Woman found smothered in posh area guesthouse
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 24
Sonia Singh Massey, a 35-year-old resident of Khirki Extension in Malviya Nagar, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in the room of a guesthouse in the posh Sunder Nagar area of South Delhi this morning.

The police said that on preliminary examination the woman appeared to have been smothered to death. Her body has been sent for a post-mortem examination. The police, meanwhile, have launched a hunt for Ashish Barua, a professional diver, in whose name the room was booked. He had given a Mumbai address in the hotel register.

A note found near the body and apparently written by Barua claimed he had murdered her. There were no other details in the one-line note. The note has been handed over to the experts of the forensic science laboratory here.

According to the guest house employees, Barua had checked in on April 14 and had stayed in the room till yesterday. The woman reportedly came to see him last evening. No one is believed to have heard anything. The body was discovered this morning when the hotel staff peeped through a window after their knocks elicited no response. They found the woman sprawled on the bed with her arms and legs tied. The police were informed and the door of the room broken open. There was no trace of the suspect.

Preliminary investigations by the police have revealed that Barua used to often stay with the victim and was known to her intimately. The woman, who was separated and had a teenaged daughter studying in class 12 in a local school, had come to the guest house on earlier occasions as well. While the police are still investigating the motive, they believe that Barua may have suspected her of infidelity.

Meanwhile, the police have flashed the description of the suspect, who is believed to be of athletic build and around 50 years old, to all police stations. The Mumbai police have also been informed just in case he goes there. The hotel staff claimed Barua was a regular customer and used to stay in the guesthouse quite often. He was last seen in the guesthouse yesterday.

The murder and the subsequent discovery of the body from the room created a flutter in the upmarket colony as curious residents thronged the premises when the police arrived there around 11. 30 am this morning.

HELPLINE ON SARS
Task force to combat seasonal maladies
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 24
The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) has set up a task force for coordination with the general practitioners and specialists, on the one hand, and the government, on the other hand, to combat SARS and SARS-like illnesses which people can suffer from in future.

Talking to reporters here today, Dr Anil Bansal, President, DMA, said every few years Delhi has been seeing one deadly outbreak or the other, be it dengue, dropsy, plague or SARS. The general public is always clueless about the malady of the season. Not only that, even the medical professionals are at sea when there is such an outbreak.

The role of the task force will be to frame guidelines both for the general practitioners as well as the specialists with regard to diagnosis and treatment of possible disorders which have not struck roots in Delhi so for but can occur in future.

Diseases like Japanese encephalitis, kalaazar etc are not known to occur in Delhi but in many parts of the country people suffer from them on a regular basis. Similarly, yellow fever is not known to occur in India but the virus is there next door. The population is not immune and the vector mosquito is there in abundance.

Dr Bansal said the DMA was putting emphasis on the training of its 10,000 members to update their knowledge in every aspect of emerging disorders. Apart from that doctors will also update their knowledge about disorders which have recently witnessed a spurt such as multi-drug resistant typhoid, malaria, tuberculosis etc.

Dr Vijay Malhotra, Honorary State Secretary, DMA, said the DMA helpline on SARS was a great success. More than 1,000 phone calls were received and misconceptions set right.

The object of the task force will also be to open a permanent DMA Cell which will control not only SARS but also multi-drug resistant typhoid, malaria, tuberculosis etc.

This is one field where all doctors in the city must update their knowledge on an annual basis.

UNISEX MENACE
Youths caught impersonating girl examinees
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, April 24
Two youths were caught red-handed by Mr Suraj Bhan Jangra, SDM, while they were appearing in place of girl examinees at an examination centre set up at Samaj Kalyan Senior Secondary School in Gohana Town, 35 km from here, yesterday. A case of impersonation has been registered against the youths. Mr Mohinder Singh Mor, Secretary of the Board of School Education, Haryana, who was once the Principal of this school, had already been removed from the post by the state government. The Haryana Government has directed the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Rohtak to take charge as Secretary of the board in addition to his duties with immediate effect.

According to another report, the members of the flying squads conducted surprise checks at various examination centres set up for the re-examination of the matriculation history paper and caught red-handed as many as 29 examinees while they were engaged in using unfair means yesterday.

Cases of unfair means were sent to the board against them. One superintendent, five supervisors and a clerk were removed from duty on the charge of dereliction of duty. The flying squad has also recommended cancellation of the paper at an examination centre at Mohana village in this district.

The re-examination of this paper was necessitated as the result of a leak during the first date sheet of the examinations. Meanwhile, a student and two others were injured when the motor cycle on which they were travelling was hit by a tractor near Sitawali village, about 15 km from here, yesterday. The injured persons were immediately hospitalised. They are stated to be out of danger. The injured were identified as Mukesh of Thana Kalan village and his friends Ramesh and Ram Kumar.

12-yr-old son of paramour battered to death

Ghaziabad: A person in Loni battered a 12-year-old boy To death, bludgeoning him repeatedly with stones and bricks. The boy had become an impediment in the illicit ties between his mother and the killer.

The body of Shahzad, son of Shakeel, was recovered from the back of the house in Ashok Vihar colony of Loni on April 22. Shahzad had been missing for two days.

His face had been badly crushed, the police said. According to the police, Shakeel’s wife was allegedly having an illicit relationship with Quasim, a young man of the locality. It is learnt that Shahzad had seen his mother and Quasim in a compromising position and had reportedly informed his father about it. A big quarrel broke out between the husband and wife and the latter reportedly stopped meeting Quasim. Quasim had forcibly taken the boy to the back of the house on Tuesday night and battered him with bricks.

After talking to the boy’s parents and neighbours, it took the Loni police a few minutes to conclude as to who the culprit was. Quasim was arrested by night fall.

WATERY GRAVE
Bodies of drowned youths recovered
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, April 24
The police today recovered the bodies of both the youths who drowned in Jawahar Lal Nehru Canal here yesterday. The body of Dinesh (16), a resident of Sector 1 here and a student of University Campus School, was fished out from near the Tilyar tourist complex at around 11 am while that of Virender Kumar, a resident of Sonepat district and employed as a truck cleaner, was recovered near Maina village at about 2 pm.

According to information, Dinesh had gone to take a bath in the canal along with two friends around noon on Wednesday. He slipped and was swept away by a sudden surge in the current. His friends failed to save him and informed his parents about the incident.

His parents rushed to the spot and asked for help from the district administration. Meanwhile, Virender Kumar also drowned in the same canal near Maina village while he was washing clothes.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Ashok Yadav, apprised the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, of the incident and suggested suspending the water supply in the canal for a few hours to launch a search for the bodies. The water was stopped and diverted to Gohana canal late in the evening. However, the search operation could not be started immediately as the level of water in the canal was 12 feet at the time of the mishaps and it took a few hours for it to recede. The Deputy Commissioner said five divers each from the police and the fire brigade and eight divers from the Indian Navy were summoned to trace the bodies.

Two killed in truck-train collision

Meerut: Two persons were killed while a seven-year-old child was injured seriously when a truck collided with a train at an unmanned railway crossing at Tativa Sahai village on the Meerut-Khurja sub-section this morning. Hearing the news of the collision, several senior officials, including the District Magistrate, Mr Amit Mohan Prasad, and the Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Mukul Goel, rushed to the spot besides railway officials who also visited the site to supervise rescue and relief Work. The injured were taken to the district hospital. The Sangam Express from Allahabad to Meerut city via Kanpur was heading towards its destination, Meerut, when it collided with a truck at the unmanned crossing.

Water crisis self-inflicted: BJP
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 24
The BJP has accused the Sheila Dikshit Ministry of creating water and power “crisis” in the NCT of Delhi and demanded its resignation.

BJP Parliamentary Party Spokesman and Member of Parliament from South Delhi Vijay Kumar Malhotra on Thursday alleged the crisis had forced people to come on to the roads, resulting in “fights” and “riots.”

“During the last four years, Dikshit has been promising every year that there will be no shortage of electricity and water during summer but the acute shortage of electricity and water has already started, even though the summer has just begun,” he said addressing representatives of South Delhi Resident Welfare Associations.

“There is a crisis in the whole of Delhi, especially South Delhi, due to shortage of water and electricity whereas Dikshit is claiming there is no shortage,” he alleged.

Claiming that “fights and riots are taking place for water,” Malhotra said, “There is corruption in supply of water through tankers.”

“The electricity sub-contractors, who are either relatives or agents of Congress MLAs, are looting the public,” he said.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Legislative Assembly Prof Jagdish Mukhi has said the Supreme Court should be commended for NCT of Delhi bagging the US Department of Energy’s “Clean Cities International Partner of the Year” Award.

Students fret over costly prospectus
B S Malik

Sonepat, April 24
The four-fold increase in the prices of the prospectus for admission to B.Ed by Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, has invited widespread criticism from students’ associations, social organisations and students’ parents.

The university has increased the price of the prospectus from Rs 150 to Rs 600 this year. According to available information, there are nearly a dozen B.Ed colleges under the university in Sonepat, Rohtak, Faridabad, Jhajjar and Rewari districts.

For admission to B.Ed last year, at least 30,000 students applied for the 1200 seats on offer in different colleges. In this way the university earned Rs 45 lakh from the sale of prospectuses. But as this time the increase in the prices is four times, the income of the university will reach a record figure of Rs 1.80 crore if the same number of students apply for admission.

The president of the Disha Chhatra Sangthan, Parimal, said the university authorities were commercialising education and gradually there would come a stage when it would be beyond the reach of the common man. The increase in the price of the prospectus by MDU was the highest in comparison to other universities in the country.

Diamonds are forever if you know your four Cs
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, April 24
Interested in buying diamond jewellery? Won’t it be better to wait till you have a good knowledge of the criteria for testing the genuineness of the valuable item you wish to own and can whole-heartedly believe in the authenticity of the precious metal?

A Delhi-based jewellery maker and seller has come out with a computerised machine which he claims can provide a factual and analytical report about the diamond you wish to possess.

According to Mr Ashok Jain, owner of the company, who claims to have qualification in gemology and diamond certification, a majority of the people who go in for gold and diamond jewellery in the country do not have information about the quality and purity of the metals they buy.

Though, in the past one decade, diamond jewellery has generated a lot of interest, there were only a few persons who knew how to analyse diamonds.

There were four main parameters for testing this metal. These were: the cut, carat, clarity and colour. The four Cs could provide answers to the queries of a consumer, if properly studied.

The cut entailed taking into account the diameter, size, height, girdle, crown angle facet and pavilion depth of a diamond while the carat could be from 0.05 to 3.00 points. The size depends on the carat quality. The clarity would be the best when the diamond is free from internal blemishes and visible under 10 x magnification and is flawless. Depending on clarity, the diamond could be put into seven categories and, at least, three categories could be imperfect from this angle.

Again, the diamond could be colourless, near colourless, slightly tinted, very light yellow and light yellow to yellow in colour.

Mr Jain, who has spent over 30 years in Japan and put many years in research on the subject, said he had installed a computerised machine at his jewellery showroom in South Extension (Delhi). Known as Megascope, the machine could analyse automatically the polished stones (all kinds of diamonds) and provide a customised report about the features in no time. The machine, which had been perhaps installed for the first time in the region, could give a graphic view of the diamond’s facet and furnish information separately about every facet. This contributed towards transparency and removed the doubts of the customer about the authenticity of the product.

The main aim of his company was to disseminate right information to the consumers. He disclosed that the share of diamond jewellery, which was just 3 to 4 per cent of the total trade, would grow tremendously in the coming years. No wonder, Swarn Gems Private Limited had decided to hold a three-day exhibition at Hotel Magpie here from April 25 to 27.

POLITICS

CM rebuked for making tall claims
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, April 24
The president of the Haryana Loktantra Raksha Manch, Mr Joginder Singh Hooda, rebuked the state Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, for making tall claims about the ensuing by-election to the Fatehabad Assembly constituency. He criticised the reported statement of Mr Chautala that “even an ordinary worker of the INLD was capable of defeating any of the stalwarts in other parties”.

In a press release here yesterday, Mr Hooda reminded Mr Chautala that Devi Lal and his elder brother, Sahib Ram, were defeated in the state Assembly elections in 1972. Mr Devi Lal had lost in Tosham against Bansi Lal and in Adampur against Bhajan Lal, while Mr Sahib Ram was defeated by Harkishan from Rori Assembly constituency.

In the 1984 Lok Sabha elections, Mr Devi Lal was surprised by Mr Dharampal Singh Malik in the Sonepat parliamentary constituency and in the same election, Mr Om Prakash Chautala was defeated by Mr Virender Singh of Congress party from Hissar constituency, he added.

Similarly, the press statement stated that Mr Devi Lal was defeated for the third time by Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda from the Rohtak Lok Sabha constituency in 1998 elections. In the same elections, Mr Devi Lal’s son, Mr Ranjit Singh, lost the election from Hissar Lok Sabha seat and his grandson, Ajai Singh Chautala, faced defeat at the hands of Surender Singh from Bhiwani Lok Sabha seat.

Besides, Mr Devi Lal was defeated in the by-election to the Sonepat Lok Sabha seat in 1983, from Rohtak Lok Sabha seat in general elections of 1991 and 1996 and from Ghirai Assembly seat in 1991 elections, he recalled.

He added that Mr Om Prakash Chautala was at the third position from Narwana Assembly constituency during 1996 elections, defeated by Randeep Singh Surjewala.

COMMUNITY

Academic institute: The chapter is well-nigh closed
Ravi S.Singh
Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, April 24
Difference of opinion has cropped up among the members of the panchayat of Wazirabad village on the issue of donating land for the proposed Sri Balram-Krishan academic institute, putting the project in the doldrums.

Members of the village panchayat had earlier assured the organisers to donate about 100 acres in the village for setting up the institute. Although a formal announcement is yet to be made, the organisers have plans to turn the proposed institute into a university.

The ‘360 village panchayat’ (panchayats of a cluster of villages surrounding Jharsa) is in the vanguard of campaign for the institute.

It has already had a meeting on the issue. Thereafter the Sarvakhap Panchayat was also held in the village.

The plan is to take off after the village panchyat formally passes a resolution to donate the land. The expenses for the proposed university are to be raised through donation with the help of 360 village panchayats.

But some panchayat members are said to be pussyfooting on the issue. This is attributed to the politics and ego clashes at the local level. The members who are said to be having reservations on the issue are said to have come under the influence of local leaders of the ruling INLD in the state.

Inquiries reveal that the functionaries of 360 village panchayats have tried to keep the politicians at bay. This has angered the politicians of the ruling establishment. possible mileage. The setting up of the institute is not a new project. Sometime in 1994, the village panchayat had passed a resolution to donate 108 acres to enable late Sushil Munni, the then member of UNESCO, to set up an institute/university of world fame. The project could not take off as Mr Sushil Munni passed away.

A member of the 360 village panchayats, Mr Khazan Singh said that the defunct resolution has only to be reactivated and was hopeful that the Wazirabad village panchayat will finally donate the land. Mr Singh, who was then the Sarpanch of Jharsa village, was instrumental in influencing the Wazirabad village panchayat in 1994 to donate the land to Mr Sushil Munni’s project.

The organisers behind the institute allege that the successive state governments have neglected South Haryana, especially in setting up a university. They argue that South Haryana was contributing a major chunk to the state exchequer. But the authorities ignore the human quality of the youths of the area. They allege that although South Haryana was being industrialised, the youths were given short shrift in matters of employment in the units. The proposed university will go a long way in redressing this problem.

Officers directed to speed up lifting of wheat
Our Correspondent

Bhiwani, April 24
The Secretary of Food and Supply Department, Haryana, Mr H. C. Disodia, directed the official agencies to speed up the lifting of wheat from the mandis. While reviewing the progress of the district in a meeting with officers held at the local rest house today, he said that wheat must be lifted on a daily basis from the mandis, particularly from the procurement centre at Dhanana.

He also said that the officers should make proper arrangements for the maintenance of the procured wheat. Crate should be properly put under the wheat bags before stacking and it should be covered with covers so that it could be safely protected from rain. Mr Disodia asked the officers to arrange for quality gunny bags for the storage purpose and not to use ‘sub-standard and cheap’ gunny bags.

Taking stock of the facilities being extended to the farmers in the mandis, he directed the Marketing Board officials to intensify the construction work being undertaken in mandis at several places in the district.

The secretary of the board informed that the construction work of the grain and fodder mandis would be completed by the end of September, whereas the construction work of the mandi at Charkhi Dadri would also be completed by October this year. Disodia asked the secretary to take steps to enhance the revenue in the district.

The administrative secretary of the district ordered the officers to increase the number of flying squads so as to check “illegal travel” in roadway buses.

He directed the Municipal Council and secretaries of the civic bodies to launch a drive for the recovery of pending house tax and asked them to take action against defaulters. He said that the civic bodies should pay special attention towards the recovery of trade tax, development charges and rent.

Wheat worth crores runs to seed
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, April 24
A large quantity of wheat worth several crores of rupees is reported to have been damaged by the vagaries of the weather and insects all over the district.

According to a report, thousands of wheat bags procured by the Food and Supplies Department and other procurement agencies last year are lying in the open in godowns and grain markets all around.

At Gohana grain market, a large quantity of wheat procured three years ago has become unfit for human consumption. A foul smell stinks in the nostrils of all passers-by.

The Food Corporation of India authorities are reported to have refused to store the stock in the covered godowns.

The district authorities as well as the high-ranking officials of the procurement agencies have not cared to visit the places to take stock of the situation and the extent of the loss suffered.

Meanwhile, the grain markets and the purchasing centres are packed to capacity with wheat unloaded by the farmers for sale at the support price fixed by the government.

A number of farmers are taking their produce to the markets and the purchasing centres in tractor-trolleys and other vehicles, but they have to wait for days together for unloading the stock as the officials of the procurement agencies have failed to lift the stocks this year.

DELHI IN PARLIAMENT
Consumers owe Rs 875 cr to MTNL
Tribune News Service

Rly counters
The Minister of State for Railway, Mr Bandaru Dattatraya, told the Lok Sabha that nine additional booking counters for issue of unreserved tickets have been opened at the New Delhi Railway Station with effect from August 2002.

3,200 fair price shops

New Delhi, April 24
The Delhi Government has a network of 3,200 Fair Price Shops to look after the needs of nearly 22 lakh ration card holders in the sprawling metropolis.

The service is done through public distribution system by Delhi State Civil Services Corporation. The corporation distributes commodities like rice, wheat, sugar and edible oil.

DSCSC is one of the agencies involved in the procurement of levy sugar from sugar mills. It is then distributed in fair price shops. Almost 50% of sugar is procured and supplied by DSCSC. Kerosene is distributed through mobile vans. The corporation provides these services as part of social service.

The corporation holds Mobile Fair Price Shops every month mainly to distribute levy sugar.

Aapurti Bhandars and LPG distribution centre are also units of the corporation. There are nine Aapurti Bhandars and an LPG distribution centre of Indian Oil Corporation at Ashok Vihar in north Delhi.

The corporation supplies “Supurti tea” in India in the packets of 250 gm and 100 gm and is also planning to launch this in nearby states. The corporation has sold about 19.81 tonnes of tea up to November 23, 2002.

DSCSC had launched Refined Iodized Salt with the brand name ‘Supurti’ through the network of Public Distribution System and other government agencies like Super Bazaar, Kendriya Bhandar and some private channels.

The corporation has made arrangements for the installation of Automatic Beverages machines at the government institutions and to begin with, it has taken possession of a food stall at Dilli Haat. It is trying to install a machine on the corporation premises in Azadpur Mandi. Through these stalls, the corporation will display its products like supurti salt, tea, jute bags, etc.

NCR BRIEFS
Woman raped, accused at large
Our Correspondents

Bhiwani, April 24
A woman has charged a man with raping her. The victim, wife of Vinod of Jui village, said in her complaint to the police that she was going to throw waste at around 10.30 am yesterday when she was accosted by the accused, identified as Sita Ram of the same village. The man outraged her modesty and fled after the crime. The victim informed her relatives of the incident.

The police have registered a case under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code against Sita Ram, son of Amar Singh. Attempts have been intensified to arrest the accused, police said.

2 examinees decamp with answer sheets

Two examinees reportedly decamped with answer sheets at two places in the district. According to reports, an examinee Sanjay, son of Jai Narain, appeared in the matriculation examination of the National Open University at Govt Senior Secondary School Imlota examination centre today and decamped with the answer sheet. The centre superintendent, Mr Balwan Singh, has reported the matter to the police.

In another incident, centre superintendent of SVM High School Kadma registered a report with the police that Mahabir, son of Dani Ram decamped with answer sheet No. 1716 from the centre. Police have registered reports under Section 406 of the IPC.

Liquor trafficker held

The police have arrested two persons involved in liquor trafficking. The duo were transporting illicit liquor in a Maruti car. Police said that Pradeep and Manoj of Mandhana village were carrying illicit liquor in Maruti car No. DLIC 9548. On a tip-off, the police checked the car and recovered 30 bottles. A case has been registered against them under the Excise Act

Villager shot over land

Ghaziabad: Two assailants shot dead one Dalit villager who was returning to his village, Kulsila, under Mussori police station yesterday along with his wife. He died on the spot.

The villager, Rajesh, 40, was killed because of some land dispute. He was attacked near a Madrasa between Kalu Garhi and Kulsilya villages where the assailants lay in wait for him. The deceased’s brother had lodged a report naming three persons of the same village.

A large number of villagers demanded immediate arrest of the assailants. The SP (Rural), Mr Anil Kumar, assured that the assailants would be nabbed soon.

MDU adventure camps

Rohtak: Maharshi Dayanand University will organise various adventure and youth welfare activities during the next few months.

A spokesman of the university said today that the Students’ and Youth Welfare Office of the university would hold youth leadership training camps and trekking expedition during the summer vacation.

He said that the youth leadership training camp for boys would be held at Veli from June 12 to 19 and for girls at Mysore from June 22 to 29. The trekking programmes would be organised for girls at Bharmour from May 21 to 28, for boys at Narkanda from June 3 to 10.

Another trekking programmes would be held for girls at Narkanda from June 9 to 16 and for boys at Bharmour from June 20 to 27, he added.

Meanwhile, the swimming pool of the university would become operative from May 1. The interested candidates might collect application forms from the sports office of the varsity, the spokesperson said.

Turn over a new leaf, thanks to this art
Shiv Sharma

Bhiwani, April 24
“Art of living is an art which teaches you how to live without worries in this tension-filled life and how to lead life full of enthusiasm and courage,” this was stated by the Art of Living Advanced Course teacher, Mr Raju Adnani, while speaking to mediapersons here today after completing a weeklong course. During his visit, Mr Adnani taught the art even to the inmates of district jail.
Mr Adnani has taken a number of courses in country and abroad. He has guided thousands of rural youths during his ‘youth leadership’ training course. His name has figured in the Limca Book of World Records (1996) for round-the-clock non-stop aerobics performance.

Mr Adnani said that a person breathes quickly while harbouring negative thoughts, but after doing the course taught by Mr Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living course, one finds a sea-change in one’s life.

He said that the cause of 98 per cent ailments are due to psychological reasons.

This course had been conducted in nearly 150 countries and a number of people achieved mental peace afterwards, he claimed. Mr Adnani said that there were as many as 1,500 centres working in the country and about 1,200 teachers are deputed to teach the course. Moreover, 11 lakh people of 9,000 villages have completed their courses. “We are sure this course will prove a mahamantra in the creation of new man and society,” said Mr Adnani.

One killed in accident

One person died in an accident near Prem Nagar, nine km from here late last night. The deceased, identified as Devender of Prem Nagar, was reportedly returning to the village when an unidentified vehicle hit him. He was admitted to civil hospital in serious condition where he succumbed to injuries.

Attempt to suicide

In another incident, a married woman attempted to commit suicide by pouring kerosene on her at Modi village yesterday. According to report, she went inside a room and set herself on fire. Later, relatives rushed to the room bolted from inside on hearing the cries and admitted her to civil hospital Charkhi Dadri, but doctors referred her to Medical College Rohtak. The condition of the woman who had suffered 90 per cent burn injuries has been stated to be serious.

CRIME

Police hunt for girl’s abductors
Tribune News Service

A case of abduction and outraging the modesty of a woman was registered.

Wanted criminal held; triple murder case solved
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, April 24
The CIA staff, under the Operation Speed Breaker campaign, has arrested a wanted criminal Ram Niwas, son of Prahlad Singh of Khatkar village in Jind district and solved a triple murder case and some other cases taken place in Sonepat district.

Superintendent of Police Paramjit Singh Ahlawat told mediapersons here today that the criminal was a proclaimed offender and he had escaped from the police custody on February 4 last year. The culprit, he said, had fired shots on a dreaded criminal Krishan Mehndipuria and his relative Mr Anand at Nahri village on January 24, resulting in the death of Krishan Mehndipuria on the spot.

He disclosed that the culprit along with other associates had shot dead three persons said to be ‘arhitias’ of Azadpur vegetable and fruit market of Delhi on November 27 last year and the victims were identified as Mr Narinder, son of Mr Lekh Raj, Mr Narinder, son of Mr Ram Singh, both of Bad Khalsa village in Sonepat district and Mr Jagbir of Jatheri village.

The incident occurred in Bad Khalsa village when the culprits stopped the car of the victims by placing a truck in front of the vehicle.

According to the SP, the police are investigating the case and more cases would be solved shortly.

He also said that the police have arrested Karpal, alias Kala, a resident of Simargarh village under the police station of Samalkha in Panipat district following the alleged recovery of 35 bottles of illicit liquor from his possession.

According to the SP, the police seized some equipment for the manufacturing of illicit liquor during a raid at a place near the embankment of the Yamuna river in the Bega village area.

Property dealer shot at
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 24
Unidentified persons armed with country-made weapons last night shot at a property dealer in Mukherjee Nagar area in North-West district. The victim Rakesh Anand (27), resident of Paramanand Colony, sustained injury in his chest and has been admitted to the Trauma Centre. He is reported to be out of danger. The police said that Anand after finishing his meals last night was taking a stroll when the incident occurred. A case of attempt to murder has been registered and the police are investigating the case.

BUSINESS

CII hails stamp duty reduction
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 24
The Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Mr Vikram Bakshi, welcomed reduction in transfer duty by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi from five per cent to three per cent. It was a much-awaited step.

The Chairman said that the CII Delhi State Council in its pre-budget memorandum for 2003-04 had asked for a reduction in stamp duty from 13 per cent to two per cent.

He hoped that the government would further reduce the stamp duty shortly. The reduction in stamp duty will increase investments, reduce cash element in property transactions and significantly increase revenues for the government.

He said that the present stamp duty of 13 per cent comprises a five per cent transfer duty charged by the MCD and eight per cent levied by the Delhi Government.

In its budget for 2003-04 tabled before the Assembly last month, the Finance Minster of the Delhi Government had announced the reduction in its share of the stamp duty from eight pre cent to five per cent with an additional concession of two per cent for women.

BHEL to be honoured for maintaining global standards
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 24
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has become the first public sector enterprise to win the ‘CII Exim Significant Achievement Commendation Certificate’ for business excellence conforming to global standards.

Jointly instituted by the CII and Exim Bank, the commendation has been conferred on BHEL’s Trichy unit in the ‘large-scale industry’ category.

The criteria for the award included display of visionary leadership, besides demonstrating a clear policy and business strategy in achieving the vision in a time bound fashion.

The award will be presented by the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr L. K. Advani, to the Chairman and Managing Director of BHEL, Mr K. G. Ramachandran, later this month.

IOC branch computerised

Rohtak, April 24 
The Bhiwani Stand branch of Indian Overseas Bank has been fully computerised.

Giving this information today, the Senior Manager of the branch, Mr A.K. Malhotra, said that completion of computerisation process would enable the bank to extend timings of cash transactions for general public up to 3 pm.

He also informed that the facility of accepting all telephone bills and electricity bills of division No. 2 was already being extended to the public.