Panchkula, February 11
Karan and his sister Meethi would have never imagined in their wildest dreams that on their birthday, they would be standing at a mortuary to receive the body of their father, who was bringing delicacies for the birthday celebrations last night.

Both twins turned 24 today. A family gathering of about 30 people was planned at their residence in Sector 20 to celebrate the birthday at midnight last night. Apart from being a hotelier, Sachdeva was also into the share business.

Chandigarh, February 11
Over 130 inmates of Burail Jail are on a hunger strike since yesterday against the jail authorities’ increased strictness in procedures for granting parole. The inmates, all of whom are convicts, alleged that their applications were not being forwarded to the UT Administration by the jail authorities.

The jail authorities, however, denied the allegations and said they were only adopting normal verification procedures to ensure that the convicts returned to prison after the end of the parole.

The authorities have initiated the verification process for those convicts also who apply for parole for the second time in a year, which is resulting in resentment among the inmates, the process being time consuming. Jail sources said the inmates went on a hunger strike yesterday.

Repeated efforts by the authorities to make them eat food proved futile. The strike, however, ended this evening after an assurance was given to them by senior officials.

Mohammad Qafil, whose two brothers have been lodged in Burail Jail and are convicts in a murder case, said according to the procedure, convicts were granted a 30-day parole twice a year. “The verification process is adopted for the first time, but now even though my brother returned to prison last time, the authorities are again adopting the verification process, which is time consuming. His one-year term will be over next month and the authorities have not even forwarded his application,” he said.

However, IG (Prisons) Maneesh Chaudhery said they were only adopting the guidelines laid down by the High Court and conducting verification. “We have forwarded all applications for parole to the UT Home Secretary. The verification procedure is being adopted if a convict applies for parole for a second time in a year too as there have been cases when the addresses given by the convicts are found to be fake. We have to get the addresses verified from the District Magistrate of that city and then from the police there. There have been cases such as the German woman’s gang rape in which the accused jumped parole even though they had returned to jail seven times after parole earlier. We cannot take any risk,” he said.

Chandigarh, February 11
Two years after the sensational murder of two siblings in Sector 41 sent shock waves in the city, the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Shalini Singh Nagpal today convicted the accused, Rahul, of the murder. The quantum of sentence will be pronounced on February 15.

The court convicted 26-year-old Rahul, a resident of Raipurani and distant maternal uncle of the two murdered siblings.

The two teenaged siblings — 17-year-old Kavita and her 15-year-old brother Gaurang — were found stabbed to death at their Sector 41 home on the afternoon of December 16, 2011. Malti, mother of the two teenagers, had returned home when she saw the blood-spattered body of her daughter Kavita lying in a pool of blood on the bed. The police had then found the mutilated body of Gaurang lying in a pool of blood on the bed on the upper floor of the house.

The double murder had occurred at the second floor accommodation (number 171/2) in the Chandigarh Housing Board flats. Kavita was a Class XII student of Guru Nanak Public School in Sector 36 while Gaurang was studying in Class X in a government school in Sector 37. Rahul was arrested a month after the murder.

Chandigarh, February 11
“There is no such thing called a perfect murder.” The adage holds true in the siblings double murder case as it was scientific and circumstantial evidence that led to the conviction of the accused today. The police had recovered a blood-stained blue sweater of the accused from the scene of the crime. The DNA samples of Rahul, who was arrested a month after the crime, had matched with the blood found on the sweater recovered from the spot.

The police had recovered the blue sweater from the spot on December 16 and had deposited it with the CFSL for DNA tests on December 20. The accused was arrested on January 17. Besides, a doctor based in Barwala, from whom the accused took treatment for his injuries after committing the murder, had also deposed in court against him. A medical report of a doctor, who conducted the medical examination of the accused after he was arrested, had stated that the injuries were at least a month old.

The knife used to murder the two siblings was recovered in three pieces from the spot. A shopkeeper, from whom the accused had purchased the knife, had also identified the knife and given his statement to the court.

Chandigarh, February 11
The revolt against sitting Congress MP Pawan Kumar Bansal started by district Congress president HS Lucky has finally ended.

The political drama, which was unfolded on January 27 by Lucky, ended after a meeting between Bansal and Lucky in Delhi today.

According to sources, senior Congress leaders, including AICC secretary Kuljit Singh Nagra, AICC spokesperson and Haryana minister Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC general secretary Shakeel Ahmed and some party leaders from Punjab, played a vital role in ending the “war” between Bansal and Lucky.

Kuljeet Nagra is a member of the Congress screening committee for Gujarat, Rajasthan, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu, which is being headed by Bansal.

The sources said last week a meeting was held between Bansal and Lucky in the presence of some Punjab and Haryana Congress leaders at a common friend’s house in Sector 21. As things did not work out then, another meeting was fixed in Delhi.

Chandigarh, February 11
City residents can now watch live telecast of BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s programmes at tea stalls under the party’s national campaign, “Chai pe charcha with NaMo”.

Modi’s live telecast will start at various places in the city tomorrow. In one such place, people will be able to ask questions from Modi and they can also put forth their suggestions. Modi’s important speeches, interviews of BJP leaders, public opinion and other stuff will be telecast.

The BJP’s Media Cell Convener, Ravinder Pathania, said a few places in the city, including Hariyali Dhaba, SCO 130 in Sector 34-A, had been earmarked for two-way communication programme where people could ask questions to Modi and suggest solutions to major problems. However, in other places such as Khudda Lahora, Unique Food Shop, SCO 104, Sector 34 A, Dayaram Yadav Tea Stall, Sector 47, and Shambhu Tea stall, Booth No. 30, Sector 40-D, Modi’s vision will be telecast. The live telecast during the one-month campaign will begin at 6 pm and continue till 8 pm.

Meanwhile, the BJP launched its “Ek note Kamal par vote” campaign in the city.

Chandigarh, February 11
The UT Administration has demanded Rs 548 crore more from the Union Government in the next Budget.

Under the plan head, the Chandigarh Administration has demanded Rs 72 crore more (total Rs 948 crore) and under the non-plan head Rs 476 crore more (total Rs 3092 crore) from the Centre.

For the current financial year, under the plan-head budget, which will be utilised for various projects, the UT has received Rs 876 crore and under the non-plan budget Rs 2,616 crore. The non-plan allocation will go towards committed expenditure of salaries and other recurring expenses borne by the Administration.

The core areas of work under the plan budget head include health, education and infrastructure, transport, housing and power purchase. The preservation of Sukhna Lake and defining the heritage of the city, particularly cultural and existing buildings, find a special mention in the budget. Certain development projects for Phase III of the city, too, have been separately specified in the Budget.

Though the UT Administration has demanded an increase in the UT budget, it is yet to utilise its full share for the 2013-14 fiscal. Sources revealed funds worth Rs 40-60 crore were yet to be utilised. 

Chandigarh, February 11
The 1987 batch senior UT cadre IAS officer, Vijay Kumar Dev, is likely to replace KK Sharma as Adviser to the UT Administrator.

KK Sharma’s three-year tenure as UT Adviser will come to an end on April 14. Sources said the MHA was likely to issue orders before election code of conduct came into force.

Vijay Kumar Dev is at present posted as Chief Electoral Officer in Delhi.

The sources said Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government in Delhi did not want to relieve him as he had done a good job in the recent Delhi Assembly elections. Dev was also given an award by the Election Commission for following the best electoral practices and introducing innovative measures which led to a record turnout in the Delhi Assembly elections last year.

He has headed various departments, including Revenue, Food and Civil Supplies, in the Delhi Government during the Congress regime. However, he had hardly served for long in any of the department as he had always been at loggerheads with the regime.

Another UT cadre IAS officer Ramesh Negi, 1984 batch, is also trying for the post. Negi is posted as Development and Finance Commissioner in Arunachal Pradesh.

Mohali, February 11
As many as 90 per cent of terminally-ill patients die in severe pain but interventional pain management — a new super-speciality that treats pain and disability through a multi-modal approach — can help alleviate their suffering.

This was stated by Dr Avtar S Matharoo, senior consultant, Fortis Hospital, Mohali, while addressing senior citizens at the hospital’s auditorium today.

Dr Matharoo said, “Though pain was a defense mechanism that alerted one about some derangement in the body, certain pains remained for a long time even after the offending disease had been cured or relieved. On the other hand, there were certain disorders where there was no treatment and pain was a significant part of them. Most common pains arose from the spine, joints, neuralgias and neuropathies, headaches, complications of metabolic disorders such as diabetes, generalised bodyaches as in fibromyalgias and residual pains from surgical procedures.”

He said more than 60 per cent of the elderly suffered from mild to severe pains for which they had to either take medicines or were advised surgeries.

“Surgery, however, was fraught with certain dangers and mutilation of the body,” he added.

Dr Matharoo also elaborated on interventional pain management. “Spinal cord stimulators and intrathecal pumps are the favourite treatment modalities currently for difficult-to-treat pains. Besides this, intervention pain medicine included physical, social, psychological and rehabilitative support.”

Mohali, February 11
The posting of a Superintendent of Police (SP) against the sanctioned post of a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the Dera Bassi sub-division is causing resentment among senior police officers, particularly DSPs here.

Punjab Police SP Anil Kumar, who was Dera Bassi DSP until his promotion to SP last year, continues to hold the office even after his elevation, thanks to the ‘patronage of a senior Akali politician of the area’.

“The move is not justified and creates several problems in the day-to-day working of the police department,” said a DSP on the condition of anonymity.

“This deprives us of our right to work in one of the prime offices in the area,” he added.

The police official further said, “The office is meant for the DSP. By allowing an SP-level officer to hold the office is not the right decision.”

“The SP enjoys patronage of an influential Akali leader of the area. The leader also uses his influence to retain the officer in his area even though he has been promoted,” claimed the officer.

As many as four police stations — Zirakpur, Dera Bassi, Lalru and Handesra — come under the office of DSP, Dera Bassi with Station House Officers (SHOs) directly reporting to him (DSP).

The DSP reports to the SP (City II). “But here, the SHOs report to the SP-rank officer, who directly reports to the SSP Mohali instead of the SP (City II). This has affected the hierarchical order of the department,” said another DSP.

The DSPs and inspector-level officers have raised doubts that the current development (SP holding DSP office) may lead to conversion of the DSP office into SP office in the sub-division.

A similar development took place at the Rajpura, Malout, Malerkotla, Phagwara and Abohar stations in the past. 

OFFICIALSPEAK

Mohali SSP Inder Mohan Singh Bhatti said it was an administrative decision to depute the SP-rank officer in the Dera Bassi sub-division. “The sub-division is very sensitive and has high crime rate. Deputing an SP-rank officer there is justified,” said SSP Bhatti.

Chandigarh, February 11
To make the three-day Rose Festival more exciting, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has for the first time decided to introduce cultural evenings on all three days.

The festival will be organised from February 21 to 23. While a Hasya Kavi Sameelan will be the star attraction on Day I, “Sham-e-Ghazal” on Day II will see Surinder Khan regaling audience. The concluding day will witness a musical night, “Old is Gold”, during which the local singers will sing old songs.

Joint Commissioner of the MC Rajiv Gupta said the MC was going to add more features to the festival to make it more entertaining. “This time, cultural evenings will be held between 5 pm and 7 pm at the Rose Garden,” he stated.

Chandigarh, February 11
On the second day of the bankers’ strike, people faced difficulty in locating functional ATMs with sufficient cash.

The forum of the bank unions staged a protest. It stated the employees were compelled to take the strike route as the Indian Banks Association had failed to come up with a better wage offer.

Sukhmani Singh, a resident, visited the ATM at the PNB branch in Sector 17 but had to return disappointed as it was nonfunctional. Somebody’s debit card got stuck in the machine. Since morning he had tried three ATMs and was still looking for an ATM with sufficient cash, he added.

Ashwin Chadha, who had come to the State Bank of India in Sector 17 to transfer cash to his wife’s account, who is in Bangalore, through a cash-deposit machine (CDM), found an “out of order” notice pasted on the machine. There was no guard at the CDM who could guide the public to the other machines installed in the city.

Meanwhile, convener of the United Forum of the Bank Unions HBS Batra said from tomorrow, the employees would be back to their work. The next strategy of the union will be finalised shortly. 

Chandigarh, February 11
Alleging that the fine collected by the traffic police on account of challaning vehicles without high security registration plates (HSRP) is illegal, a city-based advocate has submitted a representation to the UT Home Secretary. He has stated that the fine should be Rs 100 instead of Rs 3,000.

“Earlier all challans for defective number plates used to come under section 177 and the fine was Rs 100. And if one visits the websites of Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan, he will find the defective number plates are challaned under section 177 and the fine is Rs 100, not under section 192 (1) read with section 39,” stated the advocate, Ajay Jagga.

“But the Chandigarh Police is challaning vehicles without the HSRPs under section 192 (1) read with section 39 whereas 192 is headed as ‘Using Vehicle Without Registration’ and 39 as ‘Need for Registration’ under which the fine imposed on the first offence is extended up to Rs 5,000, but a minimum of Rs 2,000,” he said. As such the traffic police should first start challaning only after completing the process of making available the HSRPs for all categories and series. And till the time the matter is revisited/adjudicated, the traffic police should challan such vehicles under section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, i.e. general provision for punishment of offences and not 192 (1) read with section 39.

Chandigarh, February 11
The city will witness colder days ahead as the Met Department has forecast rain due to northern winds by this weekend. The day temperature will dip by two or three notches.

Met Department Director Surinder Pal Singh said as the minimum temperature dipped by five degrees, the nights had become colder. By weekend, the day temperature will also fall.

The maximum temperature recorded today was 19.1 degrees Celsius (four notches below the normal). The minimum temperature was 6.4 degree Celsius, which is two notches below the normal. There will be mainly clear sky with mist and fog during the morning hours tomorrow. — TNS

Chandigarh, February 11
Panjab University has eased the norms for setting up research centres in colleges from the next session.

A special committee constituted by the Syndicate—to review the norms for allowing affiliated colleges to set up centres for PhD students to pursue research work—recommended in favour of the relaxation. The panel, headed by Prof Karamjeet Singh, submitted its report to the PU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Arun Kumar Grover.

Prof Karamjeet Singh said the committee had tried to simplify norms for establishing research centres so that the talent the colleges had could be utilised to enhance research work in various fields. The committee, which also comprised two Syndics—Dilip Kumar and Dinesh Talwar, gave detailed suggestions on how to implement the norms.

A senior official of the university said now the inspection teams of the university would follow the new norms while inspecting the colleges that had applied for setting up research centres.

Sources said of 188 affiliated colleges of the Panjab University, 30 had already applied for setting up research centres in the fields of humanities, social sciences and medical science. In fact, a team of the university had already visited some colleges to monitor whether they fulfilled the old norms, said sources.

As per the new norms, for recognising a research centre, the college should have regular faculty to teach undergraduate and postgraduate courses in relevant disciplines in accordance with the university’s norms. Earlier, the university had proposed that teachers who had a PhD degree along with five years’ experience would be allowed to supervise two candidates.

The committee proposed that the regular faculty must hold a PhD degree 
in relevant disciplines with published research works, including books, articles and research papers in reputed journals.

For the research centres, colleges will have to purchase books worth Rs 30,000 and latest journals worth Rs 10,000 every year in the relevant subject.

Easing the norms, the committee also withdrew a query asking colleges—that seek permission for setting up a research centre—whether a PhD degree had been awarded during the past 10 years?

Chandigarh, February 11
The MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36, today organised an inter-college art fiesta—Kala Abhivyakti 2014.

Various colleges from across the tricity took part in the fiesta. The event triggered the aesthetic instincts of budding artists through a plethora of creative contests. Landscape painting, still-life drawing, pot painting, cartooning, file-cover decoration, mural making, collage making, rangoli making, pakkhi designing, painting and other events caught the students' imagination.

Dr Ravinder Sharma, head of the history of art department, Government College of Art, Sector 10; and Dr Ishwar Dayal, graphics professor, from the same college, judged the entries.