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| Sunday, November 12, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Youths kidnapped by Pak Rangers
freed CIA official held with bribe
money Sukhbir Badal
vents anger on SSP From spying to
film-making Plea to restrain Cong poll
authorities |
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PSEB staff threaten
stir MIG
flats’ prices likely to be reduced
AICC chief’s poll
at Congress Bhavan “BSP will emerge as third force” Slighted BJP councillor quits
Religious fervour
marks Gurpurb Promoter says DFO asked for
bribe Home Guards for pay, perks on par
with cops Official demands due
seniority Tikshan Sood to head Punjab panel on
reforms Rewari-Fazilka train started Health employees hold conference Challaned for not wearing helmet in car 7 yrs’ RI for killing bride
35 tolas of gold recovered from robbers Cop held for taking
bribe
Fast by unemployed teachers
Arms market faces
slump
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Youths kidnapped by Pak Rangers
freed FAZILKA, Nov 11 — Pritam Singh and Malkeet Singh, residents of Bhaini Dilavar who were allegedly kidnapped by Pakistani Rangers last evening were released today at 4 p.m. Officers of the BSF and Rangers held a prolonged flag meeting today after which the youths were released. Mr I.M. Mall, DIG, BSF, Faridkot Range, had been camping here for consultations. Earlier the Pakistani Rangers allegedly kidnapped two youths from Bhaini Dilavar village on Friday evening. According to village residents, Pritam Singh (25) and Malkeet Singh (24) of the village situated across Sutlej river had gone to cut “sarkandas’ along with about six other youths of the village. Family members of the kidnapped youths told this reporter that as Pritam and Malkeet were cutting “sarkandas,” some Pakistani Rangers intruded into the Indian territory and forcibly dragged them into Pakistan. The other youths, however, managed to come back to the village. The kidnapped youths are married and marginal farmers. Following the incident, tension gripped the village and adjoining villages. Villagers allege that the motive of Pakistani Rangers in kidnapping was to scare the residents of border villages in the sector. They said the Line of Control was haphazard and not distinctly clear due to rough terrain at certain places. When this correspondent tried to contact senior officers of the BSF to enquire about the incident, none of them was available to provide any details. The police officials, however, confirmed the kidnapping and said that they came to know of it today only and a police party had been sent to the village to get first hand information. A panchayat member of the village said efforts were being made to secure the release of the kidnapped youths. In this regard, a brief meeting of officers of the BSF and Pakistani Rangers was held late last evening, said the member. He said another meeting would be held today. Yesterday’s kidnapping of two youths in the sector is second such incidence during the past one year. Last year, Chhinderpal Singh (20) of adjoining Teja Rohela village had also been kidnapped by Pakistani Rangers in October 1999. He was released after three weeks in exchange for a 13-year-old boy Abdul Waheed of Pakistan, who had allegedly strayed into Indian territory in July 1999. |
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CIA official held with bribe
money JALANDHAR, Nov 11 — In a rare incident, a Vigilance Bureau team conducted a raid on the CIA office here and arrested an investigation officer and recovered bribe money of Rs 2500 from him. The officer had allegedly demanded and accepted bribe from two alleged gamblers who in turn lodged a complaint with Vigilance Bureau authorities that they had been falsely implicated in the case by the irritated CIA staff officials after they refused to give bribe to them. Mr Gurdip Singh, a resident of Gandhi Nagar locality, and Deepak Kumar, a resident of Mohalla No 23 in the cantonment area, had alleged that Head Constable Kulwinder Singh and Head Constable Balbir Singh had been coercing them to fix a monthly amount and saying that only then they would be allowed to run their “lottery business”. After their refusal to do the needful, the CIA staff officials had conducted a raid on their establishment on November 8 and an amount of Rs 20,000 had been recovered from them. In the papers an amount of Rs 8,350 had been shown to have been recovered from them and they were shown to have been arrested while indulging in gambling under Section 13-A of the Gambling Act. The complainants had maintained they were not gambling and were doing their routine business of lottery selling. After receiving the complaint, the SP, Vigilance Bureau, Ms Gurpreet Deo, ordered her staff to conduct a raid to nab the accused in the CIA Staff Office near Patel Chowk here on Thursday evening. Mr Vipin Chowdhary, DSP (Vigilance Bureau), who had led the raiding part said Kulwinder Singh, who was also the investigating officer in the same case, had allegedly demanded an amount of Rs 3,000 from the complainants but the deal was clinched at Rs 2500, which was recovered from him during raid. He was arrested on the spot. The SP, Vigilance Bureau, said the raid was part of the ongoing drive against corrupt officials under the nationwide Vigilance Awareness Week. In another case, a Punjab State Electricity Board Lineman, Nirmal Singh, posted at Nakodar, was caught red-handed while he was accepting an amount of Rs 500 from a farmer of Pandori Jagir village for releasing
condenser of his tubewell, which was seized by the former while carrying out a check of the tubewell for overload. |
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Sukhbir Badal
vents anger on SSP TARN TARAN Nov 11 — Mr Jagdish Kumar Mittal, SSP here had to face the anger of former Union State Minister and son of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, Punjab, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal for loose” security arrangements on his arrival here today when he came to take part in the annual cultural fair organised by the local Panj Darya Sabhyacharak kender. Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal when went to the residence of a local youth Akali leader, Mr Iqbal Singh Sandhu and notice loose security arrangements there he commented to the SSP “don’t you know I have been provided Z-type of security by the union government and you haven’t even arranged pilot Zypsy for me to lead to the residence of said Akali leader. Was I to know his residence’s whereabout?” Further rebuking the SSP, Mr Badal said, “Don’t you know I never spare any body.” The newsmen and others who were present on the occasion too noticed the scene. The SSP, Mr Mittal, commenting on this episode said to this correspondent that he was not even informed officially about the visit of Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal today here. The SSP said that he had the information only about the visit of Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, Punjab, for whom he had made elaborate security arrangements. The SSP did not deny the happening of the episode related to Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal’s visit. Addressing the gathering on the cultural fair he sought the ‘blessings’ of the people to let the SAD and especially himself to serve them, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, Punjab, too addressed the gathering separately. |
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From spying to
film-making FEROZEPORE: A former Indian spy to Pakistan has today made it as a film producer by virtue of his forbearance and perseverance. Mohan Lal
Bhaskar, had been married for only one year when he was arrested by Pakistani intelligence agencies and sentenced to death by a summary court martial, which was later commuted by a military court to 14 years’ rigorous imprisonment. He was battered and tortured for seven long years. Having experienced life in its rawest form, he has finally made it to
Bollywood. Born in 1942 at Abohar in Ferozepore district, Bhaskar first worked as a labourer and then as a newspaper hawker. Later, he did his MA,
B.Ed, and joined the teaching profession. He became the Vice-Principal of a Teachers’ Training Institute, Government of
Sikkim. On first glance, he appears to be a total antithesis of the conventional image of a spy. There is nothing about this small-built, affable Punjabi to suggest that he spent seven harrowing years in different Pakistani prisons like Kot
Lakhpat, Lahore and Central Jail, Mianwali, and Multan on charges of espionage. His took to saying after the 1965 war with Pakistan when he was recruited by Indian intelligence agencies to infiltrate into important Pakistani organisations like the Atomic Energy Commission in Kota and get microfilms of different Army units to know their composition. He, however, refuses to divulge the names of the people who induced him into spying in the ‘interest of country’. For over a year, Bhaskar alias Mohammed Aslam, made 17 sorties into Pakistani territory. Narrating the hazards of a life of spying, he said, “If you ever try to look across the border you will be greeted by an eerie darkness. Even if a serpent bites you or a scorpion stings you, you must at once suppress your shriek, else you will immediately become a target of enemy’s bullet.” In Pakistan, he, along with his guide, Baba Samund Singh, alias
Imamuddin, used to buy a buffalo from a village before passing through a cantonment and get rid of it after crossing the cantonment. In this manner, they used to avoid arousing suspicion. He used to spend his idle time at Shahnoor Studio, Lahore, from where he got inspired to produce a film one day. Bhaskar was on a mission to find out about Pakistani nuclear plans when he was betrayed by one of his colleagues, presumably a double agent. He was interrogated by the Army and also faced torture at the hands of the Pakistani police. Many of his associates went insane and ended their lives. During his years in jail, he encountered personalities like Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto, Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rehman, hijackers Mohd Ashraf and Hasim Qureshi and General
Rani, Yahya Khan’s mistress. Bhaskar was repatriated to India on December 9, 1974 under the agreement in exchange for Pakistani spies held by India. Since then, he nurtured the dream of producing a film which has now turned into reality. His debut venture, entitled “Yeh hai Pyar Ka
Mausam,” is due for release in December. It is a satire on the flirtation that is carried out in the name of love. The film, whose story, dialogues and songs are written by Bhaskar himself, is about a Sikh boy who is lured into the underworld and compelled to plant radio bombs in public places. One day, when the boy leaves a radio bomb in a park, his teacher thinks that he has forgotten his parcel and delivers it to his mother. In a few moments, all members of his family die in the blast. Being a novice in the film line he had to face a lot of obstacles and a financial crunch, but with forbearance and courage he overcame them. He has invested all his savings in his dream project. He is a national awardee. Having spent the prime of his life under the shadow of bayonets and bars, his journey from Lahore to Bollywood has been full of adventures and mind-boggling experiences. |
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Plea to restrain Cong poll
authorities LUDHIANA, Nov 11 — A court here yesterday issued notices to Mr Ram Niwas Mirdha and Mr Sultan Singh, the Central Election Authority and the Punjab Pradesh Election Authority, respectively of the Congress party to appear before the court on November 14 in person or through their counsel for replying to a suit restraining them from allowing any delegate to take part in the ensuing organisational elections of the All-India Congress Committee or the Pradesh Congress Committee. Mr Rakesh Kumar Sharma Civil Judge (Jr Division) here issued these notices on a suit filed by Mr Rakesh Kumar and Mr Ramesh Kumar, primary members of the Indian National Congress Party. The plaintiffs in their application also demanded restraining the two election authorities from holding any election of President of the All-India Congress Committee and the Pradesh Congress Committee without the process of the election of the Primary Committee, Block Committee as per the constitution. The plaintiffs said they were seeking the injunction as the election of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee was not proceeding according the laid down norms and schedule, the preliminary poll schedule was also not adhered to nor it was done after conducting the elections of the primary committees. They also claimed that the Pradesh Congress Committee list had been prepared while sitting in a Five Star hotel in Delhi by certain highly placed Congress workers and office bearers. Such list without election of Primary Committee, Block Committee and election delegates of the PPCC was nothing but gross violation of the party’s constitution and was literally
hijacking the election process. The application said it was the basic eligibility of a delegate to be elected as delegate to Congress Committee was that he should be the resident of the area of the block committee or doing his business thereon. However, as per the list of delegates released in the press a number of persons do not fulfil this qualification. The application mentioned the names of Mr Bir Devinder Singh, Mr Brahm Mohindra, Mr Harbans Singh Sidhu, Mr Malkiat Singh Sidhu, Ms Amarjit Kaur and Mr Rajan Bir Singh as persons who did not fulfil the criteria as they had been nominated from areas to which they did not belong. |
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PSEB staff threaten
stir FEROZEPORE, Nov 11 — Accusing the police of implicating an employee in a case, the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) employees have threatened to take to the streets. An 11-member action committee comprising representatives of five PSEB employee unions is pressing the authorities to quash an FIR registered against their Executive Engineer, Mr Manjit Singh Rajput, at the cantonment police station here on November 8. The committee convener, Mr Rakesh Kumar, charged that a motivated case was slapped against Mr Rajput, who wanted to penalise politically well-connected residents for power theft. In a memorandum addressed to the District Magistrate, the committee has demanded that not only the FIR be quashed, but a case be registered against those accused of power theft. Mr Rakesh Kumar told TNS the District Magistrate, Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu, has assured to look into the matter and they would wait till November 13 after which a series of demonstrations would be held in support of Mr Rajput. He indicated that the PSEB may resort to power cuts at a later stage. Mr Rajput was booked under the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act and various sections of the IPC on the complaint of Mr Joginder Singh, alias Jindu, a member of the cantonment board. Mr Joginder Singh had accused Mr Rajput of using derogatory casteist remarks. However, Mr Rajput charged that a motivated case was registered against him as he had asked the relatives of Mr Joginder Singh to remove illegal “kundi” connections. Mr Joginder Singh on his part charged Mr Rajput of using derogatory words when he tried to stop him from harassing the civilians on the pretext of checking power connections. Earlier, the DIG, Ferozepore Range, Mr Hardeep Singh Dhillon, assured that the matter was being looked into and justice would be done to either party. |
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MIG
flats’ prices likely to be reduced PATIALA The ministry is likely to reduce the prices of both categories of flats on the pattern of Bathinda recently, where HIG flats lying vacant for nearly 10 years were disposed of, after reducing the original prices by nearly 30 per cent . Presently, around 80 of the 117 HIG flats constructed by the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority ( PUDA) in Urban Estate Phase II are lying vacant, more than two years after they were allotted . There are no buyers for these flats as most citizens feel they have been overpriced especially if the price of land in the area is taken into consideration. Due to this, no one is ready to purchase the flats at the prices ranging from Rs 4.65 lakh to Rs 4.85 lakh . Similarly, there were no takers for around 10 to 15 units of HIG independent flats in the same phase a few months ago. PUDA was forced to withdraw the scheme as it did not receive any applications. PUDA had offered independent HIG flats in which the owners would have the right to construct the first storey. Two bedrooms with drawing, dining and kitchen and garage had been constructed on the ground floor. The flats were priced at around Rs 11 lakh. The flats are lying unoccupied, with PUDA yet to take a decision on the matter . However, if the Housing Ministry has its way, the flats may be allotted following reduction of their prices. Urban Housing Minister of State, Ranjit Singh Balian, disclosed that the ministry would reduce the rates of the flats to encourage people to buy them . He said it had been revealed that PUDA had gone in for marketing flats in cities where there was no flat culture . He said this could have been avoided and now steps needed to be taken to frame a better policy. Mr Balian said the government had recently sold off flats constructed by PUDA in Bathinda city more than 10 years back. He said in Bathinda too, people were not used to living in flats . He said as they were vacant, paramilitary forces had occupied them for a long period and it was only recently that they had been vacated and sold off. While not specifying how much the prices would be reduced in case of the flats at the Urban Estate, Patiala, he said endeavours would be made to dispose them of at competitive rates . Meanwhile those already living in the MIG flats in Phase II in the Urban Estate are demanding that they too be given a concession in the rate as they claim that PUDA had reneged on its promise to hand over possession of the flats complete in all respects. They claim that sub-standard material had been used in the construction of the flats, due to which deterioration has already set in, in most of them . Sources said the PUDA would have to reduce the prices of the MIG flats substantially to attract buyers, as the plaster in most of them is peeling off and even the wood work and iron used in them is of poor quality . They said the construction of the HIG flats is quite superior and PUDA could sell them off successfully at a discount. |
AICC chief’s poll
at Congress Bhavan CHANDIGARH, Nov 11 — Arrangements in the Punjab Congress Bhavan for polling to elect President of the All-India Congress Committee tomorrow have been completed. There are two candidates — Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Mr Jitendra Prasada — for this in the fray. Contrary to expectations in the party, two Congress men have opted to become polling agents for Mr Prasada for a watch on the polling. Informed sources said that Mr P.C. Puri and Mr Anil Mahajan will be polling agents for Mr Prasada. Choudhary Sultan Singh, Provincial Returning Officer for Punjab along with his two other colleagues deputed by the Congress Election Authority reached here this evening. Before election, a meeting of the delegates will be held at 9 a.m. The election process would start at 10 a.m. and continue till 5 p.m. There are over 200 delegates of the Congress party in Punjab. All are expected to take part in the polling. |
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“BSP will emerge as third force” FEROZEPORE, Nov 11 — The Bahujan Samaj Party is destined to emerge as a third force in Punjab, said Dr Mohan Singh Phalianwala, former MP from the city and convener of the state unit of the party. He said the BSP would contest the 117 seats
independently in the forthcoming Assembly elections. The party has decided to organise a rally to mark the 730th birthday of Bhagat Namdev at Ghuman town in Gurdaspur district in which senior leaders of the BSP, including its chief Mr Kanshi Ram, would address a rally of the party workers. He expressed his party’s desire to create a “Bahujan samaj”. Mr Phalianwala criticised both Congressmen and Akalis who, he thought, were responsible for fomenting communal strife in Punjab. |
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Slighted BJP councillor quits AMRITSAR, Nov 11 — Furious over being slighted by the BJP at a function commemorating workers at Hathi Gate on Thursday, Ms Jaishree Gulati, councillor, resigned as the president of the BJP District Mahila Morcha. Talking to this correspondent, Ms Gulati said she felt trifled at the gesture of her party. All prominent members were invited to the function whereas she did not receive an invitation let alone a mention in the invitation cards of the function. Ironically, the function was held in Ms Gulati’s ward. She is the councillor for ward No 4. She claimed other members of the mahila morcha supported her decision. These include Ms Pushpa Marwaha, general secretary of the mahila morcha, Ms Raj Sharma, Deputy Mayor of Amritsar and vice-president of the mahila morcha, and councillors, Ms Harjit Bahar and Ms Renu Goel. However, none of the aforesaid were available for comments. |
Religious fervour
marks Gurpurb CHANDIGARH, Nov 11 — The Gurpurb of Guru Nanak Dev, founder of the Sikh religion, was celebrated with great religious fervour in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh today. Lakhs of Sikh devotees, including women and children, in their colourful best gathered in gaily decorated gurdwaras in the region to join religious congregations since early morning and paid their obeisance. They took part in shabad kirtans and religious discourses and listened to recitations from the holy scriptures at the gurdwaras. Akhand paths, diwans, free kitchens and dips in sacred tanks attached to various gurdwaras marked the day. Large congregations were held at different cities and towns and historical places, including the Golden Temple at Amritsar, Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, Anandpur Sahib, Kiratpur Sahib and Manji Sahib Gurdwara at Ambala City on this occasion. The parkash utsav in connection with the birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev ji was celebrated with great traditional religious fervour. Lakhs of devotees visited the Golden Temple to offer prayers. Parbhat pheris were taken out from different gurdwaras in the district. The whole city, including the entire Golden Temple complex, was lit with multi-coloured lights and the city was beautifully decked up with banners, arches and buntings. Gurbani kirtan was organised at Manji Sahib where eminent ragis recited hymns from the holy Granth Sahib. A large number of historic gurdwaras in the city as well as in the outskirts were decorated and langars organised for the devotees. Sikh pilgrims from within the state and outside visited the Golden Temple. Traditional fireworks were also organised. According to a report from Ropar, a minor boy was killed after falling from a vehicle during the religious procession taken out in the city last evening on the eve of Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary today. Sources said Paramjit Singh, a student of plus one, was taking part in the shobha yatra organised here on the conclusion of nagar kirtan in the evening. The boy fell down while alighting from the tractor-trolley he was on board at the end of the procession. He sustained serious head injuries in the accident. He was rushed to the local B.D. Sharma PGIMS where the doctors declared him brought dead. Reports of Gurpurb celebrations also poured in from Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Patiala, Pathankot, Malerkotla, Ropar, Mansa, Rampura Phul, Faridkot, Moga, Muktsar, Kotkapura, Kurukshetra, Shahabad, Karnal, Yamunanagar, Sonepat and Panipat. In the city, a large number of people thronged various gurdwaras since early morning and participated in religious discourses. Akhand path and shabad kirtans were the attraction of the programme. Religious fervour and devotion marked the birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev all over Himachal Pradesh, including Shimla, Mandi, Kulu, Chamba and Dharamsala. |
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Promoter says DFO asked for
bribe PATIALA, Nov 11 — The promoter of an amusement park and a Cafe in the process of being established on the banks of the Bhakra Main Line Canal here on the Sangrur road here today alleged in the presence of Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development Ranjit Singh Balian that the local Divisional Forest Office had demanded a bribe for speedy processing of his case. Addressing a press conference here, Tostino Cafe and Amusement park promoter Rajbir Singh alleged that an official in the local Divisional Forest Office had put hurdles in the way of clearing his case even though he had taken the land for the project on lease from the Irrigation Department. He said the official had demanded a bribe of Rs 5,000 to clear the case. When he offered to pay Rs 2,000 as advance and give the remaining amount after the case was cleared , fresh objections were raised . Mr Balian, backing the claim, said he had intervened in the matter and the bribe money returned to Mr Rajbir Singh. He said the Divisional Forest Officer and the Chief Conservator of Forests were aware of the incident. |
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Home Guards for pay, perks on par
with cops FEROZEPORE, Nov 11 — The ADGP-cum-Commandant General, Punjab Home Guards and Civil Defence, Mr G.S. Bhullar, today reviewed the ongoing exercise of the sleuths of the border wing of the Punjab Home Guards somewhere in this area and expressed his satisfaction. According to sources, the training of the PHG volunteers will continue for some more time. The ongoing exercise is an annual feature in which the PHG volunteers are given training to assist the Army and paramilitary forces during the time of war and insurgency operations. There was a proposal to deploy women volunteers of Home Guards along with the BSF jawans at certain points along the fencing near Indo-Pakistan border to frisk the women members of the farmers who had land-holdings across the fencing, but the proposal seem to be gathering dust. When contacted, a section of the PHG officers and volunteers on the condition of anonymity said that the Home Guard officers and sleuths were expected to discharge the duties parallel to that of the police and other forces but their salary, perks and other facilities were much less than the others. Equipment as well as the ammunition was also inadequate and outdated, they said. |
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Official demands due
seniority CHANDIGARH, Nov 11 — Mr Lachman Singh, an Under Secretary, in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, has submitted a representation to the Speaker, Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal requesting he be given his due seniority. Mr Lachman Singh said here today that he should be promoted as Additional Secretary in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha by refixing his seniority. He said that as per rules he should have been promoted as Under Secretary on February 1, 1995 and Deputy Secretary on January 1, 1998 under the reservation policy followed by the state government. Mr Lachman Singh said that he had joined as a clerk in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on December 2, 1967 and was promoted as Superintendent grade - I on August 16, 1990. He has appealed to look into his case to refix his seniority and to promote him as Additional Secretary of the Vidhan
Sabha. |
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Tikshan Sood to head Punjab panel on
reforms CHANDIGARH, Nov 11 — The BJP-led government at the Centre has planned a countrywide debate on the issue of judicial electoral and other reforms. A national-level committee for this purpose has been set up under the chairmanship of Mr Ananth Kumar, Union Minister for Tourism and Cultural Affairs. Similar committees have been set up at the state level also. In Punjab, Mr Tikshan Sood, Minister of State for Excise and Taxation, has been made convener of the committee. Its other members are Mr Joginder Singh, former CBI Director, Mr M.L. Anand and Mr S.S. Minhas, experts in legal reforms. The Union Government has told the state committees to hold debates on administrative, educational, electoral, development and judicial reforms. Mr Sood said preparations had begun on holding seminars and debates. |
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Rewari-Fazilka train started BATHINDA, Nov 11 (PTI) — On the holy occasion of the birthday of the first Sikh Guru Sri Guru Nanak Devji the Northern Railway today flagged off direct passenger train between Rewari-Fazilka via Bathinda today. This train would leave Fazilka at 9 a.m. for Rewari reach Bathinda at 12.15 p.m. A Railway spokesman said the train leave Rewari at 4.10 in the morning for Fazilka. The train would comprise eight coaches. |
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Health employees hold conference NAWANSHAHR, Nov 11 — The fourth conference of the Coordination Committee of Paramedical and Health Employees, Punjab, began at Swarnkar Bhavan here today under the presidentship of Mr Mohan Singh Rouri, chairman of the committee. More than 300 delegates and 50 representatives of other organisations are participating in the conference, in which issues relating to the privatisation of health services and anomalies in pay-scales would be discussed. Earlier, a rally was organised at the Civil Hospital here, which was addressed by Mr Nirmaljit Singh Gill, convener of the committee. |
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Challaned for not wearing helmet in car PHAGWARA, Nov 11 — A local resident was yesterday challaned for not wearing helmet and that too while driving a car! Mr Harjinder Singh today said he was challaned at Jalandhar where he had gone in his Zen car (No PB-36-A-8348). His pleas that Sikhs were exempted from wearing helmets and that the helmets were not required in cars fell on deaf ears. Mr Harjinder showed a copy of the challan to mediapersons here. |
35 tolas of gold recovered from robbers SANGRUR, Nov 11 — The district police has arrested four persons — Kamaljit Singh, Amarjit Singh, Balbir Singh and Satpal on the charge of their involvement in a looting incident which took place on the night of November 6 at the house of Mr Somdeep Singh at Ghumand Singhwala village, near Bhawanigarh. In this looting incident, the accused had robbed Rs 4 lakh, 35 tolas of gold ornaments, a .22 bore rifle and 190 cartridges. After the arrest of these four accused the police had recovered Rs 2.75 lakh, 35 tolas of gold ornaments, a rifle and 200 cartridges from them. Giving this information in a press note here today, Mr Jatinder Singh Aulakh, SSP, Sangrur, said Kamaljit Singh and Amarjit Singh committed a robbery at the house of Mr Somdeep Singh in connivance with Balbir Singh and Satpal, both residents of Gehlan village, who had been working as servants at the house of Mr Somdeep Singh. Mr Aulakh said the robbery plan had been prepared by Balbir Singh and Satpal by conniving with the other two accused as they knew that lakhs of rupees had been lying in the house. On the night of November 6 when no member of the family was in the house the four accused looted the house and distributed the booty among themselves. Later, Kamaljit Singh and Amarjit Singh tied Satpal and Balbir Singh in the house and fled. Mr Aulakh further said the police had recovered more than eight tolas of gold ornaments, Rs 50,000 and a rifle along with 50 cartridges from Amarjit Singh, more than 10 tolas of gold ornaments, Rs 50,000 and 150 cartridges from Kamaljit Singh, about four tolas of gold ornaments and Rs 1 lakh from Balbir Singh and more than 12 tolas of gold ornaments and Rs 75,000 from Satpal. |
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Cop held for taking
bribe JALANDHAR, Nov 11 — A Vigilance Bureau team has arrested an investigation officer (IO) along with bribe money of Rs 2,500 during a raid on the CIA staff office here. The IO had allegedly demanded and accepted the bribe from two alleged gamblers, who had lodged a complaint with the Vigilance Bureau that they had been implicated in the case by the CIA staff, who had been demanding bribe for allowing them to run their lottery business. Gurdip Singh, a resident of the Gandhi Nagar locality and Deepak Kumar, a resident of 23. No locality in the cantonment area, further alleged that the investigation officers including Head Constable Kulwinder Singh, had been coercing them for quite some time and had been threatening them that they would not allow them to do their business until their bribe was fixed. When they refused to obey, officials of the CIA staff conducted a raid on their establishment and recovered Rs 20,000 from them, they alleged, adding that they were falsely were booked under Section 13 A of the Gambling Act. In the FIR only a sum of Rs 8,350 was shown to have been recovered from them by the officials, they alleged in their complaint to the SP, (Vigilance Bureau), who in turn ordered her staff to conduct a raid at the CIA staff office in police division No 2 building at Patel Chowk on Thursday evening. Mr Vipin Chowdhary, DSP (Vigilance Bureau), who had led the raiding party, said Kulwinder Singh had allegedly demanded Rs 3,000 from the complainants, but the deal was clinched at Rs 2,500. The suspect, a head constable and investigation officer of the gambling case, was arrested on the spot. Mrs Gurpreet Deo, SP, Vigilance Bureau, said the raid was a part of the ongoing drive against corrupt officials, launched in connection with the Vigilance Week. She said a PSEB lineman, Nirmal Singh, posted at Nakodar, was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 500 from a farmer of Pandori Jagir village to return
condensers of his tubewell. |
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7 yrs’ RI for killing bride SANGRUR, Nov 11 (PTI) — In a significant judgement, Sangrur Sessions Judge R.M. Gupta sentenced Sahib Singh, mother Balbir Kaur and father Anup Singh to rigorous imprisonment for seven years in a dowry death case. The 18-year-old sister-in-law Raj Kaur was acquitted in the case. |
Fast by unemployed teachers CHANDIGARH, Nov 11 — Led by its State President, Mr Jagtar Singh
Khomano, the Berozgar Adhyapak Front of Punjab today start fast outside the office of the DPI in support of its demand for providing jobs to unemployed teachers. A press note issued by the front said the next course of action would be decided on November 17. |
Arms market faces
slump FEROZEPORE, Nov 11 — Thanks to delayed paddy procurement, arms dealers in the district are complaining of an unprecedented slump in business. Over 10,000 arms licences have been issued to civilians by the administration for self-defence during the past one year. Farmers are unable to shell out money to purchase guns due to the current agrarian crisis. This has led to the expiry of the arms licences in a number of cases. There is hardly any buyer for .12 bore gun, which is most popular among farmers. The gun that is available for anything between Rs 7,000-Rs 15,000 has always been a major attraction for the farmers of this border district. Small weapons, especially the revolver, costing more than Rs 60,000 is not within the reach of an ordinary farmer, already reeling under debt. Explaining the current crisis, the owner of Abohar Armoury, Mr Anil Sethi, said: “Since the gun is a luxury item, a farmer can afford to buy it only if he has surplus money”. Due to the prolonged agrarian crisis, the farmers were largely engaged in paying back loans and hardly had any money to buy the gun, he explained. Likewise, Mr Virender Kumar, an arms dealer of Jalalabad, attributed the slump to the economic compulsions of farmers. “The current season has witnessed an unprecedented slump”, he said. Mr Jagdeep Rai Kantor of Vikram Arms Company in Ferozepore said, “It is ironical that a large number of farmers have lost validity of their licences issued to them earlier for self-defence from the ‘ kale kachianwale gang’. The spiralling prices of guns and the poor economic condition of the farmers have led to this mess,” he lamented. A senior administrator said the district had a distinct gun culture where landlords loved rifles and jeeps. “The worsening economic condition has certainly hit hard the weapons market”, he said. |
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