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Voters shun polls in Kalka, Panchkula
Panchkula/Kalka, May 7
In contrast to various campaigns like the “Jago re”, aimed at bringing out voters in large numbers, boycotts marred polling in several areas of Kalka and Panchkula

One of the polling stations at Chokki village in Panchkula wears a deserted look on Thursday. Tribune photo: S. Chandan

Manimajra traders to follow suit
Chandigarh, May 7
Taking a cue from Kalka shopkeepers, a section of traders of Manimajra today joined hands to teach political parties a lesson for their indifferent attitude towards them.

Overgrown wild grass on the approach road of booths in Manimajra. Tribune photo: Vinay Malik

Trader’s Murder
Business rivalry possible reason: Cops
Chandigarh, May 7
Even after 48 hours, the police is groping in the dark to establish the motive behind the sensational murder of Amarjit Singh, owner of Sham Fashion Mall, who was gunned down outside his residence in Sector 35 on Tuesday by unidentified motorcyclists. However, the police said the circumstantial evidence suggested that the motive of the assailants was to eliminate the businessman.

Bunny defies EC, hops in polling booths 
Dera Bassi, May 7
Rules are only for the common man, so it seems as despite clear instructions of the Election Commission, chairman of Punjab Cooperative Bank and son of late Kanwaljit Singh, Jasjit Singh Bunny, entered different polling stations in Derabassi and surrounding areas without any restriction.

Jasjit Singh Bunny (extreme left) evades being captured on a camera while coming out of a polling booth along with his supporters in Dera Bassi on Thursday. Tribune photos: Vicky Gharu

Jeweller ripped off Rs 6-lakh diamonds
Chandigarh, May 7
Two well-suited persons, speaking fluent English, duped a Sector 35-based jeweller of diamonds worth Rs 6 lakh by posing as NRIs.

COMMUNITY

Mahima’s mahima: Cine star Mahima Chaudhary enjoys milk at Mohali milk plant on Thursday while on her way to the Chandigarh airport after campaigning for Manish Tewari, Congress candidate from Ludhiana. A Tribune photograph

Transport Policy
CTU staff blame authorities
Chandigarh, May 7
Chandigarh’s transport policy has come under the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s scanner, with the CTU Workers’ Union blaming the authorities concerned for succumbing to the pressure exerted by the Punjab Chief Minister.

UT gears up to tackle swine flu 
Chandigarh, May 7
With three isolation wards, one each in the PGI, GMCH-32 and GMSH-16, and a round-the-clock control room, the UT claims to have made all necessary preparations to deal with the threat of swine flu, even though no case has yet been reported in India.

Civil Services
Mohali girl gets 143 rank
Mohali, May 7
A Mohali girl makes it to the IAS by getting 143 rank in the civil services examination, result of which was declared on Monday.

Negligent driving
Insurance firm, driver told to pay up Rs 1.49 lakh
Chandigarh, May 7
In an unprecedented order, the Motor Accidental Claims Tribunal of Raj Shekhar Attri has termed the case as “contributory negligence” and directed the driver of the vehicle and the insurance company to jointly pay the compensation to the victim.

Hi-tech ambulances for GH-32
Chandigarh, May 7
To provide pre-hospital care in trauma cases, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, has procured the state-of-the-art ambulances, which are meant for ferrying critically ill patients, whose treatment can be started in the ambulance.

Handy reading device for visually impaired
Chandigarh, May 7
What could prove to be a boon for not only the visually impaired but also the illiterates, the CSIO has developed a new handy portable reading device that can scan and read out text from books and magazines without the usual paraphernalia of computers. However, the initial price tag of Rs 50,000 for the device may work out expensive for many.

CSIO scientist Dr HK Sardana shows the handy portable-reading machine that can scan and read out text from books and magazines. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Singapore, Malaysia favourite destinations
Chandigarh, May 7
Destinations like Nainital and Mussoorie seems to have become a passé with more and more city residents opting for Singapore, Malaysia and Bangkok when it comes to escape from the scorching heat.

Quitting ICL crucial decision: Madal Lal
Chandigarh, May 7
Former Indian cricketer and Delhi Giants coach Madan Lal was here today for a ‘Titan of the Day’ contest organised by Titan at its Sector-17 showroom.

71 pc polling in Dera Bassi, Zirakpur, Lalru
Zirakpur, May 7
Around 71 per cent polling was recorded in Dera Bassi, Zirakpur and Lalru under the Patiala Lok Sabha seat.

Cong a govt of scams: Cheema
Mohali, May 7
An SAD-BJP combine candidate Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said money making was the only agenda of Congress leaders when their party came to power and they did nothing for development works. Addressing a rally organised by Harmanpreet Singh Prince, senior vice-president of Municipal Council, Mohali, late last evening said scandals and scams were the only achievements of the Congress.

‘Manmohan has just N-deal to his credit’
Chandigarh, May 7
“Every seven minutes, a farmer in India commits suicide, corruption was at its peak in the UPA regime with hordes of money stacked in Swiss bank accounts, youth of India are trying to fight a futile battle with unemployment, and inflation touching all-time high and still the Congress echoes, “Jai Ho”, says Sharad Yadav, Janta Dal (United) president and NDA convener, lashing it out on UPA’s government at the Centre.

Sharad targets Cong, BJP
Chandigarh, May 7
It was “thumkas” on some Bhojpuri numbers doled out by singer Guddu Rangeela for garnering support for Janta Dal (U) candidate BV Goswami during a rally organised at Sector 25 here today. The rally was addressed by JD (U) president and NDA convener Sharad Yadav. There had been a little over hundred supporters present on the occasion.

Sharad Yadav waves a sword in the air during an election rally for JD (U) candidate at Sector 25 in Chandigarh on Thursday. Tribune photo: S Chandan

RJD releases manifesto
Chandigarh, May 7
Promising moons for people belonging to rural and urban areas, the local unit of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) today launched its party manifesto for Chandigarh constituency here today.

Once jewel in the crown, HMT has now lost sheen
Panchkula, May 7
Once the market leader in machine tools and industrial equipment, public sector HMT Limited is today plagued with manpower problems, inefficiency and declining production.

Working of defence accounts office to be reviewed
Chandigarh, May 7
Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), Bulbul Ghosh, today arrived at Chandigarh on a two-day official visit to review the functioning of the office of Principal Controller of the Defence Accounts (Western Command).

Seminar on e-resources
Chandigarh, May 7 Dr Tulsi Das Library at PGI organised a one-day seminar on usage of e- resources here yesterday. Prof Vinay Sakhuja was the chief guest. There were three technical sessions, which were chaired by Prof HR Chopra, Dr RP Kumar and Dr VK Anand, respectively.

Katoch Shield: Rahul to lead Fatehgarh Sahib 
Chandigarh, May 7
The Fatehgarh Sahib District Cricket Association (affiliated to the Punjab Cricket Association) today announced a 15-member team that will take part in the forthcoming Punjab Minor District Cricket Tournament for Katoch Shield.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Ballot Buffet: Puri-chholey, pakoras and sweet dish
Dera Bassi/Zirakpur, May 7
The menu of D-day was different. In a departure from organising liquor langar for the Bacchus lovers in the past few days, political parties today tried to tickle the taste buds of the voters by serving mouth-watering dishes during polling in Zirakpur, Derabassi and Lalru that fall under the Patiala parliamentary seat.



Voters being served puri-chholey outside a polling booth in Derabassi on Thursday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

LS Polls
Staff served breakfast on lunch time 
Rajpura, May 7
The staff on election duty in Ghanaur Vidhan Sabha constituency here was disappointed today as they did not get either of the meals on time. Finally, nearby villagers came to the rescue of around 1,000 staff members by holding langar for them.

Heavy polling before noon
Rajpura, May 7
Residents of various villages of Rajpura today cast their votes in the morning and the poll officials were seen relaxing in almost all the polling stations during the afternoon.

Violence mars polling in Rajpura
Rajpura, May 7
Separate incidents of violence marred the general elections in Rajpura today. Complaints of booth capturing and threatening voters kept on pouring in the offices of election observers. Twelve persons were arrested for damaging tents of the Congress, installed outside the polling booths, and trying to bully Congress workers. Attempts of booth capturing were also reported from several quarters.

Congress tents damaged by Akali workers in Rajpura. A Tribune photograph

Role of soft skills discussed
Banur, May 7
Keeping in mind the placement season of MBA students, Aryans Business School (ABS) conducted a seminar for MBA students to stress the importance of soft skills in their careers.

Rice millers to move HC against govt
Bassi Pathana, May 7
The Punjab Rice Millers’ Association has decided to move high court against the Centre and the state governments, which have allegedly failed to sort out the problems of the rice millers of the state.

One killed, 11 injured in accident
Morinda, May 7
One person was killed and eleven got injured as a truck rammed into a private bus near Kajouli village.

Books given to students
Bassi Pathana, May 7
Members of the local unit of the Bharat Vikas Parishad distributed books in Govt Girls Senior Secondary School to needy students of classes XI and XII.

COURTS

Fastest murder trial in city
Court finishes prosecution evidence
Chandigarh, May 7
It may probably be termed as one of the fastest murder trials, wherein the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Raj Rahul Garg finished the prosecution evidence today.

CRIME

One dies, 2 hurt in mishaps
Zirakpur/Dera Bassi, May 7
One person died and two were injured in three separate road accidents at Zirakpur and Dera Bassi today. According to the police, Nitin, a 25-year-old motorcyclist, was killed while he was returning from a marriage around 1 am when a Tata-407 hit him from back near AKS Colony.

SPORTS

7-wicket defeat for Shri Shri academy
Chandigarh, May 7
Shri Shri Cricket Academy faced another seven-wicket defeat on the second day of the Twenty-20 Saupin’s Summer Cricket Tournament here today in MCM DAV College, Sector 36. Bharti Vij St. Soldier Cricket Academy drubbed them by seven wickets.

Players in action during a Twenty-20 cricket match between Shri Shri Cricket Academy and Bharti Vij St. Soldier Cricket Academy in Chandigarh on Thursday. Tribune photo: S.Chandan

Markan Trophy in city’s kitty
Chandigarh, May 7
City lifted the M.L Markan Trophy 2009-10 by beating Patiala by four wickets after 73.3 overs in the final, here today, during the Punjab State Inter-District (Under-16) Tournament played at the Dhruv Pandove Cricket Stadium in Patiala.