Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 16: Renowned Dogri folk singer Romalo Ram was conferred with “Sangeet Shri” award by the Nami Dogri Sanstha (NDS) at KL Saigal Hall.
On the occasion, Ashwani Sharma, MLA Bishnah was the chief guest, while Ravi Magotra, Programme Head, Radio Kashmir Jammu, was the guest of honour. Prof Savita Bakshi, Additional Secretary, Cultural Academy was the special guest, while SS Anand Lehar, renowned Urdu short story writer, presided over the function and Harish Kaila, president, NDS was also present.
A citation, shawl and a memento were presented to Romalo Ram by all the dignitaries.
Dr Chanchal Sharma, organizing secretary, NDS read paper on the contribution and services rendered by Romalo Ram in the filed of music.
A brief music programme was also presented by Romalo Ram and party.
At the end, Captain Lalit Sharma presented vote of thanks
Romalo Ram conferred with ‘Sangeet Shri’ award
ITBP lifts 4th Ladakh Winter Tourism Promotion Ice Hockey C’ship
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
LEH, Feb 16: Defeating their rivals Ibex Challengers by two goals to nil (2-0) in the summit clash, Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) team lifted the title trophy of the 4th Ladakh Winter Tourism Promotion Ice Hockey Championship at Karzoo Ice Hockey Rink, here.
The closing function was presided over by the Chief Executive Councilor (CEO), LAHDC, Leh Rigzin Spalbar.
The highlight of the concluding function was a Figure Skating Dance by the young players including boys and girls of Leh on the tune and rhythm of an enthralling Bhutanese song choreographed by Dorjey Wangchok Mogol.
Speaking on the occasion the CEC Rigzin Spalbar said that winter games have been proving a good medium in promoting winter tourism in Ladakh and the LAHDC would like to organize the winter games as a carnival in future in a more organized way.
He urged the need of advance publicity for next winter games so that the players would enthusiastically participate in the coming tournaments.
Earlier, the Assistant Director Tourism, Sonam Dorje underlined the objective of sponsoring and holding the tournament and said that tourism has been playing a vital role in the economic growth of this region adding that it is gaining further momentum in Ladakh.
The match was among others witnessed by the Executive Councilor, CAPD Ghulam Abbas Abidi, Executive Councilor Heath, Dr Sonam Wangchok and top ranking Army and ITBP officers.
Tougher laws on the anvil to deal with crime agst women:Shinde
NEW DELHI, Feb 16:
Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today said the Government was working towards bringing more tougher laws and fast-track courts to try cases like the “shameful” December 16 gangrape to instill confidence among women in the country.
Addressing Delhi Police personnel after taking salute at the 66th Raising Day Parade here, Shinde asked the force to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future and be more sensitive towards people’s needs.
“In a society there is no place for such shameful incidents. We should make sure that such incidents do not happen again….The government is working towards setting up fast-track courts and enacting tougher laws. The government is working to make the laws tougher,” he said.
Shinde, who began his career as a police constable, also lauded the Delhi Police for acting “prompt” and nabbing the accused within 24 hours and filing a chargesheet in the case in 18 days.
Noting that more steps are needed for ensuring safety of women, he said the Delhi Police has taken several steps after the gangrape of the 23-year-old paramedical student and hoped that they will instill confidence in women.
“Although the police job is to maintain law and order, public comes to police for all the problems, so we need to make the working of police more transparent and sensitive…Police should be friends of the people,” he said.
Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar termed the gangrape as a “horrific” incident and spoke about the anger of people on the streets of Delhi after the incident.
“Delhiites came on to the streets to express their anger on the incident. Their anger which was probably against the laws they expressed it on police. During the protests, one of our police constable lost his life and many police officers were injured in the protests,” he said, adding that the case was solved within 24 hours. (PTI)
PDD Engineers meet Power Minister
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 16: Degree and Diploma holders Engineers of Power Development Department (PDD) led by Ramnik Singh, general secretary, J&K Electrical Engineering Graduates Association and JS Slathia, president, All J&K Diploma Engineers Association held a meeting with Minister of State for Power Vikar Rasool Wani.
During the meeting, various issues were discussed and a memorandum was also submitted to the Minister.
The Minister gave a patient hearing to the issues highlighted and assured that the problems will be redressed at the earliest.
Among others present were Vageesh Sharma, Harvrinder Singh, Ratneesh Puri, JS Rathore, Sanjay Koul, Lenin Kumar, Jatinder Singh, etc.
J&K’s Prinkle wins twin title in All India Tennis Series
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 16: Ace tennis player of Jammu and Kashmir, Prinkle Singh lifted twin tennis titles in the ongoing All India Talent Series of AITA, being held at Lawn Tennis Stadium, Sector-10, Chandigarh.
In Under-12 singles, Prinkle Singh defeated Sarah Dev of Punjab by (2-1) in a tough contest. After losing the first set narrowly by (4-6), talented Prinkle came back strongly to win the other two sets easily by (6-3) and (6-2) to win the title.
Earlier, Prinkle thrashed Ravneet of Haryana in straight sets by (4-0, 4-0) in the first round and Taneesha of Amritsar by the same margin. Then, in the quarterfinals, gritty Prinkle defeated Alisha Menon of Amritsar by (4-1, 4-2) in straight sets. Prinkle drubbed Ashpreet of Punjab (4-0, 4-1) in the semifinals to seal berth in the finals.
Meanwhile, in the doubles event, the second seeded duo of Prinkle and Sarah Dev got better of first seeded pair of Aarushi Kakkar of Chandigarh and Seerat Sidhu of the same place in straight sets by (4-0, 4-1) in an easy contest.
Earlier, in the doubles first round, Prinkle-Sarah pair thrashed Kamal-Sandeep duo of Haryana in an easy contest by (4-0, 4-0). In the second round, the star pair defeated Ishika and Bunty of Chandigarh by (4-0, 4-0), while in the semifinals, Prinkle and Sarah pair prevailed over the pair of Neelanchal of Delhi and Itika of Rajasthan by a score of (4-1, 4-0) to make it to the finals.
JD(S) demands arrest of Yasin Malik
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 16: State unit of Janta Dal (Secular) has demanded strong action against JKLF chairman Yasin Malik for anti-national activities in Pakistan.
The demand was made during a meeting of the JD(S) executive body, here today, under the chairmanship of its State president Mast Nath Jogi.
Mr Jogi asked the State and Central Government to cancel Yasin Malik’s passport and arrest him immediately. He also demanded that the security provided to JKLF leader should be withdrawn.
Mr Jogi also highlighted the issue of poor quality ration being supplied at the Government depots in Jammu region.
The meeting was attended by Ram Rattan Sharma, Bhagwati Sharan Sharma, Ranjay Bargotra, R S Sharma and others.
Governor inaugurates LBM Residential School complex for sightless girls
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 16: Governor N N Vohra, inaugurated the first floor of the Louis Braille Memorial Residential School Building Complex for sightless girls at Roop Nagar, here today.
Speaking on the occasion, the Governor referred to the memorandum of demands presented to him by a delegation of the functionaries of the National Federation of the Blind (J&K Chapter) last year and observed that he had taken up all their problems with the Chief Minister and the Minister for Social Welfare. He said that several issues raised by the Federation had since been addressed and he hoped that the remaining ones will also be resolved in the coming time.
Referring to the various demands projected in the memorandum presented by the Federation to him at today’s function, the Governor observed that the matter regarding provision for appearing of the sightless persons in the Combined Competitive Services Examination in the State would be taken up at the appropriate level.
The Governor, who is Chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, announced support of Rs. 5 lakh to the National Federation of the Blind (J&K Chapter) from the Shrine Board, for infrastructure development of School for sightless girls.
Earlier, the Governor inaugurated the new complex and went around the building. He suggested construction of a ramp in the toilets for the convenience of the sightless girls.
Bharat Bhushan, MLA, said that with the inauguration of the building complex of the school by the Governor a long felt need of this institution has been fulfilled. He announced Rs. 3 lakh from his Constituency Development Fund for purchase of a vehicle for the Louis Braille Memorial Residential School for sightless girls, Roop Nagar.
S. K. Rungta, All India General Secretary, National Federation of the Blind, New Delhi, spoke about the activities of the Federation for securing the welfare of the visually impaired.
Sanjay Gupta, President, National Federation of the Blind (J&K Chapter), in his welcome address, spoke about the activities of the Federation in the State.
Ram Dass Dubey, General Secretary, National Federation of the Blind (J&K Chapter) said that with the support and patronage of the Governor several of their problems have been addressed.
Irshad Hussain Shah, Vice President, National Federation of the Blind (J&K Chapter) presented a vote of thanks.
Navin K. Choudhary, Principal Secretary to the Governor, functionaries of the Federation, teachers and students of the school and a large number of people were present on this occasion.
J&K wins 18 medals in Musical Chair Speed, Skating C’ship
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 16: Jammu and Kashmir State under 11, 14, 17 and above 17 Musical Chair (Speed/Skating) team bagged 18 medals in 7th National Musical Chair (Speed/Skating) Championships held at Chatra in Jharkhand, recently.
Medal winners:
Under-11 boys: Master Mayank Kesar and Antriksh Mansotra,
Under-14 boys: Jyotier Aditya Singh, Vishal Sardhalia and Abhinandan Samontra.
Under 17 boys: Sahil Sharma, Spran Ali, Ramnik Sharma, Sham Sundar, Sushil Kumar, Satpaul, Sunil Sharma, Karan Kumar, Bablu Kumar, Vasu Sharma and Ajay Sharma.
Above-17 girls: Anita Sharma and Romi Jasrotia,
JKMCA chairman, Dr Pavan Malhotra, president, Madan Lal and general secretary BR Sharma felicitated the medal winners.
Akhnoor family awaits body from Pak for over a month
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 16: India’s goodwill gesture of returning Pakistan Army jawan’s body with full respects within 24 hours of his killing on the Line of Control (LoC) at Lam in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district notwithstanding, Pakistan hasn’t yet returned the body of a civilian hailing from Pargwal island of Akhnoor tehsil, who was killed in a Lahore jail allegedly by the jail staff and some inmates on January 15.
Official sources told the Excelsior that even autopsy on the body of Chamel Singh, 55, son of Rassal Singh, a resident of Bhalwal Molu, Pargwal, hasn’t been conducted so far. His body was lying in Jinnah Hospital at Lahore for nearly a month now.
The Indian High Commission in Islamabad has taken up the matter with Pakistan for handing over the body to them so that it could be returned to the family. The High Commission staff had recently written to the family of Dara Singh at Pargwal and sent an email that the body would be handed over to them at Wagah border in Amritsar district of Punjab soon.
Chamel Singh’s elder son, Dara Singh told the Excelsior on telephone from Pargwal that his family had replied to the letter the very next day by email as well as via post seeking that the body be handed over to them at Octroi Post in Suchetgarh sector of RS Pura tehsil as it would be easy for them to transport the body to the native village of the victim instead of Wagah.
“After that, we didn’t get any response from the Indian High Commission”, Dara Singh said.
“We equally blame the Indian Government for the mess. Out Government returned body of Pakistan Army jawan within 24 hours of his killing in Lam area of Nowshera sector with full respects while Pakistan Government has failed to give the dead body of an Indian prisoner even after a month of his killing”, he lamented.
There had been reports that to make the killing of Chamel Singh as a natural death, Pakistan authorities had deliberately been delaying the return of his body as time delay would heal the wounds, which he might have suffered in the scuffle.
“The Pakistan authorities had instead been shifting blame of delay in handing over the body on India saying that the Indian High Commission in Islamabad hasn’t deputed an official to Jinnah Hospital in whose presence the autopsy has to be conducted”, sources said.
Chamel Singh, according to official inputs and information supplied by his family, had gone mission from his house on December 22, 2008. However, it was in October 2012 that the family came to know of his confinement in Kot Lakhpat Rai jail of Lahore Pakistan when they received a letter from Chamel Singh addressed to his wife Kamlesh Devi.
In the letter, he had written that he had inadvertently crossed the border and was arrested by Pakistani forces. He had said that he would be completing his sentence in the next few months. However, according to sources, Chamel was due to complete his sentence in 2015.
Surprisingly, Dara Singh said, they received another letter written by his father on February 13 i.e. nearly a month after his killing in which Chamel Singh had stated that he had written at least 10 letters to them but got no reply. “We didn’t receive any letter excepting the one we got in October 2012”, Dara Singh indicating that Pakistan jail authorities might have blocked rest of the letters.
While Pakistan authorities had claimed that Chamel Singh had complained of chest pain after breakfast on January 15 and was shifted to hospital, where he died but Tehseen Khan, a Christian lawyer who recently completed a 42-month sentence for a fraud case in the same jail had claimed that Singh had died after he was allegedly beaten by jail staff and some inmates over a dispute on washing of clothes.
Pakistan authorities had launched a judicial inquiry into the death and Magistrate Afzal Abbas recorded the statements of 14 Indian prisoners who were in the same barrack as Chamel Singh. The magistrate is awaiting the findings of the autopsy to finalise his report.
There are a total of 33 Indian prisoners in Kot Lakhpat Jail and officials have said they are safe.
He was lodged in Kot Lakhpat Rai jail since June 2012 and was due to complete his sentence in 2015.
Kot Lakhpat Jail’s Additional Superintendent Ishtiaq Ahmed said that the autopsy could be done only when an official of the Indian High Commission is present.
However, Tehseen Khan, a Christian lawyer who recently completed a 42-month sentence for a fraud case, claimed Singh had died after jail staff allegedly beat him.
Authorities launched a judicial inquiry into the death and Magistrate Afzal Abbas recorded the statements of 14 Indian prisoners who were in the same barrack as Singh.
However, the magistrate is awaiting the findings of the autopsy to finalise his report.
There are a total of 33 Indian prisoners in Kot Lakhpat Jail and officials have said they are safe.
The records of Kot Lakhpat Jail State that Singh was arrested near the border at Sialkot in 2010.
He was brought to the jail last June and was due to complete his sentence in 2015.
India begin preparation for series with two hectic sessions
BANGLORE, Feb 16:
The Indian team today began their three-day training camp ahead of their Test series against Australia starting next week with two hectic practice sessions, with senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar returning in the mix after his retirement from ODI cricket.
Tendulkar, who struggled against England in the recent home Test series, batted for two hours and 15 minutes in two separate sessions, one in the morning and another in afternoon, lasting five-and-a-half hours in total.
In the morning session, Tendulkar batted along with Virat Kohli for 45 minutes on the centre pitch at Chinnaswamy Stadium, facing Ashok Dinda, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Pragyan Ojha and R Ashwin.
In the second session which began at 2 pm, Tendulkar batted on the centre pitch for 20 minutes facing top Indian bowlers. After that he hung at the nets for one hour and 10 minutes, focussing more on his shots in contrast to the morning session when he did not try anything unusual and paid attention to the basics.
Interestingly, the out-of-system young and unknown raw bowlers who were called for service by the support staff bowled at Tendulkar, who did not ask them to bowl to his wishes.
Tendulkar also rolled his arms against Harbhajan Singh, who enjoyed his batting by lifting ‘net bowlers’ out of the park a couple of times and even breaking windowpane glasses at pavilion area.
Tendulkar also hurled ‘throwdowns’ with leather balls to Virat Kohli who worked on his technique to sort out some grey areas in his batting.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni got down to the details of batting than wicket-keeping. He batted for nearly 25 minutes. (PTI)