M A I N   N E W S

64 Khanpur residents booked
Our Correspondent

Kharar, May 22
Uneasy calm prevails in Khanpur village which falls in the Kharar municipal limits where several persons, including police and women, were injured in a clash yesterday.

A group of mediamen visited the village and found that a large number of policemen, including policewomen, were deployed there and a fire engine was standing there as a precautionary measure. Many houses of Dalits were seen locked up.

Tension prevails among the villagers about yesterday’s incident.

Meanwhile, the local police has booked 64 persons, including 24 women, in connection with the clash.

Talking to mediamen last night, Mr Jasdev Singh, SHO, Kharar, said that 36 persons has been booked under Sections 307, 353, 332, 186, 188, 148 and 149 on the complaint of Duty Magistrate Ajit Singh Longia. Twenty women had been booked under Sections 283, 148 and 149, IPC, as per the complaint of Sub-Inspector Santokh Singh. Four women and four men had been booked under Sections 382, 353, 332, 186, 144 and 149, IPC, and under the Arms Act as per the complaint of constable Sukhdev Singh.

Meanwhile, Mrs Neelam Arora, Judicial Magistrate of Kharar, today remanded 23 persons arrested by the police in judicial custody till June 4.

Mr M. Singh Manheda, Secretary, Bahujan Samaj Party, Punjab, has criticised this action of the police. He said the police had not taken any action against those persons who were allegedly teasing the women of the village and had demolished the dyke on the side of the river.

Meanwhile, Mr Charanjit Singh, former president of the Municipal Committee, Kharar, has criticised yesterday’s action and said that the police did not allow him to enter the village as it was sealed.

Resentment prevails among local residents against the Punjab government which has failed to hold an inquiry into the land issue of the village. The villagers have been giving memoranda to the government for holding an inquiry into alleged illegal allotment of land for the past many years and in spite of promises made by various political leaders, nothing has happened.