Chandigarh, August 8
Denying accusations of ragging, the authorities at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, have set up a fact-finding committee to inquire into the circumstances leading to the reported suicide by a student of the college at his home in Amritsar on Sunday.

Director principal H D Swami said today even though the parents of the deceased had not lodged a complaint with the college, he had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Dr Krishan Vij, head of the anti-ragging committee, to look in to the matter.

Manjot Singh, a first-year student of MBBS, after attending classes for two days, left for his home on Friday and reportedly committed suicide there. His parents allege that he was disturbed as he was subjected to ragging in the college.

Students, evidently in a state of shock, chose to remain mum on the issue, even as a condolence meeting was held on the last day of the three-day interaction session.Whenever efforts were made to talk to the classmates of Manjot, their seniors would instruct them to go to their classes.

“There is no ragging in the college and we do not want to talk to anybody on this topic,” said the freshers. Dr Harsh Mohan, medical superintendent, GMCH, said Manjot was worried about his career after had been diagnosed as suffering from colour blindness.

Even though he had got admission in the college after the go-ahead from the special medical board on the advice of the PGI, he was apprehensive about his future, he said.

Manjot was medically examined on July 18 and found suffering from colour blindness. A second medical board with three ophthalmologists was constituted which sought the opinion of the PGI. The PGI, citing a Government of India circular of 2004, said the person suffering from this type blindness could be admitted as student.

Chandigarh, August 8
The department of ophthalmology at the Government College and Hospital, Sector 32, is running a registered eye bank round-the-clock for the convenience of the donors. According to head of the department R. Madhusudan, a vehicle of the hospital moves up to 100 milometer radius of Chandigarh for collecting the donations. The contact mobile number of bank is 9814821212. — TNS

Chandigarh, August 8
Vivek High Asian Cricket Academy beat Mount Fort Academy (Dehra Dun) by 29 runs in the final of the Fifth Amarnath Bakshi Memorial Cricket Cup 2007 played at Yamunnagar (Haryana).

Vivek High Asian Cricket Academy won the toss and elected to bat. They scored 227 for seven in 35 overs. Manjit Singh scored a splendid knock of 83 runs and Avinash contributed 47 runs while Sutixen Mehta scored 41 runs in just 15 balls.

From Mount Fort Cricket Academy, Sanoop and Vijay took two wickets each, conceding 28 and 37 runs, respectively.

In reply, Mount Fort Cricket Academy scored 198 runs all out in 33.2 overs.

Arun Rai was the highest scorer with 59 runs. Bhushan Dhiman grabbed three wickets for 22 runs while Vinay Setia, Sutixen Mehta and Manjit Singh took two wickets each.

Brief scores

Vivek High Asian Cricket Academy: 227 runs for 7 in 35 overs (Manjit Singh 83, Aviash 47, Sutixen Mehta 41, Abhinav Sood 24 n o, Sanoop 2 for 28, Vijay Bhardwaj: 2 for 37).

Mount Fort Cricket Academy, Dehra Dun: 198 all out in 33.2 overs (Arun Rai 59, Deepak 38, Sahil 27, Bhusan Dhiman 3 for 22, Sutixen Mehta 2 for 27, Vinay Setia 2 for 31, Manjit Singh 2 for 33).

Bhushan Dhiman and Manjit Singh, both from VHACA,were declared the best bowler and best batsman, respectively. Manjit Singh was also declared the man of the match while Savrpreet Singh of Yamunanagar Cricket Club was declared the man of the series. Sutixen Mehta (VHACA) was declared the best all-rounder.

Chandigarh, August 8
The combined team of Chandigarh Coaching Centre (CCC) and Guru Nanak Public School (GNPS), Sector 36, thrashed Edmond Rice Cricket Academy

(ERCA) of St John's School by nine wickets in the pool B match of the Under-11 Chandigarh Inter-Academy Cricket Tournament. The tournament is being organised by DP Azad Academy at St Stephen's School, Sector 45, here.

Edmond Rice Cricket Academy batted first and was bundled out just for 34 runs in 15.2 overs in a rain-curtailed match. Medium pacer Parvesh wrecked ERCA by capturing three wickets for eight runs. He was well supported by Nipun Bhargava and Harpreet. Only Gurmanant put up some resistance to score 12 runs.

In reply, the combined team of CCC and GNPS scored the required runs in just 7.2 overs for the loss of one wicket. The highlight of the winners' innings was an unbeaten knock of 20 by Nipun Bhargava. Chandan bagged the lone wicket of CCA+GNPS.

Brief scores

ERCA: 34 in 15.2 overs (Gurmanant 14, Parvesh 3 for 8, Nipun Bhargava 2 for 3, Harpreet 2 for 10).

CCC+GNPS: 35 for 1 in 7.2 overs (Nipun Bhargav 20 n o, Abhishek 5 n o, Chandan 1 for 19).

Tomorrow's fixture: DP Azad Cricket Academy vs Shri Shri Academy, Panchkula (3 pm). 

Panchkula, August 8
With ‘poori-channa’ or ‘aloo-poori’ as breakfast before their bouts, it is not difficult to imagine what the boxers can look for in the ring.

The organisers of the 40th Haryana State Boxing Championship, which is being held at Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex, Sector 3, here, have, as a part of their generous hospitality, ignored the universal guidelines regarding not giving boxers “fried” food before their competition.

For all players, especially those in an individual corporal endurance sport like boxing, balanced and healthy diet is a mandatory requirement, especially during the competition days.

Since the performance of a boxer depends heavily on the weight category he is drawn to compete in, both players and their coaches avoid taking carbohydrates and saturated food to avoid gaining weight on the eve of a competition. And boxers normally tend to take only proteins and other non-fatty staple food before the weighing-in.

“But here, the situation is just reverse. Instead of good diet like milk, eggs and fruit, we are being served the deep fried ‘poori-chana’ and ‘poori-aloo’ in breakfast and immediately before our bouts start,” said a boxer on the condition of anonymity.

“What to talk of milk and fruit, we are not getting good quality food. Chapattis and rice served to us in lunch and dinner are not properly cooked. Simple boiled water is being served as tea,” rues another national-level boxer.

The plight of participating boxers, 143 in all, does not end here. Even the board and lodging facilities provided to them are far from satisfactory.

A visit to the sports hostel, where all boxers have been put up, reveals that there are makeshift arrangements.

“There are as many as 15 players in each room. We have to sleep on mattresses on floor. Some of us even have no mattress and have to sleep on mats. Many of us prefer to go out to have a good sleep. Besides, water is another problem. We are not getting sufficient water for bathing and other chores,” rued the sportspersons.

Panchkula, August 8
Living up to expectations, three-time Haryana state champion Manjeet Singh thrashed Ravikant in the 69-75 kg weight category during the 40th Haryana State Boxing Championship at Tau Devi Lal Complex, Sector 3, here today.

Other results

60 kg: Parveen b Dharamveer, Ranbir b Rakesh, Karamvir b Mandeep, Satish b Rajkumar, Kapil b Suresh, Ashwani b Subham, Vijay b Balwinder and Vikas b Vikas.

60-64 kg: Palvinder b Madan Lal, Parveen b Niraj, Jagbir b Jasbir, Jaibir b Rahul, Surender b Jarsen, Rakesh b Vikash, Virat b Karampal and Niraj b Devender.

64-69 kg: Suresh b Pardeep, Ashish b Sushil, Navbharat b Abhishek, Narender b Jaoravar, Sonu b Ravinder, Surjit b Vikas, Parvesh b Parveen and Parveen b Shri Bhawan.