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PHULANWAL-DHANDRA LAND DISPUTE
Murder case against 17
Ludhiana, December 7
The Sadar Police has registered a case of murder and rioting against 17 persons in yesterday’s Phulanwal-Dhandra land dispute incident in which one person lost his life and three others were injured. The booked persons include a woman.

Tantriks lure superstitious, illiterate
Ludhiana, December 7
Self-styled tantriks, it seems, are ruling the roost as far as the exploitation of the superstitious and the illiterate are concerned. Go to any part of the city and you would find the walls pasted with multi-coloured posters eulogising the benefits of consulting the so-and-so tantrik.

LPG consumers falling prey to impostors
Ludhiana, December 7
Hundreds of city residents are being duped daily by impostors posing as representatives of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). Officials of the corporation say that groups of 10 to 15 young people, including women, posing as representatives of the IOC go to various homes in different localities by rotation and lure people into obtaining a membership of Rs 35 per connection for maintenance and free service but never return.

Scamster meets his nemesis
Ludhiana, December 7
As the scam involving illegal money lending unfolds itself, the magnitude of the funds involved and the number of individuals affected increases with every passing day. It is estimated that at least 500 families have lost over Rs 30 crore in the scam due to their direct or indirect participation. While a sizable amount of money lost belongs to only a few individuals, hundreds of people have lost smaller amounts in lakhs.

Cloudy evenings in city

Ludhiana, December 7 As the mercury is dipping with every passing day the city is experiencing cloudy evenings thanks to the rising levels of pollution, that after mixing with the fog cover the city with a hazy blanket. The thick cover of such clouds in the city is reminiscent of smog that engulfs the city every winter and is a matter of concern for the environmentalists. Cloudy evenings have become a regular feature of Ludhiana. — Photo Pardeep Tewari

COMMUNITY

Hard times ahead for autorickshaw drivers
Admn’s move to introduce mini buses in city

Ludhiana, December 7 The local transport system, which will be introduced by the district administration shortly, will provide employment to 500 persons besides lowering the pollution level. But it will also render around 10,000 autorickshaw drivers jobless. A number of autorickshaws in city that would be replaced by mini-buses in January. — IV

Govt delaying SGPC poll: Tohra

Ludhiana, December 7 The Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD) President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, today flayed the government for what he termed as deliberate delay in general elections of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). The SHSAD chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, flanked by Mr Hira Singh Gabria, former MLA presents a memento to Mr Mal Singh Ghuman in Ludhiana on Saturday.—  IV

Manewal’s killers still at large
Machhiwara, December 7
The family members of vice president of District Congress Committee (Rural) Ludhiana, Sukhdev Singh Manewal, are upset with the Samrala police for not having found the murderers of Mr Manewal whose body was found near Sirhind Canal 17 months ago.

Rally held to mark Ambedkar anniversary
Ludhiana, December 7
The local BSP unit and the District Valmiki Sabha jointly took out a cycle and scooter rally here to mark the ‘nirvan divas’ of Dr B.R. Ambedkar. Dr D.P. Khosla, vice-president, BSP, Punjab, along with senior party leaders Mr Gurdial Chand, Mr Gurmel Singh Pehalwan, Mr Hans Raj, councillor and Mr Walaiti Ram Moong led the rally.

Police ‘shielding’ accused
Ludhiana, December 7
Officials of Division No VII police station are allegedly shielding an accused in a house grab case. The accused identified as Lambhar Singh had been denied bail by the court and since then he has absconded.

Bhai Vir Singh remembered
Ludhiana, December 7
Teja Singh Sutantar Memorial Senior Secondary School and Women College jointly celebrated the birth anniversary of Bhai Vir Singh, the founding father of modern Punjabi literature. The seminar was inaugurated by Dr Kewal Dheer, a noted author. The seminar highlighted the contribution of the literary genius.

CRIME

Jagraon tops in poppy husk seizure
Ludhiana, December 7
The Jagraon police has set a record by seizing 158.50 quintal of poppy husk in the first 11 months of this year, leaving behind the other police districts in the state. The market value of the seized narcotic is estimated at Rs 4.5 million.

Foetus found on jail premises, lost
Ludhiana, December 7
The district police is convinced that a foetus and not an infant’s body was found from bushes in the old jail premises two days ago, which had allegedly disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

Tantrik held, woman recovered
Ludhiana, December 7
The Jodhewal police has arrested a tantrik, Baba Sukhi Giri, a resident of Juneja Nagar on the Tibba road here, who had allegedly eloped with a married woman of the locality on November 21. The woman has also been recovered.

BUSINESS

Textile exhibition inaugurated
Ludhiana, December 7
A two-day exhibition “Spring Summer Forecast Trends 2003”, organised by the Northern Indian Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT) Mohali in association with the Knitwear Club, Ludhiana, was inaugurated by Mr Anurag Agarwal, Deputy Commissioner at the Sutlej Club here today.

Industry faces fuel problem
Mandi Gobindgarh, December 7
A joint meeting of the executive body of the Steel Chamber of Commerce and Industry and representatives of Steel Re-rolling Mills Association, Mandi Gobindgarh, was held here to discuss the repercussions of the letter issued by Environmental Engineer Punjab, Pollution Control Board (PPCB) Patiala, not to use pulverised coal in place of furnace oil and was directed to use fuel which had been permitted by the PPCB.

Free pollution check for vehicles

Ludhiana, December 7 A two-day free pollution check camp was organised by Bedi Tyre Plaza in association with Apollo Tyres here. More than 300 vehicles, mostly cars, were checked for emission of gases and certificates were issued in accordance with the Motor Vehicle Act. A two-day free pollution check camp was held at Bedi Tyre Plaza in Ludhiana on Saturday. — IV

‘Open day’ at DAV School

Ludhiana, December 7 An ‘open day’ was organised at DAV Public School here today. The chief guest of the day was Dr V.K. Sharma, Registrar, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). This was the third open day organised by the school. Students of DAV Public School perform at the open-day celebrations here on Saturday. — Photo Inderjit Verma

Self-realisation day celebrated
Ludhiana, December 7
The teachers and students of Mata Ganga Khalsa College Kottan, celebrated the self-realisation day of Guru Nanak Dev yesterday. The programme began with a ‘sehaj path’, which was followed by a shabad. The function was presided over by Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar, SGPC President. Mr Chanan Singh, Principal Grewal and Mr Devinder Singh Cheena.

Annual day celebrations Ludhiana, December 7 Little Angel Nursery School celebrated their annual day on December 5. Students participated in cultural items with enthusiasm. The ‘colour dance’ by students was appreciated by the audience. Students of Little Angle Nursery School celebrate annual day — IV

• ‘Aao bune’ contest

Hearing in Gurdev Badal’s case on Dec 16
Ludhiana, December 7
The Special Judge, Mr Inderjit Kaushik today adjourned the hearing on the bail application of Gurdev Badal, former Agriculture Minister for December 16. He issued a notice to the state and directed to produce the relevant record on the date fixed.

• Baldev Singh takes charge

CULTURE

Visual treat for art lovers
Ludhiana, December 7
Art lovers and connoisseurs are in for a delightful visual treat at Guru Nanak Bhavan where at least 113 paintings of around 25 reputed and upcoming painters are on display. The exhibition seems to have created an artistic landscape with oil, water, acrylic and other works.

Playwright promises feel-good moments
Ludhiana, December 7
There are times when one just wants to forget the tensions and worries of life and laugh. These are the 'feel good' moments which revive the joie de vivre by looking at ourselves and society around us through a fusion of fiction and reality.

Body-painting competition

Ludhiana, December 7 Slim-n-Shape organised a body-painting competition on their premises here yesterday. Ms Archana Sarup, the center head in a press note said that more than nine contestants took part in this unique competition. Ms Simran was declared first as she made a beautiful pattern of studs and glitters on the hands.  Participants at a body-painting competition organised in Ludhiana. — A Tribune photograph

Ludhiana printers visit Germany
Ludhiana, December 7
A delegation of the Offset Printers Association Ludhiana recently visited Germany. The delegation had gone their on the invitation of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany. The delegation included Mr Romi Malhotra, Mr Kamal Chopra, Mr Amarjeet Singh Mancoo, Mr Sanjay Gandhi and Mr Venay Oberoi.

HEALTH

Hero DMC faces financial crunch?
Ludhiana, December 7
The prestigious Hero-DMC Heart Institute here that started with much fanfare is passing through a severe financial crunch, resulting in several senior doctors fleeing the institute, thereby seriously affecting its normal functioning.

SPORTS

Punjab hockey player impresses Spain
Ludhiana, December 7
Though European countries dominate in the field of hockey, players from Punjab have impressed them with their technical skills, stickwork and dodging ability. Jagroop Singh Bal, a student of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, who had gone to Spain in connection with his studies has been engaged by the Sonfer Club in Majorka.

Cops, officials play goodwill match
Jagraon, December 7
In a goodwill cricket match today between the police and civil administration in LR DAV College here, the civil administration XI under the captaincy of Mr Gurmeet Singh, SDM, defeated the police administration XI which was headed by Mr M.S. Chheena, SSP, by six wickets.