Amritsar, November 18
Suraj (17), a resident of the Court Road area, was kidnapped by notorious criminals here this evening when was at an eatery stall at the district shopping complex in the Ranjit Avenue area here today. The miscreants demanded Rs 5 lakh ransom from his father, Satpal, who runs the stall. However, within hours of his kidnapping, the police managed to rescue him.

Immediately after getting the information, the city police took action and sealed the entry and exit points of the city in order to rescue the kidnapped boy. The accused were later identified as Mandeep Singh, alias Marinda, and Kalyan, alias Daddu. The police raided their homes and took their family members into custody for investigations.

The accused later left Suraj near the Putlighar area.

While giving details, Nishan Singh, investigating officer in the case, said Suraj is a student of plus one and after his school, he used to help his father at the eatery stall. Today, his father had gone to Tarn Taran for some work and Suraj alone was present at the stall. He said Marinda and Daddu came to the stall and took him towards Ajit Randhawa hospital. They took out their weapons and asked him to connect to his father on phone. They sought a ransom of Rs 5 lakh from his father while threatening to kill Suraj if he failed to give the money. Satpal informed the control room, which flashed the message to the Civil Lines police.

Nishan Singh said immediately police teams were despatched in various directions. They later came to know that the whole incident was perpetrated by Marinda and Daddu, who were already wanted by the police in around 15 different cases. They were accompanied by three other unidentified persons. After the police raided their houses, the accused left him near the Putlighar area and ran away.

The Civil Lines police have registered a case under Sections 364 and 120-B, IPC, against five persons. The boy was later handed over to the family members in the presence of senior police officials.

Amritsar, November 18
A few unidentified persons allegedly tried to kidnap a 17-year-old boy at gun point, when he was going to a tuition centre. However, when the kidnappers came to know about the humble background of the victim, they let him go after robbing him of his mobile and some cash. Though the incident occurred a couple of days ago, the police was yet to register a case in this connection. Incidentally, the whole episode was captured on a CCTV camera fitted in a residential complex, located near the spot.

In his complaint, Sanjiv Kapoor, a resident of Putlighar area, stated to the police that his son, Vansh Kapoor, a Class XII student, used to go for tuitions near his house daily. On Saturday evening, when he was going for tuitions, a few person armed with pistol forced him to sit on a motorcycle and threatened to kill him. They took him to a secluded place, where they snatched his mobile and started inquiring about his family. Vansh told them that his father used to sell different types of forms outside the DTO office for earning his livings and he belonged to a modest family. Meanwhile, on seeing a couple of youths passing through the area Vansh raised an alarm. Following this, the accused fled from the spot leaving him behind. The youth immediately informed the Cantonment police. The police said the matter was under investigation.

Amritsar, November 18
A Nigerian jail inmate, who died during his stay at the Amritsar Central Jail due to illness, was finally buried on the jail premises yesterday.

Identified as John Hussain Baba Punde (57), he was a resident of Kano State, North-Western Nigeria.

He was lodged in the Amritsar jail as an internee around four months ago after he completed his sentence at Chandigarh’s Burail jail, awarded in two cases. One was about his illegal stay in India while defying section 14 of the Foreign Act and another case pertained to his involvement in drug trafficking under the NDPS Act.

John was a chronic case of tuberculosis. He was also admitted to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital for treatment, but could not survive.

It has been learnt that his body had to be preserved for 42 days in the mortuary at Tarn Taran for want of mandatory clearance from the Nigerian Government before releasing it.

Nonetheless, getting no response from either the Ministry of Home or External Affairs, Jail Superintendent RK Sharma had to personally approach the Office of High Commission, Nigeria, in New Delhi to procure the NoC (no objection certificate).

It is learnt that the Nigerian Government had conveyed that since John had no family or guardian in Nigeria, who could claim his body, it should be disposed of at the jail’s end.

Meanwhile, according to the jail manual, a chunk of land has been spared along the boundary wall, to be used for cremation or burial (as the rituals demand) of those inmates who die during their jail term and have no one outside to perform their last rites.

Amritsar, November 18
In a shocking incident, a migrant identified as Rahul, a resident of Mustafabad, allegedly tried to rape a four-year-old girl late last evening. The Sadar police have registered a case under Sections 376 and 511, IPC, against the culprit, who originally hails from Uttar Pradesh.

The mother of the victim, a resident of the Sundar Nagar locality, stated to the police that the accused took her daughter on the rooftop of the house on some false pretext and committed the crime.

The police authorities said they were trying to arrest the culprit, who was missing since the incident.

Amritsar, November 18
A teenage girl, Rajbir Kaur, a resident of New Azad Nagar on 100-feet road, allegedly committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance.

However, the police were yet to ascertain the reason as to why she took the extreme step of ending her life. The police have initiated action under Section 174 of the CrPC.

Police authorities said, according to her family members, the victim was plus two pass and had left her studies. Last evening, when the family members went to her room on the upper floor of the house, they found her vomiting. She was rushed to a hospital, where she died.

Amritsar, November 18
A three-year-old girl lost her life after she was hit by a speeding car near the Gumtala bypass here this evening. The deceased was identified as Parul, who was playing by the roadside.

After the incident, the car collided with a stationary tractor-trolley, carrying crop stubble. The unidentified driver of the car slipped away from the spot leaving the car behind. The police have initiated action against the car driver.

According to information, a slum area of the Gujjar community was located near the bypass. Makhan, father of the deceased, said that Parul was playing on the roadside near a trolley laden with crop stubble in the evening. He said a car numbering PB-02-BV-4141, coming from the Attari side, crushed his daughter and collided with the trolley. Before people could reach there, the car driver escaped.

The police authorities said investigations were under progress to identify the owner of the car and a case was being registered against the culprit.

Meanwhile, in another road mishap near the Vallah vegetable market, Ajaypal Singh of Partap Avenue was killed after a speeding truck hit his motorcycle. He died on the spot. Surajdeep Singh, an eyewitness and his friend, stated to the police that they had gone to Focal Industrial Point on Mehta Road and had reached the vegetable market when the truck hit his motorcycle.

Amritsar, November 18
After around one and a half months of lull, the women’s gang, which used to rob elderly people, especially women, has struck again.

This time they targeted a woman, who was accompanying her husband to the Putlighar side. The incident occurred just a few metres from the Cantonment police station. Interestingly, traffic policemen are also there near the spot. However, the car-borne accused managed to flee from the scene. The Islamabad police have registered a case in this regard.

Kavita Sareen, wife of Surinder Sareen, told the police that sitting pillion to her husband, she was going towards the Putlighar side when a woman travelling in a car signalled them to stop. The woman told the victim that her mother was known to her and wanted to see her. She said being old-aged, she cannot come out of the car and urged her to come closer, following which the victim went to the car. She alleged the accused secretly cut two gold bangles from her hands when she was talking to them. She noticed this when they were cleverly cutting her third gold bangle. She immediately raised the alarm, but before anybody could understand, the accused pushed her aside and sped away in their car.

In a similar instance, another local resident, Dharampal, was robbed by the same gang members when he was going to his shop on foot. The accused made him sit in the car by saying that their relatives were waiting on the next chowk. He told the police that when he sat in the car, the accused women took out a gold kara from his hand. He said when the car stopped near Gate Hakima, he jumped out of the car and reported the matter to the police.

Police Commissioner Jatinder Singh Aulakh said they were trying to arrest the culprits. He said a similar gang was arrested by the Malerkotla police and they were enquiring from other police districts also. He said the police was yet to ascertain that the same gang robbed Dharampal and investigations were under progress.

The police have registered separate cases in this connection while no arrest has been made so far. Earlier, too, similar incidents were reported in the city. The police had even released two sketches of two suspect women, but no breakthrough was made in the case so far.

Amritsar, November 18
Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Sumedh Singh Saini, has directed the police to resume their crackdown on remaining drug peddlers and rid the holy city from the menace of drug abuse. This was stated by the DGP, who was on a private visit here yesterday.

Though there were official meetings, he reportedly directed senior police officials to leave no stone unturned to wipe out the illegal drug trade. In a recent state-wide crackdown, the police have arrested hundreds of drug peddlers.

However, the police had to face criticism as experts and a section of society had termed it as mere eyewash by arresting people, who consumed drugs while leaving the big fishes out.

Police officials claim to have busted the network of drug peddlers thus bringing down trafficking considerablyin the city.

Following the instructions of the DGP, the city police yesterday conducted a series of meeting to chalk out further course of action. Police Commissioner Jatinder Singh Aulkah asked officials to keep a check on movements of drug peddlers, who came out on bail and also on new recruits in the illegal trade.

According to available data, the police had arrested as many as 1,172 persons in 1,007 cases registered so far in 2014. This figure is much higher than the 903 culprits nabbed in 758 cases in 2013.

This year the police have confiscated a 26 kg of heroin till now, which was just 7 kg last year. The seizure of narcotic powder has also doubled this year. Last year the police seized 36 kg of intoxicant powder while this year it has recovered 89 kg.

However, the quantity of smack (76gm), opium (1.7 kg), Charas (7.2 kg) seized this year has decreased. Last year, the police confiscated 1.25 kg of smack, 3.88 kg of opium and 16 kg of Charas. The police have seized 73 kg of poppy husk this year, which is more than double the quantity seized previous year (30 kg).

When contacted, Aulakh said drug trafficking could not be tolerated and it had to be stopped at any cost. “We are ready with our plans and no one will be allowed to indulge in acts like drug trafficking,” he added.

Amritsar, November 17
From now onwards, applicants will have the choice to file the proforma, pertaining to any official work associated with the Municipal Town Planning Department, in Punjabi language. Earlier, there was only one option of filling the forms, in English language.

These directions were issued by MC Commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal today.

To oversee the working of the department, Sabharwal had paid a surprise visit to the office of the Municipal Town Planning Department, which allegedly remains in the news for wrong reasons.

The applicants did not complain about any hardship in getting their work done, but demanded that the application proforma should be printed in Punjabi language, too.

To find a way out, Sabharwal issued directions on the spot that the application forms filled in Punjabi language, too, would be accepted.

Sabharwal interacted with the applicants and asked them if they had to pay bribe to get the NoC (no- objection certificate) against their building proposals from the department.

He said since October 30, the process of issuing NoCs was on. The department had received 2,608 applications, out of which 2,140 had been issued the requisite NoCs till date.

Amritsar, November 18
An inspiration for India’s top police officers, Kiran Bedi, the first woman IPS officer, released her book “Kiran Bedi - Making of a Super Cop” in Amritsar, here today. Bedi chose her alma mater, Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, to release the book that charts down her journey from a determined young girl in Amritsar to becoming India’s super cop. This is a third book on the life of the super cop, whose biographies include “I Dare: Kiran Bedi” by Parmesh Dangwal and Kiran Bedi and “The Kindly Baton” by Meenakshi Saxena.

The book is an illustration, with pictures of Bedi’s childhood to her days in service. It is one of the few graphical biographies and has a storybook format. “The idea for the book was conceived by my sister, late Rita Peshawaria Menon, who wanted to share the story of my life with youngsters. It contains pictures of my days spent in the city as a child, as a student and my family pictures,” said Bedi. The book will be published in 16 different languages and has been edited by Amrita Behl, Bedi’s god daughter. Currently, the book is available in Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati and English. The book has been published by Diamond Publications and will be available at Rs 50. The price has been kept nominal price aiming maximum reach out as Bedi is a role model for many.

The book is close to her heart as it contains pictures of her father, who was a big inspiration and the reason behind her making. Her father groomed her since the age of seven, motivating her to do big in life. “He was an avid reader. He used to write inspirational quotes from books he read on walls of the house to inspire us. He groomed us to achieve our targets,” said Bedi. A written account, pictures of Kiran Bedi’s achievements as a sportsperson, her win in Asian Lawn Tennis Championship in 1972 and her teaching days before becoming a cop are some of the highlights of the book. She considers it a pictorial memoir of her life’s most significant moments that defined her existence.

Her days as a cop, while training as an IPS officer and later her experiences as India’s first woman IPS officer, are detailed through pictures and texts. The family pictures of Bedi with her husband Brij Bedi, daughter Saina Barucha and son-in-law Ruzbeh Bharucha, a well known writer, present the other side of the a tough cop. The illustrations in the book comprise of line drawings and sketches along with some pictures provided by Bedi’s personal archives. Dedicating the book to her sister Rita, she said proceeds from the sales will go to the Rita Peshawaria Menon Fellowship on autism. Bedi also supports Citizen Forum Vidyamandir, an NGO, that helps in the education of over 600 underprivileged children in Amritsar, apart from two other NGO’s.

Amritsar, November 18
Local Congress leader Karamjit Singh Rintu has demanded that Cabinet Minister Anil Joshi should resign on moral grounds. Rintu had unsuccessfully contested Assembly elections against Joshi.

While addressing a public meeting at Preet Nagar, Rintu said, “The area residents are perturbed over rise in use of drugs among youth. The local MLA and Cabinet Minister Anil Joshi is not bothered about the menace.”

He said earlier the SAD had demanded Joshi’s resignation while asking for a Vigilance inquiry. Rintu alleged that Joshi was flouting rules with impunity and the BJP high command must take notice of it. He said many localities in Amritsar North constituency were under the influence of drugs and action should be initiated to stop their supply.

Rintu said students of Chintpurni Medical College had stayed on roads to demand their shifting to other colleges, but Joshi as Research and Medical Education Minister had failed to help them. He also accused Joshi of using Local Bodies Department for his personal gains.

Amritsar, November 18
With the Bhagtanwala dump yard row refusing to die down, the Municipal Corporation (MC) is facing a tough task in dumping 600 tonne of waste generated in the city every day.

Heaps of garbage at Bhagtanwala dump yard in Amritsar on Tuesday. Photo: Vishal Kumar

The situation got worse after the Chabaal road residents too protested the MC’s move to dump garbage at a site located near CKD International Nursing College. The residents of Chheharta, near Naraingarh, also followed the suit.

The Akali Dal is now advocating the need for having a separate dump yard for every constituency located away from the populance. There are five urban Assembly segments in the city, including North, East, West, South and Central. The Akali Dal has announced to bring a resolution in the upcoming MC’s House meeting soon.

Mayor Bakshi Ram Arora said the sites had almost been finalised and process to obtain the NoC from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to use them as dump yard had been initiated.

Though it would be a temporary arrangement, the permanent solution to lift and dispose off the city garbage was the establishment of the solid waste management plant with a suitable capacity.

The MC had engaged a private company, which collected garbage from door-to-door (the first phase of proposed solid waste management plant) between 2008 and 2012.

Later, the company withdrew its infrastructure due to non-payment of its dues by the MC, which amounted to Rs 1.5 crore.

The then MP Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife, CPS Najot Kaur Sidhu, had filed a petition in the High Court demanding setting up of a solid waste management plant in the holy city, but it yielded no result.

In spite of getting a green signal from the High Court in July 2013, the government’s lackadaisical approach too did not let the plant become a reality till date. Though tenders were floated a numerous time, none of the firms was ready to take up the job.

Arora said after the protest by the residents of several localities it was unanimously decided that instead of a single dump yard five sites should be assigned in each of the five constituencies, which could be used for dumping garbage of the respective constituency.

“The clearance from the pollution board is necessary as was done in the case of Bhagtanwala dump yard. We have applied for the same for the new dump sites. As soon as we get a nod, we will start utilising the designated places as dump yards. This will be a stopgap arrangement till we finalise the establishment of solid waste management plant,” he added.

Amritsar, November 18
Spring Dale Senior School organised “Zenith 2014” to honour its students, who excelled last year in various examinations. The function was also attended by ex-students. Director and managing trustee of the school, Sahiljit Singh Sandhu, said around 200 students were felicitated on the occasion.

He made special mention of 25 students, who had secured admissions in universities and colleges in India and abroad after clearing international-level exams and various other selection criteria.

He said 15 school students had secured national and state-level ranks in various Olympiads. He also lauded the role of teachers for imparting value-based education.

Principal, Spring Dale Senior School, Rajiv Kumar Sharma, said the school realised its responsibility of keeping its educators acquainted with the latest developments in pedagogy. “This is achieved by holding regular workshops and training programmes for teachers,” he added.