Ludhiana, July 27
A 23-year-old youth was feared to have been drowned in Sidhwan Canal, near Verka Milk Plant, here today. The victim, identified as Sahshad, an embroider, who lived along with his wife Angoori and two children in the Sunet area, was along with his friends at the time of incident.

Sahshad’s friends raised the alarm, claiming that he had a slip and fell in the canal. Soon, a huge crowd gathered at the spot. The police, too, arrived at the scene. A major operation was lunched to find Sahshad’s body. The search operation was on till the filing of the report in the evening.

A word was spread that Sahshad had committed suicide. But, his brother dispelled all such rumours. He claimed that his brother had been killed.

Sahshad’s brother accused the victim’s friends of throwing him into the canal. However, none of the friends accompanying Sahshad was rounded up.

Heart-rending scenes were witnessed on the banks of the canal as the wailing relatives were trying to locate Sahshad’s body in the vegetation grown in the canal.

Ludhiana, July 27
Drowning incidents during summer have become a regular feature. Youngsters care little about the advisories issued by the authorities and head towards the Sidhwan Canal and Sutlej to beat the heat.

There have been several incidents where youngsters were swept away by current. On July 15, the police booked two friends of 23-year-old Honey, whose body was found in a canal in Moga on July 13. The step was taken after Honey’s relatives held a protest outside Atam Nagar Chowki and blocked the Gill road. Honey and his friends lived at Manjeet Nagar, near Model Town. His friends claimed that Honey had a slip and was drowned in the canal.

In another such incident, the city police booked three persons in a murder case after the body of Lovepreet Singh, alias Sunny, was found in the Sutlej yesterday.

The victim’s mother, Simran Kaur, a resident of Gurbans Nagar, Salem Tabri, told the police that Yuvraj Yadav and Ravi Yadav, both brothers, along with an unidentified person, took Sunny to the banks of the Sutlej, Kasabad village, on July 25.

When Sunny did not return home, Simran Kaur inquired from Yuvraj about his son’s whereabouts. Yuvraj cracked soon and revealed that Sunny had drowned in the river. Yesterday, She filed a complaint against Yuvraj, his brother Ravi and an unidentified person, accusing them of killing Sunny.

Ludhiana, July 27
The Local Government Department has issued directions to the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) authorities to initiate proceedings for the cancellation of allotment of a piece of land measuring 2196 square yards at C Block in Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar Colony, which was allotted for a community centre in November 1986.

On the basis of an inquiry conducted by the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO), the Local Government Department, vide its memo no. 5/47/2014(12)-2LG2/271220 dated July 18, 2014 (a copy of which is available with The Tribune), the department has asked the LIT to cancel the allotment of the land for non-payment of 75 per cent of its cost by the allottee.

The letter has also pointed out that the allotment of the land was made to the Residents Welfare Society of the colony without making amendment to the layout plan of the scheme as per the rules. The department has also instructed the LIT authorities to take action as per the rules against the unauthorised construction carried out at the site. Several show-cause notices had been issued to the allottee in this regard in the past.

The action against the unlawful allotment and default on the part of the allottee had been initiated on a complaint of a local resident, Baljit Singh.

Information obtained by Baljit Singh under the Right to Information Act revealed that the Residents Welfare Society had paid only 25 per cent cost of the land against the reserve price of Rs 65 per square yard at the time of allotment. Thereafter, no payment was made even after dozens of notices were served on the allottee by the LIT.

Further, a building was raised at the site without any approved plan. It was being run as a marriage palace without seeking change of land use and obtaining the required permission from the competent authority.

The society was also evading payment of user charges for water supply and sewerage to the municipal corporation, to which the Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar scheme has been transferred for maintenance.

When the CVO visited the site, the local residents complained that there was no provision for parking at the illegal marriage palace. During a marriage function, vehicles were parked on the roadside in a haphazard manner, causing inconvenience to them, they added.

The LIT officials said the instructions issued by the Local Government Department would be carried out in letter and in spirit. “A show-cause notice for the cancellation of allotment is being issued to the allottee and further action as per the rules will be taken for default in payment and violation of the building bylaws,” an official said.

Ludhiana, July 27
Committed to serving humanity through blood donation, Sudhir Mudgal today celebrated his 50th birthday by donating blood for the 111th time. Instead of throwing a party, Mudgal finds donating blood a unique way to celebrate his birthday.

It was during his college days when Mudgal started donating blood after the death of his brother-in-law.

“My brother-in-law was shot dead during the days of terrorism. The incident shook me and I committed myself to the welfare of the mankind,” he said.

A businessman by profession, Mudgal is also associated with Salaam Zindagi, an NGO that works for the cause of thalassaemic children.

He has a piece of advice for youngsters. “People should come forward to donate blood. This is the best kind of donation, which saves a precious life and brings smiles on someone’s face. A normal human being with good haemoglobin can donate blood every three months,” he says.

Ludhiana, July 27
Shahi Imam of Punjab Habib-ur-Rahman has termed communal violence in Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) as the most unfortunate incident. Terming it as an act of mischievous persons, he said certain forces had been out to weaken the strong bonds between the members of the two communities for decades.

Making a fervent appeal to people to maintain peace and communal amity, he said both the communities ought to respect the verdict of the court.

The Shahi Imam said incidents of communal violence and confrontation between the two minority communities in Hyderabad, Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir and now in Saharanpur in the past two months appeared to be part of a bigger conspiracy.

Laying the onus of safeguarding the rights of the minorities upon the majority community in India, he said the members of the two communities would do well to stand together and foil the evil designs of mischief-mongers, aimed at harming the unity and integrity of the country. — OC

Ludhiana, July 27
With the arrest of four persons, the city police have claimed to have busted a gang of highway robbers. The accused have been identified as Sandeep Singh, alias Sandy of Kapurthala, Arjan, alias Ajju, Judjejeet Singh, alias Kaja, and Khalara Singh, all residents of Ferozepur. They were nabbed at a vacant plot in the Dehlon area.

One of their accomplices, identified as Gursahib Singh of Sahnewal, escaped. The police have recovered two pistols, 18 cartridges, two sharp weapons and a car from their possession.

Ashok Kumar, Inspector of the CIA staff, said Sandeep Singh formed the gang in a jail and managed to broke out. They were planning to rob a luxury vehicle. — TNS

Mandi Ahmedgarh, July 27
On the occasion of World Hepatitis Day, social, educational and civic bodies of the area have launched a coordinated movement to educate people about the causes and consequences of the dreaded disease.

Seminars and screening camps were organised at various places as a part of the movement.

Addressing a gathering during a concluding session of a workshop organised jointly by the Hind Group of Medical Services and Students Organisation of India (SOI) at Jandali village near here, physicians led by Dr Sunit Hind and Dr Jyoti Kapoor said the hepatitis has emerged as a silent killer in the recent past.

Laying emphasis on the early detection and efficacious treatment of hepatitis, speakers said there were at least 400 million carriers of hepatitis virus in the sub-continent and if liver disorders were allowed to go unchecked, the virus would emerge as the worst killer among humans in years to come.

Appreciating enthusiasm shown by residents led by Sarpanch Avtar Singh Baba in donating blood on the occasion, Dr Jyoti Kapoor, a senior pathologist, said mandatory clinical tests will be performed on donated units of blood that would facilitate early detection of virus, if any.

Office-bearers of social organisations, led by Lalit Kaura and Dr Vikas Hind, president and secretary of Rotary Club, organised awareness camps at Victoria Senior Secondary School, Lehra, and MGMN Senior Secondary School.

In his keynote address, Dr Narinder Dhawan, chairman, medical wing of the club, said lack of public awareness was the major cause for a steep rise in cases of hepatitis C and hepatitis B.

Unexplained loss of appetite, weight and weakness were projected as warning indicators of the dreaded disease.

Educational institutions were the most effective means of spreading social messages. “No other method is as effective and prompt as educating students and inspiring them to disseminate the information,” said Dr Dhawan.

Volunteers of the Social Welfare Organisation, led by chairman Dr Rajinder Mittal and Tarsem Garg, organised interactive sessions at slum areas of the town and the surrounding localities. 

Ludhiana, July 27
Budding photographers went for a photo walk today morning. They learnt how to create stories out of the photographs and clicked pictures in the old part of the city, including Chaura Bazaar. The photo walk was a part of a two-day workshop.

Rajesh Sharma from Nikon India said, “The workshop is about learning about digital photography and the operations and features of digital SLR cameras. Yesterday, they were told about various aspects of digital photography and today they had a practical session.”

They were apprised of composition, framing, metering and the conceptual part of the pictures including the elements and capturing stories in the picture.

“For example, some of the photographers were taking pictures of the Clock Tower. In the morning, gutka wrappers were littered around it in the morning. So adding that element to the picture became a story itself. It told how many gutkas are sold around the tower in the morning,” said Sharma.

“An old person was cleaning a road outside a temple. With the temple in the background, the picture depicted the story of the man who cleans the area on a daily basis,” he added. The picture told a story of the temple and the man, said Sharma. Besides the conceptual part, the technical aspects of blurring the background, isolating the subject etc were also told to the photography enthusiasts, he added. 

Ludhiana, July 27
A meeting of members of Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan was held at the Circuit House today.

The members announced to start a year-long campaign for conservation of nature. The campaign has been titled ‘My earth, my responsibility’.

“The world stands face to face with the biggest environmental crisis, struggling with environmental issues such as water crisis, desertification, biodiversity extinction and worst of all climate change. We are on the verge of a complete devastation,” said Aditi Bharti from the organisation.

She said it is time for everyone to take their responsibility of saving environment.

Another member of the organisation said wrong actions by man has led to the present state of environmental crisis.

“There is a need for rebuilding nature-human relationship even with urban lifestyle. The organisation plans to take up projects of restoration, tree plantation, cleanliness drives, waste management and awareness generation under the campaign,” a member added.

The organisation is working on bovine conservation, gender aspects, education, health, drug abuse, disaster management and empowerment of prisoners and disabled, said a member of the organisation, adding that they will not leave any stone unturned to make the area a better place to live in. 

Ludhiana, July 27
High drama was witnessed outside Hero Dayanand Medical College Heart Institute after the condition of a 45-year-old heart patient, Ashok Kumar, worsened today.

Relatives and family members of the patient protested outside the hospital and also raised slogans against the management of the hospital.

The protest took a political turn when the area councillor also joined the protestors.

The patient was admitted to the hospital around 10-11 days ago for heart surgery.

The family of the patient said the surgery was performed for around Rs 2.85 lakh. Still the condition of the patient worsened today and the hospital was asking for more money for further treatment.

“On the one hand the hospital authorities are demanding more money from us for further treatment, while on the other they are saying that the condition of the patient is worsening. We were told that the treatment of the patient will cost around Rs 2 lakh. We have already deposited more money than that,” said wife of Ashok Kumar.

“The patient was put on ventilator before the surgery. Three arteries of the patient were blocked for which he was operated upon. The patient suffered heart and respiratory failure. We have been informing the family about the condition of the patient every day. We have already told the patient’s family that there were 50 per cent chances of his survival. Due to multiple organ failure, the response of the patient is slow. We never declared him dead and the treatment of the patient was never discontinued,” said Dr Rajeev Gupta, senior consultant at Hero Heart DMC Institute.

Area councillor Gurpreet Gogi, who joined the protestors, said the family of the patient want their money back because the patient has not recovered as promised by the hospital authorities.

“After holding talks with the management, it was decided that the treatment of the patient will continue. The cost of the further treatment of the patient will be borne by the hospital authorities,” said Gogi.

Ludhiana, July 27
A play, “Bhamashah”, was staged at Guru Nanak Bhawan yesterday evening. It was organised by the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO).

The play was about a businessman and the patriot of his time, Bhamashah, who used to reside in Mewar, a princely state. He, along with his friend Maharana Pratap, was able to keep Akbar away from conquering Mewar.

The role of Bhamashah was performed by Bollywood and television actor Dayashankar Pandey.

“Bhamashah inspired Rana Pratap, Rajput, to keep up his fight against Akbar as both of them believed that the conquest by Akbar was the danger to the culture and religious freedom of people of India,” said Manoj Shad, director of the play.

The play, which lasted for more than two hours, had a 27-member crew that came to the city from Mumbai, he said. 

Ludhiana, July 27
The second day of the 11th Comprehensive Critical Care Course (4c) concluded with lectures on “hypokalemia and hyperkalemia” by Dr Rajesh Chawla. It was followed by lectures on “Nutrition” by Dr Amit Mandal and “Infection Control” by Dr Rajesh Mahajan. The course was organised by the Punjab Chapter of the Indian Studies of Critical Care Medicine (ISCCM), along with the Department of Medicine, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital.

In his lecture, Dr Mahajan said infection prevention and control measures aim at ensuring the protection of those who might be vulnerable to acquiring an infection both in the general community and while receiving care due to health problems, in a range of settings. The basic principle of infection prevention and control is hygiene.

Dr Shivakumar Iyer covered topics on “acute renal failure” and “sepsis & septic shock”. Dr Prashant Nasa spoke on ‘obstetrics emergencies in ICU’ and head and spinal injuries.

Guest speakers delivered lectures on stroke (CVA), pulmonary embolism, radiology/ ultrasound in ICU, hemodynamic monitoring and trauma.

Organising secretary Dr Rajesh Mahajan proposed a vote of thanks to all guest speakers and participating delegates.

In his valedictory message, Dr Rajesh Mahajana said: “In order to improve critical care services in medical colleges and other tertiary care hospitals, it is necessary to ensure that patients, who require intensive monitoring, should have ready access to critical care.”

Ludhiana, July 27
Members of the Valmiki Sewa Sangh held a protest rally in favour of striking students of the College of Fisheries of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences Unviersity (GADVASU).

They, along with the students, held banners and raised slogans against the government on the Ferozepur Road.

Bablu Anarya from the organisation said the students had been sitting on strike for the past about 45 days, but neither the government nor the university authorities were paying heed to their demands.

He said the demands of the students must be met and they should be given government jobs.

Bablu said if the demands of the students were not met in a few days, the members of the organisation would gherao the DC office and hold a protest there.

Ludhiana, July 27
Noble Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, celebrated Teej festival with students of Ma Sharda Vidyapeeth (being run by the NGO) in the Daulat Colony branch on Saturday.

Radhika Jetwani, Rupila Mohini, Neha Verma, Sangeeta, Rakesh Verma were among the dignitaries present on the occasion. The students, who came dressed in colourful attires, performed giddha and bhangra.

Rekha, a student of the school, delivered a lecture on the importance of the festival.

Children enjoyed swings on the occasion. Staff members, including Minakshi Sharma, Pawani Sharma, Sharda Koundal, Urmila Behki, Neha Sharma, Pinky Choubey, Pinky Kumari, Komal, Isha, and Rajinder Sharma chairman of the Noble 
Foundation Trust, were also present.

Ludhiana, July 27
“England as a state, as it is today, is the result of revolutionary literary works of Charles Dickens,” said Prof KBS Sodhi.

Pen, as it is known, is mightier than sword and the works of writers of English should also grapple with social concerns and issues,” he said. He was speaking during the first meeting of the English literature enthusiasts and professors for the formation of a forum for English literature writers. Fourteen professors and writers of English gathered today with the aim of creating a forum for English literary writers.

He said writers of English should not confine themselves to ‘ivory towers’, but should be at the forefront of changing the mindset of society for its betterment. To check evils like drug addiction, libraries should be built in every locality.

Dr TS Anand said: “Starting a forum was only one part, but they need to work out the ways to make it self-sustaining”. — TNS

Ludhiana, July 27
Students presented their creations after the conclusion of a summer camp, “Arty Crafty Summer Party”, which concluded at Artistry Studio today. The students said they were elated to have learnt several things during the summer camp.

Soumya, a student said, she learnt T-shirt painting and textured painting, while Shupra, another student, said she enjoyed frame-making during the camp.

Sukoon, another participant, said she learnt chocolate-making and oil painting during the camp.

The children said they had fun while learning art and craft. Charvi said she enjoyed making photo frames and several new things during the 10-day camp.

Razapaul Singh said he learnt painting with other children during the camp. Samarth said he also enjoyed learning new things during the camp.

Kanika Dhanda from the studio said students were taught a variety of things during the camp. The students learnt making lamp shades, painting, T-shirt painting, chocolate-making, apart from other art and craft things.

Ludhiana, July 27
Officials of Education Department conducted a surprise check at various schools of the district. The officials found two employees reaching school late and one employee absent from duty on Saturday.

Today, Deputy District Education Officer Dr Charanjit Singh revealed the information regarding the checking.

According to information, a team led by Dr Charanjit Singh visited Government Middle School, Sherian; Government Primary School, Sherian; Government Middle School, Chakli Manga; Government Primary School, Chakli Manga; Government Senior Secondary School, Lubangarh; and Government Primary School, Lubangarh.

The team comprising Gurmeet Singh Bawa, Gurpreet Singh and Gurvinder Singh found two teachers reaching late to Government Middle School, Sherian, and one employee absent at Government Primary School, Sherian.

Dr Charanjit Singh said the schools were not keeping the fire-control equipment as per the norms. They were kept away from the busy areas of the schools. Fire buckets were found empty and fire extinguisher were not filled on the time. Some schools have kept the broken furniture in store rooms.

“We have issued instructions to the schools to refill fire extinguishers and maintain the store rooms,” said Dr Charanjit Singh, Deputy District Education Officer.

Ludhiana, July 27
Renowned Hindi author and educationist Dr Gian Singh passed away following a cardiac failure today. He was 75.

He had a distinguished career with a number of achievements to his credit. International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, had conferred the ‘Scholar of the Century’ award on him 2000, and accredited his works in the Dictionary of International Biography.

He also won an award for his play “Kath Ke Ghore”. He had also won national awards for his works “Mrig Trishna and Soona Ambar”. He got an award from the Delhi Government for his Hindi play, “Katha Ek Mushandar Ki”. He had won 12 international and national awards. He was also an astrologer and had presented research papers in astrology. He has also presented several research papers in the US, Canada, Nepal, etc.

He had served as the principal of SCD Government College. He had also served as principals of Mahindra College, Patiala, and Sports College, Jalandhar.

He had more than 70 books to his credit of which 20 were novels. He also served as the president of the UNESCO Club of Punjab. He was also a playwright and used to direct plays as well.

A beggar being picked up by officials while others await alms outside Shri Durga Mata Mandir, Jagraon Bridge. Tribune photos: Himanshu Mahajan and Inderjeet verma

Ludhiana, July 27
The district administration’s drive to rehabilitate beggars has failed to yield good results. Every fortnight, officials pick up beggars and send them to shelter homes. Still, their number is on the rise in the city. They are seen in every nook and cranny. On seeing the officials, they flee.

Two days ago, the Municipal Corporation and the police picked up six beggars following the directions of a senior official.

The situation is back to square one. The beggars have again started troubling commuters.

The administration has conducted four raids and has shifted more than 100 beggars to the MC’s shelter home so far. The officials got drug addicts admitted to the de-addiction centre of Lord Mahavir Civil Hospital, Ludhiana.

The beggars are often spotted near temples, roundabouts, traffic lights and hangouts. Residents should also do their bit. They should not give money to the beggars.

During a raid, a beggar asked an official: “Why are you picking us up. Why don’t you act against those who give us alms?” The residents also keep looking for paupers outside religious places.

In the past two months, the district administration has held a few meetings with some NGOs to check beggary, but nothing concrete has been done.

Rajat Aggarwal, Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, said, “We are putting in efforts. Recently, a few officials were transferred and we had to put off the second phase of the campaign. We will rope in students of classes IX and XI. Awareness will be created. Youths can also join us. Temple committees will be asked to discourage devotees from giving money to the beggars. The committees will be asked to organise langars.

Only one member of the temple committees attended the last meeting. The DC said: “We will inform all committee members about the meeting this time. We will also ask them to spread awareness and put up boards displaying “Begging Is a Curse and Crime”.”

He said beggary was an evil and that they needed time to eradicate it.

Shivram Saroy, founder, Ann Jal Sewa Trust, said: “We have urged the district administration to let us organise langars in a park near Shri Durga Mata Mandir. We will counsel the beggars and motivate them to work. This way, we will be able to resolve the problem to some extent.”

Sharma said: “The administration should seek help from the NGOs. Volunteers can take care of beggars at the shelter homes. The beggars should learn to make candles and envelops. Meditation will be of great help. They should be given a chance to start afresh.”

A beggar outside a temple said: “Every day, I get to eat sumptuous dishes. It’s heaven here. I don’t have to earn. This reminds one of Sufi poet Waris Shah’s couplet “Waris Shas; na aadtaan jaandiyan ne, bhavein katiye poriyan poriyan ji” (a man never abandons his habits, even if he is hacked to pieces).” The beggars, who are sent to the MC’s shelter home at Hambran Road, are counselled. “

Radhika Jaitwani, a city-based social activist, said, “We have joined hands with the administration to check beggary. If need be, we will send counsellors.”

She said she was also creating awareness, adding that the temples should provide food to the needy twice a day. If people make up their mind not to give in to the exploitation of emotional or religious sentiments by the beggars, it will act as an effective measure against the menace.

The Punjab Police and the Municipal Corporation have put up a board reading “Please do not encourage beggars. If you do so, Ludhiana will turn into a city of beggars within three years” at Bhai Bala Chowk. The Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, has also instructed officials to lodge an FIR against the beggars. He said: “The beggars who are let off do not leave the bad habit. Such beggars should be dealt with sternly.” The administration keeps sending the beggars to the shelter homes, but its efforts prove futile as the practice continues. An official said: “They operate at the behest of some well-connected people.The DC said: “The officials are keeping a check on them.”

MC officials said anti-beggary drives were launched earlier as well, but habitual beggars returned to their respective places a day or so after having been picked up and sent to shelter homes. 

Ludhiana, July 27
Leprosy continues to haunt the government. Those affected by the disease face social stigma and discrimination. Lack of awareness regarding the free treatment 
provided by the government becomes another major issue. Some patients continue to shell out money at private hospitals while others remain without medication.

From April 2014 to to date (four months), 42 new cases of leprosy have surfaced. Although the department claimed that the disease was under control, still new cases were pouring in every month.

Sachin from Kheri Chameri village, said he did not know that the government was providing free treatment.

Not only Sachin, but his two brothers are also suffering from the disease and lost their mother last week who was also suffering from the dreaded disease.

“My mother was the first one to get infected. I went to a private hospital, but the cost of treatment was too high and out of my reach,” added Vinod, younger brother of Sachin.

Dr Sangeeta Singh, district leprosy officer, said the department was taking steps to help those suffering from leprosy. “Only 42 new cases have surfaced from April 2104 to date,” she said.

“We have teams of experts that go to villages and create awareness. The most important part that needs to be looked after in this case is “social stigma” associated with the disease. We hold camps and also distribute literature among the villagers,” she added.

She said “Since ASHA workers are regularly in touch with the villagers, we are also involving them under the project,” said Dr Sangeeta.

“People in rural areas do not even know that free treatment is available,” she added.

Another patient said although the government claimed that leprosy had been cured in the country, still many people were undergoing treatment for the same.

Ludhiana, July 27
Around 29 patients were examined at a camp in Parkash Nagar today. Of them, 14 were diagnosed with diarrhoea. Two patients were from Parkash Nagar while the remaining were from Jawwadi Khurd, Jawwadi Kalan, Punjabi Bagh, Punjab Mata Nagar and adjoining areas.

“No patient was admitted today. Around 410 houses were surveyed, covering a population of 2,050. Seven group meetings were held. As many as 122 ORS packets, 225 tablets of chlorine and pamphlets were distributed,” said Dr Anil Verma, District Epidimologist.

Ludhiana, July 27
Government employees are a harried lot. They have been bearing fuel and other expenses for the past six months. Fed up with the apathetic attitude of the Punjab Government, they said it had become difficult for them to make both ends meet.

A government official said, “Reimbursement seems a distant dream.”

Another official said, “I spend Rs 80 to Rs 90 on tea which is served to visitors. One of my colleague’s pays the electricity. Phone bills have not been cleared for the past two months.”

An employee said, “I have stopped offering tea to the visitors. I no longer spend on stationary items. Why should I empty my pocket when the authorities are not concerned about us?”

An official said, “We cannot expect anything from a bankrupt government.”

District Treasury Officer Rashpal Singh said, “The bills are yet to be cleared. We are awaiting the higher officials’ nod.”

Ludhiana, July 27
Rift in the district unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to the fore today when AAP leader Harinder Singh Khalsa issued a statement that some “unruly elements” were claiming to be representatives of the AAP in Ludhiana. The fissures within the party became even more evident when a section of AAP workers and volunteers organised a meeting in which they condemned the ‘dictatorial’ attitude of the AAP high command, including the party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

The meeting, in which former DGP Shashikant was also present, passed a resolution condemning the party’s practice of allotting tickets to “parachute candidates”. The group that has christened itself as the Aam Aadmi Action Group (AAAG) alleged that Kejriwal had deviated from the party’s original objective. The members of AAAG said if the AAP volunteers who had worked “tirelessly for one-and-a-half years” in Punjab were not given their due, they would dissociate themselves from the party and form their own political party.

“If the AAP runs like other established political parties, what is the point in claiming that it’s a party that is different? We’ll wait till July 31 for the party to rectify ‘unfairness’ to the party volunteers who were instrumental in scripting victory for the party in four Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab,” said Amit Goyal, former convener of the district unit of the party.

Meanwhile, Fatehgarh Sahib MP Harinder Singh Khalsa today said some “unruly elements” were trying to deceive the people of Ludhiana by saying that they had been authorised by the AAP high command to create teams at all levels in the district. “The people are using the name of the party to invite the public to functions and meetings and also issuing identity cards to the public,” said Khalsa.

Stating that strict legal action would be taken against such persons, Khalsa said such a “misuse” of the party’s name was wrong and fraudulent. “Such activities will be considered anti-party activities,” he added.

According to a recent announcement made by the AAP’s central leadership, an eight-member working committee for Punjab has been announced. Also, a 47-member State Organising Committee has been formed in which in-charges for 22 districts have been announced. Khalsa said all existing executive committees had been dissolved in the state.

“The newly-announced committee members have been given the responsibility of making booth-level teams all over the state. Except these, no other person all over the state has been given any right or responsibility. If any person claims that they have been authorised to make organisational teams or call meetings of the party or collect any funds in the party’s name, it is totally false.”

Ludhiana, July 27
Robbers posing as auto drivers have been targeting innocent persons in 
the city.

Complainant Sandhya Devi, a resident of Hargobind Nagar, told the police that she had gone to the Army canteen to buy ration. She hired an auto from Durga Mata Mandir near Jagraon Bridge. When the auto reached Bharat Nagar Chowk, a person sitting next to the driver, stole her purse containing Rs 1,400, a military card and other important documents.