When the long arm of law is twisted and
out of reach

SHO, ASI summoned in ‘torture’ case

Sonepat: Taking cognizance of an FIR alleging illegal confinement and third degree torture of a youth, the Chief Judicial Magistrate has summoned the Station House Officer and an Assistant Sub Inspector of the Sadar police station to the court.

According to advocate Ajai Garg, a youth of Baiyanpur village, Kulbir, was allegedly picked up by SHO Mehar Singh and ASI Balraj of the Sadar police station late in the night on August 25, without any reason being cited. The youth was allegedly tortured, so that he would admit to his involvement in a criminal case. During the torture, Kulbir fractured his finger. When Kulbir’s family members met the SHO and ASI to secure his release, a bribe of Rs 4,000 was allegedly demanded by the police officers. Kulbir’s father paid Rs 4,000 and the youth was released on August 27, the complaint said. After his release, Kulbir was directly taken to the hospital where it was found that one of his fingers had fractured. When the SHO was informed about the medical report, he allegedly threatened to implicate the family members in false cases. OC

Hapless father of rape victim moves court

Faridabad: Poor people are often victimised by the very people who are supposed to protect them. The case of Charan Singh, a resident of Sanjay Colony here, is a case in point. He has been forced to file a complaint in the local court to seek arrest of a youth who raped his nine-year-old daughter about four months back.

According to the complainant, a youth identified as Vikram had allegedly raped his daughter when she was playing in the street on the evening of April 21 last. The accused committed the crime when the entire mohalla was attending a marriage function. While the police registered a case under Section 376 of the IPC on April 22 they reportedly failed to name the accused. The girl had identified the accused but the police did not record it and consequently failed to arrest him. Charan Singh also met the SP but in vain. TNS

Murder or suicide: Victim’s father seeks fair probe

Sonepat: Dharambir’s son, Naresh, was found hanging in a liquor shop at Rathdhana More on August 27 night. Dissatisfied with the inquiry, Dharambir has petitioned the Superintendent of Police, Sonepat, alleging that the police, in connivance with interested parties, had registered a case of suicide whereas, by all accounts, it was a case of murder. Despite his plea to hand over the inquiry to a senior police officer, the case had been entrusted to the SHO. When the body was found, the door of the shop was ajar and the cash at the counter was missing. A belt was coiled around the neck of the victim and yet another belt was in his right hand.

“Had he committed suicide, he would not have left the door open. How he managed to hold a belt in one hand and hang himself with the other is a mystery,” a relative of Naresh said.

Moreover, Naresh’s half-eaten dinner was found in the shop; again, there were signs of injuries and blood stains in the nose. Some people told the family that a car was seen outside the shop. OC

Conman in uniform lands in lock-up
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 1
The North-East district police today arrested a person who has from time to time posed as a CBI officer, an inspector, a sub-inspector and a head constable. He was mostly operating in Delhi and UP.

The police have recovered three pairs of police uniforms, a Delhi Police wallet, a UP Police wallet, 16 fake identity cards of Delhi Police, seven fake identity cards of UP Police, driving licences, Transport Department badges, blank identity cards and a scooter from his house in Sahibabad.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-East) Anurag Kumar said that the police had received a complaint from a builder, Mukeet (32), a resident of Dilshad Garden, that one Jitender Singh had been coaxing and threatening him to purchase a flat at half the price in Dilshad Garden. The man, who was posing as a CBI officer, told the builder he would come to his office around 5 pm on Sunday. The police, who had been duly informed, laid a trap for the accused. He was apprehended when he landed at the builder’s office.

During interrogation he told the police that he was unemployed and used to threaten people in Delhi and UP. He had got several children admitted in schools by influencing the school principals; he had given his name as Jitender Chauhan.

Civic bodies told to pay salaries on time
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, September 1
The government has directed the municipal councils and municipal committees in the state to ensure payment of salary to their respective employees before the seventh of every month.

The Director, Urban Development, has said in a circular addressed to all civic bodies in Haryana that government employees of municipal councils and municipal committees were not getting their salaries regularly and on time. The letter regretted that the municipal funds were not being properly and judiciously used by the civic bodies.

The Director, Urban Development, reminded the civic authorities of their obligations under Section 57 of the Municipal At, 1973, which states that funds should not be spent on anything before the payment of employees’ salary. The government, the Director said, had also repeatedly advised the civic bodies to pay the salaries of the employees before the seventh of every month but these directions had been ignored.

The Director has further said that any violation of Section 57 of the Municipal Act, 1973, would be viewed seriously and the Executive Officer or Secretary of the municipal council or municipal committee concerned would be held responsible for these lapses.

The Local Audit Examiner has also been advised not to clear payment of any other bill prior to the payment of salary, pension share and provident fund contribution of the municipal employees.

The employees of the municipal council have not been paid their salary for July and August. Similar is the situation in other civic bodies.

Alarming incidence of cervical cancer
among Indian women
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 1
High prevalence of cervical cancer in the country has not been a reason enough for the authorities to start a screening programme. Doctors regret that despite the World Health Organisation (WHO) expressing concern over very high incidence of cervical cancer deaths among Indian women, the country lacks a screening programme for the malignant disease.

The prevalence rate of cervical cancer is about 40 per cent in India as against the global rate of about 20. Twenty per cent of all female deaths from cancer in India in 1990 were from cervical cancer accounting for an estimated 61,000 deaths from it.

This is projected to reach 79,000 by 2010, pointed out oncologists participating at the All India North Zone RCOG conference, which was attended by about 300 gynaecologists in the Capital. Dr S K Das, oncologist at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, attributed the high incidence of cervical cancer among Indians to poor education, low level of personal hygiene, having many children and absence of proper screening facilities.

She was speaking on the ‘Role of HPV testing in cervical malignancy’ at the conference hosted by the Apollo hospitals here. Up to 99.8 per cent cases of cervical cancer are associated with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), the prime cause of the malignancy.

It was estimated that about 10 million new cases of HPV infections occur every year in India making it the most commonly sexually transmitted disease. About three-fourths of all sexually active women get infected with the virus at some point yet most Indian women remain unaware of the potentially lethal disease. 

DUSU elections
Sloganeering is OK, debates are not
Smriti Kak
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 1
Ever ready to outsmart rivals with the aid of glossy posters, pamphlets and stickers, pasted zealously on college walls and Blueline buses, the candidates contesting the Delhi University Students Union elections are shy of debates and the like.

That a few parties, including the INSO and the CLJ-SFI combine, have been challenging their arch rivals, the ABVP and the NSUI, to a verbal duel is an “aberration”.

“We don’t trust these people to come up with more civilised campaigning. DU has got accustomed to sloganeering and beating of drums. Candidates with supporters in tow are good at shaking hands and handing out manifestos, but they can barely deliver beyond what they are tutored,” pointed out a “disgruntled” student of Hindu College.

However, the ABVP strategy is clear: “We are not keen on debates because there is no time for it. We barely get enough time for covering all the colleges on the campus; our candidates always return exhausted. If we are given more time, we will surely accept the challenge,” says Jatin Mohanty, spokesperson of the ABVP.

Modes of campaigning apart, the students are barely impressed with the manifestos. “The same old issues, U specials and safety for girls… What about the recurring problem of hooliganism on the campus, the lackadaisical attitude of the university staffers?” questioned Aditi Sharma from Miranda House.

The NSUI, with its “spruced-up and well-thought over” manifesto, claims to have an answer to that. “There are demands for insurance cover for students, demands for new courses, scholarships and need to address problems like timings of evening colleges,” the activists point out.

As the countdown to September 5 elections has begun, there is a sudden surge in the activity on the campus. While the average student still chooses to remain on the periphery, rivals try all the rules in the book to woo them. When sloganeering fails, it is time for muscle power. “We were recently stopped from entering some colleges by the NSUI activists. This is forbidden, but rules are always flouted,” said Mohanty.

It is this flouting of norms that is reason enough for the Delhi Police to get its act together. Violence, both pre- and post-poll, has the law enforcers on their toes.

Citizen rewarded for tip-off on terror plans
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 1
Delhi Police Commissioner R. S. Gupta today announced a reward of Rs 5,000 for a person who had provided valuable information last week about a possible terrorist attack in the Capital. The identity of the person is being kept a secret for his security.

As the person was talking to someone on the phone, he overheard a conversation between two persons planning to strike at Connaught Place and other places in the Capital during a cross-connection. The terrorists, it is learnt, were planning to repeat the Mumbai blasts in Delhi.

The good Samaritan immediately contacted the Delhi Police and informed them about the conversation he had overheard.

The police went into overdrive and seized a large cache of arms and ammunition from New Delhi Railway Station, followed by the night encounter at the Nizamuddin Millenium Park. All this was the result of the timely tip-off by this “duty-conscious” citizen.

Lauding the effort, the Police Commissioner said that this was a classic case of cooperation between the police, public and intelligence agencies. He said that it was only through such cooperation that the terrorists and other subversive elements could be tackled effectively.

The Special Cell has arrested five JeM militants and booked them under the POTA for planning attacks in Delhi. Following their arrest, the Special Cell has sent teams to various parts of UP and Mumbai to trace their hideouts.

Sources said that the two Pakistani-trained militants, Atiq and Raees, who were arrested from Sikandarabad in Bulandshahr on Sunday morning, were being interrogated to extract information about their contacts in Delhi, Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh.

A search is on to trace the owner of the Jammu and Kashmir truck, which was found ferrying the huge cache of arms to Delhi. The sources said that the truck was funded by the JeM through hawala operations.

The Delhi Police have been put on maximum alert after the twin blasts in Mumbai. Additional protection has been given to VVIPs and security around vital installations, foreign embassies, religious places and political party offices has been tightened. 

FACE TO FACE
Noida Citizens Forum: Spreading bhagidari
spirit in the township
Parmindar Singh

The idea of setting up the Noida Citizens Forum took birth in the minds of a group of eminent Noida residents during the construction of the now prestigious Noida Toll Bridge-DND (Delhi-Noida-Delhi). These citizens then got together to articulate the citizen’s concerns regarding the damage to forest cover, effects on the ecological balance and pollution etc because of the massive DND project.

Prof Yashpal, former Director of the ISRO, Ahmedabad, and later Chairman of the UGC, and Rear-Admiral H. C. Malhotra (retd), the president and convenor of the ‘DND group’ along with a few other leading citizens thought it proper to convert the group into the Noida Citizens Forum and continue the good work for the welfare of the residents, contributing to and speeding up the all-round development of the town.

The forum interacts with government departments to sort out problems faced by residents.

Thus, it became a forum of both citizenry and officialdom, a sort of government-people participation, like the Bhagidari programme of the neighbouring Delhi government.

They now take up various problems being faced by the residents like sound pollution and air pollution and issues regarding greening of the town, landscaping, supply of water, power, roads, traffic management, parking etc with the officials of the Noida administration for resolving the same.

The forum has more than 100 members, out of which 30 represent various departments of the Noida administration. The rest are citizens with rich and varied experience in different professional segments.

One of the main objectives of the forum is the management of solid waste, power supply, water supply, menace of stray cattle, traffic management etc. In a nutshell, the maintenance of infrastructure in the township.

The Noida CEO, Dr Om Prakash, also feels the forum is doing a good work. "We get the benefit of the experience and wisdom of eminent citizens which we find very helpful," he says. Prof Yashpal in an interview with the NCR Tribune talked about various facets of the forum. Excerpts:

It has become an interactive platform where ideas and suggestions are debated and problems and issues resolved across the table, so to say.

The most important achievement is that it has created awareness about the issues among the residents and officials. Both sides participate in forum meetings, which are held on the last Saturday of every month in the forenoon.

An agenda is drawn by the forum convenor, while the minutes are issued by the Additional CEO of Noida, which is symbolic of the sound understanding and spirit of camaraderie between the two sides.

The citizens participating and sharing the responsibility is very important. The Noida Citizens Forum does not tackle sectoral or individual problems, but thinks for the town as a whole. It is an open forum. All eminent citizens with experience in any particular field are welcome to join it and contribute their mite for the common good.

The forum has now decided to organise cultural programmes to do its bit in promoting cultural awareness among Noidaites.

The forum proposes to enlist the cooperation of top national artistes and musicians for early morning music sessions in Mansarover Park with the cooperation of the Noida administration and industrial houses or NGOs, which may like to be associated in the cultural renaissance of this industrial area.

To begin with, light classical music, bhajans etc are being featured for sixty to ninety minutes in the serene ambience of the park in the mornings.

Again, a strategic traffic management group is being formed, especially to tackle traffic snarls in the Sector 18 market and other congested parts of the town. In this endeavour, citizens, traders and officials, including traffic police officers, will put their heads together to solve the problem.

Yes, a notable initiative taken by the forum in a very important area is arranging for transportation of stray cattle to the veterinary clinic in Baraula village. Those wanting to avail of this facility can dial telephone number 2514829 for health officer’s team or number 2513639 for health officer or veterinary doctor. After curing the cattle of its ailments, they are sent to the goshala while dogs are dropped in at the Sectors concerned for the residents to adopt them.

Dr R. C. Srivastava, the veterinary officer, Noida, or Dr Monic Gupta can be contacted on phone number 2570019 for any help or guidance.

As a long-term measure, Col Bansal of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is setting up the needed facilities near the ‘Shamshan ghat’.

The District Magistrate is also responsible for setting up a Kanji House.

The problems are considered and debated in all seriousness. The forum has high expectations from the participants as well as from the common citizen to develop a sense of discipline, responsibility and a re-look at the issues of common concern with objectivity, keeping the ground realities in mind.

Since some of the problems are very intricate, it is not possible for the forum to analyse and examine them fully in its meetings.Hence, a number of subgroups have been formed, comprising the officials concerned and citizens with suitable background on the subject.

These groups go into the merit of each problem in detail and come up with suggestions or remedies, which are reported to the forum.

These are, in turn, adopted at monthly meetings for follow-up action by the department concerned of the Noida administration. Such committees on solid waste and managing general waste and sewerage are doing very useful work.

The forum at its meetings also keeps a tab on the implementation and follow-up actions taken on its various recommendations and suggestions by the administration departments.

Tubewells run on silt in dry Khadar belt
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, September 1
Large number of tubewells installed by the farmers in the Khadar tract, between the National Highway No. 1 and the Yamuna river, have dried up following the considerable fall in the water level in the past few years.

According to a report, the poor farmers have been facing great hardships in irrigating their cultivable land due to their inability to afford the costly tubewells.

On the other hand, they are forced to pay the minimum charge of electricity to the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN), which comes to about Rs 450 per month for each 10hp motor. The poor farmers have no alternative but to pay the minimum charges of electricity even though they hardly consume any power.

To make matters worse, the power connections of such farmers were disconnected by the UHBVN if the farmers were unable to pay the minimum charges.

In such an eventuality, the farmers have to spend a huge amount in getting their electricity connection at the later stage if the water level rises and the farmers are in a position to install tubewells.

Representatives of various farmers organisations have expressed their concern over the falling water level in the Khadar tract and urged the state government to waive off the minimum electricity charges of farmers whose tubewells had gone dry.

In a joint press release, they also suggested that the state government should fix the minimum charge of electricity at Rs 50 per month.

They all urged the state government to take immediate and effective steps for increasing the water level in the Khadar tract of this district so that the farmers could sow their crops by irrigating their land through tubewells.

CPM demands withdrawal of petrol price hike
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, September 1
The Communist Party (Marxist) and the Lok Janshakti Party have, in separate statements, condemned the hike in the petrol and diesel prices and described the decision as anti-people.

The CPM said that as a consequence of the policies of liberalisation being followed by the Vajpayee government, the prices of petroleum products were being determined by

the market forces which adversely affect the common man and the farmers in particular. Describing the hike in the petrol and diesel prices as unbearable, the CPM has demanded immediate withdrawal of the hike.

Mr Shamsher Singh Malik, president, Lok Janshakti Party, Haryana said that the hike was bound to spiral the prices of essential commodities and make life miserable for nearly 85 per cent of the population.

He regretted that the Centre was hiking the prices of petroleum products either before the Parliament session or immediately after its adjournment. The party has urged immediate withdrawal of the hike.

JD (U) Haryana condemns petrol price hike

Faridabad: The Haryana unit of the Janata Dal (U) has condemned the steep hike in petrol and diesel prices.

In a statement issued here today, the President of the party, Mr Ved Prakash Vidrohi, said that such an increase would only lead to direct financial burden on common people. He said the hike was not justified as the oil companies go for a steep increase whenever the international prices increased but they never reduced the prices when international prices went down. The government should make the process of calculation of price chart public, he said.

DPCC warns of protest against increase

New Delhi: The Delhi Pradesh Youth Congress (DPCC) has threatened to stage protest against the hike in petrol and diesel prices. Condemning the hike, the president of the DPCC, Mr Rajesh Lilothia, said that the BJP had always formulated anti poor and anti people policies. He said if the prices were not rolled back the DPCC will take to the streets with immediate effect.

Banquet halls have only ‘nuisance’ value here
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, September 1
The banquet halls in this fast growing industrial city of Haryana have become a source of nuisance for the residents living around them.

According to a report, the celebrations in these banquet halls continue late in the night and music is played on high pitch, which makes it difficult for the residents to sleep.

Moreover, there is a liberal use of liquor at these functions, giving them excuse to create problems for not only the residents, but also for the passerby.

Some of the banquet halls are situated near the hospitals, hardly caring for the well being of the patients there.

High volume music and noise is common, which disturbs the patients in these hospitals. Repeated complaints made by the hospital authorities and other residents have fallen on deaf ears.

Moreover, these banquet halls care little for hygiene, and throw the filth and garbage on the roads. This has created health hazards for the resident of the area. The authorities of the Sonepat Municipal Council have failed to check this unfortunate practice and ensure cleanliness in the area. It is indicative, that not a single

challan of the owners of these banquet halls have ever been made.

The Resident Welfare Association and the Sonepat Citizens Council have expressed their concern over the inefficient and unsatisfactory working of the Sonepat Municipal Council and urged the Deputy Commissioner to take note of the nuisance created by the owners of the banquet halls.

SONEPAT
Youth shot at for bid to separate warring groups
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, September 1
Jagbir, a youth was shot at as he attempted to separate two groups clashing at Bajana Kalan village about 20 km from here last evening.

According to a report, the youth was rushed to the local civil hospital wherefrom he was referred to the PGIMS at Rohtak for further treatment. The police have arrested three alleged assailants Ravi, Krishan and Virender, all residents of Ahulana village in this connection.

Two bodies found

The police have found two unidentified bodies from different places on Sunday. According to information, one body was found by the Geeta Bhawan police chowki. It is suspected that the death was due to poisoning. Another body was recovered by the police near Bahalgarh police chowki. Both the bodies have been brought to the civil hospital for a postmortem and identification.

Youth robbed

Raj Kapoor, a youth of Aurangabad village (Bahadurgarh) was robbed of Rs 3.25 lakh and a Maruti car by three persons near Gohana town about 40 km from here yesterday.

According to a report, the youth became unconscious after eating some poisonous foodstuff offered to him by the alleged robbers who threw him near the Drain No. 8

Thaska-Mahra Road. The youth was rushed to the community health centre at Gohana by some residents wherefrom he was sent to the PGIMS at Rohtak for treatment.

The police have registered the case and launched a hunt for the suspects.

Engineering institute

The Haryana government has promoted Mr P R Dhawan, Principal of the Government Institute of Engineering, Sonepat (popularly known as Government Surgical Instrument

Centre) to the rank of the Additional Director, Department of Technical Education, Haryana, with immediate effect.

According to a report, Mr Dhawan has since joined the duty in the directorate office at Chandigarh.

Mr Dhawan, it may be recalled, had joined this department in 1970 and since then, he had been serving in different capacities in the department, including the joint director, technical education.

Construction division working ‘unsatisfactory’

Representatives of various farmers organisations today expressed concern over the ‘unsatisfactory’ working of the Sonepat Construction Division in the irrigation department and demanded immediate transfers of all the officials responsible for the substandard work executed in the past.

According to a report, these organisations demanded the transfer of the SDO vigilance who had failed to inspect the on-going works in this division.

10 injured in group clash

At least 10 persons including three women were injured in a clash between two groups at Pipli village about 25 km from here last evening.

According to a report, the injured include Sunita, Ponki, Gita, Baljeet, Suresh, Anand, Naresh, Daleep and Om.

They were immediately hospitalised and are stated to be out of danger. The police are investigating the case. However, no arrest has been made in this connection.

According to another report, two youths Satish and Krishan were injured when they were attacked with lathis by three youths at Ridhao village about 20 km from here yesterday. The alleged assailants were stated to be under the influence of liquor. The police have registered the case in this connection.

A youth Varun and his mother Anita Devi were injured when they were assaulted by some persons at Murthal village about 8 km from here last evening. Both the injured were immediately hospitalised. Similarly, three persons Jagdish, Siri Bhagwan and Suresh were injured in the clashes that took place in Sikka Colony, Sudama Nagar and the Housing Board Colony in Sector 15 here last night.

Amity meetings mourn death of students in Goa
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 1
Shocked by the death of five of their students in a mishap in Goa, the Amity Institutions held condolence meetings and also organised a Shanti Yagya to pay homage to the students.

The five students who were on a study trip to Goa drowned in the sea. The bodies were fished out and brought to the Capital. To pay homage to the students and offer relief to their families, the Amity Group has announced the full refund of their fees and security deposits.

A decision has also been made to release the Personal Accident Claim of Rs 1 lakh to these families from the Amity funds. This has been done to save the processing time of the insurance policy and help the families in their time of need, said the president of the Ritanand Balved Education Foundation, Dr Ashok Chauhan.

Today’s prayer meeting was attended by over 4,000 students, a large number of officials from Noida, faculty members and staffers.

Earlier, on hearing the news of the mishap, the Amity officials had made arrangements to fly the parents of the deceased to Goa. 

Minister pays surprise visit to Old Delhi Rly Station
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 1
Passengers and authorities at the Old Delhi Railway Station were taken in by surprise today when the Minister of State for Railways, Mr Bandaru Dattatraya, came for a visit unannounced.

The Minister’s surprise visit was to inspect the overall passenger amenities, punctuality, cleanliness and new facilities provided in the running room for the loco pilots.

The Minister, who spent more than two hours at the station, interacted with passengers, especially senior citizens and women, and enquired about punctuality of trains and passenger comforts, an official release said.

He checked the quality of drinking water and instructed the officials to provide more taps especially on platform No. 1 and 2, the release added.

The minister’s visit had the required effect on the railways authorities.

Scare over gas leak
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, September 1
A large number of residents rushed out of their houses in panic in Sujan Singh Park here last night following a gas leak in a tanker. The tanker was among four others, which were headed for cold storage units.

According to a report, the gas was exported from Holland by Mr Sujan Singh, a former MP and former High Commissioner of the Maldives, for its use in cold storage units. When a JCB machine was pressed into service to extract the gas, the safety valve of the tanker broke, causing the gas leak, followed by a huge explosion.

On hearing the sound of the blast, the residents living in the area fled their houses in panic.

However, some others informed the police control room. The owner of the gas tankers pacified the police officials and assured them that the gas was not harmful.

Massive Rewari rally guns for Chautala
Our Correspondent

Rewari, September 1
The heavy turnout of people from various parts of Ahirwal at the Swabhiman Rally in Rao Tula Ram Park here yesterday, roused the spirits of former minister Rao Narbir Singh to such an extent that he boldly announced that if people continued to extend support and voted him to power, he would settle old scores with Mr Om Prakash Chautala.

The rally turned to be a big event for Rao Narbir Singh, who was recently released on bail after 55 days in police and judicial remand in a case of disproportionate assets.

Describing the recent arrest of Mr Rajender Singh Lodha and Mr Dalip Singh–both former municipal chiefs of Kanina, as disdainful acts of political vendetta on the part of the chief minister, Mr Rao asserted that the masses would give a befitting reply at the appropriate time to Mr Chautala to avenge these ‘indignities’ being heaped on the people of Ahirwal.

Mr Krishan Pal Gujjar, leader of the Haryana BJP Legislature Party, as well as Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, former minister and former BJP chief, were more harsh in their condemnation of the acts of omission and commission of the Chautala government.

Mr Gujjar warned that Mr Chautala would have to pay for his ‘sins’ which led to the imprisonment of Rao Narbir Singh.

Congress legislators, Mrs Anita Yadav (Salhawas) and Mr Dharam Vir (Tosham) also criticised the Chautala government for its alleged high-handedness. Mrs Anita Yadav asserted that the people of Ahirwal would not take things lying down while Mr Dharma Vir wanted an end to the Chautala regime.

RPI legislator Karan Singh Dalal went a step further when he openly alleged that the chief minister betrayed the same Rao Narbir Singh who had been instrumental in his elevation to the chief minister’s gaddi in July 1999.

NCR BRIEFS
Woman sets herself on fire
Our Correspondents

Bhiwani, September 1
Sunita (23), wife of Jagdish of Ghasola village under Charkhi Dadri subdivision committed suicide by setting herself ablaze today.

She reportedly bolted the door from inside and poured kerosene over her. The neighbours noticed the fire and broke open the door. She was admitted to civil hospital at Charkhi Dadri but succumbed to her injuries.

In another incident, several students including a woman sustained injuries when a group of youths attacked them at village Ghasola today. The cause of scuffle has been said to be an old enmity.

Held for selling spurious ghee

Bhiwani: Two traders have been arrested on charges of selling spurious vegetable ghee at Tosham and Siwani.

According to sources, Rajender Kumar, a local trader in Tosham, got suspicious of the genuineness of the products when he opened his consignment.

He enquired about it and then informed the police.

The police, reportedly, conducted a raid at the Mungipa Trading Company in Tosham and seized three tins of spurious ghee.

During interrogation, Naresh, son of the trader confirmed about the sale of ghee and disclosed that a gang was involved in manufacturing and supplying it.

Garg told the police that they get the supply from Siwani after which they supply it in the entire area.

On receiving this information, a team of police and health official conducted the raid at the shop of a ghee trader, Ram Prasad, and seized 20 tins of ghee which did not bear any trademark.

The health officials have sent the sample to laboratory for examination.

Scribes’ dharna

Rohtak: The indefinite dharna being staged by journalists of the district in protest against the police assault on two scribes entered its seventh day on Sunday.

The dharna was attended by several leaders of political parties as well as apolitical organisations who supported the scribes’ demands and promised their whole-hearted support.

Admission notice for M Phil

Rohtak: Maharshi Dayanand University has issued admission notice for M Phil course in the university teaching departments for the session 2003-2004.

A spokesman for the university administration today said the course was available in history, sanskrit, education, economics, geography, commerce, English, Hindi, mathematics, public administration, political science, statistics and sociology in the university.

He said the prospectuses would be available from September 4 and the last date for submission of application forms is September 15.

Youth welfare

Maharshi Dayanand University will organise various youth welfare activities during September-October under the aegis of its students’ welfare office.

A university press release stated today that water skiing course (boys), trekking expedition (boys and girls) and river rafting course (boys) would be organised in September while paragliding/parasailing (boys), national adventure camp (girls) and youth leadership training camp (boys) would be organised in October.

NLP rally for fair deal to Urdu
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 1
Hundreds of activists of the National Loktantrik Party (NLP) Delhi unit today demonstrated near Delhi Secretariat against the ‘step-motherly’ attitude of the Congress Government vis-à-vis the Urdu language in the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

The president of the NLP Delhi unit, Chaudhary Yamin alleged that Urdu books were not available in the schools and students who wanted to read Urdu were forced to read Sanskrit.

Giving an example of Government Senior Secondary School, Hari Nagar Ashram, he said that the school principal allegedly asked the students to leave the school if they wanted to study Urdu. Urdu teacher’s post is lying vacant in the school, but the principal is doing nothing to get it filled up.

Prakashotsav

Prakashotsav of the Guru Granth Sahib was celebrated with great pomp and show today at Moti Bagh Gurdwara in the Capital. The celebration contained preaching of several gods and saints. Langar was also distributed on the occasion. People of different religions congratulated the organisers. Jathedar Raja Singh Sethi, president of the Shiromani Gurudwara Sewadar Committee called upon the people to eradicate corruption from the country.

Record rainfall augurs well for crops
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, September 1
Faridabad has received a record rainfall this monsoon season. The town has received about 800 mm of rain so far, as against an average of about 350 mm of rain received from June to September last year.

According to details available with the Meteorological Department, the district received an average rainfall of 398 mm and 334 mm in July and August respectively this year.

The rainfall recorded last year during the month of July was only 9 mm. It is learnt that the average rainfall for past two months in the district is well over 600 mm.

The rainfall recorded in the month of August in different region were as follows: 424 mm in Faridabad; 296 mm in Ballabgarh; 511 in Palwal; 353mm in Hodal; 287 in Hathin and 142 mm in Hassanpur.

During this period the average rainfall was about 732 mm, while some places in the district even received around 800 mm of rains.

According to experts, ‘good rainfall’ was expected in the first fortnight of September. The rainfall has proved a boon for the farmers, who are expecting a bumper crop this season. The heavy rainfall had also improved the underground water table considerably.

Auto-lifters held, vehicles seized
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 1
The North-West district has claimed to have arrested two auto-lifters from Mukhmil Pur and seized three vehicles which they had stolen from the Model Town and Mukherjee Nagar.

According to a secret information that some auto-lifters would be passing through Mukhmil Pur, the police spotted a Maruti car without number plate. When the vehicle was stopped and the occupants were questioned about the documents of the car, they could not provide them.

The police identified them as Ajay (22), resident of Mukhmil Pur and Dinesh (22), resident of Alipur. Later, they confessed that they had stolen the car and a motorcycle from Mukherjee Nagar.

Robber caught

The Crime Branch has claimed to have arrested a notorious robber Jaswant Singh Rawat, alias Jassu, resident of Motia Khan while he was trying to rob one railway assistant driver Surinder Kumar at Platform No18 in Sadar Bazar.

He also had planned to rob another two persons after robbing Surinder.