Ludhiana, November 28
Ten persons arrested by the Patiala police for the murder of the father-in-law of Ludhiana MLA Simarjeet Singh Bains turned out to be members of the Kala Kachha gang.

The police said the gang members had given their detailed statement.

They said in December 2011, while looking for a hideout, they boarded a Jalandhar-bound bus.

They sat atop the roof, thinking that if the police stopped the bus for checking, they would manage to escape.

When the bus reached Ladhowal, they spotted the sprawling bungalow of Sohan Singh Lambardar. As the bungalow was located outside the village, they decided to commit a robbery.

They spent the next few days doing a recce. They kept an eye on Sohan Singh Lambardar and his domestic helps. On December 22, they spent the entire day making weapons of tree branches. At midnight, they entered the house and killed Sohan Singh Lambardar.

Apart from stealing Rs 1.5 lakh in cash and gold ornaments worth lakhs, the accused also took away Lambardar’s double-barrel gun.

Sources said police officers, who were thinking that the gang members would have been behind robberies and hurting people, were shocked to learn that the accused had committed a robbery in a bungalow located in Ladhowal and killed the owner of the house.

It is learnt that the Patiala police had recently taken some of the gang members to the city for identifying the bungalow.

The accused were taken to the places where they had reportedly sold the stolen items.

Besides the murder of Sohan Singh Lambardar, father-in-law of Ludhiana MLA Simarjeet Singh Bains, at his house in Noorpur village on December 23, 2011, the gang members identified as Guddu Nath, Suraj, alias Taufiq, Chand, Dhola, alias Vishal, Sewak, Pilla, Rohit, alias Makkho, alias Ranjit, Dilbar, Husan and Mota, alias Gufran were behind several other robberies.

Ludhiana, November 28
A Delhi based woman, who was booked for theft after she had fled the house of her groom with cash, ornaments and costly valuables, has got a rape case registered against her husband and seven others.

The police have booked Jasbir Singh (the groom), his deserted wife Kulwinder Kaur, his father Mahinder Singh and four other family members on the victim’s complaint.

The woman stated that the accused, Jasbir Singh, a resident of Labour Colony at Gill Road, developed physical relations with her against her wishes.

Following frequent quarrels, Jasbir and his first wife Kulwinder Kaur parted ways.

Sources said the victim met Jasbir through a social networking website and both decided to get married. On June 24 last year, the couple tied the knot near Arora Cinema.

While Jasbir claimed that his wife allegedly fled with gold ornaments and cash on the wedding night, the woman had a different story to tell.

She said post-marriage, the accused told her that he would take her to Patiala.

The sources said soon after the marriage, the couple started fighting over petty issues. The victim alleged that the accused raped her. She said she was living in Delhi and the couple had filed several cases against each other. Balwinder Singh, SHO, Shimlapuri, said the woman had filed a complaint in Delhi. He said they had registered a case under Section 376 and were probing the matter.

Ludhiana, November 28
The police have booked a school principal for raping a schoolteacher. The accused has been identified as Nand Kishore, principal of HVM School at Khokha Market. Investigating officer Dilbag Singh said the accused was running a school for slum children and the 17-year-old victim was a teacher there.

The accused developed physical relations with her and the two got married on November 21. When Nand Kishore refused to take the girl home, she reported the matter to the police and got the case registered. 

Ludhiana, November 28
The Health Department has chargesheeted District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Abnash Kumar for accepting Diwali gifts last year.

The DHO has been given 21 days’ time to submit his reply. The official was caught accepting gifts during a sting operation. On the issue, the DHO said, “I had placed an order and a sweetmeat shop owner had come to deliver it.”

He said three inquiries had already been conducted by the department. “I had got a clean chit. Still, I will file my reply,” he said. The Director, Health and Family Welfare, had submitted a report after probing the matter.

Ludhiana, November 28
Getting children admitted to good schools has become a gruelling task for parents.

They are leaving no stone unturned to get their children admitted to prestigious institutions.

While some are making rounds of different schools, others are approaching politicians and senior administrative officials.

An MLA said he got five to six calls a day from parents “I don’t say no to them, but it is not possible for me to get all children admitted to schools of their parents’ choice. They keep sending me the details of their wards and my inbox has quite a few of these messages now,” he said.

Frenzied about getting their children admitted to good schools, they do not even mind bribing the authorities. Even officials of the district administration are being approached unabashedly by industrialists and acquaintances.

A senior administrative official said: “The parents are so desperate that they want him to even threaten the school authorities if they don’t admit the children.”

The prestigious schools receive the number of applications that outnumber the seats available. The number of applications comes to the tune of being six times the number of seats.

“Getting children admitted to a good school has become a tremendous grind these days,” said Rumit Sharma, a parent. “We have applied in four to five schools and even given interviews, but it is tough. So we had no option, but to seek help from influential persons,” he added.

Ludhiana, November 28
From drinking dirty water to swallowing spoons, drug addicts are adopting all possible measures to get out of drug de-addiction and rehabilitation centres.

It is learnt that most of the centres lack counsellors, adequate infrastructure and medical care.

The recent case that has come to light is of a 25-year-old youth, who ingested spoons, glass pieces and door holders in his desperation to get out of the de-addiction centre.

He started doing drugs five years ago and his family admitted him to the rehab recently. He was admitted in a critical condition with extremely high serum creatinine levels and renal failure. After conducting multiple endoscopies, Dr Nitin Behl, senior consultant, gastroenterology, Fortis Hospital, took out as many as 60 foreign bodies from his stomach.He did this in a fit of rage to somehow escape the rehabilitation centre and even confessed this before doctors while undergoing treatment. “The man ingested a bracelet, glass pieces, door holders, spoons and iron nuts to get rid of the rehabilitation centre. I am happy that we were able to save the patient,” said Dr Nitin Behl.

Dr Ajay Pal Sandhu, consultant psychiatry, Fortis Hospital, said, “He was not psychologically counselled at the rehabilitation centre. Such cases are rare, but once they come to light, the focus shifts to preparedness of the state medical authorities to tackle them. There should be proper counselling sessions at the de-addiction centres and patients should be under constant supervision. Only then can such cases be prevented in future.”

Dr Rajeev Gupta, a city based psychiatrist and president of the Manas Foundation, said it was one of the extreme cases where the addict swallowed spoons and other objects.

“Drug addicts drink dirty water from the drain just to escape from the centres,” said Dr Gupta.

“The drug de-addiction centres do not have counsellors and other facilities due to which the inmates are forced to take such steps,” added Dr Gupta.

Ludhiana, November 28
A 28-year-old jobless dentist committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan at her house in Dugri.

The deceased was identified as Sirjanpreet Kaur, who completed her MDS four months ago and was looking for a job.

The victim’s father, Kanwarpreet Singh, said he, along with his wife Bhupinder Kaur, had gone to a gurdwara. On return, they were shocked to find their daughter hanging from the ceiling fan.

“Despite completing her MDS, she was struggling to get a suitable job. I had spent all my savings on her studies and was unable to open a clinic for her.

She was depressed, but I had no inkling that she would take such a step,” said Kanwarpreet Singh. Gurveer Singh, SHO, Dugri police station, said inquest proceeding under Section 174 of the CrPC had been initiated. Sirjanpreet is the second doctor to have committed suicide in two month. On September 28, Supriya, an MD student at the DMC&H, had committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan in her room. The reason behind her suicide remains a mystery while an abetment to suicide case against doctors was registered on the complaint of the victim’s parents. A probe is on. 

Ludhiana, November 28
Moving a step ahead in the civic body’s ambitious plan for round-the-clock canal-based water supply project in the city, a team of consultants from the World Bank made a detailed presentation and discussed several options for the project here today.

In a meeting attended by Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Aggarwal, Mayor Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria, CM’s technical adviser Maj Gen VK Bhat and senior MC officials and councillors, the World Bank team, comprising Parul Mathur, Pashupati Kartekya, SR Ramajujam, V Kesho, Ashish Rao and Banasree Banerji, focused on 24x7 canal-based water supply, storm water sewerage, conservation of ground water, environmental issues and alleviation of urban poverty in the city.

The visiting experts expressed deep concern over fast-depleting ground water and emphasised the need to conserve the scarce natural resource. At the same time, they stressed that concerted efforts ought to be made for charging ground water through a targeted project.

Explaining the options for providing 24x7 canal-based potable water supply to the city residents, the World Bank consultants said in place of drawing ground water, the water supply could be made either through the Manpur headworks of Sirhind Canal, where the canal water would have to be treated, or from Lohara from where water would be stored at Punjab Agricultural University and further supplied to the city through 11 zones and further subzones.

Talking to The Tribune, Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Aggarwal said the World Bank had agreed in principle to provide funds for the project. To make a beginning, a technical study had already been conducted by the bank under the non-lending technical assistance scheme and consultants were appointed to study all options for the project.

He said the detailed sources of funding the Rs 2,500-crore project would be worked out after the preparation of a detailed project report. The project could be wholly or partially funded by the World Bank, with the Government of India as well as the private sector chipping in with the required funds.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, November 28
Exercising powers under Section 144 of the CrPC, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur, Pritam Singh Johal has imposed a ban on digging of earth along banks of canals and drains besides on the roadside.

The order was passed to prevent mishaps caused due to soil erosion on roadsides. The authorities said strict action would be taken against violators.

To ensure that all vehicles are clearly visible at night, owners of cycles, carts and tractor-trailers have been asked to fix fluorescent tapes and reflectors.

The administration has also banned the assembly of five or more persons till January 26 and supply of hookah at restaurants till January 19. The civil and police officials have been directed to implement the orders strictly.

Ludhiana, November 28
A team of officials of the Municipal Corporation’s building branch today pulled down parts of three commercial buildings that were constructed at Model Town without an approved building plan.

Assistant Town Planner (Zone D) Monika Anand, who supervised the demolition operations, said part of a chemist shop under construction at Gulati Chowk was demolished for the third time as it was being built without any building plan.

Another two-storeyed commercial building was partly razed at Montgomery Chowk in the same locality as the construction was not stopped even after a notice was served on the owner of the building. The MC team, thereafter, razed another shop, which was being constructed in the residential portion of a building, near Model House.

Ludhiana, November 28
The city witnessed partially cloudy weather with light drizzle in isolated places here today. The Meteorology Department of the PAU recorded the minimum temperature at 10°C and the maximum temperature at 27.2°C today.

Yesterday, the city also witnessed a drizzle in isolated places which led to a dip in the minimum temperature. Due to the cloudy weather and chill in the air, residents were expecting rain. However, as per Met officials, there is no prediction of rain in the near future.

Dr Lakhwinder Kaur Dhaliwal, Director, School of Climate Change and Agricultural Meteorology, said the weather was expected to remain partly cloudy in the city and its adjoining areas during the next 24 hours.

Today, despite having clouds in the sky the sun was visible partially across the day. Residents were seen basking in the sun in the morning hours.

Mandeep Sidhu, a resident, said: “The weather is pleasant nowadays. We have witnessed the chill in the air from the past few days. The temperature has been dipping day by day. As December is approaching, we are excepting light showers.”

However, farmers are satisfied with the weather conditions as it is favourable for the wheat crop.

“This time, the weather is perfect for the wheat crop. The sowing of wheat is almost completed. Now, the crop requires chill in the air to grow. Rain would be required after some days for the crop,” Gursharan Singh, a farmer from Pakhowal village. 

Ludhiana, November 28
It was an inspirational experience for thousands of students to interact with renowned poet Surjit Patar live through EDUSAT in government schools today. Surjit Patar, who was awarded Padam Shri in 2012, shared the experiences of his life with the students.

The poet said he had great respect and gratitude for his teachers and he still remembers them. He said at his school, the teachers used to sharpen the ‘kalams’ for children and gave them to write. He remembers his teachers Mohinder Singh and Shankar Das who had a great impact on his life. He went to Patiala for higher education, especially because of teachers such as Daleep Kaur Tiwana, Dr Atar Singh and Dr Kulwant Singh. “They are my role models. They have made me the person I am today,” he said.

Patar said he wanted to become a musician as his father was close to religious music and his cousin was also a musician. But gradually his love for books developed and he started reading poetry books at his home and at his sister-in-law's place. When he went to college, he quenched his thirst for poetry in the library. It was during his college years, Patar realised that he had actually learnt how to write poetry and started with it.

He said parents should allow their children to choose a career according to their interest. Sharing his own experience, Patar said he secured good marks. “So, my parents, teachers and relatives forced me to opt for science stream after high school. Even the school principal rejected my application for taking arts,” he said. But that one year in science proved ‘useless’ as he later continued with arts.

Writing for schools and college magazines is a great encouragement and inspiration for budding writers and poets. When his first poem was published in such a magazine, he was elated.

Discussing about his poems, he said ‘Sunne sunne raahan vich’ was inspired from his experience of seeing his father go abroad. Reciting another poem, he said one should speak the truth, no matter how bitter it was.

Patar said he was happy to get an opportunity to interact with the children who were the future builders.

“We have been reading his poems since years. But seeing and listening him live through EDUSAT was a great experience,” said Harpreet Kaur, a class XI student. Another student said his thoughts were as enriching and elevating as his poems.

Meanwhile, Bhupinder Kaur, a teacher, said he was a great role model students can look up to and listening to the great teacher was certainly an edifying experience not only for students, but for teachers as well. 

Ludhiana, November 28
Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal today visited the premises of Senior Secondary School for Meritorious Students, Civil Lines, and interacted with the students.

The DC urged the students to have complete faith in themselves and motivated them to contribute their bit for the betterment of the society. He also listened to the queries of the students regarding studies.

The DC, during his unscheduled and short visit to the school, checked the attendance register of the teachers and all of them were found present in the school.

Later, he shared experiences of his school days with the students.

He checked the playgrounds and toilets and found them neat and clean. The school staff informed the DC that recently a library had been set up for the students and they were provided newspapers every day.

DC Rajat Aggarwal said the state government was committed to provide quality education to meritorious students. He added that the schools focus on preparing the students to crack competitive exams such as IIT-JEE, AIPMT, CA, Company Secretary besides the premier Civil Services examinations.

The DC said the students studying in these schools were the cream of intellects selected from all over the state and it was the duty of the Education Department to ensure that they excel in their chosen academic fields. “The Education Department has already organised specialised and individual coaching classes for the meritorious students and hope that with the collective efforts these students will bring laurels to the state by cracking premier competitive exams, he said.

Ludhiana, November 28
The Rashtriya Safai Karamchari Sangh, a newly formed body, has pledged to safeguard the interests of safai workers.

Surinder Kalyan, president of the sangh, said here today that a comprehensive programme was being chalked to put an end to exploitation of safai workers. The sangh would launch an agitation to focus on their pending demands, and if required, activists would resort to gherao of ministers and other government functionaries.

Kalyan said in the course of the ongoing ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’, the safai workers were being lampooned.

“Political leaders, bureaucrats and other VIPs holding brooms for a photo session has become a farce while the drive has not achieved anything,” he said, adding that maintenance cleanliness was the job of the safai workers and they ought to be left alone to carry out their assigned task.

The sangh president said the government and the urban local bodies were closing their eyes to the pathetic working conditions and standard of living of these workers which the sangh would highlight before the authorities and launch a massive agitation for dispensation of justice to them.

Ludhiana, November 28
In an apparent bid to provide a Left and democratic alternative before the people of Punjab, four Left parties today came on a single platform to flay the alleged anti-people policies being pursued by the Centre and the state SAD-BJP government.

They said if the government failed to ameliorate the people, it should be prepared to face a mass struggle, including a ‘satyagraha’.

CPM general secretary Parkash Karat, veteran CPI leader AB Bardhan and CPI (ML)-Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, in one voice, condemned the neo-liberal policies of the NDA government led by Narendra Modi. They also sounded a note of caution to the SAD-BJP government in Punjab for putting undue burden of taxes on people and implementation of repressive laws.

Charging the Modi government with attempts to dilute MGNREGA scheme, Karat said on one hand employment opportunities were being snatched from the poor, especially rural population, and on the other meagre subsidies were being snatched away from people and debt-ridden peasantry.

He said opening more and more sectors to the FDI and amendments in labour laws leading to exploitation of workers and accruing more benefits to multinational corporations and corporate houses were a sign a danger for the country.

Both Karat and Bardhan vociferously flayed the most backward and communal changes being incorporated in the education system allegedly at the behest of the RSS.

“The manner in which well established administrative rules and procedures are being given the go-by to bring the school syllabus in tune with the administrative and political requirement of the RSS is reprehensible, to say the least,” they said.

Leaders of the Left parties were critical of the ‘black law’ – Prevention of Damage to Public and Private Property Act, terming it as a draconian legislation to be used as a tool for repression.

They also called for abolition of property tax while demanding enhancement of old age/widow pension to Rs 3,000 per month, strengthening of the public distribution system and hike in minimum wages of skilled and unskilled workers.

Leaders of the state units of the parties – Dr Joginder Dayal, Bant Singh Vrar, Charan Singh Virdi and Mangat Ram Pasla - targeted the state government for the deteriorating law and order situation.

They said the government had failed to put an effective check on the activities of sand, gravel, transport and cable mafia which were operating with impunity in the state.

They also termed the claims of the government of acting against drug trafficking as hollow while maintaining that the drugs and narcotics trade was flourishing in the state with the alleged active help of police officials, bureaucrats and political leaders.

Ludhiana, November 28
Thieves struck at a house of a businessman in Kidwai Nagar and decamped with a safe containing Rs 7 lakh in cash.

Raman Malhotra, the owner of the house, who runs a shop in Moch Pura Bazar, said his daughter was getting married in January.

The incident took place this afternoon when Raman was away from his house along with his wife for shopping for his daughter’s wedding.

He said when he returned to the house in the evening he was shocked to find the safe missing.

Interestingly, his daughter was in the house, but she failed to notice any suspicious activity.

Residents said a woman had entered their street this afternoon and was begging for money to get her medical operation done.

However, the police reached the house and started investigation. They have not ruled out any foul play in the incident.

Ludhiana, November 28
Nurses and Class IV employees of Civil Hospital today held a meeting with Medical Superintendent (MS) of the hospital Renu and discussed the issue regarding the collection of blood samples and Class IV employees helping them in conducting deliveries.

Lovey Kalyan, president, Ludhiana Nurses’ Associations, said they held a meeting with the MS and she said from 8am to 12pm lab technicians would collect blood samples and after that nurses would collect the same. Patients who could walk easily could go to laboratory themselves to give the samples. “Besides, we have discussed the issue regarding the Class IV employees helping us in conducting deliveries. The MS during the meeting said it was a teamwork and we should work jointly and there are no issues regarding the Class IV employees helping us,” Kalyan said.

Dr Renu said the issue regarding collection of blood samples had been solved and the nurses had agreed that after 12pm they would collect the same and a list having every patient whose sample was being collected would be prepared. “The Class IV staff are there to help the staff in need. Doctors cannot be present all the time with the patient. When a staff nurse is attending a patient, she can require immediate help and the Class IV employees can help the nurse in such a situation,” the MS added.

Ludhiana, November 28
In a move to eradicate the menace of drugs which is giving rise to snatching incidents in the Mall Road, Model Gram, Gurdev Nagar and Sham Nagar areas, the Division No 5 police today held a meeting with around 50 chemists of the area.

Beant Juneja, SHO, Division No 5 said: “The snatching incidents have a direct connection with drugs. It has been observed that addicts, hooked to pharmaceutical drugs, in order to buy drugs commit snatching. We have asked the chemists located in the area to cooperate with us in eradicating the menace.”

Juneja said the chemists had been told to identify such persons, if they visit their shops for habit-forming capsules, and inform the police about them.

The chemists have also been told that strict action would be taken against them if they sell habit-forming drugs to an addict without prescription.

“The menace should not spread its tentacles due to cheap monitory gains. It is our moral duty to eradicate it,” the SHO said.

The chemists assured that they would follow the guidelines and work in coordination with the police.

Ludhiana, November 28
Sacred Heart Convent School, Khanna, and USPC Jain School, Ludhiana, scripted wins to advance into the semi-finals on the second day of the Ludhiana East Sahodaya Inter-School Cricket Tournament (U-19) being played at Mehta Gurukul Public School, Doraha.

In the first quarterfinal, Sacred Heart Convent School won the toss and opted to bat first.

They made 97 runs and in reply, Guru Nanak Model Senior Secondary School, Doraha, could muster 73 runs, losing by 24 runs. Karan Sharda of the winning team was named the man of match.

The second quarter-final was played between USPC Jain School, Ludhiana, and Ryan International Public School, Ludhiana, in which the former, romped home winners by nine runs.

USPC Jain School scored 50 runs and then restricted Ryan International School to a meagre total of 41 runs.

Zaid of the USPC side was adjudged the man of match for his quick fire innings of 24 runs off 32 balls.

In the third match, Doraha Public School, Doraha, defeated Garden Valley School, Machhiwara, by five wickets in which Guneet Singh played the pivot role and was declared the man of the match.

Sanjeev Banyal, principal of the host school, congratulated the winning teams for making it to the last four stage.