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Congress leader's murder
Probe hints at extramarital affairs
Akash Ghai
Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 22
Suspected extramarital affairs of Congress leader Rajwant Singh apparently led to his murder, the Mohali police indicated here today.

The police confirmed that the victim was involved with more than one woman. “During our investigation, we found that he was involved with a married woman, who belongs to an influential family,” said SP Swarndeep Singh while refusing to divulge more details.

The police had also rounded up a Sector 69-based divorcee, Sandeep Kaur, a photocopy of whose identity card and an album containing her photographs was found in the Ertiga car in which Rajwant Singh's decomposed body was found in Sector 69 yesterday morning.

The police said Sandeep Kaur confessed that she was in a relationship with Rajwant Singh.

The SP said Rajwant Singh’s wife, vice-principal of the Continental Group of Colleges at Jalweda village in Fatehgarh Sahib, apparently knew about his extramarital affairs. “We have recovered a similar album, containing Rajwant and Sandeep Kaur’s photographs, from his (Rajwant's) residence in Kharar,” said the officer.

The couple had filed an application for divorce about two years ago in a local court, but had withdrawn it later.

The police have recovered three licensed weapons from Rajwant Singh’s house.

The Mohali police are also questioning Sandeep Kaur’s former husband Gurpreet Singh, against whom several criminal cases have been registered.

Though the police allowed Sandeep Kaur to go to her house after questioning her, she has not been given a clean chit in the case, said the police.

Last call received on mobile confuses police

The call details of Rajwant’s mobile phone have perplexed the police. The last incoming call (13 seconds) on Rajwant’s mobile, which was found in the car, was from his father Narinder Singh and it was received by someone, who did not reply. The call was made at 9.12 pm on May 20.

“The call on Rajwant’s phone was received by somebody (most probably the murderer) on May 20 night. It appears that the phone was not in the car at that time and was put there later,” said Swarndeep Singh, adding that the tower location of the phone at the given time was near the spot.

May 20 was the birthday of Rajwant’s 10-year-old son and the family was trying to contact him on the phone repeatedly.

Last call was made to police station

The mobile call details of Rajwant showed that he had made his last call to the Sadar police station, Kharar, at around 10 pm on May 18. “He gave information of a car lying abandoned near Sunny Enclave,” said the police, adding that he had also made a call on the 100 number around two hours before his last call.

No call exchanged by Sandeep, Rajwant for several days

According to a gunman, who used to accompany Rajwant whenever he demanded security, the document related to Sandeep Kaur, except the photo album, was lying in the dashboard of the car for a long time.

The SP said the call details of the victim’s mobile showed that no call was exchanged by Sandeep and Rajwant for the past several days. However, the duo were otherwise in touch, said the SP.

“We are also working on the angle whether someone wanted to implicate Sandeep Kaur in the case,” said Swarndeep Singh.

Blunt weapon used

During the postmortem, doctors found injury marks inflicted by some blunt weapon on the left side of the head and neck of the victim. The doctors also found poisonous substance in his stomach. To ascertain the exact cause of the death, the viscera have been sent to the Kharar and Patiala laboratories for chemical examination.

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Dog bite cases: Soon, help will just be a phone call away
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 22
Soon, help will just be a phone call away in dog bite cases. A week after the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh was asked to clarify its stand on the feasibility of launching a helpline for dog bite cases in the city, the corporation today told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it was in touch with the Ministry of Telecommunications.

As the case came up for hearing, Justice Rajan Gupta was also told that the task of controlling the population of dogs was carried out by NGOs. While dogs were castrated, the uterus was removed in case of female dogs. Taking note of the assertion, Justice Gupta called for the filing of an affidavit on the procedure adopted to sterilise dogs and whether the removal of the body part amounted to cruelty.

Justice Gupta, on the previous date, had sought a status report from the corporation on the issue of monitoring funds allocated to NGOs for sterilisation and immunisation of dogs. The direction came after the High Court was told that the corporation was paying Rs 1,000 per dog to local NGOs for sterilisation, immunisation and treatment.

MC Joint Commissioner Rajiv Kumar Gupta has already filed an affidavit before the court underscoring comprehensive schemes for management of stray dogs in Chandigarh.

Giving details, the Joint Commissioner said complaints related to dog bite incidents could now be made online on the corporation website. Besides, relevant information on the dog-control cell, dog catching van and NGOs engaged by the corporation to deal with stray dog-related incidents was available on its portal. He claimed that the corporation had already spent Rs 2,28,354 on education, literature and rabies vaccination.

“The implementation of the scheme is an ongoing process, which is in its nascent stage and its effectiveness can be gauged only after the lapse of a reasonable period,” the corporation stated in its affidavit.

It was also added that the scheme required undisturbed run for at lease five years to prove its effectiveness. Referring to the issue of disposal of dead dogs, the corporation claimed that an incinerator would be installed at each dog shelter. Else, a common incineration plant for the disposal of the dead dogs would be set up.

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RLA introduces Punjabi for learner’s licence test
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 22
City residents who are comfortable with the Punjabi language and could not appear for computerised test for learner’s driving licence, which is in five different languages, including Hindi and English, have something to cheer for. The UT Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA) is going to start the computerised test in the Punjabi language from Friday.

Till date, an applicant for the learner’s licence had the option for only five languages - Hindi, English, Gujarati, Telugu and Kannada - approved by the Government of India.

RLA Kashish Mittal said it was a long-pending demand of the residents to include Punjabi as the optional language for the computerised test.

A questionnaire of 242 questions, which presently exists in five languages, has been translated into Punjabi. Of these questions, 20 randomly appear on the screen, which are to be answered.

Official sources said the people who were not comfortable with the Hindi language used to demand for the Punjabi language. However, they had to attempt the computerised test in Hindi, following which many used to fail in the test.

Professor Yograj Angrish of the Punjabi Department at Panjab University, while welcoming the move, said: “The larger population in Chandigarh speaks Punjabi and it was required that the computerised test should be conducted in the Punjabi language also”.

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Mandate 2014: How the city voted in the LS elections

The Modi wave, anti-incumbency and debut of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) together helped the BJP pull out all the stops to make inroads into the fortress of the ruling Congress. After a span of 15 years, the BJP tasted a historic win by a record margin. The Tribune reporter Amit Sharma brings out the detailed sector/area-wise analysis of votes polled to the BJP, the Congress and the AAP in the Lok Sabha elections for the Chandigarh seat.



(Click on image for larger view)

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Heritage panel dwells on conservation of exposed RCC facades at City Centre-17
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 22
The fourth meeting of the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee (CHCC) held under the chairmanship of KK Sharma, Adviser to the Administrator, took up the issue of preservation and conservation of exposed RCC facades in the City Centre, Sector 17, a heritage precinct.

A small PowerPoint presentation on the subject was given by a team comprising professors from the Chandigarh College of Architecture and Prof Jagjit Singh Ghuman, RCC conservation expert.

The committee also examined the proposal for a new town planning building for the Town Planning Departments of Punjab and Haryana and general offices of the UT to come up in Sector 18 along the Madhya Marg.

The Department of Science and Technology has framed a proposal for installation of solar photo voltaic power plants on the rooftop of five government schools in the city that have been graded as heritage structures.

The committee also reviewed the external facades of the proposed Block-B of the CHB building on the Jan Marg in Sector 9, Chandigarh, which is coming up as a green building. Home Secretary, Finance Secretary and Chief Architect were among others present in the meeting.

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Board resumes land allotted to coop society
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 22
The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has resumed the land allotted to the Chandigarh Sector 16 Cooperative House Building Society, Sector 50, for violation.

The society had been allotted four acres in 2004. The secretary of the Chandigarh Housing Board , Mandeep Kaur, while exercising powers of the Estate Officer, said the society failed to deposit the dues of Rs 4.40 crore despite getting 12 chances. As a result, the Chandigarh Housing Board has no option but to resume the land allotted in the name of president of the society Kulwant Singh Gill.

Around 120 flats on this land in the name of Victoria Enclave have been constructed.

It has been stated that the society had requested time to clear the outstanding dues in three equal instalments within three months w.e.f from November 13, 2007, failing which its allotment would be treated cancelled as per the terms and conditions of the allotment letter.

After going through the facts of the case, it was found that the Chandigarh Sector 16 Cooperative House Building Societypresidents had failed to deposit the dues of Rs 4.40 crore despite reminders, show-cause notice and hearing.

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AAP activists protest Kejriwal’s arrest
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, May 22
To lodge a protest against the arrest of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal, party activists staged a dharna outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office here today.

Led by SP Singh, who contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Ambala seat unsuccessfully, and Rajeev Godara, spokesperson for the AAP for Haryana, party activists, including women from across the district, took part in the protest.

Addressing the gathering, the leaders accused the government of sending Kejriwal to the Tihar Jail for raising his voice against corruption while turning a blind eye towards about 40 per cent Members of Parliament who have criminal background.

Later, the protesters also submitted a memorandum of their demands to the DC.

Mohali: Aam Aadmi Party activists today held a protest march in certain parts of the town against the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal. The activists, led by Himmat Singh Shergill, who had contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Anandpur Sahib Constituency on the AAP ticket, gathered at the Phase VII light point. Later, they held a protest march in the area. “Our fight against corruption will continue,” said Shergill.

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Workshop on autism

Chandigarh, May 22
A joint workshop on autism and cerebral palsy was organised by the Rehabilitation Centre for Handicapped Children in collaboration with the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disability (NIEPMD), Chennai, here today.

The Advisor to Administrator, UT, Kewal Kumar Sharma, inaugurated the workshop.

The Director-cum-Honorary Secretary, Indian Council of Child Welfare (ICCW); Dr R K Gupta, honorary director, Prayaas; Rajesh Jogpal, Director, Social Welfare, were also present. — TNS

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Body found in P’kula
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, May 22
The body of an unidentified person was recovered from near the parking of the local Civil Hospital in Sector 6, here, late last night.

The police said the deceased seems to be a beggar and was in his mid 50’s.

The autopsy will be conducted after completing the legal formalities.

The cause of death could be ascertained after he post-mortem, the police added.

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PEC ‘negligence’ costs student dear
Misses examination as he was given wrong information about the time
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 22
Due to alleged negligence on the part of the authorities of the Punjab Engineering College (PEC), a part-time student of mechanical engineering (ME) environmental chemistry and microbiology ‘failed’ to appear in the re-test scheduled for May 19.

The authorities on the request of the candidate, Anil Kumar Behal, who failed to appear in the final exam scheduled on May 15, had decided to take his re-test on May 19.

Interestingly, Behal said he received the written communication about the re-test at 2:30pm on May 19, when he was called for a meeting with the head of the department, whereas the exam commenced at 2 pm on the same day.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the Punjab Engineering College confirmed that the authorities had received the complaint from the candidate and the matter was discussed in the Senate meeting held yesterday.

The members discussed the issue as per the norms of the institute and the decision will be conveyed soon after the minutes of the meeting are prepared.

lapse in timings
Behal received the written communication about the re-test at 2:30 pm on May 19 though the exam had commenced at 2 pm.

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Vivek High School introduces Montessori curriculum
Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 22
Vivek High School introduced Montessori education for the pre-primary section on the school premises here today.

The school authorities informed that as per the international concept of ‘Infrastructural environment and surroundings as the third teacher’, the environment has been carefully prepared keeping all regularities of the Montessori system in mind.

Speaking on the occasion, Montessori in charge, Meenu Sahi Mamik, a Montessori-trained directress, said, “The psychological needs of students, particularly the pre-primary wing, have changed. There is a strong correlation between the preparation of a learning environment, teaching methodology and consequential learning experience.”

Meenu said, “The design of a classroom and the placement of the Montessori equipment in the designated areas constitute the ‘environment,’ which acts as a ‘third teacher’ for the students.”

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Biodiversity Day
Students rally for ‘eco justice’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 22
On the occasion of World Biodiversity Day, the students of St. John’s High School held a ‘Stand up speak out eco justice campaign’ at the Sukhna Lake today.

They were joined by the students of Carmel Convent and Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School. Underprivileged children from the NGO — Khelshala also took part in the event. As many as 200 students carried out the rally.

The authorities claimed that the objective of the rally was to create awareness for children’s rights to a clean environment, air and water, toxin-free food, conservation of heritage and open spaces to play.

The message of eco justice was put across through skits, songs and speeches. The plight of the honeybee and sparrow was also brought to the fore through a skit.

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English learning centre launched
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 22
WORDZ — the debating society (Regd) — launched Wordzworth centre for English language training today.

Navdeep Kaur, trainer at Wordzworth, said, “We identified the problems related to language and came up with this English language training centre.” She said Wordzworth would hold workshops in May-June.

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from schools
Student scores 8.8 CGPA

Chandigarh: Shaily, a student of Government Model High School, Dhanas, scored 8.8 CGPA in the CBSE Class X examinations. She had lost her right hand when she was six-years-old in an accident. She wants to pursue the non-medical stream.

Session on hygiene

An awareness session was conducted on personal hygiene and adolescent problems by Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 19, for the NSS volunteers and students of Classes XI and XII.

World Biodiversity Day

Sharda Sarvhitkari Model Sr. Sec School, Sector 40, celebrated World Biodiversity Day on its campus today. A group song was presented by the students of Class III, while face-painting and slogan-writing was held by Class V students.

Doll’s birthday

The tiny tots of St. Joseph’s Sr. Sec. School, Sector 44, celebrated little doll’s birthday with zeal and excitement. The students came dressed in party dresses and wore colourful birthday caps. — TNS

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