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| Tuesday,
December 10, 2002, Chandigarh, India |
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Central Jail wall collapses; 1 killed Ludhiana, December 9 The incident took place about 7.45 am. The victim, Rahul, along with some other boys, was answering nature's call near the wall, when it suddenly caved in. While others jumped to safety, Rahul was buried under the debris. His pet dog was also killed in the incident. The bodies were retrieved by the residents of the area. Senior police officers, district administration officials and jail officials rushed to the spot and supervised the rescue operations. However, there was no escape scare in the jail. Any kind of sabotage has also been ruled out. The jail officials have deployed security men to guard the site. The deceased boy was one of the four sons of vegetable vendor Parmod Kumar. His brother too suffered minor injuries in the incident. The father of the victim claimed the residents of the area had warned the jail and the district administration officials against the poor condition of the wall, but no remedial measures were taken. He said the residents of the area were the first to come to the rescue and Rahul was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Angry over the incident, aggrieved family members, friends and relatives of the victim, led by some local Akali leaders, staged a dharna at the site. They demanded immediate compensation for the victim's family and registration of a case of negligence against officials of the jail and the PWD. Inquiries revealed the wall had not been repaired for the past 25 years. The jail officials had reportedly written to the state government and the PWD several times. However, today the jail officials and the residents of the area tried to shift the blame on each other. Mr G S Sidhu, Superintendent, Jails, said the wall had collapsed because its foundations had weakened for which the residents of the area were to blame. He said they had been taking away sand, collecting at the site due to erosion during rains. The residents of the area, on the other hand, transferred the blame on the jail authorities. They said overflowing sullage, from a sewerage drain of the jail, had weakened the foundation of the wall. Meanwhile, the officials have warned the residents of the area to stay away from the walls of the jail . The warning has been issued especially for those living in hutments in a slum colony, adjoining the wall.
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Jaspal Bangar village tense again Jaspal Bangar (Ludhiana), December 9 Members of both the parties gathered in the village along with a large number of supporters to put forth their point strongly. Alarmed at the large gathering, the administration called heavy police security in the village. A strong police force under SHO, Shimla Puri, Gurjit Singh camped in the village for several hours as the investigation was on. While around 40 persons of Sher Jang Singh camp were languishing in jail after the November 30 imbroglio in the village over the issue as a case under Section 307, IPC, was registered against around 40 persons, supporters of Dilbagh Singh Rai had gathered on the spot. The Executive Magistrate, Mr Joginder Singh, recorded the statements of both the parties. Allegations and counter-allegations flowed in the village even today a week after a group allegedly tried to plough this piece of land in the presence of around 18 persons. The opposite group complained to the police and the Shimla Puri Police registered a case against 18 persons and seized four rifles, two tractors and a car. While the Shimla Puri police maintained that the group led by Sher Jang Singh had tried to occupy the land forcibly despite the fact that it was given on lease to Avtar Singh by Dilbagh Singh Rai, the original owner, relatives of Jang Singh, questioned the role of police in the entire episode and claimed that the district administration had intervened and cancelled the lease which was in favour of Avtar Singh. The police also claimed that they had fired some shots in the air to scare away some workers in the field. Mr Manjit Singh, who has been given the piece of land on lease by Mr Dilbagh Singh Rai, claimed that he was the actual occupant of the land and stated the Jang Singh had been trying to occupy the land forcibly. He said that as per the revenue records also he was the one who had been cultivating the land for the past 15 years. The villagers, who came in support of Sher Jang Singh, while talking to Ludhiana Tribune, said that the land belonged to this camp for the past many years as many generations of their family had cultivated it. Ms Sarbjit Kaur, sister of Sher Jang Singh, alleged that the police was siding with Dilbagh Singh Rai who was related to her also and there was a dispute over this piece of land and the matter was already in the court. She said that as per the revenue records the land was in the name of her brothers but Dilbagh Singh Rai had got his name included fraudulently in a recent girdawari. She said that her brothers had challenged this in a court and the matter was still pending. She further said that the land was given to her family by the seventh guru of the Sikhs years ago as they were looking after a religious place, Langar Sahib. Even today they were taking care of the same so the land automatically belonged to them. She said that Dilbagh Singh Rai was her father’s second cousin and he did not live in the village for years as he was a Canadian citizen. |
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Town mourns three deaths Ahmedgarh, December 9 The newly-weds and Amrit died in a collision between a truck and their car at Dyapur near Ajmer in Rajasthan late on Saturday. Some other members of the family were also in the car at the time of the accident. Joga was the son of a local trader and social worker, Malkiat Singh, and Rupinder Kaur had come from Canada. After their marriage on November 17, Joga and Rupinder were on honeymoon when the accident happened. Rupinder’s relatives had come from Canada to attend the wedding; and she was, initially, supposed to fly back to Canada immediately after the marriage. On Saturday, Manvir, brother-in-law of Joga, received a telephone call from the Rajasthan police that the Honda City car carrying his relatives had collided with a speeding truck, in which, Joga, Rupinder and Amrit had been killed and his uncle, aunt and cousin injured. The parents of Amrit had to be brought to the cremation ground in an ambulance. Joga and Amrit were nephew and niece, respectively, of Ms Amarjit Kaur, who is related to martyr Bhagat Singh. |
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Gurdwara
men on fast outside DC’s office Ludhiana, December 9 The convener of Bhai Randhir Singh Action Committee said the administration was shielding the accused and delaying action against them. Members of the committee submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, demanding that the inquiry be handed over to an official of the level of the Senior Superintendent of Police. The DC was urged to direct the police to expedite action in the case. The members assembled in the gurudwara early in the day and started marching towards the DC’s office. The memorandum said the police investigation in the case was moving at snail’s pace and there was a strong resentment against the incident. Mr Gurbax Bhatia, who was kidnapped on November 16, assaulted and left with a trimmed beard, had gone to the gurudwara that day for his early-morning prayers. The kidnappers threw him out of the car at Thrike village, from where he walked back to his house in BRS Nagar. He could not recognise anybody, as the kidnappers had muffled faces. The motive of the attack is yet to be established, but, Mr Bhatia says that kidnappers said they would teach a lesson to another former official of the gurudwara management as well. |
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Beggars
back in city Ludhiana, December 9 The local police had arrested at least 300 beggars from different parts of the city and booked them under the Prevention of Begging Act, 1971. But unfortunately the beggars have started reappearing on the city roads
especially at traffic lights. Some smarter ones sell knick-knacks to commuters waiting on the traffic lights. A survey conducted by Ludhiana Tribune today revealed that beggars had re-emerged on the roads and were seen at the Bharat Nagar Chowk, Mall Road, Bhai Wala Chowk, Ghumar Mandi, Pakhowal Road and outside all religious places in the city. Beggars were also spotted in Bhadaur house and
outside Municipal Corporation’s office. When a boy who was begging on the Bhai Wala Chowk was asked if he feared police action, he said the beggars go in hiding for few days and return again. Begging menace had invited severe criticism from residents of the city. The menace not only gives an ugly look to the city, but also creates traffic problem. |
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Fire Brigade buildings lying unused Ludhiana, December 9 According to MC sources, five buildings were constructed in the most congested areas of the city with maximum fire threat perception, including Haibowal (main road), Sunder Nagar, Transport Nagar, adjoining Luxmi Theatre and Gill Road. A Fire Brigade official said the buildings had become showpieces. “They are ready, awaiting a formal inauguration. The department has also purchased the necessary equipment. But no one is sure when it will be used.” The entire project is worth crores of rupees and more than Rs 70 lakh had been spent on the construction of each building, the official said. He , however, also said there was a shortage of staff in the fire services department. He said the city had more than 30 fire tenders and only 60 firemen. “This ratio is highly imbalanced,” he said, pointing out that there was a need to recruit more people. The official said it was not possible to maintain the buildings with shortage of staff. “The buildings are complete, but we sit outside,” he complained. The official added the authorities were charging 10 per cent as fire tax out of the house tax. “But no facilities have been provided to the public despite paying the taxes. In the case of an emergency, proper infrastructure is required,” he said. When contacted, Mr S.K.Sharma, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, said it would take another 15 to 20 days for a formal inauguration as the buildings were not 100 per cent complete. “We are short of staff. Moreover, proper infrastructure is required. By January 1, 2003, these buildings will definitely become operational,” he assured. |
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‘SAD not
to encourage rebellion in Cong’ Ludhiana, December 9 He said his party believed only in democratic ways of functioning and claimed that it had nothing to do with the internal developments within the Congress. He evaded questions on the possible action against the senior vice-president of the party, Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, for his alleged anti-party activities. Addressing a press conference here today, Capt Kanwaljit Singh refused to divulge any details about the agenda of tomorrow’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting. When asked whether the issue of taking any action against Mr Talwandi would come up for discussion, he said, “Discipline must be maintained at all costs.” He said the meeting would mainly discuss the ‘jail bharo’ programme against the Congress government. |
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Poppy husk seized Jagraon, December 9 |
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Crushing season begins in sugar mill Ludhiana, December 9 Mr A.N. Singh Chauhan, managing director of the mill, said in a press note here today that sugarcane crushing would start after conclusion of Akhand Path of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Sant Baba Sadhu Singh, Baba Lakha Singh and others would attend the function. Mr Chauhan advised farmers to bring fresh, clean and healthy sugarcane to the mill. “The mill management has made adequate arrangements for parking in the cane yard. A 24-hour canteen, a tyre/tube repair shop and a rest house for farmers have also been opened on the mill premises,” he said. “The mill management intends to ensure full capacity utilisation of the mill during the current season with improved performance. We expect farmers to extend their support and cooperation in running the mill smoothly and successfully for a better future,” he added. |
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