Selection panel of PGI to be revamped
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Dec 8 — The governing body of the PGI, Chandigarh, is understood to have decided to reconstitute the special selection committee to finalise the selection of the next Director of the Institute.

This decision was taken at a meeting here of the governing body and the institute body of the PGI chaired by the Union Health Minister, Mr N.T. Shanmugam, ministry sources said.

The sources refused to give details stating the matter was ‘subjudice’.

The agenda for today’s meeting also included the consideration of recommendations of the Dr I.C. Pathak Committee, to fill all posts of general faculty as directed by the Supreme Court,

It is not yet known whether the governing body accepted the recommendations made by the committee.

Gangster dies in shoot-out
From Our Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Dec 8 — An alleged criminal of Haryana, Ajay, who, along with his three accomplices, escaped from the Rohtak jail in October this year, was killed today in a shoot-out at Azadpur Sabzi Mandi in North-West Delhi.

The alleged criminals Ajay, his accomplices, Anil, Jitender and Subhash, went to the mandi this morning and fired at a commission agent, Mr Ram Kumar, injuring him in the stomach. A personal security guard of the commission agent fired at the criminals, killing one of them who was identified as Ajay, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, North West Delhi, said.

The commission agent was admitted to the Sunder Lal Jain hospital in the Azadpur area. The security guard, Mr Bal Ram, who was provided to the commission agent by the Delhi police, has been recommended by the Police Commissioner for an out-of-turn promotion.

The three accomplices of the deceased criminal escaped unhurt. They were reportedly members of the Sonu gang of Haryana and belonged to Sonepat, the DCP said.

He said the commission agent had enmity with Anil, who had worked with him a few years ago. Anil wanted to take revenge and joined the criminal gang.

After leaving the job with the commission agent, Anil reportedly started operating with the Sonu gang in 1998 and was involved in 10 criminal cases reported in Haryana and Delhi. Jitender was involved in 12 cases while Ajay was involved in 13 cases. No case was register against Subhash.

The DCP said Anil fired at the commission agent in 1998 at Azadpur Mandi. He was caught by the people there and was handed over to the police. He was lodged in Tihar Jail from where he managed to escape. Later he was arrested in another case and lodged in the Rohtak Jail from where he escaped on October 12, the DCP added.

Two killed in Srinagar blast

SRINAGAR, Dec 8 (UNI) — At least two persons were killed and 20 others injured, some of them critically, in a grenade blast and firing at busy Hari Singh street this evening.

Official sources said militants hurled a hand grenade on a Border Security Force (BSF) vehicle near Hanuman Mandir near the Hari Singh street this evening.

The grenade missed the intended target and exploded on the road side, sources said, adding that security forces in a nearby picket allegedly resorted to indiscriminate firing.

Later, 22 persons, some of them with bullet injuries, were admitted to hospital where two of them were declared dead.

However, it was not immediately known whether they had died because of grenade splinters or bullet wounds.

The spokesman said an unidentified militant was killed in an encounter with security forces at Janbazpora in Baramula district last night. An AK assault rifle, five magazines and a wireless set were recovered from him.