The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Home guard jawan shot at during pursuit
One held, poppy husk seized
Tribune News Service

Rajpura, June 16
Four armed men fired gunshots at a police team, critically injuring a home guard jawan, during a pursuit after their vehicle was stopped at a roadblock at Shambhu barrier this evening.

The jawan, identified as Avtar Singh, received bullet injuries in the head and stomach and was taken to the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh.

The police officials who had set up the roadblock said they had specific tip-off about smuggling of contraband in the area.

“We received secret information about the delivery of a huge consignment of poppy husk in the area,” said the officials, who were searching suspected vehicles on the busy GT Road.

The police officials, who had been waiting for their catch since afternoon, signalled a black Tavera (CH 03 X 0099) to pull over, but the driver slowed down the vehicle and suddenly raced away.

The police engaged the vehicle in a pursuit and set up roadblocks on the route.

The miscreants rushed towards Alimajra village where another police party waylaid them at a dead end.

Three of the accused fled the scene after firing four gunshots. However, two bullets hit a home guard jawan, who was chasing the alleged smugglers on foot.

The police, however, arrested one of the accused, identified as Kamalpreet Singh, a resident of Khanna.

The police recovered five sacks of poppy husk from the vehicle besides a red beacon and some fake registration plates bearing numbers of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

DSP Rashpal Singh said the other accused would also be arrested soon.

Senior police officials, including SP Gurdeep Singh Pannu and Patiala SSP reached the scene and took stock of the situation.

A hunt was on to arrest the absconding culprits till the filing of the report.

Body found under mysterious circumstances
Tribune News Service

Dera Bassi, June 16
A youth, identified as Kapil Dev (24) of Rad village, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, was found under mysterious circumstances near Bhankarpur village on the Ambala-Chandigarh National Highway in Dera Bassi today.

The hands and legs of the deceased were tied and his mouth was stuffed with clothes before gagging it with a tape. He was working as a driver with Chandigarh-based taxi operator and had gone to Shimla in a Ford Ikon taxi yesterday to drop an official of a Chandigarh-based IT company.

The police has recovered the driving licence from his possession. No other valuables or documents have been recovered.

The police believes that unidentified robbers might have waylaid him and robbed him of his valuables and taxi after dumping him on the road side.

The police theory of robbery was confirmed when the Sonepat Police called up the Dera Bassi police informing that a Ford Ikon (CH-02-1614) had met with an accident on the National Highway at Sonepat at around 3.30 am. The taxi had reportedly crossed the Dappar toll plaza around 2.15 am.

SHO Samar Vineet Dhawan, Dera Bassi, said the robbers apparently drove the stolen vehicle fast. Within a span of five hours they had managed to reach Sonepat and that, too, after eliminating the driver.

The police said after conducting investigation, it was found that Rajpreet Singh, a resident of Sector 40-A, Chandigarh, employed the deceased as the driver.

The SHO said a case under Section 302 of the IPC had been registered and further investigations were on. The SHO said the police team had been sent to Haryana with a team of finger experts.

Maharana Pratap’s birth anniversary
Royal descendants to attend function
Tribune News Service

Kharar, June 16
The royal descendants of Maharaja Bhoj and Sirohi community will be participating in the 470th birth anniversary celebrations of Maharana Pratap to be held at Kurali tomorrow.

Maharaja Bhanu Prakash Singh, former Governor of Goa and direct descendant of Maharaja Bhoj, will also be a part of the state-level programme. The descendants of Sirohi clan include Maharaja Raghubir Singh Sirohi.

Adviser to Punjab Chief Minister Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema said Sirohi belonged to clan that made sharp swords for the army of Guru Gobind Singh to fight against Mughal rulers.

“The swords of Sirohi were known for separating enemy’s head from body. It was later known as Siri Sahib amongst Sikh community,” Dr Daljeet added.

A number of Rajputs from nearby areas of Kurali, Ucha Pind, Sanghol, Chamkaur Sahib, Morinda and Sialba Majri are expected to participate in the congregation. Rajputs from sub-mountainous regions of Nalagarh and Kiratpur Sahib will also be participating in the function.

Two bodies found
Our Correspondent

Ambala, June 16
Two bodies were recovered here this morning. The deceased were identified as Harjit Singh and Vijay Kumar. Harjit was a driver, residing in Kaith Majri. He left the house last late evening and did not turn back.

In the morning, his body was found lying near the railway track on the Ambala-Chandigarh railway section. The police suspects that some train might have hit him while crossing the railway level crossing. The police sent the body to the civil hospital for a postmortem.

Another body of Vijay Kumar was found lying near Jandli railway crossing, close to Ambala. The cause of his death could not ascertained so far.

During last one week, three unidentified bodies have been recovered in the city.

Three held with smack
Tribune News Service

Fatehgarh Sahib, June 16
The Fatehgarh Sahib police arrested three persons with 24 g smack here today. According to the police, a special naka was put up near Fatak Majri village, where Jagjit Singh, a resident of Sirhind, was arrested with 10 g smack.

Whereas at another naka, near Malko Majra village, a youth identified as Jagdeep Singh, a resident of Preet Nagar, was arrested with 10 g smack. Similarly, Amit Kumar, a resident of Bhanwari, was arrested with 4 g smack.

100 saplings planted
Tribune News Service

Fatehgarh Sahib, June 16
Members of the Rudra Eco-Friends yesterday planted nearly 100 saplings in various parts of Sirhind. The club members said the club was formed in memory of nine-month-old Rudra, who recently died of some ailment.

The members said yesterday was his first birthday and the parents and family friends decided to plant at least 100 trees on this day.

A large number of people gathered on the occasion and vowed to plant saplings to support the club.

Former Forest Minister Harbans Lal also visited during the occasion and said people should plant the maximum number of saplings to save the environment.

Placement drive at engg institute
Tribune News Service

Dera Bassi, June 16
Sri Sukhmani Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dera Bassi, today organised a placement drive on the college premises for the students of B Tech (Cse, IT, ECE); MCA and MBA.

Experts from Webcom Technologies, USA, visited the campus for recruiting the students of all branches, except mechanical, and offered good packages. They decided to select students of various branches based on pre-placement tests, technical interview, group discussion and interview.

CRIME

Bag containing Rs 5 lakh stolen
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 16
A Sector 7-based shopkeeper today alleged that two unidentified persons posing as customers decamped with a bag containing Rs 5 lakh from his shop this afternoon. Pawan Gupta of Gupta Sanitation, Sector 7, told the police that his relative Raj Kumar had lent him the money.

Two customers came to his shop and engaged him in showing articles. Meanwhile, another customer came in and the shopkeeper went over to attend him. Seizing the opportunity, the two men decamped with the bag containing cash.

The theft came to light later when the shopkeeper looked for the bag and found it missing.

Meanwhile, police station-26 SHO Raghbir Singh said Gupta informed the police about the crime at 4 pm and a CFSL team examined the scene. The police has obtained CCTV footage of the suspects from another shopkeeper, where they had apparently gone before coming to Gupta’s shop.

Man hangs himself
Tribune News Service

Mohali, June 16
A 35-year-old man, identified as Surinder Singh, allegedly committed suicide after hanging himself with the ceiling fan at Phase IV in Mohali today.

According to the police, the deceased, a resident of Phase IV, was working as a sales officer in a Mohali-based factory.

The deceased was found hanged with the ceiling fan of his house, the police said.

The police took the body into its custody and initiated inquest proceedings.

SPORTS

Golf
Ashbeer, Kunal share lead
Donald Banerjee

Panchkula, June 16
The weather was comparatively cool after early morning showers but the going was tough on the par 72 greens of the Panchkula Golf Club today.

At the end of the day, Kapurhala's Ashbeer Singh Saini could muster a card of one over 73 as he shared the lead with Kunal Bhatia on the opening day of the Lalit Suri Northern India Junior Golf Championship here today.

It was a day where every player had to play hole by hole and shot by shot and just could not afford to think ahead. Breaking par seemed to be a far cry. Close on the heels of the leading duo, just a stroke behind is Khalin Joshi, who occupies the third slot at two over par 74.

Chikkarangappa carded a three over par 75 to be tied fifth with Rishi Raj Singh and Pawan Kumar.

Patiala lad Subhankar Sharma, who had showed his class in the Soutern India Championship finishing second to Vashisht Pawar in the playoff after the two had tied with equal scores, continued his good work as he led the pack in the category B returning a four over par 76 card. Vashisht was far behind at 17 over 89.

Category C is being led by Harsh Gangwar and Viraj Madhappa, each shooting 11-over 83. Piyush Sangwan is in third place, two shots back after his 13-over 85. Vidit Singh, who strolled to a win in this category at the Southern India, didn’t start well here.

He is placed tied 12th as he only managed an 18-over 90.

Ashbeer started on a bad note conceding bogeys on the par-four first and par-three fourth. He made amends by sinking a birdie on the fifth. But a bogey on the next hole saw him take the turn at two over par 38.

On the back nine he bogeyed the 14th to be three over. He struck a bright patch pulling off a hat-trick of birdies on the 15th, 16th and 17th to be even par. But then a bogey on the last hole saw him finish at one over par 73, to share the lead with Kunal Bhatia.

Kunal Bhatia did well in the front nine sinking three birdies against one bogey to be two under par 34 at the turn. He bogeyed the 10th but maintained his lead over Ashbeer Saini till the 14th hole. A double bogey on the 15th saw him drop back to one over for the round.

The under-10 competition gets underway tomorrow. Chandigarh's Karandeep Kochhar is the hot favourite having won the Lalit Suri Southern India title. He also clinched the Albatross under-11 title here on Sunday.

The Lalit Suri Northern India Golf Championship is the second leg of the Lalit Suri Junior Golf Tour 2009-10.

Leading scores:

Category A- 73: Ashbeer Saini and Kunal Bhatia, 74 Khalin Joshi, 75 Rishi Raj Singh, Chikkarangappa and Pawan Kumar. Category B- 76 Shubhankar Sharma, 79 Manpreet Mann, 80 Ankur Chadha, 81 Harman Virk and Arjun Singh. Category C- 83 Harsh Gangwar, 83 Viraj Madhappa, 85 Piyush Sangwan, 86 Yuvraj Sandhu and Arush Ahuja.