Top Headlines of the day

1. A former student leader of SOPU Gurlal Brar shot dead outside the Playboy nightclub at Emporium mall, Chandigarh.

The murder of Gurlal Brar, who was an acquaintance of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, is a grim reminder of the city turning into a safe place for attacking rivals.

Ex- SOPU chief, was gunned down in his Toyota Fortuner SUV outside the Playboy Nightclub at City Emporium Mall in Industrial Area, Phase 1, on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. Brar was taken to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), where doctors declared him “brought dead”.

Three men on a motorcycle fired around seven shots at Gurlal Brar reportedly to avenge the killing of gangster Davinder Bambiha’s associate Lavi Deora. Is Chandigarh soon becoming a land of a gang war?

Read the full story here

2. 11 firing incidents in 18 months in Chandigarh

In May this year, five assailants had fired shots at hotelier Rakesh Singla’s house in Sector 33. The attack was allegedly a handiwork of the Bishnoi gang. Two days later, assailants of the Bishnoi gang opened fire at a liquor vend in Sector 9. Members of the Bishnoi gang were also allegedly behind another double murder. Rajbir Singh, alias Sonu Shah, a financier who had a criminal past, was shot by inside his office at Burail in September last year. The murder was allegedly committed at the behest of Bishnoi. Read in detail here.

3. Hookah bars to be banned in the city

The UT administration has decided to ban hookah bars. The matter was discussed in UT administration in Feb 2019 following the decision of Punjab to permanently ban hookah bars in 2018. The UT administration merely discussed the issue and didn’t make any solid decisions back then. Over these years, health department raids have found traces of nicotine to be served in hookahs and sometimes the drugs were also found with the staff. UT adviser Manoj Parida said instructions we were issued to deputy commissioner Mandip Brar to issue the official orders. The step was important, especially to control the spread of novel coronavirus, he said.

4. Chandigarh among worst performers in COVID grant utilization: Health Minister

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said that Chandigarh was among the worst performers in COVID-19 grant utilization.

In his weekly Sunday samvaad program, the Union Health Minister was speaking on the utilization of funds that were released for control of COVID-19.

Of the total Rs 3,000 crore granted in the first phase to all the states and UT administrations, he said that Chandigarh utilized only 47.8 percent of the funds allocated to them for the control of the pandemic.

Patients lodged in COVID care centers of Chandigarh had complained about how there was no proper food served and roofs were leaking. Patients lodged at Sood Dharamshala had shared their experience, along with videos and pictures of the place. The patients had alleged that in the absence of proper food, the positive patients were either ordering food from online apps or requesting their family members to get them food.

5. Chandigarh gears up for Cycles4Change Challenge

For promoting the Cycles4Change Challenge in the city, Chandigarh Smart City Limited organized a cycle rally on Sunday. Yadav said as part of the challenge, the city is gearing up to launch a pilot project with 10 docking stations and 100 bicycles at various parts in the city.

He said the Best Photo and Video Challenge has also been launched for residents to showcase their creativity. The last date for submission is October 31. The details are available on CSCL’s website and social media pages.

6. Chandigarh schools not to reopen till further orders: Govt

Hailing the move, Chhattisgarh Parents’ Association (CPA), a state-level body, has demanded that the government declare this academic session as “zero years” for students till Class 8 and promote them to the next class.

7. Power cut will be in more than eight sectors in Chandigarh on Monday.

Due to the necessary maintenance, power cuts will remain in more than eight sectors of Chandigarh on Monday.

Power Cut Timings as Reported by “Dainik Jagran”

• 10 am to 2 pm: Sector-41 and Baddi
• 10 am to 3 pm: Sector-25, Punjab University Sector-14, Aman-Chaman, and Ambedkar Colony, Village Dhanas, Khuda Lahora, Khuda Jasu and Colony No. 1, 2 Khuda Lahora
• 10 am to 4 pm: Sector-19, 27, 37, JP Garbage Plant Sector-25 West, New Garbage Plant Dadumajra Colony, and Maloya Colony Flats.
• 10 am to 5 pm: Whereas, Motor Market, Mori Gate, Gobindpura, Thakurdwara, Civil Hospital, Rama and Motor Market, Commercial Residential Area Shivalik Enclave, NAC Pipli Wala Town, Madi Wala Town, Shanti Nagar, Darshani Bagh, Bank Colony, Dera Sahib, Main Bazar and There will be a long power cut from 10 am to 5 am in a large part of Old Roped Road Manimajra. (Source: Dainik Jagran)