Singh, an assistant professor, residing in a Malout town of Muktsar, complained to the police that his student pocketed the money from him in March 2012 for the transfer of his wife, who works as a government teacher.

The assistant professor said he shared a problem with the student about the transfer from Government Senior Secondary School at Gulabewala village of Sangrur to Malout city. His marriage had not taken place and the woman in question was his fiancee.

The professor said he discussed the issue with his student when he was about to marry her. The teacher was posted at Sangrur and he wished to get her transferred before the marriage.

The complainant said that his student boasted about his links with the Punjab Education Minister Sikandar Singh Maluka and assured that he would get his fiancée transferred for which the student demanded Rs 70,000. The professor gave him Rs 40,000 and assured to give the rest of the amount after the work. The student, however, did not get the work done even after many months.

After the professor’s marriage, he reached the house of the accused and asked his parents to return the money who gave back only Rs 30,000. The teacher also alleged that despite making repeated rounds of his house, neither the student nor his parents returned the pending Rs 10,000.

The teacher finally approached the police and registered a case under Sections 420 and 120-B of the IPC against his student, who has been identified as Arshdeep Singh, a resident of Barnala.

Arshdeep told the police that he had given the money to another person, Amninder Singh of Abuwal village of Ludhiana, who has now now shifted to New Zealand. A case has been registered at the Thermal police station, Bathinda, as the transaction of money took place in Bathinda.

Eight booked in separate cases
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 21
Eight persons were booked in separate cases of beating and inflicting serious injuries by the police here today. Harnek Singh, a resident of Mohalla Kikkar Das, reported that Gurmeet Singh, a resident of the same locality, used to abuse people over trivial issues and shout at the passers-by.

The complainant said that he tried to counsel Gurmeet over the issue of abusing someone without any reason. Gurmeet Singh, however, got irate over the counselling, took out a sword and attacked him. Harnek Singh was injured seriously and wasrushed to a nearby hospital with profuse bleeding by his relatives and neighbours.

He got his statement recorded with the police at the Civil Hospital after which a case was registered against the accused under Section 324 of the IPC at the Kotwali police station.

The police have not made any arrests so far.

In another similar incident, Jasvir Singh of Kotli Sabo village complained that Param Singh and Kulvir Singh of the same village entered his village on January 19 and attacked him.

The complainant received serious injuries and was admitted to the Civil Hospital where the police recorded his statements after a medical examination.

The police have registered a case under Sections 452, 323 and 34 of the IPC at the Sangat police station. No arrests are made so far.

In other case of beating a woman, Ranjinder Kaur of Sivian village reported that she was attacked by Jagtar Singh Amandeep Singh, both residents of Kothe Chhapri Singh Wale, Darshan Singh, Khushpreet Singh, Gurjant Singh and Iqbal Singh, all residents Sivian village.

The police have registered a case under Sections 341, 323 and 149 of the IPC against all the accused and are yet to arrest them. The investigation is on.

Students remember Swami Vivekananda
Tribune News Service

Students of SSD Girls College perform at a function held to mark Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary in Bathinda on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

Bathinda, January 21
The NSS unit of SSD Girls College organised a function to mark the birth anniversary Swami Vivekananda today. The celebrations were dedicated to the Punjabi culture which is being influenced by the Western culture. Urmila Singla, wife of Bathinda (Urban) MLA Sarup Chand Singla, was the chief guest at the event.

Assistant Director, Youth Services, Dr Kamaljit Sidhu, encouraged the students to follow the path laid by Vivekananda. Principal Parminder Kaur Tangri welcomed the guests.

Group dance competitions were held in which 12 teams and 100 students participated. Students also presented Saraswati Vandana at the function.

The Pie Club of Mathematics held an exhibition at the college. Around 50 students presented ten models on mathematics and its principles. Five games based on mathematics were also held.

College president Nand Lal Garg, secretary Dr PK Gupta and principal Dr Parminder Kaur thanked the guests.

Lecture delivered on hospitality industry

The department of airlines, tourism and hospitality management at Baba Farid College organised a lecture on the potential of hospitality industry in India. Assistant professor at Punjabi University, Patiala, Parminder Singh Dhillon, delivered the lecture.

Singh talked about various segments of Indian hospitality like Incredible India (Atulya Bharat), industry profile, current scenario, USP, services, consumer segments, GDP, lodging career and chain operations.

He elaborated on the tourism and aviation sector where students can get jobs and shared his own experiences on the subject.

The department of management studies at Baba Farid College also organised a debate competition on the topic ‘Knowing English well is equivalent to a college degree’. The students of BBA (first year) and PGDIB (post- graduate diploma in insurance and banking) participated in the event.

A total of 13 participants presented their views on the said topic. Eight participants spoke for the motion while five spoke against it. Ridhima, Priya, Navjot Singh and Pankajpreet were the winners of the competition.

Two arrested for selling China-made kite string
Tribune News Service

Children show the kites which were recovered from the shops in Bathinda on Tuesday. A Tribune photograph

Bathinda, January 21
The local police today arrested two people for selling the China-made kite string which is banned. On tip-off from the members of Bathinda Association of NGOs (BANGO), the Kotwali police arrested two shopkeepers at the Mehna Chowk red-handed while trying to sell the illegal kite string.

The accused have been identified as Ravi Kumar and Sachin Bansal, alias Kukku.

Members of BANGO also met Senior Superintendent of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar demanding the police cooperation in nabbing those selling the Chine-made kite string.

Senior Superintendent of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the godowns, transport system and railway freight would be brought under scanner to ensure that the China-made kite string does not find its way into the market.

BANGO members also met Bathinda MLA, Sarup Chand Singla, and asked for effectively exercising the ban on the string.

Meanwhile an NGO, Legal Empowerment and Awareness Forum (LEAF), today gave a call to socially boycott the China-made kite string.

Three held with stolen motorcycles
Accused are in their twenties and are drug addicts, say police
Tribune News Service