M A I N   N E W S

Train carrying ‘birs’ attacked
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 22
Baba Sukhdev Singh of Nanaksar Kaleran and seven other devotees were injured when an irate mob attacked the special ‘spiritual train’ carrying ‘birs of Guru Granth Sahib’ at Uttarwara, near Kolkata today.

The Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh, in a statement condemned the incident and added that no Sikh could tolerate the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib. He called upon the Sikh sangat to maintain peace and harmony and directed them to hold ‘ardas’ in gurdwaras all over the world.

Meanwhile, Mr Jaswinder Singh Advocate an SGPC member and president, Akal Purkh ki Fauj has given a call for two-hour Amritsar bandh tomorrow against the attack on the train.

Mr Lucky and Mr Harbhajan Singh, close confidants of Baba Sukhdev Singh told TNS from Kolkata that there were more than 7000 persons mostly daily passengers who attacked the train without any provocation.

The situation in Amritsar is tense but under control. Many Sikh youths forced the closure of shops and other business establishments near the Golden Temple Complex and Hall Bazar area.

The ‘spiritual train’ which carried over 250 ‘birs’ of Guru Granth Sahib was flagged off on June 17 from Amritsar. The train was to cover about 15 states before returning to Amritsar on July 2.

Giving the details, Mr Lucky alleged that the trouble started when some daily passengers who were smoking tried to board the train. When the occupants of the train pleaded that the train was special and nobody smoking could be allowed to board at this they started pelting stones on the train and coach number 13 was set on fire.

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has urged the Union Home Secretary and the West Bengal’s Chief Secretary, to ensure the safety of the Sikh pilgrims travelling in a special train which left Amritsar for Patna last week.

Following reports of stone-throwing on the pilgrims at a station near Kolkata today, Mr Badal talked to the Union Home Secretary and the West Bengal’s Chief Secretary over phone to know facts about the incident. Mr Badal urged them to provide full security cover to the train and also extend all other facilities to the pilgrims. 

Two university employees murdered
Jatinder Sharma

Rohtak, June 22
The broad daylight murders of employees of Maharshi Dayanand University, in the presence of hundreds of viewers, today has sent shock waves on the university campus.

The victims, Dharam Pal Dhankar and his wife Ram Murti were working in the Directorate of Distance Education and the College branch of the university. They were murdered immediately after they left their home in the Tilak Nagar locality for office in the presence of nearly 200 persons allegedly by the son of Dharam Pal and his two accomplices.

Although Dharam Pal (54) and Ram Murti (45) were living together for the past over two decades, they were not legally married, while the legally married wife of Dharam Pal Tal Bhari lived in her parental house in Khuddan village near Bahadurgah along with her only son Vijay. The husband of Ram Murti was in the Army.

Dharam Pal had, besides a son, two daughters also from his legally wedded wife but one of the daughters had died after her marriage. The other daughter is married in Rohtak town. Ram Murti, according to university sources, gave birth to a girl after she started living with Mr Dhankar but the girl died immediately after birth.

Dharam Pal and Ram Murti had hardly travelled 100 yards from their house, when Vijay and his two accomplices intercepted them and forced them to stop. They were reportedly armed with a .315 revolver, two country-made pistols and a knife.

They started beating up Dharam Pal and Ram Murti. Later the assailants shot Dharam Pal in the head. They allegedly fired between eight and 10 rounds. While Dharam Pal died on the spot, Ram Murti died in the PGIMS here.

The SSP, Mr A.S. Ahlawat, said the immediate cause of the murders was not yet known. A dispute over landed property appeared to be the bone of contention between the father and the son.

Mr Ahlawat said police parties had been sent to arrest the assailants.