Demonstration held

Patiala: On the call of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), a demonstration was held in front of Oriental Bank of Commerce regional office, Chhoti Baradari, here. Addressing the rally, SK Gautam said banking reforms were only aimed at privatisation of banks through mergers and acquisitions. When there is a need to expand and strengthen public sector banks, virtually, PSBs are closed in the name of mergers. After merger of associate banks, staff lay off has been done through VRS and around 25 per cent branches are being closed and similar fate will be there in the merger of other PSBs. He said people’s money is for their welfare and not for private and corporate loot. Com Gautam said on August 22, 10 lakh bank employees and officers would observe a one-day strike and on September 15, a ‘Parliament morcha’ would be organised before the Parliament in Delhi under the banner of the UFBU.

Engineers’ body poll

Patiala: The process for the election of new executive of the PSEB Engineers Association has been started following the dissolution of breakaway group, Punjab Power Engineers Association. A joint meeting of committee members authorised by respective executive committees of the PSEBEA and the PPEA was held on Friday to discuss the modalities for unification of engineer’s cadre. It was decided to hold elections for new executive and Arun Gupta, engineer-in-chief, was appointed as the chief election officer. It was also decided to complete the election process by October 14. Accordingly, the election schedule has been notified. It was also decided that the PPEA will inform the PSPCL/PSTCL management and registrar of societies that the association has been dissolved. — TNS

Direct flight from Chandigarh to Bangkok

Chandigarh: Come October and Chandigarh will be directly connected to Bangkok. Air India’s new A-320 Neo aircraft will fly four flights a week. It will be the third international flight from the Chandigarh airport. — TNS

65-yr-old dies in road mishap

Panchkula: A 65-year-old person died in a road accident in Sector 11 on Tuesday night. The victim, Munshi Ram, was returning to his house in Sector 10 after visiting ISCKON temple in Sector 12 on Janmashtami. He was travelling with his son Ashish Jain and wife Neelam in a Wagon R car. A Sonata car hit the vehicle at a roundabout behind showrooms in Sector 11. The impact was so strong that the Wagon R turned turtle. Ram suffered head injury. All three were taken to the General Hospital, Sector 6, here, from where Ram and his son were referred to the PGI, Chandigarh. However, he died on the way. The body was handed over to his kin after autopsy. A case has been registered. TNS

3 mobile phones snatched

Chandigarh: Three snatching incidents were reported from various parts of the city on Tuesday. The police said Sarwan Kumar of Chaman Colony, Dhanas, said a miscreant on a motorcycle snatched away his mobile phone from him near the Sector 24/25 turn. In another case, Devinder Kumar of Burail village in Sector 45 alleged that an unknown person on a motorcycle snatched away his mobile phone from on a slip road in Sector 29. In the third incident, Naman of Sector 38 alleged that unknown persons on a motorcycle snatched away a mobile phone from him from near the Sector 37/38 chowk. Separate cases have been registered. The police are scrutinising the CCTV footage of cameras installed in the areas by residents to get any clue.  TNS

MGNREGA worker dies in accident

Fatehgarh Sahib: The police have registered a case against a woman for hitting a MNREGA worker with her two-wheeler and causing serious injuries. The worker succumbed to his injuries during the treatment. The victim has been identified as Gurmail Singh of Peerjain village in the district. Victim’s son Avtar Singh in his complaint to the police said the woman, a resident of Chunni village, had hit his father with her scooty while he was working as a labourer by the roadside under the MNREGA scheme. He said his father was rushed to a hospital and later he succumbed to his injuries. TNS    

Fraud: BJP leader held

Mohali: Following a local court’s order, the Mohali Police on Wednesday nabbed BJP leader Yadwinder Singh Buttar from near the District Courts Complex at Sector 43, Chandigarh. Inspector Amarpreet Singh, SHO, Phase XI police station, said after the arrest, Buttar was produced in the court, which sent him to judicial custody till August 30. He had come to attend a hearing. “The local court has issued arrest warrants against him in a six-year-old fraud case of around Rs 10 lakh,” said the SHO. After his conviction in 2015, he appealed in a higher court, which was turned down in March this year. TNS 

Sky Rock City victims meet SSP

Mohali: A deputation of the Sky Rock City Victims’ Forum on Wednesday met Mohali SSP KS Chahal and demanded immediate arrest of society president Navjit Singh’s wife Parminder Kaur and other office-bearers of the society. The deputation also apprised the SSP of the “unauthorised” removal of certain valuable items from the society’s site office despite it being locked by the GMADA authorities. Chahal reportedly assured the victims that all those involved in the alleged land scam would be arrested. TNS

Decomposed body found

Lalru: The highly decomposed body of a man was found near a ground on the Lalru-Dharamgarh road here on Wednesday. The body was found by youngsters who were playing on the ground.The police said, while playing cricket, the ball landed in the bushes and one of the boys who went in search of the ball was shocked to find a decomposed body there. They informed residents in the locality who later called the police. Pushpinder Singh, SHO, said, “We have not identified the victim so far. The body seems to be eight to10 days old. We suspect the body is of a migrant labourer who was believed to be in his mid-50s.” He was found wearing slippers, a white shirt and green trousers. The body has been kept at a mortuary in the Civil hospital, Dera Bassi, for identification. OC

Blood donation camp

Chandigarh: The Canara Bank Officers’ Association, Chandigarh, organised a blood donation camp at Sector 34-A here in association with the Department of Transfusion Medicine, PGI, Chandigarh, on Independence Day. Over 250 persons attended the camp. As many as 174 units of blood were donated on the occasion. BM Trehan, General Manager, Canara Bank, and Jagjit Singh, General Manager, Canara Bank, inaugurated the camp. Atul Kapoor, vice-president of the Canara Bank Officers’ Association, was the first to donate blood. S Sreekumar, Dy GM, and Suchet Sachdev, Assistant Professor, Department of Blood Transfusion, PGI, gave away certificates and mementos to donors. TNS

Elderly held for raping 18-yr-old

Dera Bassi: The city police have arrested an elderly man for allegedly sexually assaulting an 18-year-old domestic help here on Wednesday. The accused has been identified as Sucha Singh (72), a resident of Rauni Mohalla in Dera Bassi. The police said on Wednesday, the victim had lodged a compliant with the police against Sucha Singh, alleging that the accused had employed her to dust the house and for other chores at Sadhu Nagar here. The victim further stated in her complaint that when she came to the house this morning, the accused shut the door and allegedly raped her. A case has been registered. OC

2 convicted in rape, abduction case

Chandigarh: A local court today convicted two youths for rape and abduction of a 13-year-old girl of Kishangarh. The quantum of sentence has been scheduled for Thursday. The case was registered under Sections 376, 363, 366, 368 and 6 of the POCSO Act. The convicts are identified as Chetan Mehra (20), a local resident, and Gurvinder, alias Gagan (27), a native of Ferozepur, who was working as a clerk with an advocate. — TNS