M A I N   N E W S

10 bus passengers electrocuted
Victims were on way to INLD rally
D.R. Vij

Kurukshetra, July 24
Ten persons were killed and seven injured when a private bus (DL IP 1532) came in contact with electric wires on the outskirts of Diwana, village 42 km from here today.

The bus occupants, a majority of them farmers and farm labourers, were on their way to Bhiwani to participate in a state-level “progress day rally” of the Indian National Lok Dal.

On getting information, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Abhilaksh Likhi, and the district police chief, Mr Desraj Singh, along with other officers, reached the site of the incident and ensured that the bodies were taken to the local LNJP Hospital. After post-mortem, these were handed over to the relatives.

Six of the seven injured were taken to the Civil Hospital, Pehowa, 25 km from here. One of them, Pala Ram (56), was admitted to the local LNJP Hospital. All injured persons are stated to be out of danger.

The bus driver escaped unhurt because he jumped out of the bus, carrying 40 passengers.

Meanwhile, the Haryana Agriculture Minister, Mr Jaswinder Singh Sandhu, joined the team supervising the rescue operations, reaching Diwana village located near the Punjab border and the last village in his Assembly constituency. Along with the team, he went to the local LNJP Hospital.

Mr Sandhu was proceeding towards Bhiwani to attend the rally when he had to return to Diwana on getting a wireless message regarding the incident.

Mr Sandhu said the ill-fated bus ran over a newly built culvert. Loose electric wires passing over that culvert got entangled with the iron ladder at the rear of the bus. Bus passengers raised the alarm following which the driver immediately applied the brakes. The 10 bus passengers, who tried to alight from the bus died on the spot. Had the driver not stopped the bus, the tragedy would have been averted, Mr Sandhu explained.

The Deputy Commissioner, announced a grant of Rs 10,000 and free medicines to each of the injured passengers. The JE concerned has been placed under suspension while the SDO (Electricity) is being charge-sheeted.

Those killed are: Sahab Singh son of Diwan Singh, Ajay Kumar, son of Hukam Chand, Gurmeet Singh son of Gurnam Singh, Hukam Chand son of Amru, Sher Singh son of Kundan Singh, Gurcharan Singh son of Karnail Singh, Sukhdev Singh, alias, Sukha, son of Bhagwan Singh, and Lal Chand son of Mangat Ram, all residents of Diwana village and Jai Kumar, son of Those injured are Veer Bhan son of Jagir Singh, Pala Ram, son of Antu Ram, Upma, son of Mangat Ram, Bhadar Singh, son of Hardayal Singh, Shri Chand son of Rugga Ram, Risala, son of Bichha Ram, and Ved Pal, son of Diwan Chand all residents of Diwana, village and Chandgi Ram, son of Sohan Lal, a resident of Kheri Gulamali village.

The Chief Minister, Mr O.P. Chautala, has expressed grief at the tragedy and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Abhilaksh Likhi, from Pehowa told this reporter on telephone today that the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, had announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh and a government job to the next of kin of each of the 10 persons who lost their lives following electrocution of their bus in which they were travelling from Diwana to Bhiwani to joint the proposed rally there.

According to Mr Likhi, among those, who visited Diwana village today to express their condolence to the bereaved families, included the Haryana Olympic Association, president and MLA, Mr Abhey Chautala, the Finance Minister, Mr Sampat Singh, the Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Mr Satbir Singh Kadian, the Transport Minister, Mr Ashok Kumar Arora, the Agriculture Minister, Mr Jaswinder Singh Sandhu, Ambala Division, Commissioner, Mr Maha Singh Malik and Ambala Range IG, Mr Hari Singh Ahlawat.

Chautala wins plaudits at Bhiwani rally
Jatinder Sharma

Bhiwani, July 24
The Chief Minister and INLD chief Mr Om Prakash Chautala, by organising a massive rally here today has succeeded in conveying the message that he still enjoys mass support in the state.

Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Haryana Chief Minister (centre), Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Mr George Fernandes and Mr Madan Lal Khurana at a rally on the completion of two years in office of the INLD government in Bhiwani on Tuesday. — Tribune photo Manoj Mahajan

He has also successfully demonstrated that his INLD was still valued by the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The presence of the NDA convener, Mr George Fernandes, and the senior vice-president of the BJP, Mr Madan Lal Khurana, on the dais vindicate it.

Both these leaders along with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal have come here to participate in the state-level “Pragati Divas” samaroh held here today to mark the completion of the two-year rule of the Chautala government. All these leaders showered praises on Mr Chautala and described him as a messiah of the farmers and a valuable partner of the NDA.

Mr Badal and Mr Chautala urged the Centre to pay a remunerative price for paddy. Addressing the gathering, the Punjab Chief Minister said an increase of merely Rs 10 per quintal in the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy, as was being rumoured in Delhi, would not be acceptable to the farmers of Punjab and Haryana as the cost of production had risen manifold.

Mr Fernandes thanked Mr Chautala for the unconditional support extended by the INLD to the Vajpayee government at the Centre. The INLD, he said, was the only party which had extended support without asking for any reward.

He also thanked the Chief Minister for helping the NDA government in the wake of the Tehelka expose. The Tehelka expose, he said, was a conspiracy against the NDA government to destabilise it. The mass support extended by the INLD at the time had helped the NDA in fighting the evil designs of such forces.

The former Chief Minister of Delhi, Mr Madxan Lal Khurana, disclosed that Mr Chautala had extended the support of his INLD to Prime Minister Vajpayee even before the birth of the NDA. The Haryana Chief Minister, he said, had extended the support in 1998 to Mr Vajpayee though his INLD had contested elections against the BJP.

Obliquely referring to the support of the RLD to the NDA after its chief, Mr Ajit Singh, joined the Union Government, Mr Khurana said his party appreciated the gesture of Mr Chautala in supporting the NDA government without asking for anything in return whereas others gave support after getting ministerial berths.

Mr Khurana advised Mr Chautala to sit with the state BJP leaders and sort out their differences, if any. He appreciated the efforts of the late former Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Devi Lal, and Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala in creating understanding and goodwill among the people of Punjab and Haryana.

Mr Chautala assured the farmers of remunerative price for paddy and announced setting up the seventh and eighth units of the Panipat thermal power plant to increase availability of power to the consumer. He also announced creating more employment avenues for the unemployed.

He enlisted the achievements made by the INLD government during the past two years and assured he would change the face of Haryana if the people continued to extend him support.

Mr Badal told the audience the Punjab government proposed to instal a life-size statue of Devi Lal at Dabwali, the town divided between Punjab and Haryana, on September 25, the birthday of the deceased leader. He appealed to the people to assemble in large numbers at Dabwali on that day as a mark of respect to the great son of the soil.

He said a “sadbhavna” gate would also be erected on the national highway in memory of Devi Lal. This would help in promoting harmony and understanding between the people of the two states, he said.

Earlier, Mr Chautala also released a book entitled “Nek Irade Nibhaye Vayade” (fair approach and fulfilment of promises) highlighting the significant achievements made by his government during the past two years.

He also flagged off the Kargil chetna rally from the local Panchayat Bhavan to the venue of the rally. Mr Chautala also gave the mahurat clap for a serial “Kargil ke Shaheed” which has been dedicated to Devi Lal. The prominent artistes of the serial — Raza Murad and Pankaj Beri — were also present on the occasion. The title song of the 104-episode serial was also played on the occasion.

Among others who addressed the rally included Mr Sampat Singh, Mr Dhirpal Singh, both ministers, Capt Inder Singh, Mrs Kailasho Saini, Mr Surender Singh Barwala and Dr Sushil Indora, all MPs.