L U D H I A N A

‘Spirited’ cops beat up councillor’s brother, friend
ASI booked, SHO suspended
LUDHIANA, Jan 29 — While the district police is already facing flak in the Dalit torture case and is trying hard to salvage its image by initiating police-public cooperation measures, two allegedly drunk policemen mercilessly beat up two youths last night. Both the youths sustained multiple injuries.

The two victims of alleged police beating at the Civil Hospital Ludhiana, on Monday.  — Photos by Rajesh Bhambi

Ludhiana quake aid crosses 40 lakh mark
LUDHIANA, Jan 29 — With more social, religious and other institutions coming forward with aid for quake victims in Gujarat, total contributions in Ludhiana made through different agencies have crossed Rs 40 lakh. Senior BJP leader and Member Parliament, Lala Lajpat Rai announced a contribution of Rs 20 lakh today, on behalf of various organisations he is associated with.

Quake scare at Focal Point 
LUDHIANA, Jan 29 — Residents of Jamalpur Colony in the focal point area were hauled up from their cosy beds by worried neighbours a little before 4 am today .

Basant Panchmi celebrated
LUDHIANA, Jan 29 — A large number of Bengalis, in colourful clothes, gathered at Bangiya Samsad, Chotti Jabaddi, for Saraswati puja, on the occasion of Basant Panchmi today. The puja was attended by a large number of students and their parents. Saraswati is the goddess of learning.

Land encroached upon in Model Town
LUDHIANA, Jan 29 — Certain property dealer, in connivance with prospective buyers, have allegedly encroached upon a piece of prime land in Model Town extension area in the city. Taking advantage of four consecutive holidays (January 26 to 29) in government offices, including the Municipal Corporation and the Improvement Trust, foundation of a building was laid in a 125-square-yard piece of land, adjoining plot numbers 1346 and 1283 in D block of the locality. 

Labourer suspected of murdering woman
LUDHIANA, Jan 29 — A migrant labourer, who allegedly murdered a married woman after raping her , was caught by certain alert residents of a colony near Housing Board flats on the Pakhowal road today morning.

COMMUNITY

Local lad for Gladrags Manhunt Contest
LUDHIANA, Twenty-five-year-old, six-feet-one-inch-tall, Rajat Chander Lal has been shortlisted to participate in the finals of Gladrags Manhunt Mr India Contest to be held on March 10 in Mumbai. He won the first runners-up title in the semifinals of the Manhunt Contest held in Delhi, earlier this month.

Madhok is chief of midtown chamber
LUDHIANA, Jan 29 — Mr Balwinder Singh Madhok was unanimously elected as president of the Ludhiana Midtown Junior Chamber.

CRIME

Suicide attempt by woman
DORAHA, Jan 29 — A married woman, who received 90 per cent burns in a suicide attempt yesterday, is at present fighting for life at the DMC, Ludhiana.

Two arrested
KHANNA, Jan 29 — The Khanna police has claimed to have busted a gang of smugglers and arrested two persons. The police also claimed to have seized 20 bags of poppy husk from them.

BUSINESS

VDS to benefit small and medium-scale units
LUDHIANA, Jan 29 — The Punjab State Electricity Board's reintroduced and modified voluntary disclosure scheme (VDS) is expected to benefit thousands of small and medium-scale units in the city. Mr Sikander Singh Maluka, Power Minister, had announced on December 30 that the PSEB would reintroduce VDS from January 1 to March 31. Consequently, on January 19, the board notified the VDS scheme for the industrial consumers.

EDUCATION

Aulakh’s appointment hasn’t pleased all
LUDHIANA, Jan 29 — As Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh takes over the charge of the new Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), several eyebrows are being raised over his appointment.

School’s CBSE affiliation false?
LUDHIANA, Jan 29 — Mr Jaspal Singh Saini, a resident of Sardar Nagar here, has lodged a complaint with the District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum against a school in New Shiv Puri alleging that the school is falsely claiming to be affiliated to the CBSE. He alleged that the school spoiled two years of her daughter, Jasbir Kaur.

1600 students participate in painting contest 
LUDHIANA, Jan 29 — Nearly 1,600 school students participated in a painting contest organised by a Hindi daily at Nehru Rose Garden here yesterday.

HEALTH

Reinstatement of employees resented
LUDHIANA, Jan 29 — Various employees' unions of the Health Department have opposed the reinstatement of some charge-sheeted employees by the government. In a joint press conference held here today, the union leaders alleged that the government was promoting corruption.