NEIGHBOURHOOD

Two killed, 1 hurt in road accident
Our Correspondent

Ambala, May 20
In an interesting move, SD Vidya School in Ambala has taken a decision at its management meeting today to nip the tuition menace in the bud by having qualified teachers take after-school classes in the school in ways that are student friendly and aligned to the registered students’ specific needs.

Announcing the decision, Atul Khanna, chairman of the managing committee and director of Strawberry Fields World School in Chandigarh, said: “Children have immense potential to deal with stress and multi task. By taking away their natural capacity to push the boundaries and giving them readymade options like tuitions is actually doing them a disservice.

BK Soni, chairman of SD Vidya School, which is also known as Dewan Harikrishan Das Sanatana Dharma Public School, said: “More than attaching labels of global or international, it is important to provide those amenities and services to a discerning audience. Indeed, with higher disposable incomes, students and parents are well-travelled. With technology the world has shrunk and young people are working across time zones sitting in remote corners of the world.

Chandigarh, May 20
For want of evidence, the Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Shalini Nagpal today acquitted nine persons in a dacoity case.

As per the prosecution, on July 29, 2012, armed men robbed a gurdwara in Sector 20, Chandigarh. They broke an almirah and looted Rs 1,07,000 in cash, cheque books, ATM cards, gurdwara stamps, donation receipt books and other records and documents. They also damaged about 13 of the 16 CCTV cameras installed at the place of worship and switched off the remaining cameras.

The men, with their faces covered, had entered the gurdwara, switched off all the lights and forcibly locked the security guard Pawanjit Singh and granthi Satwant Singh in a room after taking away their mobile phones.

According to the police, about 10 men along with four sevadars, who were already present in the gurdwara, broke the CCTV cameras and committed the robbery. They set free the guard and granthi before leaving and threatened them not to reveal anybody's identity.

One of the robbers was allegedly carrying a rifle while the others were armed with swords and sticks.

After the robbers left, the security guards informed the police and a case was registered at the Sector 19 police station.

The police had arrested former gurdwara president Harcharan Singh, sevadar Natha Singh, former granthis Gursewak Singh and Lakhwinder Singh, and kirtan performer Sukhjit Singh. Later, the police arrested four more people in the case.

Those acquitted today are Sukhjit Singh, Balwant Singh, Harcharan Singh, Natha Singh, Gursewak Singh, Lakhwinder Singh, Kamaljeet, Gurdeep and Jaswinder.

All the witnesses in the case had turned hostile following which the accused were acquitted today for lack of evidence.

Chandigarh, May 20
The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Arun Kumar Singal today convicted Kulwinder Singh, Nirmal Singh and Tirath Singh Cheema, all residents of Jalandhar, in a case of drug peddling. The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment on May 22.

On March 2, 2011, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had confiscated poppy husk from a truck that was coming from Indore (MP). The NCB sleuths recovered 88 bags, each containing 39 kg of poppy husk, hidden under vegetables. While the truck driver, Kulwinder Singh, and Nirmal Singh were arrested on the spot, Tirath Singh was apprehended later. — TNS

Mohali, May 20
Two persons sustained burn injuries while attempting to set a car on fire yesterday night. Sunny Sharma sustained around 60 per cent burn injuries, while his co-accused, Sevin Kumar, sustained minor burn injuries on his arm when the duo was setting the car of one Amarjit Singh on fire last night.

The police shifted Sunny to the PGI, Chandigarh, for treatment. Amarjit Singh lives as a tenant of another accused in the case, Harbhajan Singh, a resident of Phase IV, here. Sunny works as the driver of Harbhajan.

The police have registered a case in this regard under Sections 436, 427, 506 and 120-B of the IPC against four persons - Harbhajan Singh, Sunny Sharma, Sevin Kumar and Inderjit Kaur. Inderjit, Sevin and Harbhajan have already been arrested in this connection.

Sub-inspector Rajeev Kumar, SHO of the Phase 1 police station, said Sunny and Sevin poured petrol on Amarjeet’s Artica car last night and set it on fire.

“While giving shape to their nefarious activity, both of them sustained burn injuries. Old rivalry seems to be the reason behind the crime,” said Rajeev.

He said their act was caught in the CCTV camera, installed by Amarjit Singh at his house.

In his complaint, Amarjit said Harbhajan and Inderjit, who works as a caretaker in his (Harbhajan) house, used to harass him. “Last night, Sunny, along with his accomplice Kevin, set his car on fire. As both of them sustained burn injuries, people came out and caught them red handed,” said Amarjit Singh, who also named Harbhajan and Inderjit as the main accused in his complaint.

Chandigarh, May 20
This year, the visiting IPL teams will be facing some security issues as the Chandigarh police have refused to provide proper protection to the players individually due to the non-payment of long pending bills. They have decided to provide security only to the key-targeted players of the teams.

The teams are in city for playing their respective matches of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) at Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium in Mohali.

Since past six years, the local IPL franchise of Kings XI Punjab (and other companies to whom the security was provided on the request of Kings XI management) has failed to submit a total pending amount of Rs 9 crore (approximately).

Kings XI Punjab will play its last three home-matches at PCA stadium, Mohali. The team will play its first home-match on May 21 followed by two more matches on May 23 and May 25.

On March 29, 2013, taking a tough stand, the UT police had written to the UT Home Department regarding the recovery of a total amount of Rs 8.92 crore for providing security to the IPL franchisee. However, no efforts have been made on the behalf of Kings XI management to clear their outstanding bills with the Chandigarh police.

Earlier, in 2011, the police failed to recover a total amount of Rs 2.89 crore and prior to that year, Rs 57 lakh (in 2010) were lying pending to be recovered from the franchisee. In 2013, the total pending amount got shot-up to Rs 8.92 crore and the then Director Inspector General of Police, Alok Kumar, had written a letter to the Home Department.

In this regard, an objection, for non-charging of expenses by the UT police, was raised in the audit report of 2012. It is believed that since 2008, the management of Kings XI Punjab, failed to pay the cover charges to the Chandigarh police against providing security.

“The pending amount also includes charges of services asked by the local franchisee, Kings XI Punjab. Following the non-payment of bills, we will only provide security-cover to the main players of the teams. We have shortlisted the names of players and will provide them security on moral grounds. I am not aware about the exact amount, lying pending alone with the Kings XI side. However, approximately a total sum of Rs nine crore is said to be lying pending with the IPL organisers,” said IPS Maneesh Chaudhry, SSP security and traffic, Chandigarh. As per rule 2.11(2) of the Punjab Police Rules applicable to the UT Police, ‘Additional Police may not be given under the rule without payment in full or in advance’.

The Kings XI management remained unavailable to comment on the issue. Ahead of a hectic schedule, the team management failed to reply on the queries sent by the Chandigarh Tribune team through mail.

Mohali, May 20
Around 1,600 cops have been deputed to keep a tab on the law and order situation in and around the Punjab Cricket Association stadium in Phase IX, the venue of next three Indian Premier League (IPL) matches.

Giving details, Mohali Superintendent of Police (City 1) Swarndeep Singh said three-tier security cover would be provided at the PCA stadium by the Mohali police.

“As many as nine SP-ranked officers and 24 DSP-ranked officers will supervise the entire security arrangements in and around the stadium. Mohali SSP Gursharan Singh Sandhu will be the overall in-charge,” said SP Swarndeep Singh.

Apart from all this, anti-riot and anti-sabotage teams, mounted police, five dog squads, one anti-bomb squad, three tear gas squads will also remain stationed in and around the stadium to meet any emergency situation.

Suprintendant of Police Swarndeep added that on the day of match, traffic flow would be diverted from Phase IX, Phase X and traffic lights of Sector 49 and 50.

“People other than spectators should avoid coming near the stadium with their vehicles,” said the officer.

Swarndeep Singh added that close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras will be installed there to keep a tab on anti-social elements.

Meanwhile, the Mohali police also conducted surprise checks at public places and have set up special ‘nakas’ at various points in the town.

A high-level meeting of senior police officers and administrative officers to discuss about the security cover was held at PCA stadium today.

“To facilitate the spectators, the entry gates of the stadium will be opened one hour before start of the match to avoid last minute chaos,” said Swarndeep Singh.

The match would start at 8 pm tomorrow. The rest two matches will take place on May 23 and May 25.

Mohali, May 20
Kings XI Punjab’s pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson’s visit to local Fortis Hospital today raised doubt over his inclusion in the playing XI for tomorrow’s IPL match against Mumbai Indians at PCA Stadium. He has been suffering from pain in his left shoulder.

Johnson reached the hospital at around 2.45 pm today and stayed there for about an hour.

Though the doctors, who attended the Australian cricketer, were reluctant to provide the details of his injury, sources claimed that an MRI of his left shoulder was done at the hospital.

“Johnson has been complaining of pain in his left shoulder and sought an appointment of expert doctors at the hospital. After the check up, the doctors here also conducted an MRI of his shoulder,” said sources.

When asked whether or not the Australian pacer would be able to play tomorrow’s match, the sources at the hospital claimed that they could not comment in this regard.

Notably, the 33-year-old cricketer is the key bowler of the Punjab team. So far he has claimed 10 wickets for 301 runs for Kings XI in this edition of the league.

Chandigarh, May 20
Continuing with the winning spree, local CHART trainees performed well on the third day of the ongoing CLTA-AITA One lakh Tennis Tournament being held at CLTA courts in Sector 10, today.

In the men’s second round main draw match, CHART trainee Ranjeet Singh upset seventh seed Sameep Mehta in straight sets 6-0 and 7-5. Taking the first set easily, Ranjeet fumbled in the initial minutes of second set. He went down 0-2 but bounced back to settle the score at 3-3. Sameep got a break and was leading 5-3 in the second set. However, Ranjeet played a quality game and won the next four games to finish the match at 7-5.

Other CHART trainee Vikrant Dahiya won against Fatehdeep Singh in straight sets 6-7(0), 6-3 and 6-4. In first set, Vikrant lead at 4-1 with full opportunity of two break points to make it 5-1 but experienced Fatehdeep played a steady game to level the score at 4-4. Later, the match levelled at the score at 6-6 and Fatehdeep took the tie-breaker without conceding a point. In the second set, Vikrant came down heavily and broke Fatehdeep’s rhythm to claim the set 6-3. In the final set, Fatehdeep had a break in the fifth game but Vikrant broke him back and both the players held the service. In the 10th game Vikrant broke Fatehdeep’s serve to win the final set 6-4.

Chandigarh, May 20
Mohali Cricket Association (MCA) defeated Chandigarh Cricket Association (CCA) B-team by 3 wickets in the ongoing Guru Nanak Public School Cricket Tournament for (U-19) boys in Sector 36, here today.

Batting first, Chandigarh Cricket Association posted atotal of 269 runs before getting all-out in 49.5 overs.

Opener Abhimanyu scored 80 runs off 82 balls while Jagmeet contributed 48 off 40 balls. Pardeep Patekar with his knock of 35 runs off 41 balls was the other noticeable scorer.

For Mohali Cricket Association, Jasinder took a five-wicket haul for 25 runs while Amish Sidhu (2 wickets for 31 runs) and Rishab (2 wickets for 74 runs) claimed two wickets each.

In reply, riding high on 125-run contribution by Abhijit, the Mohali Cricket Association achieved the total in 49.3 overs.

Opener Abhijit started off well and went on to score 125 runs off 128 balls to guide his team to victory. He was equally supported by Ramandeep and Sahil Sharma, who scored 36 runs off 47 balls and 33 runs off 47 balls, respectively.

For the bowling side, Akhil (2 wickets for 33 runs) and Jagmeet (2 wickets for 28 runs) took two wickets each but failed to script a victory.