The Senate Meeting of Panjab University was held today with 16 members participating in the meeting. After the Vice Chancellor’s statement, several members recall the contributions of Prof. Arun K. Grover, Vice Chancellor, PU during the last 6 six years.

Before the taking up of Agenda items, a few members opined that the meeting be postponed in view of thin attendance. However, some members opined that agenda items like ratification of CAS promotions, confirmation of employees and items related to commencement of new session be dealt with by the members present and remaining matters be deferred to a later sitting of the Senate, to be rescheduled in a near future.

There was lack of consensus on the above two alternatives. A vote was then taken  on the above options. Seven persons favoured the former option and six members favoured the latter one.

The Vice Chancellor opined that he shall inform the Chancellor’s office of the deliberations of today’s Senate meeting and shall seek the guidance on convening of the next sitting of the Senate from Chairperson of Senate, namely, The Chancellor, PU on whose behalf the VC presides over the Senate meeting.

The Senate, however, authorised the Vice Chancellor to take a call on the essential items related to the smooth commencement of new academic session in consultation with Dean Student Welfare, Prof. Emanual Nahar, Fellow, PU.

The victim was the only son of his parents. His father Tej Pal works in the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research’s sanitation department.

Chandigarh

July 7, 2018

Two juveniles, who stabbed to death an 18-year-old man at Sector 25 market in August 2016, were sentenced to three years’ imprisonment each by the juvenile court of Chandigarh on Saturday. The court also slapped a fine of Rs 600 each on the convicts. The accused were arrested after a CCTV footage of the incident went viral. The two have been sentenced to imprisonment under sections 302 (murder), 147 (rioting) and 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon) of the Indian Penal Code.

The juveniles were granted bail after furnishing bonds in the court on Saturday.

The victim was the only son of his parents. His father Tej Pal works in the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research’s sanitation department. The incident occurred in August 2016 when the victim, Vikas, was at the Sector 25 market along with two friends. When he was about to leave, a youth started beating him up. Though he tried to run away, a group of youths caught him within seconds and pounced on him with sharp weapons. When Vikas fell on the ground, he was repeatedly stabbed in the neck, back and head. A passer-by intervened but the attackers managed to flee, leaving the victim bleeding. The victim was rushed to Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH) Sector 16, Chandigarh, where he succumbed to injuries. Police then registered a case under Section 302 of the IPC at Sector 11 PS in Chandigarh.

During investigation, nine persons, including Kuldeep, Vishal, Vikas alias Polcia and Raju and five juveniles, were arrested initially. Later, when the juvenile court declared three of the five juveniles as major, only two juveniles were tried in the juvenile court while the other seven were tried in the Chandigarh district court.

According to police, the accused were arrested after the police received vital clues about the incident from the CCTV footage. The accused were apprehended from the jungle area of Sector 25. They were all residents of Sector 25, Chandigarh. Police had learnt that there was an old enmity of the victim with the accused youths which led to the murder. The victim was involved in a brawl with the accused earlier as well, following which they planned to assault him. Vikas had entered into a brawl with the other group following which a cross-case was also registered against him at Sector 11 PS following which Vikas had returned home from jail just 15 days before his murder.

During the trial, the counsel for defence, Rohit Mahajan, argued in court that the juveniles had been falsely implicated in the case as one of them was the brother of an accused Kuldip because of which the juvenile was also held by the police among the nine arrested. It was also argued that the victim was a history-sheeter and several criminal cases were pending against him in the juvenile court.

After hearing the arguments and going by evidence, the court held the duo guilty and sentenced them to imprisonment for three years. Mahajan said they would appeal against the order in the sessions court.

UT administrator has issued notification exempting only turbaned Sikh women two-wheeler riders.

Chandigarh administrator VP Singh Badnore issued the notification exempting only turbaned Sikh women two-wheeler riders

Chandigarh July 06,

Helmets have been made mandatory for women two-wheeler riders barring those who wear a turban.

Punjab governor and Chandigarh administrator VP Singh Badnore on Friday issued a notification that exempts only turbaned Sikh women from wearing a helmet while riding two-wheelers in Chandigarh. The order comes into immediate effect.

The decision had been pending since May when the Chandigarh administration had received 14 suggestions, of which seven were in favour of exempting only Sikh women, while the rest were against it. Senior UT officers sent their recommendations to the administrator for a decision.

On April 21, following the directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court, the Chandigarh administration had proposed that all women, except those who were Sikh and wore turbans, will have to wear helmets.

Proposing amendment in Rule 193 of the Chandigarh Motor Vehicle Rules, 1990, the UT had invited objections and suggestions from people within 30 days, from the date of publication of the draft notification in the extraordinary gazette.

The Chandigarh administration had proposed the amendment considering the safety of women, including that of Sikh women who did not wear a turban, particularly in view of the fatalities occurring in road accidents.

In his objection, Hardeep Singh Buterla, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), said, “Women wearing helmet is totally against Sikhism. Amending the Chandigarh Motor Vehicle Rules, 1990, will hurt sentiments of Sikhs. We will not allow this to happen.”

On the other hand, RK Garg, president, Second Innings Association, said, “Wearing helmets is mandated for all those riding two-wheelers, but the state government is competent to make relaxation for some categories of two-wheeler riders. In view the high fatality rate of two-wheeler riders, including women, it is the need of the hour that for saving precious lives of all two-wheeler riders, wearing headgear may be made compulsory, as in case of accidents it is not the religion but the life that is the most important.”