The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Security beefed up in city
Ultras’ attack in Delhi shocks residents
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, December 13
Security in the city and the surrounding townships has been beefed up in the wake of terrorist attack on the Parliament House in Delhi today. A police alert has been sounded in the city. Special pickets on the boundries of the city have been set up and security has been tightened at strategic locations and buildings.

A QRT (quick reaction team) has also been formed to act in case of any eventuality. Senior officials visited various sensitive places in the city and surveyed the security arrangements today. Mr B.S Bassi, Inspector-General of Police visited the local airport to oversee the security arrangements and requested the public to remain vigilant and inform the police about any suspicious looking persons and objects.

The Panchkula police informed that entry and exit points to the town had been beefed up. Security at the Mini-Secretariat and the Haryana police headquarters had also been increased.

The SSP Ropar, Mr G.P.S. Bhullar said anti-sabotage checking had been intesified in the district. Screening of the migrants had been started and a vigil was being kept at the senstive places. Highway patrolling had also been increased.

Meanwhile, city residents reacted strongly to the news of the attack and asked the government to ‘‘react’’, immediately. Most of the residents to whom Chandigarh Tribune spoke this evening were of the view that India should destroy terrorist training camps being run in occupied Kashmir and POTO should be converted into an Act immediately.

Mr Vijay Chopra, Head of Department of History in S.D College, Sector 32 was of the view that India should go the USA and Israil way. ‘‘We are lying low and low. This practice has to go otherwise people will loose faith in government’’, said Mr Chopra and added, ‘‘these terrorists should not be kept in jails but flogged in public’’.

The scene in various boys’ hostels in Panjab University was of grief and anger. Boys who were watching India - England test match switched to various news channels to know the latest. Mr Rajesh Bhamania, a resident of Hostel No 6 said, ‘‘They killed our six cops, we should kill six hundred terrorists for the each dead’’. Mr Sukhchain Singh, another hostler and a native of Kashmir said, ‘‘These terrorists not believe in the theory of peace and the concept of nation. Beefing up security at strategic places should be followed by a hot pursuit of the anti-nationalists’’.

‘‘The government should tackle terrorism at war footing. If the Parliament house can be attacked then no place in the country is safe’’, said Ms Paramjit K. Pandey, a resident of SAS Nagar. She was of the opinion that the infiltrator should be shot dead right at the border because there is no point in putting them in jails.

Mr R.K Handa, an advocate at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, was of the opinion that POTO should be implemented in the letter and spirit. “Keeping in view the fall of Taliban in Afghanistan, the government should take more precautions’’, said Mr Handa. When asked what the government should do, he said, ‘‘It is high time for the government to react. America came to Afganistan to haunt terrorists, we should destroy the training camps being run in POK’’. He also appreciated the Delhi police whose alertness prevented terrorists from entering the Parliament house.

Mr Ravi Tikko, DGM, Punjab Financial Corporation was of the view that alert should be sounded not only in Delhi but in the whole country. ‘‘Now it’s time that POTO is converted into Act and implemented strictly’’, he said.

Mr S.K. Nayyar, president of the Citizen’s Welfare Association, Panchkula, said it was shameful that terrorists have struck at the centre of Indian democracy. “By marching into the Parliament House, terrorists have made a mockery of our security network. Though the security personnel posted in the Parliament house fought bravely, the question is how the terrorist could enter to the Parliament house. It seems that their target was the Prime Minister,” he said.

Mrs Rita Kapoor, a housewife and resident of Sector 8, Chandigarh, said that if the most protected people in the country could be so threatened, the common man was indeed vulnerable to any kind of attacks. “It is time that the government launched a concerted effort to destroy terrorism from the face of the country. We have had enough and time has come to act”.

Mr Kehar Singn Koundal, former spokesman of the local unit of the BJP said the Opposition parties should now help in the smooth passing of POTO. The Haryana unit of the Bhartiya Jantata Party condemned the attack on the Parliament House. Mr Manohar Lal, Organisation Secretary of the unit in a press note extended support of the BJP Haryana to the Vajpayee Government in its fight against terrorism.

The Chandigarh Citizens Committee described it as an attack on the nation. The committee asked the government to avenge it in the manner the USA did. Mr P.C. Puri, president of the committee said the government should have reacted at that very time when the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was attacked

Mr Vikram Chopra, president of the local unit of the All India Anti Terrorist Front urged the President of India to dismiss the Vajpayee government in wake of the attack and advocated an America-like strike on terrorism.

Meanwhile, the Mayor, Ms Harjinder Kaur, today flayed the terrorist attack on the Parliament building in which innocent securitymen were killed. In a statement, she gave a call to all our countrymen to express their solidarity for maintaining the security and integrity of the country.

Shatabdi timings to be changed
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 13
Meeting a long standing public demand, the Union Railway Ministry has decided to shift the timing of the shatabdi departing from the city in the afternoon to an evening departure to facilitate the movement of passengers towards Delhi in the evening. The change will be affected from January 26 next year.

The train which runs between Delhi and Chandigarh and back has been extended upto Kalka. It will now terminate at Kalka instead of Chandigarh. On its return journey it will pass through Chandigarh around 6 p.m to reach Delhi around 9:15 p.m, top sources in the Railways confirmed tonight. This has been done to meet the rush of people wanting to reach Delhi later in the day by departing from Chandigarh in the evening and also to provide better connectivity with Shimla.

Earlier the train used to depart from herearound 12.15 p.m to reach Delhi about 3.30p.m. The timings was odd and since long business travellers had been demanding that the train be shifted to have an evening departure.

The real demand for the shifting the time showed up when a third Shatabdi was introduced on trial basis between August 25 and November 17. This train used to depart from here in the evening. The train attracted passengers and he afternoon shatabdi showed a drop in the number of passengers. People preferred the evening train instead of the one departing from here during the afternoon, a top official at the Ambal a Railway Division said.

Railway Divisional authorities had then suggested that the shatabdi departing from here in the afternoon be shifted to the evening and the third shatabdi be scrapped as the timings suited no one. The new timing will also help tourists coming back from Himachal Pradesh. All narrow gauge trains between Shimla and Kalka leave Kalka in the morning thus the Shatabdi will provide a very good connection.

On the return journey all trains from Shimla reach Kalka only in the afternoon thus the Shatabdi which has been extended to Kalka will provide for a good connection.

Explaining why the shift in timings was not immediate, sources said this was being done as some loose ends are to be taken care of. It will takes several weeks for information to be passed on to the public. Someone may have planned his journey in advance keeping in mind an afternoon departure.

Dense fog disrupts life
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 13
The city and its surrounding areas experienced the first foggy morning of the winter season today. Residents woke up to a dense envelope of fog which disrupted normal life, delaying office goers, forcing superfast trains into a crawl while vehicular traffic on the highways moved at a snails pace.

The local met office said visibility in Chandigarh and Ambala was recorded at nil. This means it was less than even a few meters, department officials explained. There was no a possibility of a heavy fog tomorrow morning, said the Director of the local met office, Mr S.C. Bhan. Over the next two nights the temperature would rise slightly. By early next week there was a possibility of rain and also snow in the upper reaches of the Himalayas.

Explaining today’s fog Mr Bhan said it had occurred as the moisture content had risen following snowfall in the Himalayas.

This morning drivers of several long distance buses, which had started early in the morning parked their buses on the roadside and waited for the fog to lift or moved very slowly with the headlights on. In local schools children arrived late. In offices also the attendance was thin in the morning. Traffic on the Chandigarh-Panchkula road was even more haphazard than usual due to the slow pace of the vehicles.

The Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Ambala Division, Mr Deepak Krishan, said trains had been delayed by up to 30 minutes. The Shatabadi departing from here in the morning reached Delhi about 15 minutes behind its schedule. The DRM added they had asked drivers to cut down on speed.

Equipment worth 16.08 cr unused at PGI
Chitleen K Sethi
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 13
It is a criminal waste indeed. Machinery and medical equipment worth Rs 16.08 crore is lying unutilized at the PGI. The total number of such machines/equipment is close to 300 out of which 84 are said to be under repair while 206 have been declared unserviceable and recommended to be condemned.

The machinery under repair is worth Rs 6 crore while the machinery set aside to be auctioned is worth Rs 10 crore and above. These figures also include the cost of many machines lying uninstalled at the PGI.

The Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) five yearly review of the 1993 to 1998 period had pointed out that machinery worth Rs 1.32 crore was lying uninstalled at the PGI, some of it having been procured 10 years back. The reasons given to the audit team during this inspection were that some machines were defective and some others lacked certain parts which needed to be procured to make them functional and many had been unsuccessfully installed.

In the action taken note to this five-year review the PGI has recently given a list of 35 such machines and stated that two of these had been made functional since and the rest have either been condemned or recommended to be condemned. In one case, the PGI’s action taken report informs, the supplier of a medical laser which could not be installed due to various reasons is not available for any follow up any more!

These machines, many of them worth lakhs, will now be auctioned by the PGI while those which are in a condition to be made functional will be repaired.

In the current list of the machines lying unused or requiring repair is included a machine which had been bought for Rs 42 lakh by the ENT Department. This machine was bought in 1998 and has been lying unutilised till date. A piece of equipment worth Rs 13 lakh was bought in 1995 by the Advanced Paediatric Centre and but has been out of order since June 2001.

Similarly, a monitor worth Rs 21 lakhs bought in January 1993 is lying unutilised in the tetanus ward while another machinery worth Rs 17 lakh bought is lying unutilised in the emergency operation theatre.

PGI authorities state that most of these machines are highly sophisticated pieces of equipment and have limited life and need to be replaced after some years of use. Also many of these machines simply get outdated when new technology comes into the market. But the authorities have no answer to explain away why certain machines have not been installed for years and many others which could have been repaired have not been made functional.

The PGI has also, in some cases where the manufacturer has still not provided all parts of the equipment or failed to provide guarantee period services initiated steps to stop the release of grants to the manufacturer. The PGI has also appointed an inquiry officer to investigate and examine cases in accordance with the General Financial rules and in terms of GOI ‘s decision in writing off losses.

Will the magic of Big 3 work for K3G?
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 13
As the lavish Karan Johar project “Kabhie khushi Kabhi Gam” unfolds before public tomorrow, there is an obvious element of excitement in the air. The Rs 30 crore film, slated for an all-India release tomorrow is perhaps the first film after Hum aapke hain kaun” which has generated so much hype.

Such is the frenzy that people have even bought tickets in advance for in black. Another interesting bit is that the cost of K3G’s balcony ticket is Rs 35 (Rs 10 more than the general cost). Mr Khan, manager, KC Theatre, when contacted in this regard informed that the film was very long. “Its duration is about three hours forty five minutes.” There are four shows — 10 am, 2 pm, 6 pm and 10.30 pm. The explanation theatre owners are giving for charging this extra bit is “the film is long and hence it entails greater expenditure on the part of theatre management.”

In the city the film will open simultaneously in two theatres — KC in Sector 17 and Piccadily in Sector 34. It will also open in Suraj Theatre, Sector 1, Panchkula. Such is the hype that managers of Suraj Theatre have even arranged for home delivery of tickets. While the ticket cost in Suraj is Rs 20, there is a charge of Rs 5 extra on home delivery. Managers of all the three theatres informed that there has been 50 per cent advance booking already. Piccadily has also introduced the Senseo sound especially for better effects in the film.

The advance booking counters have been over flooded with people, so much so that in all cinemas the advance booking line is longer than the current booking queue. While the hype on the film is only natural given its celebrated star cast, the media has also played a big role in sprucing up the pre-sale process. There have been reports on assumptions on how the film might fare and also on whether the punch line being banked upon by Karan Johar (It is all about loving your parents) would really do any good to the film.

Lavish sets, breathtakingly beautiful cinematographic sequences and great names associated with the making of the film have given the film a sure edge over others. In fact the greatest cause of excitement among average viewers is who out of the three pairs (Amitabh-Jaya; Shahrukh-Kajol and Hrithik-Kareena) will really take off the film. Though the first day impact will depend a lot on the teamwork, the gradual days will bring more scope of scrutiny on the part of viewers, who have high hopes from Karan Johar, the man who offered great entertainment in Kuchh kuchh hota hai.

There is a great deal of enthusiasm about the set designs of the film, which is believed to have cost Karan Johar a couple of crores. The backdrop is filthy rich, the characters are reel-life heroes and the director’s tag is big and with so many plus points there are few chances of the film not doing too well. Nevertheless, the element of fear is also working in the background despite the fact that the film is slated to put Shahrukh and Kajol firmly back on the rolls. The performance of Hrithik will be most dissected, because this is his first mega project after father Rakesh Roshan’s Kaho na pyaar hai. May be, with this film, Hrithik will be able to revive his ‘Kaho na. ..’ magic.

As for Jaya Bachchan, she looks graceful, as ever. So does Amitabh, who seems to recreate the magic of his superstar days in this film. The particular sequence which has Big B shake a leg with Rani Mukherjee and Shahrukh Khan, is impressive in that Amitabh shines the most throughout the promotional shot. He dances with great energy...as if age has never passed him by.

With the film, the social matrix may stand to change. The splendour and lavishness elemental to Kabhi khushi kabhi gam is sure to raise social expectations also.

NEW RELEASES

Generating great pre-release buzz is producer Yash Johar’s and Dharma Productions “Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham”. This film is a romantic drama spanning generations and is Rs 30 crore lavish project with great production values. All eyes are on this star-packed family romance directed by Karan Johar. K3G will be releasing simultaneously today at Piccadilly, KC Chandigarh, Suraj Panchkula and Royal Theatre Lalru. Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Jaya Bachchan, Kajol and Kareena Kapoor will all be there in this multi starrer. Plus Rani Mukherjee in a guest appearance. Director Karan Johar is hoping to repeat the astounding success of his earlier movie “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”.

The promos and songs which feature the leading stars, have film pundits already predicting a hit. Bollywood’s season of family romance will peak this week with K3G. Karan Johar, easily the young talented director of his generation promises “something different” this time.

The two superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan play brothers and Kajol and Kareena Kapoor play the female lead. Glam doll Rani Mukherjee is in a special appearance. After ‘Silsila’ Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan appear together on silver screen. The Big B is biggest attraction of K3G in which he will be singing a six-minute item song ‘Shava Shava...... composed by guest music-director Aadesh Srivastava.

Produced by Yash Johar and directed by Karan Johar the film has photography by Kiran Deohans of ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ and ‘Aks’ fame choreography by Farah Khan, art designing by Sharmishta Roy, editing by Sanjay Sankla and costume design by Manish Malhotra are major credits. Sameer has penned the lyrics. Jatin Lalit, Sandesh Shandilya and Aadesh Srivastava has composed the music of K3G. The three music directors have come up in their trademark style. Karan Johar has also written story, screenplay and dialogues of this film. Farida Jalal, Achla Sachdev, Sushma Seth, Shashikla, Himani Shivpuri, Alok Nath, Tamzin Griffin and Johny Lever are in supporting roles.

***

Mithun Chakraborth brand ‘Arjun Devaa’ is another movie which will be released at Jagat, Chandigarh. This Puru Raj Kumar, Rutika Singh starrer is masala action movie for front benchers. Gautam Dhariwal is the producer and Imran Khalid is the director. DP

New hope for Panchkula’s rural women
Ruchika M. Khanna
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, December 13
Women in the rural reaches of the district see a new awakening. They are no longer confined to the four walls of their house, but participate actively in decision-making process in their homes and in society as a whole. The realisation that they are not second grade citizens (after their male counterparts) has finally struck home.

This was revealed by a cross-section of women from the villages of Panchkula, who had gathered here to participate in the self-help programme organised by district rural development agency and the State Community Development And Training Centre, Neelokheri.

Most of these women, while talking to TNS, said that the social mileau in the rural areas was changing and the role of women was being redefined. Suppression of women, illiteracy, female foeticide and infanticide were the past, which is best forgotten, they say. They are now standing besides their menfolk and supplementing the family income by gainful self employment.

Sixtyseven-year-old Shanti Devi, sarpanch of Gari Kotahan village in Raipur Rani, says that status of women has undergone a sea change in rural areas. “As compared to earlier days, almost all girls in our village are matriculates and a sizeable number are also studying to be graduates. Even the elected women members of the Panchayat speak out their own mind in the decision-making process and not the minds of their male family members.”

Her views are supported by Ranjit Kaur, treasurer of the village self help group resident of Nadha Sahib. “Though I am myself illiterate, I fought family elders to ensure that my daughters get good education.

While earlier a girl child was looked down upon and a woman would keep trying her luck till she bore a male child, people in rural areas now stick to the two-child norm.”

However, amidst reports of female foeticide being rampant in parts of Barwala and Pinjore, and the drastic fall in male- female ratio in the district, women who had arrived from all parts maintained that though the practice was still followed, it had declined to a large extent.

Mrs Leelawati, secretary of self help group of Ramngar Kholi village, said that the practice was more prevalent in the middle and higher income groups and the community predominantly of peasants in Haryana. “Women are still made to abort their female foetus by their families., though the practice has been discouraged of late. The lot of women has improved”.

Akbari, a resident of Samleri village in Raipur Rani , too, laments that women could do much better, if the government was provided educational facilities at their doorsteps. “More schools and colleges should be opened in villages, so that women do not have to leave their education mid way.”

Congress increases vote share in MC poll
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 13
The BJP-Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) escaped losing second position to the Chandigarh Vikas Manch (CVM) only by around 1 per cent getting 18. 7 per cent votes and 17.16 per cent, respectively in the December 8 Municipal Corporation elections.

But the Congress which swept the election winning 13 seats, was way ahead getting 38. 3 per cent of 1,71,562 votes polled, an unassailable position which could not have been bridged even by a pact between the BJP and the CVM.

The Congress has almost been able to double its vote share this time compared to 1996 MC polls when it polled merely 19 per cent and could get only one seat of Kamalesh.

The Congress performance now is even better than that of the BJP in 1996 in terms of vote share. The BJP-SAD alliance then got 28.7 per cent votes and 15 seats. The CVM, which was in 1996 Samajwadi Janata Party, has been able to increase its vote share by around 5 per cent which, however, did did not translate in terms of seats.

But the Congress cannot take comfort in the number of seats as its vote percentage has come down from the Parliamentary elections in which it got around 44 per cent votes in an election that was direct between Mr. Pawan Bansal from the Congress and the late senior Vice-President of the BJP, Mr. K. L. Sharma. The Congress gain of vote share in the Parliamentary elections could be attributed partly to CVM chief Harmohan Dhawan’s support to Mr Bansal then.

However, the CVM and BSP seemed to have made a tactical mistake in an understanding where they supported each other only on two seats in wards numbers 7 and 8.

Had there been a complete understanding between the BSP and CVM the two could have got 39,089 votes as against 32,353 of the BJP.

The first-past-the-post method of election has given a skewed picture of the Congress dominance as it got more than 65 per cent of seats in a voter base of 38.3 per cent.

The Congress victory was more due to a scattered division of votes between the CVM, BJP and others.

In wards number 1, 2, 3, 6, 7,8, 9. 12, 15 the SAD-BJP alliance was the main opponent of the Congress which found an independent as main contender in wards numbers 4, 5 and 20. The Congress had the CVM as its main rival in wards number 10, 14, 16, 18 and 19. The CVM won two seats against the BJP and SAD alliance and one against the Congress in ward number 10.

While the performance of the CVM was poor in wards number 2 to 9. It remained a factor in ward number 1 from where it stood third. The CVM held this seat in the last corporation poll.

The BJP could not do well from wards number 11 to 20 and it could give a direct fight to the Congress and CVM only in ward number 12, 11 and 15, 16 and 17.

The votebank of the Congress is not encouraging enough to take bold decisions and it may be trapped in populist measures which may further starve the Municipal Corporation of funds which have resulted in almost a halt to development.

The first pressure the party will face will be reversing the paid parking resolution in the Corporation, which traders feel the local MP Pawan Bansal himself has opposed.

Riar’s resignation sought
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 13
The Harjinder Kaur-led faction of the Shiromani Akali Dal today sought the resignation of the local unit president Gurpartap Singh Riar on moral grounds for dismal performance of its candidates in the Municipal poll. Local unit general secretary N.S. Minhas said if Mr Riar failed to resign on moral grounds, the partymen would seek his removal by requesting the high command to do so.

Mohali Club to open on Dec 24
Tribune News Service

The first phase of the Mohali Club in Phase XI is being readied. — Photo Parvesh Chauhan

SAS Nagar, December 13
A dream of a group of non-resident Indians (NRIs) to provide a world-class facilities at a club is finally taking shape an the first phase of the Mohali Club, coming up on 2.65 acre of land in Phase XI here, will be inaugurated on December 24.

A promoter of the project, Mr Arvinder Singh, said quality and environment was the basic concept behind the club. “There had been reservation among the membership seekers about the privacy and the nature of the members being enrolled. It was felt by people that the elite Clubs in Chandigarh were over crowded or the decent crowd was missing”, he said.

In the first phase, 270 members enrolled so for including 40 NRIs , would be able to use facilities like billiards room, restaurant, card room, bar, health club and entertainment facilities. A sprawling lawn in an area of 1500 sq ft would also be open for public functions. The restaurant would have a seating capacity of 110. Mr Singh said in the second phase, likely to be completed by April 2002, a swimming pool, banquet hall, conference room and squash court would be made available to the members.

The club management, comprising 14 promoters, has mobilised over Rs 1 crore so far. The total estimated cost of the project was around Rs 8 crore. Mr Singh said that the club would not be commercialised. “ We do not want interference of influential section of society in the affairs of the club,” he said.

The management was also planning to seek affiliation with elite clubs at Dehradun, Jodhpur and other places in the country. Mr Singh said educational qualification and professional status would be the criteria for selecting members.

Four thefts reported
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 13
Four thefts have been reported during the past 24 hours.

Ms Seema Poswal, a resident of Sector 20, lodged an FIR that her Kinetic Honda scooter had been stolen. The scooter was parked outside Jat Bhavan in Sector 27,

Mrs Bir Kangta, a local resident, told the police that her Luna Moped (CH-01-M-4157) was parked at the Sector 40 Sabji Mandi. It was stolen around 8.30 p.m. yesterday.

Ms Neelofar, a resident of Sector 42, lodged a complaint with the police that her Maruti car (PB-02-0786) was stolen last night. It was parked at the Sector 17 District Courts.

In all these cases the police has registered cases under Section 379, IPC.

Mr Ravi Chawla, a resident of Sector 11, lodged an FIR saying that one printer, a telephone, monitor, CPU, key board and CVT had been stolen from his house last evening. A case under Section 380, IPC, has been registered.

KNOCKED DOWN: Ms Vidya Devi, a resident of Sector 15-C, was knocked down by a Maruti car (PIF-444) at the Sectors 20 and 33 dividing road. A case under Sections 279, 337 and 338, IPC, has been registered at the Sector 34 police station.

Panchkula

FIVE ARRESTED: The Panchkula police launched a major offensive against those placing bets on lotteries and arrested five persons. An amount of Rs 8,535 was seized from them.

According to a pressnote, Sanjeev Kumar was arrested from Old Panchkula last evening, while he was playing satta and Rs 525 were seized from him.

Gopal was arrested from Majri chowk for playing satta and Rs 630 were seized from him. Sunil Datt Rajput was also arrested from Majri chowk and Rs 840 were seized from him.

Vinod Kumar, alias Pappu Khatri was arrested from Tank chowk and Rs 715 were seized from him. Sanjay Jain, a resident of Chandigarh, was arrested from near Sector 7 market and Rs 3,559 were seized from him.

Accidents: Two children were killed in separate road accidents here during the past 24 hours.

A five-year-old child was crushed to death by a car (CH-01T-1160) near the Sector 11 and 4 turning point here on Wednesday. The child was rushed to the PGI, where he was declared brought dead.

In another incident, a six-year-old girl was killed when she was run over by a motor cycle (HYA-587) near Government School, Raipur Rani . The child died on the spot.

In both the cases, the police has registered FIRs under Sections 279 and 304-A of the IPC.

One arrested: The police has arrested an auto-rickshaw driver, Jai Prakash, on the charge of rash and negligent driving. He has been arrested under Section 279 of the IPC and his auto-rickshaw (CH-01F-5097) has been impounded.

Naseem Ahmed of Kalka was reportedly assaulted by Mohammad Dilshaad and two unidentified persons at Kalka on Wednesday. A case has been registered by the Kalka police.