Ludhiana, March 23
In a gruesome incident, a four-year-old girl was murdered and dumped in a vacant plot in Daba here today. The police suspect it to be a case of rape.

The victim had gone missing under mysterious circumstances while playing outside her residence around 11am on Saturday. The victim’s family made a frantic search but failed to trace her.

Following this, they approached the Daba police station and lodged a complaint at around 10pm.

Sunil Kumar, the victim’s father, who works as an electrician, said, “My daughter was playing outside our residence around 11am. Within no time, she disappeared.”

Rajeshwari, the victim’s mother, said she along with her relatives visited several spots but failed to trace her.

The police launched a search and the victim’s body was found from a vacant plot in Azad Nagar near the Pipal Chowk at midnight.

The body was found bundled in a sack and dumped in a corner of the plot.

The body has been sent to the Civil Hospital for a post-mortem.

The police said, “Prima facie it appears that the victim was gagged to death. The motive behind the killing is not yet known. It could also be revenge murder. We have not ruled out rape yet. We have sent the body for a post-mortem and awaiting the report.”

The police have registered a murder case under Section 302, IPC, against unidentified persons and started investigations.

Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended on the victim’s house. While Rajeshwari was inconsolable, Kumar sat still in a corner.

“We did not have enmity with anybody. The incident has caused fear among the area residents. We suspect that the killing was a handiwork of a paedophile,” said Rajeshwari.

Ludhiana, March 23
“India is yet to attain freedom as a majority of people, especially the poor, are still afflicted with poverty, starvation and unemployment,” said Brinda Karat, the politburo member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).

Karat was addressing a rally near the railway station before proceeding to martyr Sukhdev’s ancestral house in the city here today.

“The dreams of martyrs, who laid down their lives to free the country from the shackles of British, have not been realised yet,” she added.

“Even after more than 65 years of Independence, the poor are getting poorer, while the corporate sector and big business houses are reaping all the benefits of freedom,” said Karat.

The CPI-M leader blamed both the ruling UPA government and the main Opposition parties, including the BJP, for the price hike, unemployment and abject poverty.

“The successive governments — the UPA and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) — have been indulging in power politics, while the people who elected these governments are nobody’s priority,” said Karat, adding that, “The UPA and the NDA are two sides of the same coin.”

Commenting on the forthcoming electoral battle, the CPI-M leader, said, “The Congress and the BJP are going all out to promote personality cult, while the basic problems plaguing the masses have been forgotten.”

Accusing the BJP with playing the communal and religious cards to woo the electorate, Karat also charged the party with encouraging defections and patronising corrupt leaders for electoral gains.

“The BJP has no agenda for the poor or the common man. It is just making desperate attempts to return to power by cashing in on widespread resentment against the Congress with the help of other communal and opportunist forces,” said the Left leader.

Later, accompanied by party workers and others, the CPI-M leader visited the ancestral house of martyr Sukhdev and offered floral tributes to his statue to mark the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru.

Ludhiana, March 23
The national manifesto of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is being prepared and it will emphasise upon eradication of poverty and checking price rise.

We will spend people’s tax money on them only. The black money from foreign countries will be brought back, price hike will be controlled by formulating a policy and keeping a check on hoarders.

This was stated by AAP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Ludhiana, HS Phoolka during a meeting organised by the Maha Sabha Ludhiana, an NGO, at the Gadri Shaheed Baba Bhan Singh Memorial, Sunet, here today.

The NGO put forward 12 queries to Phoolka related to different issues.

Phoolka said, “Politics is a dirty game. I never thought of joining it before. But when a social worker came up with the AAP party to cleanse the system of corruption, I thought of joining it for the betterment of Punjab. To curb unemployment, contractual system in jobs will be abolished. All government vacancies will be filled and schemes for rural children will be run so that they may get work. Vocational training will be given to youngsters after a tie-up with industries.”

Asked about AAP’s programme about limiting the age of politicians, Phoolka said, “It is an issue of Constitutional Amendment and I will bring it to the notice of the party.”

Discussing the menace of encroachments, he said, “Encroachments are carried out with the help of political parties. My party will never provide shelter to encroachers and land grabbers. We will curb the menace with the help of the police.”

He said, “Drug addiction increases with political support. We will ensure that political leaders work against it.”

On Illegal colonies, the AAP candidate said, “Illegal colonies will not be allowed to come up. If a builder fails to provide basic amenities, his property should be disposed of for providing basic amenities to the residents.”

Assuring transparent governance, Phoolka said, “There will be no fake FIRs. People need not meet any MLA to get a fake FIR registered. The Right to Service Act will be implemented.”

The AAP candidate lauded the work carried out by former Deputy Commissioner of Nawanshahr Krishan Kumar in his district and said, “He was shifted out of the state as he kept strict vigil on the implementation of rules and regulations.”

Ludhiana, March 23
Supporters of BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi staged a ‘Nukkad natak’ at Sarabha Nagar market today. The play carried a political message for the audience — support Modi.

The team head Sanjay Verma said, “Modi is a visionary and the country needs a leader like him.”

He said the team was staging nukkad nataks in various districts, including Jalandhar, Patiala and Moga. “These plays are not a campaign in favour of the BJP. Their aim is to highlight the leadership qualities of Modi,” added Verma.

Ludhiana, March 23
Even as the family members of 23-year-old Gagandeep Singh — who was allegedly beaten to death by armed assailants at the ‘behest’ of Deputy Mayor RD Sharma — are demanding his immediate arrest, seven councillors today came out in support of Sharma and said he would not resign until the probe was not completed.

The Mayor and his four accomplices were booked for murder under Section 302, IPC, at the Government Railway police station on March 17.

The councillors — Senior Deputy Mayor Sunita Aggarwal, councillor of ward number 18 Inder Aggarwal and councillor of ward number 20 Monika Davinder Jajji — have strongly condemned the ‘politicisation’ of the incident.

The councillors claimed that Sharma had been framed in the case. Gagandeep was allegedly beaten to death on March 17.

Terming it a case of ‘honour killing’, the victim’s brother Rashem Singh Natt claimed, “Gagandeep was having an affair with Sharma’s daughter.”

Sahnewal, March 23
The naked body of an unidentified woman, believed to be 25-years-old, was recovered from a small bridge near the Highway Factory at village Nandpur, near Sahnewal, today.

The decomposed body was first spotted by Charanjit Singh, son of Hanspal of village Ucchi Mangali.

A case under Sections 302, 376, 201 and 34, IPC, has been registered by the Sahnewal police. The body has been sent for a post-mortem at Ludhiana.

“The victim’s identity is yet to be ascertained. She was brutally injured and wounded before being gagged to death,” said the police. — OC

Doraha, March 23
Kaddon Chowk underpass, nowadays, is used more as a parking area by drivers of trolleys, trucks and tempos rather than as a passage by the commuters. They are least bothered of the obstruction created by them.

“Kaddon Chowk serves as a major link between Doraha town and a number of villages and the Payal town. Earlier, the chowk was considered to be an accident prone area but with the construction of the underpass, the commuters heaved a sigh of relief. But with the vehicles being parked here, nothing seems to have changed and we have to take an alternate route to travel,” said a commuter.

“Now, the commuters have been rendered pathless. Thanks to the trucks and tempos, which are made to stand not only on the sides but in the middle of the road as well. The underpass is simply serving no purpose at all to the commuters as the vehicle drivers, it seems, have made it their permanent abode,” rued Amritveer Singh, who commutes daily from Kaddon to Doraha and always finds the way obstructed and the commuters complaining.

“This is really ridiculous. Is there no authority to check the authoritative attitude of the four-wheeler owners? Every day they watch the hassles we face while crossing the underpass but they are least bothered to make way or clear the passage illegally occupied by them,” said another commuter.

“The authorities till date have not felt the need to check them and stop them from parking their vehicles on the road meant as a passage and not as a parking area. Due to a big godown nearby, big trolleys are also parked there. When it pours, the situation becomes all the more pitiable,” he added.

Devinderpal Singh, station house officer (SHO), Doraha police station, said the illegal parking would be checked definitely. “I will personally look into the matter and the drivers will be fined for parking their vehicles. No vehicle will be allowed parking in the area and commuters will not have to suffer because of this,” said the station house officer.

Ludhiana, March 23
After the Ludhiana Tribune highlighted the plight of commuters due to the haphazard parking of vehicles outside a hotel near Bhai Bala Chowk, the city police today conducted a drive there.

A number of violators were challaned.

Yesterday, residents visiting an exhibition at the hotel parked their vehicles on the service lane, blocking the flow of traffic. Also, buses and vans of the exhibitors were parked on the service lane. The commuters had a tough time in the absence of any check by the traffic police.

Ludhiana, March 23
The 83rd Martyrdom Day of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev was observed by various organisations and institutions across the city.

Pragatisheel Lekhak Sangh paid homage to the martyrs. Members of the organisation said even during their short lifetime, the three revolutionaries had read a lot of books, but the youth today were moving away from education and taking to drugs.

Helping Hand Club members, too, raised concern over drug abuse that was affecting the youth in the state. They said despite their young age, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev understood the social and political problems faces by the nation and laid down their lives for it.

Sathi Teja Singh Sutantar Muhalla Sudhar Committee members got together at Chand Colony. Dr Arun Mitra said even after so many years of their martyrdom, dreams of the freedom fighters remained unrealised. Narjit Kaur said women were suffering and they needed to struggle together to fulfil the dreams of the martyrs.

Members of Desh Bhagat Yadgiri Society honoured Darshan Kaur, wife of freedom fighter Harnam Singh Panchhi, on the occasion.

Rashtra Dharma members met at Talab Mandir. Organisation’s Vinod Jain said corrupt leaders and criminals be ousted from the country. He said corrupt people were betraying the motherland.

Other organisations including Textile-Hosiery Workers Union, Karkhana Mazdoor Union, Naujawan Bharat Sabha, Logon Ke Liye Doctor, Tarksheel Society Youth Federation, Patanjali Yog Samiti, Veer Abdul Hameed Foundation, People's Alliance for Democracy and Secularism also observed the day.

Ludhiana, March 23
With science and technology advanced to a great extent, experts now believe that dissection of human bodies and animal cadavers is no longer required and should be instead replaced by computer-simulated dissection.

The Medical Council of India (MCI) in this regard is considering doing away with dissection of human bodies and animal cadavers, a practice which was used till now for medical students in teaching aspects of biology.

Dr Rajiv Kapoor, a senior doctor and also a faculty member of a medical college, said though dissection of human and animal cadavers had produced a vast knowledge of anatomy, dissection should not the part of medical curriculum in the present times where many other options were also available as science had taken a great leap.

“The curriculum for undergraduate medical students was designed in 1956 and there is a dire need to change the same. The experts working on the new curriculum are of the view that animal as well as human dissection should be banned,” said Dr Jayshree Ben Mehta, president of the MCI.

Dr Mehta said the notification to ban animal dissection was likely to come this month and they were all set to suggest “computer-simulated dissection”, 3D models, plastinated specimen and videos as alternative and would soon be sent for final approval to the government.

Mansi, an aspiring medical student, said: “The decision will be a welcome step.” “Today, the artists have made tablets or phone their canvas and are unleashing their creativity on them, so why can't medical students do the same. 3D animated computer dissection is any day a better option than dissection of dead bodies,” she said.

Expressing concern, another senior doctor said the bodies they use for dissection were those which were donated.

“In the future if we do not manage to get enough bodies, it can create a problem so doing away with it and adopting computer- based dissection was a better option,” he said.

Doraha, March 23
The Youth Welfare Department of Panjab University is all set to launch Jawan Tarang, an annual magazine, which would contain the writings of student competitors, who secured top spots in the Zonal, Inter-Zonal and university level festivals during the current session.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Arun Kumar Grover said, “The writings of budding and talented youngsters will be published in the magazine from the current year.” He appreciated the efforts of the Youth Welfare Department in initiating the launch of its annual magazine. “It requires a lot of homework, specifications, alterations, readings and re-readings till the time a piece of writing is finalised and is presented before the readers” Prof Grover said.

Director, Youth Welfare Department, Dr Nirmal Jaura expressed, “The magazine shall give an adequate breakthrough to young writers at the appropriate moment as this is the time when they can excel, if provided an adequate push and right feedback. Their efforts shall not go in vain as the department will make all efforts to preserve their creativity in the form of a magazine. Also, with the passage of time, the writings will be made available in the form of an e-magazine as well. This is the first initiative by the Youth Welfare Department of any university to launch such a magazine.”

Jaura informed that the magazine would be made available in every department of the university and the 192 colleges affiliated to it. He said the department, in order to make the youngsters feel special, had introduced a Vice-Chancellor’s trophy from the current session. Also, students who excelled in academics and co-curricular activities were awarded with the ‘University Roll of Honours’ and ‘College Colours’ at the annual function organised by the department for the first time.

Dr Narinder Sandhu, principal, Ramgarhia Girls College and editor of Jawan Tarang, said, “The Youth Welfare Department is making all efforts to promote culture amongst the youth, which is the urgent need of the hour. The magazine, which is going to be launched by the department soon, contains lively and radical writings of the budding creative and intellectual writers.”

Mandeep Kaur of Guru Nanak National College, Doraha, whose ‘short story’ was adjudged best in the Zonal Youth Festival this year, shared, “I am really very enthusiastic to see my work published in a magazine as it will provide us an exposure for our future writings as well.”

Ludhiana, March 23
Thirty-one physically handicapped persons were provided artificial limbs, calipers and hearing-aid machines during the 985th free artificial limbs distribution camp at Viklang Sahayta Kender, Rishi Nagar.

It was sponsored by Adarsh Jiwan Raksha Trust. Chief guest KK Singla, CJM, appreciated the work of Bharat Vikas Parishad for their continued efforts to provide aids and appliances to the physically handicapped persons. — TNS

March 23 is observed as Martyrdom Day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev who contributed immensely to achieve Independence for the country. Though social organisations and certain NGOs did organise functions to pay tributes to the martyrs, most of the youngsters are hardly aware of the importance of the day. A college-going girl, when asked about the importance of the day, said: “If you say so, then it must be their martyrdom day; but honestly speaking I am not aware of it.”

Ludhiana, March 23
The Malwa Central College of Education for Women, Civil Lines, Ludhiana, organised the 57th annual convocation of the college.

As many as 248 BEd and 34 MEd students were awarded degrees.

Prof Naval Kishore, Dean, College Development Council, Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh, presided over the ceremony and delivered the convocation address to degree holders.

In the PU MEd examination, as many as six students of the college remained in the merit list. Role of honour was presented to Anupama Sidana for getting the first position in the PU MEd examination. She also got S Ram Dayal Singh Memorial Gold Medal.

Jaspreet Kaur was awarded role of honour for bagging the first position in the college in the BEd examination of the PU. She also bagged S Harnam Singh Memorial Medal for academic excellence. Over 90 academic prizes and 11 medals were given to the degree holders for their achievements in various subjects.

Sanam Dawar, Alka Joshi, Aditi Gupta, Surpinder Kaur and Daljeet Rani of MEd, Pooja Rani and Madhuri Devi of BEd were among the other students who were awarded medals for their outstanding performance in MEd and BEd.

Inderdeep Kaur got the Principal Tara Singh Memorial Silver Medal for bagging the first position in the guidance and counselling in the MEd examination.

Pavanjot Kaur was awarded the Major Gurbachan Singh MC Memorial Silver Medal for bagging the first position in teaching of social studies in the BEd examination.

Dr Ravinder Kaur, Principal of the college, presented the annual report and highlighted the achievements of the college during the 2013-2014 session.

Members of the PU Senate, Principals of various colleges, members of the college management and Khalsa Dewan, parents of the degree holders, Pritpal Singh Grewal, president, College Managing Committee and members of the alumni association were among those others present.

An exhibition of fashion articles was also organised by students of the Malwa Institute of Professional Studies and Services for Women.

Ludhiana, March 23
Local colleges—Government College for Girls and Satish Chander Dhawan Government College for Boys—emerged as champions in the inaugural edition of the BFI-IMG Reliance Punjab State Inter-College Basketball League that concluded at Guru Nanak Stadium here today.

In the girls’ category, the government college survived some anxious moments against HMV College, Jalandhar, before romping home victorious 84-72. Though, the local girls surged ahead and managed to maintain the lead throughout the encounter, Jalandhar college players matched them throughout the game. The visitors fought valiantly before losing narrowly. Nagma sank in as many as 32 baskets to help Ludhiana clinch the title.

The final in the boys’ category, too, was keenly contested with SCD Government College and Khalsa College, Amritsar, fighting a pitched battle. Eventually, the local outfit overpowered the visitors 83-72 to lay their hands on the winners’ trophy. Palpreet Singh was the main architect of Ludhiana’s victory, scoring 22 points for the team.

Earlier, in the matches for hardline cup, DAV College, Jalandhar, in the boys’ section and Government Physical Education College, Patiala, in the girls’ section got the better of their rivals to secure third positions.

Guriqbal Singh chipped in with 21 points to enable DAV College, Jalandhar, script 59-38 victory over the Lovely College of Engineering, Phagwara. In the girls’ section, Patiala college defeated BBK DAV College, Amritsar, 75-67.

Rajdeep Singh Gill, former DGP, Punjab, and president of the Punjab Basketball Association gave away prizes to the winners.

Ludhiana, March 23
Thirty-five aspirants attended trials conducted by the Ludhiana District Cricket Association (LDCA) to select boys in the age group of 12 to 14 years for the Punjab Cricket Association’s (PCA) non-residential academy.

Two selectors, appointed by the PCA--Arun Bedi from Chandigarh and Balbir Singh from Patiala--assisted by former captain of Punjab Ranji team Ankur Kakkar from Ludhiana conducted the trials at Arya College.

The PCA started this scheme last year and 16 players each were selected for the academies run at six major cities: Chandigarh, Mohali, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Patiala.

At these academies, players get advanced training and coaching to prepare them for future tournaments.

Vinod Chitkara, honorary general secretary, LDCA, said seven players from the last year’s batch of 16 will be retained by the academy. Nine more players would be selected from among those who turned up for the trials today, he said.

The selection panel will submit its report along with names shortlisted from other centres to the PCA, which will announce the final list, said Chitkara.