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Pawan Sharma remanded in judicial custody
Chandigarh, May 5
A local court here today remanded Pawan Sharma, president of the District Congress Committee (DCC), who was arrested for submitting a false affidavit to secure a flat of a housing cooperative society, in judicial custody.

Chandigarh District Congress Committee president Pawan Sharma comes out of a court after he was denied bail in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Lawyers’ housing society to revoke Pawan’s membership
Chandigarh, May 5
More trouble seems to be in store for the beleaguered Pawan Sharma, president of the District Congress Committee (DCC), who was arrested by the police on the charges of filing a false affidavit to secure a flat in a cooperative housing society in Sector 49 here.

Oppn parties want Cong to sack Pawan Sharma
Chandigarh, May 5
Opposition parties are mounting pressure on the Congress to sack the jailed DCC president Pawan Sharma which the local Congress unit president B. B. Bahl is considering with caution ahead of party presidentship’s elections.

Born again? 4-year-old ‘returns’ home after 13 yrs Panchkula, May 5 Life “after death” has come a full circle for four year old girl Aman Kaur. Thirteen years ago, two-year-old Gaurav had died after drowning in an overhead water tank. Gaurav has emerged from the dead in his rebirth as a girl, Aman. Aman identifies her relatives of the previous birth from a family album as her aunt, Ms Saroj, looks on at Saketri village. — A Tribune photograph

CAT directs Union Govt to hold meeting to promote PCS officers
Chandigarh, May 5
The Central Administrative Tribunal today directed the Union Government and the Punjab Government to hold a meeting of the selection committee to promote Punjab Civil Services (PCS) officers to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) against the sanctioned state quota from 2001 to 2004.

Natak of resignations continues on Akademi stage
Chandigarh, May 5
Sangeet Natak Akademi Chairperson Sonal Mansingh has a lone supporter in Neelam Mansingh Choudhary - the sole Akademi nominee from this region who has not resigned in protest against the chairperson's alleged "autocratic functioning."

Passing Thru

COMMUNITY

Political one-upmanship at gurdwara panel meeting
Chandigarh, May 5
Political one-upmanship was at its best when a section of gurdwara organisations called an all-party meeting to take out a rally on May 7 to protest against the demolition of religious places in Dadu Majra.

Asstt Town Planner suspended for allowing illegal construction
Zirakpur, May 5
The Department of Local Government of Punjab has suspended an Assistant Town Planner (ATP) for his alleged involvement in permitting some builders and individuals for constructing buildings and other structures in violation of the norms in the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat limits.

UT skyline for sale
Rules to give metro makeover to city
“IT and IT-enabled services are driving the demand for housing in all metros of the country. And Chandigarh is no exception. Infosys, Quark, Dell, Microsoft and other IT companies are investing in City Beautiful and the adjoining townships of Mohali and Panchkula in a big way in the software manufacturing.

Encroachments on market corridors removed
Panchkula May 5
The enforcement wing of the Estate Office today took to task shopkeepers encroaching on the market corridors and residents of Chotta Haripur village near Sector 11, for encroaching on HUDA land.

Man sets himself on fire
Chandigarh, May 5
A 65-year-old man reportedly set himself on fire at his residence this evening. He was admitted to the PGI with 90 per cent burns. According to the police, Randhir was alone at home at that time and it was locked from inside. Some neighbours noticed smoke coming out from the house and heard the cries of the victim at 5:30 pm.

Krishna Mohan to head CITCO
Chandigarh, May 5
UT Home Secretary Krishna Mohan is set to be Chairman of the Chandigarh Industrial Tourism Corporation (CITCO) while Finance Secretary S.K. Sandhu is to be asked to handle the work of Chairman, Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB).

Surprise check of SDM’s office
Panchkula, May 5
The Chief Minister’s Flying Squad today raided the office of Subdivisional Magistrate, Panchkula, and Health department in the morning and found many officers and employees absent from duty.

CRIME

‘Tantrik’ rapes pregnant woman Chandigarh, May 5 A self-styled “tantrik” allegedly raped a pregnant woman who had approached him to seek blessings for her ailing husband. Reportedly confessing to the crime, the 48-year-old father of four children, Mian Rashid Ahmed, said he had conjured spirits to cure the woman’s husband but the spirits overpowered him and forced him to rape the woman. He said “the black magic seemed to have boomeranged on me”. He realised his “sin” after the spell of the apparition was over. Rape accused “tantrik” in police custody in Chandigarh on Thursday. - A Tribune photograph

Courier company employee dupes six of Rs 1.57 lakh
Chandigarh, May 5
The local police has booked an employee of a courier company for allegedly duping six persons of Rs 1.57 lakh by using their credit cards, which he allegedly procured from a box lying in a bank, in which undelivered cards were lying.

One held, 10 gm smack seized
Chandigarh, May 5
The local police today arrested a smack peddler with 10 gm of smack while in another incident a thief was caught red-handed while attempting to steal electricity meters from a house in Sector 38-West, here

BUSINESS

Spice launches quiz-based contest
Chandigarh, May 5
Spice Telecom today launched a quiz-based contest called “Sawaal Ek Lakh Ka”. Through this contest Spice subscribers can avail of the opportunity of becoming a “lakhpati” and also win a chance to take away attractive prizes.

Bank branch opened
Mohali, May 5
A fully computerised and air-conditioned branch of the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (SBBJ) was opened in Phase XI here today. Mr K.R. Srikantan, Managing Director, SBBJ inaugurated the branch. He told mediapersons that the SBBJ was an associate of the State Bank of India. The new branch here would shortly have ATM facility for the convenience of customers

EDUCATION

Marketing Canada among Indian students
Chandigarh, May 5
Effervescent with a smile that’s infectious. — that’s Wendy Curtis, International Director, Fanshawe College, Canada. She’s in the city yet again, her fourth time, marketing Canada.

Fewer research scholars in PU this year
Entrance test makes PhD less popular
Chandigarh, May 5
There has been a sharp decline in the number of research scholars in Panjab University this year. As against 147 research scholars working in the humanities departments — including all language departments, philosophy, music and fine arts, in 2003-2004 session, there are merely 13 scholars left in all these departments at the end of the session, this year.

Pooja tops in Class X exams in dist

Panchkula, May 5 Pooja Saini, a student of New India Senior Secondary School, Sector 15, topped the Class X Haryana Board examination in the district with 84 per cent marks. She scored 504 marks out of 600. The results were declared, here today. Pooja Saini of New India Senior Secondary School, Panchkula, who topped in Panchkula district with 84 per cent marks in matriculation with her parents on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

School holds prize distribution function
Panchkula, May 5
Annual prize distribution function of Kendriya Vidyalaya No 1, Chandimandir, was held here today. Chief guest, Col V.N. Money, Chairman Vidyalaya Management Committee inaugurated the function by lighting the lamp.

Workshop for special children concludes
Chandigarh, May 5
Srijana manch, a five-day workshop for special children being held at Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36, concluded with a cultural programme and an exhibition, here today.

Digitalisation project to go public today
Mohali, May 5
The project to digitalise data of 34 villages of Majri block will be presented at a function being organised by the district administration, Punjab Engineering College (PEC) and District Town Planning Office at Shivalik Public School, Phase 6, here tomorrow.

Khalsa college to develop centre of excellence
Chandigarh, May 5
Khalsa College, Amritsar, with a legacy of 115 years has decided to develop a centre of excellence at Phase 3 A, Mohali. Named Khalsa College Amritsar Centenary Bhavan, the centre would be spread in 2.5 acres and is expected to start functioning in the next academic session.

A clarification

COURTS

From District Courts
Contractor refused bail
Panchkula, May 5
Additional District and Sessions Judge, Sneh Prashar, today rejected the bail application of Ranjit Singh, a co-accused in a case of corruption along with Sub Inspector Verender Kumar and Assistant Sub Inspector, Ashwani Sharma. He filed the application yesterday, which was rejected by the court today.

CULTURE

New Releases A labour of love Producer-director Harry Baweja and Ajay Devgan team up for the sixth time in Pammi Baweja presentation ‘Main Aisa Hi Hoon’ starring Esha Deol and Sushmita Sen. This is an emotional movie reportedly inspired from ‘I am Sam’ and the rest is very much of a Bollywood film.  Ajay Devgan and Esha Deol in ‘Main Aisa Hi Hoon’.

LEISURE

Rangoli, her ticket to Guinness Book
Thanks to Vandana Vijay Joshi from Nagpur, the Indian art of rangoli has finally made it to the world map. A Guinness Record holder for creating the largest rangoli pattern measuring 466 sq metre, Vandana Joshi is now dabbling in more challenging themes within the realm of rangoli — portrait art, being the first.

CCA gallery pulsates with ‘photographic charm’

The Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA) is back to its vibrant self. After eight months, the College Foyer Gallery is breathing fresh again — with a lot of colour, spirit and composition to fill its lungs. Raj Rishi Grag and Garima Gulati students of Chandigarh College of Architecture tell about their photographs at an exhibition on Thursday. — A Tribune photo

Reflection of moods on canvas Panchkula based artist Shivani Sud has put up a mixed-media show of 65 elusive works of paintings titled “Imprints” at the exhibition hall of the Government Museum Art Gallery today. Shivani Sood with her art work on display at an exhibition titled Imprints at government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Book released
It is imperative that the references of contemporary events and the socio-cultural life do figure in any of the Literary creations and the collection of short stories ‘Mein Saath Duungi’ by writer journalist Poonam Labana is no exception. The lucid stories are in close proximity with the present times’.

HEALTH

De-addiction camp organised
Chandigarh, May 5
A 10-day de-addiction camp was organised at Brahmin Sabha, Kajheri village under the District Mental Health Programme by the Department of Psychiatry, GMCH Sector 32 in collaboration with the village panchayat concluded yesterday.

• New OPD hours of GMCH-32

SPORTS

Anupam scores 112 runs

Mohali, May 5 A superb unbeaten century by Anupam Gambhir (112 n.o. off 108 balls) helped the Chandigarh District team to consolidate its position against Ludhiana in the Under-17 inter-district M. L. Markan Cricket Trophy at the Punjab Cricket Association grounds, here today. Anupam Gambhir of Chandigarh after completing his century against Ludhiana in Under-17 inter-district M. L. Markan Cricket Trophy at the PCA grounds, Mohali, on Thursday. — Photo by Manoj Mahajan.

Sampada wins AITA tournament
Chandigarh, May 5 Vijayant Malik of Chandigarh had an easy win over Bikram Reddy of Andhra Pradesh in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 in the finals of Boys’ Under-16 (singles) of AITA Super Series Tennis Tournament held at CLTA Sector 10, here today.

Minerva Academy wins
Chandigarh, May 5
Minerva Academy continued their winning spree by beating defending champions Chetna Cricket Club by a huge margin of 90 runs in the first Ashok Kumar Memorial Cricket Tournament - 2005, held at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 19, here yesterday.