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| Friday, June 2, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Indebted man jumps into canal with family Badal rules out mid-term poll Vedanti may emerge stronger No peace talks: Kanwaljit Probe into Maqsudan shooting begins
13 nominated
to BJP national council
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Transfers: doctors feel cheated 2 doctors found
absent, suspended 20,000 new assesses detected Painting and dance workshops Thousands throng ‘urs’
‘Kale kachhewale’
gang strikes in 4 villages
Armed dacoits rob
two women Villagers nab nine robbers Mobiles worth 17 lakh seized from passenger 5 electrocuted in
paddy field
Criteria for transfer of teachers GND
University to curb ragging
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Indebted man jumps into canal with family PATIALA, June 1 — An indebted man, Anoop Singh, jumped into the Bhakra mainline canal near here yesterday evening along with his wife and six daughters. While he, his wife and three daughters were pulled out by home guard personnel manning the adjoining railway gate, his three daughters were swept away by fast current of the water and drowned. The Sadar police station has registered a case and arrested four persons, alleged to be responsible for the act due to harassment caused by them following a loan given to Anoop Singh. The police has arrested advocate Amarnath Bansal, his son Pushpinder Bansal, Surinder Mohan and Rajesh Kumar and registered a case under Sections 306/34, IPC, against them. This caused a chain reaction among the lawyers today who went on a strike protesting against the arrest of their colleague . They demanded that the lawyer and others charged in the case should be released immediately . According to police sources, Anoop Singh, a local resident, went to Dhamumajra village near the Bhakra canal, about 5 km from here, yesterday evening along with his wife Manjit Kaur and six daughters. They said Anoop first
paid his obeisance at Darshan Dwar Gurdwara at Rauni before proceeding to plunge into the Canal along with his family. They said the home guard personnel, who saw the family jumping into the canal, rushed to the spot land rescued three of the daughters — Jamanjot (four years old), Roshanjot (five years) and Tarunjot (two years), besides Anoop and his wife. However, the three elder daughters Kamalpreet (15), Ashmeet (12) and Jagjot (11) drowned in the incident . According to the FIR registered by Anoop’s brother, the former was under mental strain due to harassment caused by Amarnath Bansal and others. He alleged that his brother had taken a loan of Rs 50,000 from Bansal and was returning the money through instalments. He alleged that the lawyer started harassing him and filled in a blank cheque which he had got signed by Anoop earlier and deposited it in a bank for clearance. He said when the cheque bounced the lawyer filed a case against Anoop in a court. He alleged that Anoop did not get justice through the court. He claimed that Anoop had become very disheartened due to the harassment being meted out to him and decided to end his life along with his family members. Meanwhile, sources stated that another person — Prem Kumar — who had also been named in the FIR has absconded. |
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Badal rules out mid-term poll CHANDIGARH, June 1 — Though all opposition parties in Punjab have started pulling their socks for a mid-term poll, the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has ruled out such a possibility. He said today that his government would complete the full term of five years and there was no question of holding a mid-term poll. “All talk in the opposition circles pertaining to mid-term poll is rubbish”, he said emphatically. On the contrary, the CPI leader in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Mr Hardev Arshi, said today that his party had already started preparations as it was expecting mid-term poll any time. He said the reports of mid-term poll were emerging from the ruling SAD camp itself. The SAD camp was of the view that at this stage the main opposition Congress was a divided house in the state as well as in the Centre and such a situation could prove advantageous in the election for the ruling alliance, Mr Arshi added. The President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Capt Amarinder Singh, has also alerted his party activists to be prepared to face mid-term poll. He has already held party conferences and rallies at district head quarters to mobilise the party rank and file for this purpose. He has called a meeting of party activists here on June 3 for chalking out the next programme of holding dharnas at block level for further gearing up the party for the poll. Sources close to the ruling alliance have indicated that Mr Sukhbir Badal’s supporters are lobbying for mid-term poll. They are of the view that the only way out for political adjustment of Mr Sukhbir Badal is holding of mid-term poll. What has added to the opposition parties’ apprehension of mid-term poll is Mr Parkash Singh Badal’s increased political activity in the countryside. All of a sudden, he has become very active in rural areas and has held several political conferences and ‘sangat darshans’ in various parts of the state in the past two months or so. In fact, he has become “hyper-active” in the Malwa belt in recent weeks and has visited the Mansa-Faridkot belt repeatedly. He has also held
conferences in the border belt of Amritsar and Gurdaspur and given special attention to problems of border districts by taking a deputation of MLAs and ministers to Delhi for a meeting with the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani. As Mr Parkash Singh Badal has become active, the Tohra camp has also pitched up its campaign against the Chief Minister. The Sarab Hind Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Mr Tohra has already completed the first phase of “Badal Bhajao” campaign and is preparing to start the second phase after paddy plantation in the state. “We are happy that our party got good response during the first phase of campaign against Mr Parkash Singh Badal”, said Mr Prem
Singh Chandumajra, General Secretary of the SHSAD. The Tohra camp has adopted a two-pronged
strategy against Mr Parkash Singh Badal. One is holding of political conferences against him and the other is making direct contact with MLAs in the Badal camp. Mr Chandumajra said certain Ministers and MLAs were not happy with Mr Parkash Singh Badal and they remained in touch with Mr Tohra. The meeting of MLAs held at the residence of Mr Ravi Inder Singh, who has emerged as a principal opponent of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, on May 26 has reportedly caused a flutter in political circles. The Tohra camp has claimed that the turn out of MLAs in the meeting was significant. However, independent sources have not confirmed such a report. Mr Parkash Singh Badal was away to Delhi on May 26 to meet the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani. Constant political pressure exerted by the Tohra camp on Mr Parkash Singh Badal has forced the Chief Minister to politically adjust certain MLAs in recent weeks. The Tohra camp’s strategy is to keep Mr Parkash Singh Badal on tenterhooks one way or the other. Mr Parkash Singh Badal today ruled out any compromise with Mr Tohra. Reacting to a statement made by Mr Tohra saying that Mr Parkash Singh Badal’s emissaries have contacted him, the Chief Minister said there was no truth in such reports. These reports were politically motivated, he added. There was no question of uniting with Mr Tohra, he further asserted. Mr Parkash Singh Badal said even the next elections would be contested by the SAD-BJP alliance jointly and the alliance would be in power for the next term also. Meanwhile, the Tohra camp clarified today that it recognised only Bhai Ranjit Singh as the Jathedar of Akal Takht. There was no reason for recognising Mr Joginder Singh Vedanti as the Jathedar of Akal Takht. However, Mr Tohra had great respect for the institution of Akal Takht and believed strongly in its supremacy. The Tohra camp said the talk of recognising Mr Vedanti as the Jathedar of Akal Takht by Mr Tohra was false. “ It was a question of principles and there will not be a compromise on this issue”, a spokesman for the Tohra camp said. |
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Vedanti may emerge stronger AMRITSAR, June 1 — Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar Akal Takht, is likely to emerge stronger after “Ghallukara Divas” to be observed by the SGPC on June 6 to coincide with the 16th anniversary of Operation Bluestar. After a gap of five years “ghallukara divas” is again being observed on a grand scale with a view to blunt radical critics. Last year Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Mr Kanwarpal Singh, spokesman Dal Khalsa and activists of both the parties were arrested as a preventive measure on the eve of Ghallukara Divas. However, a year later the SGPC itself has asked the entire Sikh sangat to observe Ghallukara Divas at Akal Takht. Thus the Dal Khalsa, Human Rights and Democracy Forum and Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann) which are otherwise critical of the SGPC will now have little option but to join the SGPC celebration. These parties have appreciated the initiative of the Akal Takht Jathedar for being a ‘guiding force’ for observing the day jointly, and that the entire Sikh ‘quom’ should come together on a single platform to observe the day. Even Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President Sarb Hind Shiromani Akal Dal (SHSAD) has appreciated Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti’s statements in defence of the Sikhs’ separate identity. Mr Tohra, talking to TNS said his party still considered Bhai Ranjit Singh as the real jathedar of Akal Takht and said his party would continue to endeavour to reinstall him but appreciated the decisions of Giani Joginder Singh, including one directing the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal to ensure that a committee of Sikh experts be constituted to ensure that the separate identity of the Sikhs was incorporated whenever
amendments were made to the Indian Constitution. Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra and Mr Jasbir Singh Ghumman, both general secretaries of SHSAD, have also said their party considered Bhai Ranjit Singh as the “real jathedar”. However, Sikh experts feel that though the SHSAD has not accepted Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti as Jathedar it will not oppose him as he had already hijacked the ‘Sikh agenda’ from Sikh radicals. Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti was appointed on March 28 after the unceremonious removal of Giani Puran Singh as Jathedar, Akal Takht. His appointment was opposed by many organisations, including some members of the ruling party. However, after his deft handling of the Sikh conclave here on May 14 he earned appreciation for his role. If he handles the “ghallukara divas” in the same manner the campaign to
reinstall Bhai Ranjit Singh as Jathedar may not evoke much response. Another ticklish issue on June 6 will be of ‘declaring Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as a “martyr”. Many Sikh organisations including the Dal Khalsa, Khalra Mission Committee (SAD) Human Rights and Democracy Front, All India Sikh Students Federation (Gill) and Sikh League have been trying to evolve a consensus on the issue and have urged the Akal Takht Jathedar to resolve the issue of the ‘death’ of Sant Bhindranwale for ever. It remains to be seen if Giani Joginder Singh will touch on the issue or not as Sant Bhindranwale’s Damdami Taksal still continues to maintain that he is alive. |
No peace talks: Kanwaljit PATIALA, June 1 — Punjab Finance Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh today said he had no idea of any peace talks being held with dissidents, adding the dissidents had tried their hand at destabilising the government and failed. Reacting to reports in this regard in a section of the press, Capt Kanwaljit said here that the Akali dissidents were trying to destabilise the government since the last six months. He said they were, however, not able to garner support from within the party due to which they had failed in their designs. He said there was no question of any change in leadership and the party had complete confidence in the leadership of Parkash Singh Badal. When asked about a recent BJP statement which said it would support the Akali Dal and not any individual, Capt Kanwaljit said the Akali-BJP alliance was based on mutual benefit and mutually agreed principles. He said the alliance had laid the foundation for Punjabi ‘ekta’ and peace. He said moreover the issue of who would be the President of the party and the Chief Minister would be decided by the Akali Dal itself and the people of the state and not any other person or party. The Finance Minister also said there was no question of any mid term poll in the state. He said this humour had been spread by the Congress party in the state so that prospective candidates for the party ticket would stay with the Pradesh Congress President. He said the Akali-BJP alliance still had a mandate for another one and a half years and would rule till then. He said during this period the alliance government would give a second push to agriculture, create infrastructure development by taking up major road projects, give a fillip to power generation by starting the Thein Dam project and carrying out a major rural sanitation exercise. Capt Kanwaljit said, moreover, his party anticipated that the Congress would be divided into two in Punjab as well as at the Centre within one year. He said as the Congress was the major Opposition party in the state, His party would like to contest elections when they were due only . He claimed the Congress party had become totally bankrupt and did not have any policy. When asked about the role of the RSS and the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat in Punjab and whether it would create fissures among the two communities, he said no organisation should do anything which created a feeling of animosity among the two communities.  |
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Probe into Maqsudan shooting begins JALANDHAR, June 1 — After dragging its feet for over a month the Punjab Police’s Crime Branch has finally initiated a probe into the sensational shooting incident in Maqsudan police station premises where Fazalpur resident Dalbir Singh was allegedly shot dead by four of his opponents on April 30. The daylight murder shook residents of the Doaba region since it was for the first time in the history of the state that somebody was gunned down by his opponents in a police station, allegedly in presence of a sentry posted there. Dalbir Singh, was associated with one of two groups who were in conflict over possession of 84 acre of prime land owned by city temple. He had allegedly come to the police station to enquire about one of his associates who had been detained by the police in connection with dispute when he was killed allegedly by members of the other group who were present at the police station. They managed to flee after the shooting provoking residents of Fazalpur and surrounding villages to lay siege to the police station, stone police vehicles and block traffic on the Amritsar-Jalandhar highway for over seven hours. The next day one of the accused Karnail Singh, who had allegedly fired at the deceased, was arrested by the police, but there was no progress for the next about 25 days. The three other accused are still at large. Mr Balkar Singh, SP and investigating officer, today said he was entrusted the probe on May 25 and in the first phase had recorded the statements of complainants. In their statements a number of relatives of the deceased including his brother Mr Nirvar Singh that the FIR registered by the local police was not in accordance with the complaint lodged by them and certain police officials were trying to shield some of the well connected accused. However, some senior police officials insist that none of the three others named in the FIR were present at the crime scene. Interestingly, one of the three accused still at large appeared twice in a local court in connection with another case of attempt to murder and nothing registered against the four accused in another shooting incident after an enquiry by the then DIG Mr Suresh Arora |
13 nominated
to BJP national council PHILLAUR, June 1 — Punjab BJP unit President Prof Brij Lal Rinwa has nominated 13 BJP leaders to the national council of the BJP. Stating this Prof Rinwa told this correspondent here today that the members are Mr Daya Singh Sodhi, Lala Lajpat Rai, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Chaudhary Swarna Ram, Mr Vinod Khanna, Ms Gurcharan Kaur, Ms Lakshmi Kanta Chawla, Ms Roop Rani, Mr Sat Paul Mahajan, Mr Om Parkash Bhardwaj, Bhagat Chuni Lal, and Mr Radhay Lal. He and Mr Balramji Dass Tandon will be ex-officio members of the National Council as party president and legislature party leader respectively. UNI adds: He said the tirade launched by certain Akali factions against the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliate Rashtriya Sikh Sangat was aimed at weakening the Badal government and destabilising Punjab. Talking pride in being a veteran RSS worker, Mr Rinwa, in an interview last
night, said the BJP would cooperate with its ruling Akali partner in supporting Punjab demands. He said while the MC polls would be contested by the BJP on the party election symbol, the decision of using or not using the symbol in panchayat elections has been left to BJP local units but they have been asked to fight the election in
random with the SAD. |
Transfers: doctors feel cheated AMRITSAR, June 1 — Noisy scenes and protests marked the state awareness health campaign inaugurated by Dr Baldev Raj Chawla, Minister of State for Family Welfare, at Guru Nanak Auditorium here today. Members of the PCMS Association raised anti-government slogans and staged a rally in front of the dias just as Dr Baldev Raj Chawla, Health Minister and Civil Surgeon, Dr Raj Inder Singh, were to inaugurate the campaign. Meanwhile, addressing the gathering Dr Chawla revealed that according to latest statistics 2430 persons were registered as HIV positive in Punjab out of which Amritsar’s official figure was 820 persons. The thrust of the awareness campaign was “contaminated blood”. Focusing on blood banks and their responsibility in dispensing safe blood to patients, the minister informed that according to the Supreme Court ruling Punjab had 53 licenced blood banks of which 29 were government owned and about 24 private. Screening, he said, would be mandatory for HIV positive and hepatitis B. Meanwhile, the PCMS association members joined by their leaders condemned the high-handedness and arbitrariness in effecting transfers of 800 medical officers in the May-June session. They accused the Chief Minister of going back on assurances made to the PCMS Association during a meeting on April 17 at Chandigarh. They alleged that the Chief Minister had assured them that “limited transfers” would be effected ‘only’ after taking the association into confidence. Mr Badal had failed to keep his word they alleged. They demanded an immediate stay on all transfers and a fair inquiry into the matter. PATIALA: The PCMS Association on Thursday demanded the formulation of permanent, rational and need-oriented transfer policy for the government doctors. In a press release issued here the general secretary of PCMS Association, Dr D.C. Sharma, said in the absence of a proper transfer policy, the Health Department had committed certain excesses in the name of rationalisation of the postings especially in case of doctors posted in ESI hospitals in the state. The association urged the Health Minister, Dr Baldev Raj Chawla, to review all such cases of transfers where excesses had been committed. The association alleged that there had been victimisation of some doctors especially in Hoshiarpur district, the home district of the Minister of State for Health and requested the government to cancel these transfers involving victimisation. |
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2 doctors found
absent, suspended HOSHIARPUR, June 1 — The State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Mrs Mohinder Kaur visited Shri Hargobindpur and found doctors Navneet Kumar Maini and Narinder Kaur, pharmacist Sarabjit Singh and LTI Rajesh Anzam absent from duty. The minister told this correspondent that only three staff nurses were present in the hospital during duty hours. She said senitation was poor and no proper medicines were available. She said the suspension orders of the doctors and the pharmacist had been issued. She said steps would be taken to ensure the regular presence of doctors and the availability of proper medicines in all government hospitals and dispensaries. |
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20,000 new assesses detected AMRITSAR, June 1 — In a significant development, the Income Tax Department, Amritsar, which also includes Jammu and Kashmir has succeeded in collecting Rs 20 crore from the Kashmir valley on account of TDS
collections. This was disclosed at a meeting of the Tax Payers’ Committee held here under the chairmanship of Mr S.J.S. Pall, Commissioner, Income Tax. Senior officers of the department along with members of the Tax Payers’ Committee took part in the meeting. The members of the committee congratulated the chairman for achieving the budget targets allotted to Amritsar charge. It is reliably learnt that the budget targets of the Amritsar charge were achieved after many
years. The members lauded the role of the chairman in adding new assesses under a scheme. On an estimate, 20,000 new assesses were detected. The overall increase in the new assesses, as per reliable sources, was stated to be 70,000 during the last financial year. |
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High Court issues notice
to Punjab CHANDIGARH, June 1 — On a petition by the Punjab Congress chief, Capt Amarinder Singh, claiming an attempt by the State of Punjab and other respondents to “forcibly take possession of his land”, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice “to show cause as to why the petition be not admitted”. Seeking the quashing of a notification, the Captain, in the petition taken up by Mr. Justice Swatanter Kumar and Mr. Justice A.S. Garg, stated that the acquisition proceedings in relation to his land was void and liable to be quashed. Giving details, the petitioner had stated that the land was “never taken and therefore it never vested in the State Government in terms of the Land Acquisition Act”. Counsel for the petitioner had contended on his behalf that “no compensation had been paid for the alleged acquisition”. The land — 27 kanals and 19 marlas — it was added, was situated in the “revenue limits of Tripuri Saiden in tehsil and district Patiala”. |
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Painting and dance workshops PATIALA, June 1 — City children will have a chance to attend painting and dance workshops being conducted by the North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC) during the summer break from June 1 to 20. Disclosing this here today NZCC Director RT Jindal said children wanting to take part in the workshop will have to fill their application forms on June 1 itself on which day they would be screened for admission. Mr Jindal said a workshop on theatre was being organised by the NZCC at Jammu. He said in the workshop students would be taught costume-designing, set designing, stage movement and script writing. He said a play would also be readied during the workshop which would subsequently be staged at various places in North India. He said a workshop was also being organised at Chandigarh in collaboration with the CRTC in which more than 400 children from different schools will take part. The workshop would have experts from 10 different art forms teaching children. The workshop would be held from June 11 to June 24 in the Government School in Sector 23. Alongside this a painting workshop would also be held in Chandigarh from June 1 to 14 in which around 250 children will take part. Besides this the NZCC was also celebrating a festival in Solan from June 23 to 24 and in Manali from June 23 to 27. The festival would revolve around dances with states of Assam, Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharasthra, Manipur and Gujarat displaying their traditional dance forms. Those wanting to take part in the various workshops can contact numbers 0175-213218 at Patiala and 0172-735462 at Chandigarh. |
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Thousands throng ‘urs’ FATEHGARH SAHIB, June 1 — The three-day annual ‘urs’, which is observed in the memory of Sheikh Ahmed Farooqui Sirhindi, began at Rauza Sharif here yesterday. Thousands of Naqushbandi Muslims from all over the country and abroad arrived here to participate in the ‘urs’. However, it did not attract the expected rush of pilgrims. The absence of Pakistani pilgrims, who were denied visa by their government, was a matter of concern for the organisors as well as a damper for the residents of the area, particularly for the businessman. More than 10,000 pilgrims paid
their homage. Mr B.S. Sudan, Deputy Commissioner, visited the mela site and inspected all arrangements made for the pilgrims. |
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Four-laning of
road sought AMRITSAR, June 1 — The Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal
(PPBM) has called for the four-laning of the Amritsar-Jalandhar road on a priority basis as it has been cleared by the Ministry of Transport. Mr Amrit Lal Jain, president of the PPBM in a press note said the Amritsar-Jalandhar highway was given a step-motherly treatment even as the project for
four-laning of the Chandigarh-Ropar-Nawanshahr-Banga-Phagwara road had been undertaken by the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board. |
T.S. Badal dead BATHINDA, June 1 — Mr Teja Singh Badal (85), uncle of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister of Punjab, died this evening at Badal village. According to family sources, the body of Mr Teja Singh would be cremated tomorrow. He was the man behind the success of Mr Parkash Singh. Mr Teja Singh brought him into politics and played a significant role in his political career. |
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4 PCS officers
shifted CHANDIGARH, June 1 — The Punjab government today reshuffled four P.C.S. and two other officers. Mr Satwant Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) at Amritsar has been shifted as Land Acquisition Officer, Improvement Trust, Amritsar, while Mr Sucha Singh (awaiting posting) will take over as SDM at Sultanpur Lodhi. Mr S.M. Sharma, SDM at Khadur Sahib goes as SDM at Balachaur, while Mr Pritam Singh Johal, SDM at Balachaur, will take over as SDM at Nawanshahr. Mr Jaswinder Singh Rasdas, Secretary at Zila Parishad, Amritsar, goes as Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) at Amritsar, while Mr Balwant Singh Shergill, District Development and Panchayat Officer at Patiala, goes as Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) at Sangrur. |
‘Kale kachhewale’
gang strikes in 4 villages
ROPAR, June 1 (PTI) — Six persons were injured by members of a ‘kale kachhewale’ gang who struck four different villages in Ropar district last night and decamped with huge quantity of jewellery and cash. The police said here today that the gang members were armed with swords, axes, rods and other weapons and struck at Bhattoo, Bhogipur, Samra and Grewal villages in the district situated between Ropar town and Noorpur Bedi. The members of gang struck in house of Dalip Singh of Bhattoo village at midnight and decamped with gold, jewellery. Before leaving the house the gang members injured three members of the family of Dalip Singh. They then attacked houses of Karnail Singh of Bhogipur village, Agya Ram of Grewal village and Major Singh of Samra village and injured those who tried to stop them, the police
said. |
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Armed dacoits rob
two women PHAGWARA, June 1 — About six armed dacoits with muffled faces barged into the Kanshi Nagar Chakhakim house of Sukh Ram and robbed two aged women Kartar Kaur, his wife, and
Shanti, his aunt of a gold necklace and ear-rings, respectively, besides Rs 300 and injuring Kartar Kaur by hitting her with an iron rod. She is now in hospital. Giving details of the incident today, DSP Satinder Singh, disclosed that the dacoits entered the house around 1.10 a.m. On hearing the alarm, a police patrolling party rushed to the house on the GT Road and opened fire. However, the dacoits also fired. The police continued firing, forcing the dacoits to retreat and flee under cover of darkness. During subsequent combing operations, the police found two 12 bore empty-shells of a pistol. However, the DSP ruled out the dacoits being
“kale kachhewales”. |
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Villagers nab nine robbers KHANNA, June 1 — Residents of Sahadhi Road, Khanna demonstrated against the police following rumours that the city police planned to register a case against members of a village ‘thikree pehra’ which caught and beat up four
members of a kala kachewala gang early today. According to sources four thieves with iron rods, screw drivers and stones entered the house of Rakesh Kumar at around 2.30 a.m. The family members, who woke up, raised the alarm alerting the thikree pehra members and other residents. Seeing a crowd converging the thieves began to pelt them with stones but were soon overpowered, beaten up and handed over to the police. In the morning there were rumour that the police also planned to register cases against residents who had beaten up the thieves triggering a demonstration. The DSP Khanna, Mr Mohinder Pal Singh Shocker arrived at the site and gave the lie to the rumour. He said the thieves had been booked and appreciated the residents role in their arrest. |
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Mobiles worth 17 lakh seized
from passenger AMRITSAR, June 1 — A packet containing mobile phones was seized here today from a passenger coming form Sharjah. Kamaljit, a resident of Jalandhar, was apprehended when 218 smuggled mobile phones were found in his luggage. The accused arrived from Sharjah on flight no IC-894 here today. The mobile phones were detected by the Customs staff while acting on intelligence reports. Mr Amresh Jain, Deputy
Commissioner (Anti-Smuggling wing, Customs), informed here. The mobiles were of different models and companies. The phones, were concealed in the cavities made in a CD player as also in the speakers. To escape detection in the X-ray machine, they were wrapped in black carbon paper and secured with tapes. The detected mobiles have a market value of Rs 17 lakh. The accused passenger is in the Customs’ custody. |
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5 electrocuted in
paddy field LUDHIANA, June 1 (PTI) — Five agricultural labourers were electrocuted in the nearby Sujatpur village when a high tension live wire fell on irrigated fields in which paddy was being transplanted. Police said here today that a tractor trailer owned by one Darbara Singh hit an electric poll snapping of bringing down high tension wires. Five labourers working in the fields in which the wires fell were instantaneously electrocuted. As per Basti Jodhewal police station the victims were identified as Nanak Chand Sharma, Suraj Yadav, Trilok Yadav, Mahi Chand and Mahim Yadav. |
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PHAGWARA, June 1 — The Punjab police has arrested three hawala racketeers and recovered from them Rs 10.46 lakh, according to SSP Iqbal Singh today. Those arrested are
Balwan, Rohit Bhatia and Rahul — all of Vikaspuri, New Delhi. |
Criteria for transfer of teachers CHANDIGARH, June 1 — After a discussion with the District Education Officers and others concerned in the Education Department, the Punjab Education Minister, Mr Tota Singh, today finalised the transfer criteria for school teachers. Giving details, a spokesman for the Punjab Education Department said that all teaching staff in urban areas having accumulative stay of over 18 years would be shifted to rural areas. Earlier stay period was kept 15 years but it has been enhanced to 18 years on the suggestion given by education officers. The request of teachers ,who have served at least for three years in rural areas ,would be considered for posting in urban schools against the vacant posts. All vacant posts declared surplus in urban areas would be shifted to rural schools. On promotion, each such employee would spend at least three years in the rural areas. The general transfers would be based on individual performance of teachers pertaining to pass percentage of his students in 8th, 10th and 12th class examinations conducted by the Punjab School Education Board. Only those teachers would be considered for transfer who fulfil the minimum
criteria of having achieved 50 percent and 65 per cent pass percentage in science and general
category subjects respectively. The request for transfer in case of heads of institutions would only be entertained in those cases whose institutions have had 60 per cent result in examinations conducted by the
board. |
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GND
University to curb ragging AMRITSAR, June 1 — Keeping in mind the University Grants Commission recommendations on “ragging”, Vice-Chancellor, GNDU varsity, Dr Harbhajan Singh Soch said here that the university prospectus for different courses would now include a special page of warning against ragging. A ‘vigilance committee’ to prevent and detect ragging would be formed. Dr Soch said the UGC had recommended a series of action against erring educational institutes, including total suspension of financial aid and even cancellation of their affiliations in case of unchecked ragging. The UGC recommendations will come in force from the current academic session. Erring students would invite a suspension from the university for three years besides a ban on admission for other courses. “More serious cases could be reported to the police and a fine up to Rs 25,000 levied for the offence. Dr Soch also announced monetary and other incentives for those who help locate and apprehend offenders. |
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