• Manhandling of director flayed
• Case against flour mill
• Notices to rice shellers
• Suicide by convict
• Record padayatra

Advocates strike work
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Sept 10 — The Bar Association, Bahadurgarh, today observed complete hartal to protest against the murder and failure of the police in arresting the serial killer, who had taken lives of 11 innocent girls since July 1995. In a memorandum submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Kumar, the Association demanded immediate arrest of the baby killer and enforcement of law and order strictly.

Mr Ram Phul Chaudhary, a senior advocate, told The Tribune that the residents of the industrial town were feeling frightened after the kidnapping and murder of Aarti, daughter of an industrial worker.

According to the postmortem report Aarti died due to smothering. Though the report admitted penetration, it did not confirm rape. Mr Arun Kumar said that the swab has been sent for chemical examination to the Forensic Scientific Laboratory at Madhuban.

The Senior Superintendent of Police, Jhajjar, Mr A.S. Chawla said that there were abrasions and contusion marks on the face of Aarti. The post-mortem report also found internal injuries in various parts of the skull of the deceased.

The decomposed body of Aarti was cremated here on Wednesday night after the post-mortem as the police feared that taking the body to Bahadurgarh for cremation might provoke the already agitated residents. The parents of the deceased were, however, present at the time of cremation.

The Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Mr K.K. Gupta, claimed that the situation in the town was absolutely normal. The schools and other educational institutions, barring the Bar Association, functioned as usual and commercial establishments transacted business, as before, he claimed.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Kumar, who is camping at Bahadurgarh since yesterday alongwith the SSP, Mr A.S. Chawla, said that the administration would not allow the situation to drift as had happened in October last year.

A special team of CID (crime) from Madhuban has arrived to assist the local police in arresting the baby killer. They visited the site from where the body was recovered and sealed the empty plot. Another team from the FSL, Madhuban has also arrived and is examining the garbage over which the dead body was found.

Mr A.S. Chawla, confided that the police had found certain clues and was developing them to reach the maniac, who has created terror among children of the town and their parents. He, however, refused to disclose these 'clues'.

The DSP, Ms Suman Majri said that the last incident appeared different from the previous murders of girls. She revealed that the both hands of Aarti were tied over her head with an electric wire, not noticed in previous incidents. She sought public co-operation in solving the mystery shrouding the sex-maniac.

58 per cent of teenage girls aspire to do IPS
From K.G. Dutt
Tribune News Service

KARNAL: The reputation and image of the police among teenage girls has been highlighted in a survey conducted by a police officer in Karnal district.

The survey which quizzed 218 girls in the 16-17 age group provides an insight the teenage girls' perception of the custodians of law and order. Another interesting aspect of the study is how many of the teenage girls are keen to don the cop's uniform.

The study conducted by Mr Sukhbir Singh Tyagi, who has been studying for post-graduate diploma in journalism and mass communication in Kurukshetra University, chose 218 girls studying in 10 + 2 class in Karnal schools. The girls hailed from the rural, urban and semi-urban areas.

Mr Tyagi, who himself works in the police department, selected girls hailing from families of businessmen, lawyers, scientists, academicians and farmers.

The study reveals that 16.5 per cent of the girls interviewed felt their prospects would improve in the police. Out of the girls who considered the police career as rewarding, 58 per cent wanted to be IPS officers, while 36 per cent were keen to be police inspectors. Just 6 per cent of the girls wanted to join at the bottom rank as a constable.

Replying to questions of police image in public eye, 51 p.c. of them felt that the police had a good image, while 49 p.c. thought that the police did not have an unsullied image.

Another interesting fact was that 25 p.c. of the girls interviewed and who wanted to join the police belonged to families whose members or their relations were in police. When asked about the nature of police job, 16 p.c. of the girls considered a police job to be "prestigious and adventurous". About 15 p.c. maintained that it was a risky job with dangers as well as a insecure and homeless life. Thirty per cent of the girls stated that the job was not liked by the society and parents and was full of political pressure. Only 2 p.c. of the girls were disinclined to join the profession because of corruption.

The study also highlighted how and when women came to be recruited in the police service. It has been stated by the writer that women services were used in policing as far back as 310 BC.

Kautilya's Arthsastra provides a vivid account of the utilisation of women for espionage. However, women in police uniform could be seen in 1938 at a labour strike in Kanpur. The need was then felt to induct women into the police by the British as women labourers had blocked entry to the mill. Consequently, police women were appointed in 1939 to meet such contingencies. Delhi and Punjab governments were the first states to appoint women on a regular basis in 1948. By 1975 women were employed in police in almost all states.

In fact, the study highlights that the exploits of Ms Kiran Bedi, the first woman IPS officer, made the career interesting and challenging for the girls. Her example enthused a number of girls to take it up as a career.

Mr Tyagi, in the recommendatory part of his study report, has stated that in order to attract more women to the police force, the police administration had to shed their apathy and assume an encouraging role. Besides, the males would have to give place to acceptance. Women would also have to shed their apathy and be committed to their new role.

He has concluded that the department should provide adequate opportunity to women to assume their new executive role in position of authority and responsibility.

The study has also highlighted the role of the mass media in projecting the police image. It has been assumed that the present image of police amongst the fair sex as that of "brutality, misbehaviour, rudeness and callous attitude" was the result of "one-sided projection" of the police by the mass media.

He concluded that public relation officers should be appointed in all districts to keep good liaison with public and media and in refurbishing its image.

HSEB union general secretary
gets court notice
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 10 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued Mr Dhara Singh, general secretary of the HSEB Workers Union, Bhiwani, with a notice on a contempt petition filed by Mr Dinesh Chand, a resident of Jagadhri, alleging that he had committed contempt of court by flouting its orders.

Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi, before whom the contempt petition came up for hearing, directed Mr Dhara Singh to appear in his court on September 14 through counsel to answer the charge and file an affidavit.

Mr Dinesh Chand said in his contempt petition that he along with certain other persons had filed a writ petition in the high court in 1997 praying for restraining the respondents from enforcing the strike call given by them and "plunging the state of Haryana into darkness" and causing immense loss not only to the HSEB but also the public.

He added a Division Bench of the high court had directed Mr Dhara Singh and other union leaders not to go on strike. The HSEB was also directed to ensure there was no disruption in the power supply and no inconvenience caused to the public.

This petition again came up for hearing on December 11, 1997. The high court had ordered that the interim directives already issued by the high court restraining the respondents from going on strike would continue.

The petitioner further said Mr Dhara Singh had served a registered notice on the authorities giving a call for strike on September 16, 1998.

He added this was a deliberate attempt on the part of Mr Dhara Singh and other employees to violate the order of the high court issued on September 9, 1997.

Mr Dinesh Chand stated Mr Dhara Singh and other union leaders were guilty of contempt and they should be proceeded against under the Contempt of the Courts Act.

Tenders for ration card photos called
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Sept 10 — The district administration has given a contract for the preparation of the photographs for ration cards in the district. The tenders for the contract were invited a few days back after the authorities cancelled the earlier contract after allegations of irregularities were levelled about it by certain people.

According to the earlier contract the consumers were required to pay Rs 15 for the set of two group photos, the new contract has brought down the cost to about Rs 8.80. There are about 1.50 lakh ration card holders at present and the decision to give fresh contract is likely to save several lakhs of rupees of the consumers. The district unit of the BJP Mahila Morcha had objected to the first contract and had charged the authorities with giving the contract at an higher rate. It had been alleged that the earlier contract was given to a photographer stated close to the district administration whereas certain young photographers were to prepare photographs at lower rates, were ignored.

The controversy was highlighted by some of the leading dailies. While the Deputy Commissioner Mr Anil Kumar denied the allegations of irregularities but still the authorities had to give up the earlier contract and invited fresh bids through a local daily recently. It is learnt that the new contract has been awarded to another photographer who has quoted a rate which is lower by about Rs 4.20 than the earlier one. Work on photography is likely to start from next Tuesday. But the secretary of the district BJP Ms Asha Sharma has demanded refund of the extra amount charged from some of the ration card holders during the earlier contract.

Manch demands steps in 'real sense'
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 10 — The Haryana Punjabi Vikas Manch today submitted a memorandum to Dr H.S. Deol, Commissioner, Linguistic Minorities, demanding effective steps by the state government to accord second language status to Punjabi in the "real sense".

The memorandum, signed by Mr Himmat Singh Sodhi and Mr B.S. Bindra, president and general secretary of the manch, respectively, said though the Bansi Lal Government had restored the status of Punjabi as second language in the state, nothing substantial had been done in this regard.

"The formation of the Haryana Punjabi Sahit Academy and appointment of a few hundred Punjabi language teachers in schools is all that has been done for the so-called status of Punjabi as the second language. It is hardly a hallmark of this nomenclature."

The manch said it was of the view that in the interest of emotional integration of Punjabi-speaking and people of Haryana, it was imperative that the status of the second language for Punjabi should be restored in the real sense. This should be spelt out by the state government in black and white, the manch demanded.

The manch gave 11 suggestions in this regard. It said the teaching of Punjabi in classes seven and eight should be made compulsory in all schools. Punjabi teachers should be appointed in all middle and high schools at the earliest. A Punjabi development board should be set up to oversee interests and problems of Punjabi teaching in schools and colleges.

Lecturers of Punjabi should be appointed in plus two schools. The option for Punjabi teaching as a subject should be introduced in B.Ed training colleges. A department of Punjabi should be opened in M.D. University, Rohtak. Chairs in the name of great men of Punjabi learning and luminaries should be established in Haryana universities, it was demanded.

The manch also demanded that the duration of Punjabi programme from Rohtak station of AIR should be increased to two hours.

Hooda seeks sack of government
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 10 — Referring to the "abduction, rape and murder" of two innocent girls, aged 10 years and six years, one at Bahadurgarh and the other in Charkhi Dadri, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, President, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, today said these two incidents were effective examples of the deteriorating law and order situation in Haryana.

Mr Hooda said the occurrence of such incidents (13th of its kind in the Bhadurgarh area) warranted immediate dismissal of the State Government by the Governor of Haryana as the government had miserably failed in protecting the life and honour of the people of the State, especially innocent girls and women.

As regards excesses on the Dalits, weaker sections and women, Mr Hooda has, in a communication to the Presidents of District Congress Committees, asked them to keep a watch in their respective areas and keep him informed.

Minister denies bribery charge
From Our Correspondent

FARIDABAD, Sept 10 — "I have not taken bribes from the people while recommending persons for recruitment in police force". This was stated today by Mr Harsh Kumar, Haryana Minister for Irrigation.

Supporting the claim of the minister, another MLA of the Haryana Vikas Party, Mr Jagdish Nair, said today that Mr Harsh Kumar was an honest minister and blamed opposition parties for defaming his image.

A meeting of Hodal chaubis was held last week at Seindh village in which a resolution was passed, 'exonerating' the minister from charges of corruption.

Panel chief calls on Prasad
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 10 — Dr H.S. Deol, Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities, Government of India, called on the Haryana Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, here today. He complimented the Haryana Government for the steps taken by it to protect minority languages and implementation of Punjabi as a second language in the State. He requested the Governor for setting up a Haryanvi folk chair in one of the State universities.

The Governor told Dr Deol that there were 88.43 per cent Hindi speaking, 9.17 per cent Punjabi speaking, 1.76 per cent Urdu speaking while the rest were Orria, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and Kashmiri speaking people in the State according to the 1981 census. One must learn as many language as one could grasp, the Governor asserted. He said that he was now learning Urdu and Punjabi.

The Governor said that his government was providing Punjabi teachers in those schools where even four students were available in a class or 15 students in a school. The Haryana Government had set up Urdu and Punjabi academies for the promotion of these languages.

Plea against power sector privatisation
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Sept 10 — The Council of Trade Unions, Haryana yesterday urged the state government not to go ahead with the move to privatise the power sector as it would adversely affect all categories of consumer.

A resolution to this effect was adopted at its meeting held here. Mr Om Parkash Gangana, president of the council, presided over it.

The meeting condemned the state government's decision to bifurcate the Haryana State Electricity Board and increase the power tariff and warned that if the decision was not withdrawn, the council would launch a statewide agitation.

It also opposed the proposal of the state government to privatise Haryana Roadways and warned that the council would not allow it to implement it.

Expressing grave concern about the erratic power supply to the urban and rural areas it urged the state government to take immediate steps to ensure uninterrupted power supply to all categories of consumer.

By another resolution, the meeting urged the police to take stern action against those private taxis, jeeps and other vehicles which were found carrying more passengers than their capacity.

The meeting also expressed its grave concern about the collapse of the public distribution system in the district and alleged that the bulk of ration commodities was being sold in the black market by certain depot holders.

Vidrohi condemns Badal's remarks
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Sept 10 — The Haryana Pradesh Janata Dal president, Mr Ved Parkash Vidrohi, today called upon all political parties of the state to unitedly face the challenge posed by the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, by demanding the scrapping of the Eradi Tribunal entrusted with the work of distribution of Ravi-Beas waters between Haryana and Punjab.

In a press statement issued here, he regretted that the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal had not taken any initiative in this regard and it seemed that he has made it a prestige question not to take into confidence any other political party in safeguarding the interests of Haryana, he said.

He, however, welcomed the move of the HPCC president, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, for convening an all-party meeting to chalk out the strategy to face Mr Badal's challenge.

Mr Vidrohi said his party would support any move to frustrate the "evil designs" of Punjab Chief Minister and the Akali leaders of not allowing the Haryana to get its due share of Ravi-Beas waters.

Meanwhile, Mr Nafe Singh Dahiya, national president of the Samajik Ekta Party today urged the Central Government to resolve the territorial and river water disputes between Haryana and Punjab on the pattern of Cauvery water dispute.

Criticising the statements of the Punjab Chief Minister and other Akali leaders he said such statements had created tensions between the two states and would harm the interests of the people.

Mr Dahiya said his party would take the matter to the Supreme Court if the disputes was not solved by October 30.

Bansi Lal government hostile to Hisar
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Sept 10 — The president of the Indian National Lok Dal youth wing, Mr Ajay Chautala has criticised the Bansi Lal government for its all-round, failure in general and its hostility towards Hisar, in particular.

Mr Chautala told The Tribune here that he had conducted a statewide tour and the people had been fed up with the policies of the present government. He alleged that in Hisar district in particular, there was resentment among people as they felt that the Bansi Lal government was hostile towards it.

He said, the people were particularly angry over the two decisions of the government that were of special concern to Hisar. Mr Chautala pointed out that the Bansi Lal government had "intentionally and deliberately" lowered the status of the Guru Jambeshwar University and also stopped aid to the Agroha medical college. "This is being done during the regime of a person, who claims himself to be development-oriented", the Lok Dal leader said.

Mr Chautala said, his party was organising 'prerna divas' (inspiration day) to mark the 85th birthday of the founder member of the party, Mr Devi Lal on September 25 at Rewari. He said, from this day, the party will launch the movement for the ouster of Bansi Lal government.

Manhandling of director flayed
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Sept 10 — The Haryana State Medical Teachers Association has condemned the alleged manhandling of the Director of the PGIMS here.

In a statement here today, the secretary of the association, Dr S.K. Srivastva, demanded action against those guilty.

Case against flour mill
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Sept 10 — The District Food and Supply authorities have registered a case against a flour mill on charges of irregularities in its functioning. Notices have also been served to two other mills under the Essential Commodities Act.

According to a report, a team led by the district Food and Supply Controller found several irregularities in functioning of the mill located at Jassia village.

Suicide by convict
From Our Correspondent

GURGAON, Sept 10 — A convict, Chhuttan, committed suicide by hanging himself in District Jail today.

According to information available, he was serving a seven-year sentence in an abduction case and 15 of his family members were also imprisoned. The deceased was the sarpanch of Chandraka village in the Punhana area.

The Deputy Commissioner has ordered an inquiry into the death.

Record padayatra
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Sept 10 — Prakash Nath, a young sanyasi, has created a record by covering 719 km on foot between Gohana and Ayodhya.

According to a report received here, he left for Ayodhya on August 18 and reached there on September 4.

Notices to 500 rice shellers
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Sept 10 — The Haryana State Pollution Control Board has issued notices to more than 500 rice shellers for obtaining consent under the Water Act, 1974, and the Air Act, 1981.

According to sources, most of the rice shellers are located in Kurukshetra, Karnal and Kaithal districts. The board had earlier directed all rice sheller owners to install air pollution control devices and effluent treatment plants till June. It was also decided that the units not complying with the notices would be covered under the consent management.

The board is also learnt to have issued notices to stone crushers of Doiwals and Ballemajra in Yamunanagar district to adopt pollution control devices as per the notification of December 18, 1997.

Mr Sandeep Singh, Regional Officer of the board, confirmed that the department had taken steps to control pollution caused by rice shellers and stone crushers.