Suspects lynched as cops watch
Mob fury against alleged cow slaughterers
Deepender

Jhajjar, October 16
Five persons, suspected to be cow slaughterers, were reportedly lynched by a violent mob which dragged them out of a police chowki in the presence of three senior district officials. The incident took place in Dulina village, about 12 km from here last night.

The situation was tense but under control in the town today even as activists of Vishaw Hindu Parishad, Gurukul and Goshala took out a procession, defending the action of the mob and protesting against the cow slaughter.

According to information, five persons, belonging to three villages in the Mewat area, were going to Karnal with cow skins in a tempo. Some villagers, who were returning from Karnal after celebrating Dashera, saw the cow skins in the tempo. The police at Kutani chowki was informed and they took the occupants of the tempo into custody.

As word of the arrest spread, people from the nearby villages converged at the spot and blocked the traffic on Gurgaon road, demanding that the cow slaughterers be punished. At about 7 p.m. senior district officials, including the City Magistrate, the Nayab Tehsildar and the BDO, rushed to the spot with a police contingent. But by then the gathering had turned wild and was unmanageable. The situation veered completely out of control at about 10 p.m. and the mob started pelting stones on the officials. The crowd reportedly captured the police chowki, dragged the suspects out on the road and started beating them black and blue.

The SSP, Mr Mohammed Akil, told press persons that despite their best efforts, the mob battered the five persons to death. Some officials, including the SHO, received minor injuries while trying to control the mob. Eventually, the crowd dispersed after the killings and the situation was brought under control at about 1am. The DC and the IG, Police, also reached the spot to take stock of the situation. The SSP said that no shot was fired to disperse the mob as the toll, then, would have been much higher, given the restive and unruly mood of the crowd.

The SSP disclosed that a case had been registered against the mob and a four-member committee, comprising the DSP, Jhajjar, an Inspector of the Crime branch in Bahadurgarh, the SHO, Jhajjar, and the Chowki Incharge at Dulina, has been set up to probe the incident. Further action would depend on the report of the committee. The DC, Mr Mohinder Kumar, told press persons that the occupants of the tempo were carrying a slaughtered cow and cow skins, which provoked the people. He assured the relatives of the deceased, who called on him accompanied by the panchayats of Badhashahpur, Aglipur and Tikali, that no one would be spared and cases would be registered against the suspects on the basis on the report of the committee.

The VHP and Goashala activists also submitted a memorandum to the DC, demanding that no action be taken against the suspects. The memorandum warned that the administration would be responsible for the backlash, if any action is taken.

The bodies of the deceased were handed over to the relatives after a post-mortem examination. One of the relatives, who disclosed his name as Kishore, alleged that innocent persons had been killed in the presence of senior district officials.

Spl status under Art 371 favoured
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 16
The BJP and the Congress on Wednesday resolved that the Delhi State should be a special State with regard to security and financial assistance under Article 371. The two political parties say they will seek the opinion of Delhiites in general and experts in particular before sitting down with the Centre to solicit its views in this regard. Whether the Capital would remain Delhi or become a Union Territory within Delhi State is still uncertain, although the chief minister reiterated becoming a State would not be at the expense of losing that status.

In a joint news conference hosted by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Delhi Pradesh BJP President Madan Lal Khurana after the talks on arriving at a consensus on a suitable dispensation for the NCT of Delhi, they said nine years of experience of the elected government in Delhi had made it very clear that in view of the uniqueness of Delhi as a national Capital in addition to being a Union Territory with an elected legislature, the resultant State had to be a species of its own kind, different from the other States.

Accordingly, the BJP and Congress want Delhi State to be headed by a chief minister having elaborate powers with the Governor acting as the nominal head. The institutional changes proposed therefore seek for the Council of Ministers full control over land, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC.) “We have included NDMC after the BJP suggested so,” Chief Minister Dikshit told media persons.

“The other changes envisaged in the institutional framework include constitution of a Metropolitan Planning Committee as mandated by the 74th Amendment to the Constitution, restructuring of MCD into smaller bodies, restructuring of DDA with the Planning wing being brought under the Metropolitan Planning Committee, and retaining Enforcement functions of the police related to state government’s policies and programmes.

“It is agreed the Centre should retain certain powers to administer issues relating to law and order and security. We are therefore undecided yet on whether Delhi State should have absolute control over the police establishment … or if there should be a separate law and order machinery for VIP areas. That is a matter of detail … it will be taken up with the Centre,” the chief minister said. Khurana clarified what has been proposed was a set up similar to Nagaland’s and Andhra Pradesh’s.

“In those states,” Khurana told reporters, “the Government of India can exercise powers vested in it under Article 371 … in areas that suffer from insurgency.” Article 371 gives overriding powers to the Centre with regard to certain issues or with regard to certain areas. Accordingly, Khurana said, the BJP and Congress had proposed that Delhi be removed from under Article 239 AA and placed under Article 371. Since Article 371 (i) pertains to the declaration of Goa as a State, if Delhi were to become one it would be governed by Article 371 (j).

The chief minister clarified territorial reorganisation, if necessary, would need identification of areas and added the consensual model agreed upon by the two political parties for the moment excluded reference to the Delhi Reorganisation Bill 1998 that could not be introduced then in Parliament. Besides Dikshit and Khurana, Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Legislative Assembly Prof Jagdish Mukhi, Harsharan Singh Balli, Nand Kishore Garg (BJP) and Finance Minister Mahinder Singh Saathi, Health Minister AK Walia, Industries Minister Deep Chand Bandhu, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) President Subhash Chopra and legislator Narendra Nath participated in the talks.

Yet, poles apart

Notwithstanding the cordiality that marked the discussions on what Delhi State should look like, the BJP and Congress agreed to disagree on the prickly issue of the twin circulars the Union Ministry of Home Affairs issued on July 25 and August 29 and which the Congress maintained curtailed the powers and autonomy of the Council of Ministers. “The BJP has declined to offer talks on that issue,” Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit told media persons as Madan Lal Khurana looked on. “They were adamant the issue of statehood be discussed … they were just not willing to talk about the circulars,” she said. DPCC President Subhash Chopra said the BJP’s defiant posture on the circulars had exposed its claims on statehood. They, he said, wanted Delhi to become a State so that the popular, duly elected government could exercise more powers yet they issued those circulars to erode the Council of Ministers’ autonomy. Khurana, who cut a sorry figure in the face of persistent queries by media persons, would only say the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had clarified its position and that no powers had been curtailed. “What the Deputy Prime Minister wrote in his reply to the chief minister’s letter is right,” he added.

When one wing of the govt does not 
consult the other
Syed Ali Ahmed
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 16
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has served a notice on the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), asking it to remove its huge potable water hoardings in South Delhi by October 21, as these were put up without proper permission, or else face the consequences.

The notice was served earlier this week after the Advertisement Department of the Corporation, which is authorised to clear hoardings in the city, was informed that huge hoardings put by the DJB were in flagrant violation of the law, as no permission had either been sought or given by the competent authority. The Additional Commissioner, Revenue, of the corporation has also been informed of the notice.

However, the Director of the Bottling Department of the Delhi Jal Board, Mr Harish Ahuja, claimed that the hoardings were installed with the prior permission of the corporation and the requisite payment was also being made to the Revenue Department.

The sale of mineral water was started by the Jal Board in July this year to meet the shortage of potable water in the Capital, particularly in the South Delhi areas. The scheme was inaugurated by Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit. Under this scheme, water in 20 litre jars is sold for Rs. 15 at the board’s outlets in south Delhi. There are plans to market the jars in other areas later.

In order to publicise the availability of bottled water, the DJB had not only released advertisements in the media but also spent a huge sum on putting up hoardings at vantage points in South Delhi. However, sources said, that in its anxiety to make the scheme a success the DJB had overlooked the fact that they had to take permission from the MCD for putting up the hoardings.

Since the DJB was a department of the Delhi government, senior officials felt that they would be able to get away with this omission. But now, with the MCD taking umbrage, the senior officials are trying to arrange for the requisite permission, since a large sum of money has already been invested in the hoardings.

Sources said that the spat between the DJB and the MCD over the hoardings could be a tip of the iceberg as the latter is upset with the Delhi government for holding back monies due to it. One fallout of this has been the halting of the garbage disposal operations in the Capital as the MCD does not have money to refuel its garbage disposal trucks

Senior officers in the Corporation and the Delhi government are, however optimistic that the problems would be sorted out before the October 21 deadline.

Residents protest against demolitions
Bijendra Ahlawat
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, October 16
Hundreds of residents of colonies in the Tilpat range staged a demonstration outside the office of the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad, here this morning, protesting against the demolitions carried out by the administration near the Air Force station recently.

The protestors, who were led by BJP leader and MLA from Mewla Maharajpur constituency, Mr Krishan Pal Gurjar, slammed the MCF authorities. They alleged that the officials of the civic body had singled out the poor, but ignored the encroachments by the land sharks on National Highway No two and in other key areas.

Criticising the demolition of about 50 small houses near Sehatpur Vistaar, which is located near the Tilpat range of the IAF, Mr Gurjar, said the action smacked of official violence and apathy against the poor. He claimed that these houses were several years old and the majority of the residents had ration and electoral cards, water and electricity connections and had been paying house tax on a regular basis.

The administration had added insult to injury by sparing thousands of houses built in the backyard of the IAF base in Dabua Colony. There are about 5,000 houses in the area, which reportedly fall in the 900-metre radius of the IAF base.

Mr Gurjar and his supporters alleged that corruption was rampant in the MCF and encroachments by rich and influential persons were seldom removed. He claimed that several dozen multi-storey buildings and commercial complexes had been built or were coming up in the 30 metre limit of the National Highway (Mathura Road). Reacting to the protest, the MCF officials said that a survey would be carried out and no old constructions would be demolished in the area.

Contractor missing for a month; case 
registered now 
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, October 16
After the gap of one month, the police have registered a case of alleged kidnapping of Mr Bijender (36), a government contractor of Pragti Nagar colony in the city, and started investigations.

According to a report, the parents of the contractor alleged that the police had failed to take action against the kidnappers named in the FIR.

It is stated that Mr Bijender along with three associates, Dharamvir of Kasanda village, Dr Narinder of Jataula village and Randhir, a sarpanch of Mundlana village, had got some land on lease at about Rs 5 lakh. The land was situated on the Baroda Road and belonged to the cooperative society.

The lease money was required to be deposited in the office of the Assistance Registrar Cooperative Societies in Sonepat on September 12. So, Mr Bijender left his house at around 10 am on September 12 in a white Maruti car. He was also to reach the judicial complex for a meeting with a Karnal lawyer there. But, he did not reach either of the places. Three of his accomplices remained in the office of the ARO for a long time.

Thereafter, the parents of the contractor started a search for him. They often visited the police station to lodge an FIR but the police did not register the case. They did so only on October 14 after the intervention of the Superintendent of Police, Mr Paramjit Singh Ahlawat.

Sonepat water reservoir out of the ark
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, October 16
The residents living in the old section of the city complained that there was not only shortage of water supply in the area but sometimes there was no supply at all, especially in the evening. They held a meeting here last evening to voice their problems about water scarcity.

“The water comes at a very low pressure. Even people living on the ground floor don’t get water. They have to fill up their underground tanks and then pump the water to the overhead tank. The local water reservoir was built at a time when the population of whole city was around 35,000. With the increase in population and construction of multi-storeyed buildings, it is inadequate,” the residents complained.

Moreover, the Public Health Department (PHD) is adding to the problem by often stopping the water supply. The keyman Mukesh Kumar, deputed to supply water in the evening, holds the residents to ransom.

The officials of the PHD, from junior engineers to the superintending engineer, have failed to take action against him despite repeated complaints. These officials, it is alleged, are never bothered about the complaints and reluctant to shift him to other areas.

The residents living in the Ram Bazar and Mohalla Kalan areas alleged that water pressure is very low. In the old boosting station, there is only one 100 hp electricity motor which remains out of order, and the smaller one is used to supply water in this area.

The PHD officials have failed to purchase another 100 hp motor for making a stand-by arrangement.

It is reported that a junior engineer had made a series of representations to his superiors for purchasing another 100 hp motor but failed to get it for ensuring the regular supply.

With most of the residents using suction pumps, which are sometimes connected to the main pipelines, water does not reach the houses at all. The department authorities have, however, failed to check such residents and book them under the law.

In the Model Town and Indira Colony areas, the residents complained that there was not only shortage of water supply in their areas but also a problem of contamination. They feared a major outbreak of waterborne diseases if the contamination was not checked. Many residents alleged that water reaching their areas through the main line is so contaminated that it just cannot be used for drinking.

“The colour of the water is almost black. They think that there is some inter-mixing between the sewage and water lines. Many complaints have been made to the PHD officials but there has been no response. We don’t think they even bother to read our complaint letters. What if there is an outbreak of a disease. Who would be then held responsible,” the residents asked.

A sample of the water supplied to the area was tested and it showed traces of a charcoal-like substance in it.

Frequent over-chlorination of tap water also led to the wastage of water.

The sewers are three decades old in most parts of the city. They have been badly damaged due to poor maintenance. They get clogged, often flooding the roads. The residents complained that desilting of sewer lines was normally not done and the water pipes had corroded.

The residents said that the builders dump their construction waste on the roads. Once their work is complete, they dispose of the waste material by dumping it into the sewers.

“Our sewer lines are already clogged. To add to the problem, they dump construction waste into the sewers. The sewer flows back into our houses and the water pipes are situated near the sewers, and this causes intermixing and pollution of the water,” they said.

The state government, it may be recalled, had spent crores of rupees on laying the sewer lines under the Yamuna Action Plan (YAP) but they are not enough to meet the requirement. During the rains, the sewer lines are blocked and the storm water accumulates on the roads everywhere in the city.

A high-level probe into the use of sub-standard materials and wastage of funds on laying of sewer lines is likely to expose the misdeeds of the contractors and the officials.

Ensure 10 hrs’ power supply: JD(U)
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, October 16
The Haryana unit of the Janata Dal (U) has asked the state government to ensure power supply for a minimum of 10 to 15 hours in rural areas daily in order to help the farmers sow the rabi crop.

According to Mr Ved Prakash Vidrohi, president of the state unit of the JD(U), the power supply situation for the rural sector had gone from bad to worse in the past couple of months. He said as the farmers were already reeling under drought conditions the poor and irregular supply of power had been a cause for serious concern. The farmers were not able to sow the rabi crop like wheat and sarson, claiming that power supply in a majority of the villages in southern Haryana was between four to six hours daily. As a result, sowing work had been affected severely.

Cable cabal fleeces Gurgaon consumers
Ravi S. Singh
Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, October 16
The cable operators in the city draw the wool over the eyes of the residents by their manipulative ways. Every now and then, they raise their monthly fee. The residents face their bullying tactics with no one to listen to their complaints.

The administration seems to be impervious to their problems as the operators scale up the fee regularly. If the residents complain, their connection is snapped.

The operators unabashedly tell the consumers that they may complain wherever they want to.

There are reports from several parts of the city that the operators are once again toying with the idea of raising the charges.

Apparently, the ongoing India vs West Indies Test Series and the one-day series between the two countries has given enough idea to the operators to fleece the viewers.

The matches have become a tremendous draw among the residents. They have become an issue for the operators to blackmail the residents.

Instead of showing the matches, the residents were advised on the TV screens that they must consult their operators for some technical adjustments for the screening of the live Test match. When the operators were approached, the residents were told that the facilities would be provided only if the fee was hiked.

Reports of fleecing came from Sector 31, Sectors 4,7,17. Large viewership means more advertisements and larger returns from the increased charges.

There are mainly three big firms, namely SCN Pvt Ltd, CVC Pvt Ltd and DLF Service Ltd which control the cable business in the city. In some areas, they run the cable network on their own and in others, they give franchise to smaller operators.

At some places, they have entered into partnership with the smaller operators. The cartel of the bigger players control the ad market and they with the collusion of their franchise and partners are in a position to have monopoly trade practices, which runs foul of the law.

As there are no uniformity of charges, the operators have different fee structures in different parts of the city. They give technical reasons for the varying rate of fee structure in different parts of the city.

The residents demand that the administration should intervene forthwith and roll back the hike effected by the operators.

It must settle the issue once and for all by instituting some regulatory norms, the residents opine. One of the parameters could be that the concerned operators must seek the approval of the administration before increasing the monthly rates.

Officials pay tributes; citizens provide succour
Bijendra Ahlawat
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, October 16
It was a touching scene at the condolence (tehravin) meeting of Havaldar Rishi Raj (Army) at his native village of Sondhadh today. Rishi Raj sacrificed his life on October 2 in Rajouri Sector of the Jammu and Kashmir. While the district officials and other representatives of the state government were busy lecturing on the contribution of the martyrs and how the people could follow their ideals, it were the local residents who provided financial support to the martyrs’ family.

As the officials promised to give succour to the family, several people and associations came forward to extend financial help on the occasion.

A sum of about Rs 52,000 was collected through donations on the occasion. Ch Gayalal, a former MLA presented Rs 11,000 from the Dalit Varg, Kalyan Samiti, Hodal. Mr Karan Singh Dalal, MLA from Palwal, Mr Lakhmi Nambardar, and Mr Prithi Singh Sondad also contributed Rs 11,000. Haryana Security Service gave away Rs 5,100. Mr Uday Singh Sorot and Mr Bhagat Singh contributed Rs 1,100 each, while local residents Nand Lal and Ramkishan Beniwal contributed Rs 500 and Rs 251 respectively.

A large number of officials and people including the Additional Deputy Commissioner, SDM, Hodal, MLA from Ballabgarh, Mr Rajender Beeslas, MLA from Hasangpur, Mr Uday Bhan, and Chairman of the Zila Parishad, Mr Rajesh Rawat paid tributes. Rishi Raj is survived by his wife and three children.

SC, ST quota for shop allotment increases
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 16
The New Delhi Municipal Council has decided to enhance reservation quota for SCs & STs in allotment of shops. The reservation quota has been enhanced following the policy prevailing in the Government of India. It will be applicable to newly built shops available for allotment.

This reservation quota for SCs and STs in case of shops available has been enhanced from 12.5 per cent to 22.5 per cent (15 per cent for SCs plus 7.5 per cent for STs) as provided under the rules. In case, there is no Scheduled Tribe candidate, it would be given to a Scheduled Castes candidate. In the event of no Scheduled Castes candidate coming forward, the shop would be made available to a general category candidate. The reservation for physically handicapped has also been enhanced from 2 per cent to 3 per cent. The definition of physical handicapped would be such as is adopted by the government under any rules framed by the Ministry of Welfare or as may be specified by the Ministry of Urban Affairs and Employment for the specific purpose from time to time. In the event of shops/stalls being reserved for physical handicapped category and no such candidate being available, the shop and stalls would be disposed to general candidate.

The shop for these categories (Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and physically handicapped) would be given on tender basis but only such applicants who belong to a particular category or group for which the shops/stalls is reserved will be eligible to apply for the same. The highest bidder will be given priority amongst such categories while allotting shops/stalls.

Garbage dumped in front of Airtel office

Sonepat, October 16
Safai workers of the Sonepat Municipal Council brought a trolley laden with filth and dumped the garbage in front of the office of Airtel, a mobile telephone company situated at the busy Gita Bhawan Chowk here on Monday.

NCR BRIEFS
Fire in truck destroys blankets
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, October 16
A large number of blankets worth several thousands of rupees were burnt in a fire that broke out in a moving truck on the GT Road near Bahalgarh Chowk, about 10 km from here, last evening.

According to a report, on getting information the municipal fire brigade rushed to the site and brought the fire under control. The police was still ascertaining the cause of the fire.

The truck was on its way from Panipat to West Bengal for the delivery of blankets there.

Arrested for theft

The Rai police have arrested a youth, Ajit Singh of Garh Mirakhpur village, on the charge of theft.

According to a report, a stolen motor cycle was recovered from his possession.

During interrogation, the accused told the police that he had stolen the motor cycle from Sonepat city.

Death mourned

The local Lions Club mourned the death of Mr Vinay Kapoor, founder member of the club, who died in a Delhi hospital on Monday after a prolonged illness.

According to a report, Mr Kapoor was suffering from cancer and was undergoing treatment at a Delhi hospital.

Woman, son die in mishap

Rewari: Gajendra, son of Rohtash, resident of Hasanpur village near Rewari, along with his mother Gayatri Devi was going on a motor cycle from Dharuhera to Raliawas village (Gayatri’s parental village) when a speeding truck (HR 38 J 5398), coming from behind, abruptly dashed against the motor cycle, resulting in the instant death of the woman and her son.

The Dharuhera police have arrested the truck driver, Om Prakash, and also registered a case of rash and negligent driving against him.

Two youths killed

In an accident which occurred on the Rewari-Narnaul road near Sundroj village, about 6 km from here, on Sunday night, two motor cycle-borne youth, Surender, resident of Rewari, and Naresh Kumar, resident of Kamalpur village, near here, died on the spot when their motor cycle was reportedly crushed by a tractor-trailer loaded with fodder.

The motor cyclists were coming from Narnaul to Rewari while the tractor was carrying the cattle-fodder toward Narnaul.

After the post-mortem examination, which was conducted at the Civil Hospital here on Monday, the bodies were handed over to the families for cremation.

Meanwhile, the Rampura police have registered a case under Sections 279 and 304-A against the tractor driver, who is said to have absconded.

Worker crushed to death

A factory worker, Satbir, who was returning from the factory to Maheshwari village on his bicycle, was knocked down and crushed to death by an unknown vehicle on the Dharuhera-Bhiwadi road near Maheshwari village on Sunday evening,.

However, efforts made by the Dharuhera police have resulted in the identification of the vehicle as a Tata Sumo (HR 26 H 1474).

A case of rash and negligent driving has been registered against its driver and efforts are on to nab him.

‘Traffic Park’ for Faridabad

Faridabad: The Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, will lay the foundation stone of a ‘Traffic Park’ at Sector-20 here on Thursday. It will be built by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) at a cost of about Rs 35 lakh. It will be spread over an area of about five acres and will be completed within four months.

The CM will also inaugurate a river bridge near Mohna village and lay foundation stones of a High Secondary School in Sector-55, a police station in Sector-8 and a primary health centre.

CRIME

Murder case against mother-in-law
Our Correspondent

Rewari, October 16
Following the demise of a young married woman, Kamlesh Devi, who succumbed to her burn injuries at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi on Monday, the Khol police of Rewari district have now converted an earlier case of attempt to murder and dowry harassment into a case of murder under Section 302 against her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, a student of class 11.

Earlier, in her dying declaration made before the judicial magistrate in the civil hospital here Kamlesh Devi had reportedly stated that when she was sleeping in her room in their house at Manethi village, about 25 km from Rewari, in the evening on October 12, her mother-in-law, Shanti Devi, and sister-in-law, Bina, sprinkled kerosene on her and then et her on fire. She further stated that when all this was happening her father-in-law, Dharam Vir, and brother-in-law, Sanjay, remained mute spectators while her husband, Rajpal, was out of station on some errand. She also alleged that she was being persistently subjected to harassment by her in-laws for fetching more dowry. Kamlesh was admitted to the Civil Hospital here the same night (Saturday night).

On the other hand, the police, on the basis of her above statement, registered a case of attempt to murder under Sections 307 and 498-A of the IPC against her mother-in-law and three others. However, when her condition grew very critical on Sunday (October 13) she was referred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi where she expired on Monday (October 14).

Kamlesh is survived by a son and a daughter.

Six-year-old girl’s body found in jute bag
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 16s
Three bodies have been recovered in different areas of the Capital. In the first incident, the body of a six-year old girl was recovered from Minto Road; it was wrapped in a jute bag. There was a stab injury on neck of the girl. A murder case has been registered.

A watchman of the area had informed the police that a stuffed jute bag was lying unclaimed behind the bus stand. Later, the jute bag was opened by the police and the body was recovered. However, the girl could not be identified. Her hands were tied with a wire and stab injuries were visible on her neck.

Another body, which was recovered from Yamuna Pushta, was also found wrapped in a jut bag. It was in a highly decomposed condition and could not be identified. The third body was recovered from a water tank in Bawana area in North-West district.

The deceased has been identified as Rameshwar (50), a resident of Vinod Nagar, Mandawali. The body was fished out by the Delhi Fire Service personnel, the police said.

Robbed of 2 lakh:  Two youths allegedly robbed a 60-year-old man of Rs 2 lakh on Wednesday afternoon in his house in East Rohtas Nagar in Shahdara. The victim, Tilak Raj, (60), was at his house when two youths rang the bell around 2.30 pm. When the door was opened the youths brandished a knife and threatened the old man to give the money.

The youths fled from the spot after taking the money. The police said that the victim had recently shifted to the new rented accommodation and owed money to lots of people. The police suspect that there could be involvement of insiders in the robbery. 

SI kills family, shoots self
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 16
A Delhi Police Sub-inspector Bhupender Singh, on medical leave since August and posted with the Special Cell, reportedly committed suicide this morning after shooting his wife and son in his house in Shaibabad.

While Singh committed suicide by hanging himself from a wire tied to a window, his wife Meenakshi and his son Kush were found shot dead in the bed. The bodies were later discovered in the morning when Singh’s father-in-law, who lives in Brahma Puri in North-East Delhi came to Singh’s house and informed the police, who then broke open the door which was bolted from inside.

The police are trying to ascertain the exact cause of the suicide-cum-murder and said there was no suicide note. A Special Cell official said that Singh was on medical leave and was not attending office since August.

He had been posted in the Special Cell last year and was directly recruited as a Sub-Inspector in 1996.

Aptech celebrates 16 yrs
Our Correspondent

New Delhi, October 16
Aptech Limited, the global player in IT training, completes the 16th year of its establishment tomorrow. The Foundation Day marks the commencement of a series of events slated for the coming week in which almost 3 lakh students – in India and abroad – will participate.

The institution has come a long way since its humble beginning with only one centre in Mumbai way back in 1986. It currently boasts of a vast international network of 2,449 centres in 52 countries, spread across six continents.

According to estimates, Aptech’s seven years of existence has thrown up a remarkable 2.5 million IT-empowered professionals. Mr Pramod Khera, Managing Director & CEO, Aptech Limited, said, “This is a significant achievement for us as it denotes that we have enabled our students to step into their preferred careers and continually re-emphasised our relevance. This week will be celebrated by all our students and will foster and impart a spirit of oneness in Aptech-ites throughout the globe.”

Aptech Ltd. registered revenues of 301 crores in 2001-2002 and much of this was due to the list of firsts that it has to its name. It was the first IT education provider to launch a 3-year Software Engineering programme when the industry norm was to run 1-year courses.

It was also the first to launch a comprehensive learning center in the field of multimedia – ARENA Multimedia – and the first Indian institution to be awarded the ISO9001 certification for education support services.

Aptech has played a pivotal role in affecting the social fabric of the country by envisaging the dissemination of IT knowledge to the masses.

Through its projects, ‘Project Saraswati’ and ‘Vidya’, Aptech has showed its commitment to create IT awareness among the masses.