H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Exploitation of khads on
Hamirpur, September 26
Although all stone crusher owners have stopped operations in the district as per orders of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, the collection of bajri, sand and “khaddo” stones has going on from various khads and rivers these days. This work has been going on so that the crusher owners don’t face any problem when these resume work.

A truck loads bajri and sand from the Poong khad on the Hamirpur-Chauri Road. — Photo by Chander Shekhar Sharma

Police control rooms set up in temple towns
Dharamsala , September 26
The Kangra police has set up control rooms in all important temple towns, namely Jwalamukhi, Kangra and Chamunda, to ensure that crime is checked during the forthcoming Shrawan navratras.

Former BSF cop held for duping 4 youths
Hamirpur, September 26
The local police has arrested Jagir Singh of Amritsar presently residing in Shillong for collecting money from four youths on the pretext of providing them with employment in the Assam Rifles.

DSP held for taking bribe
Mandi, September 26
Mr K.C. Sharma, DSP, posted at Dharamsala was arrested red-handed while accepting a bribe Rs 15,000 from Junior Engineer Sita Ram Yadav against whom some investigations were being conducted by the DSP.

Youth gets 10-yr RI for rape
Chamba, September 26
The Session Judge, Mr V.K. Gupta, yesterday convicted Ishro, alias Jhajhar, 22, under Section 376 of the IPC for raping a 10-year-old girl on December 7, 2001. The Judge sentenced Ishro to undergo rigorous imprisonment (RI) for 10-years and also ordered him to pay a fine of Rs 5,000, failing which he would have to undergo rigorous imprisonment for another year.

JBT exam results declared
Kangra, September 26
The Himachal Pradesh School Board of Education declared the results of the Junior Basic Training (JBT) examination yesterday. The examination was held on September 14, last.

Kanwar chief of Bar Association

Exploitation of khads on
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, September 26
Although all stone crusher owners have stopped operations in the district as per orders of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, the collection of bajri, sand and “khaddo” stones has going on from various khads and rivers these days. This work has been going on so that the crusher owners don’t face any problem when these resume work.

A visit to various parts of the district revealed that the collection of such material was going on unchecked. In the Poong khad on the Hamirpur-Chauri road, six trucks and other vehicles were busy collecting material from the khad and stacking it at the place where the crusher is located.

A stone crusher owner said as it was not possible to keep the labour ideal, they had been directed to collect the material for crushing as and when orders were received from the Himachal Pradesh High Court in this connection.

An official spokesman said here last evening that a high-level team of the state government deputed by the Himachal Pradesh High court would visit all seven stone crushers in the district to decide their fate.

The district administration, he said, had instructed the Mining Department to ensure that the High Court orders were not violated.

Police control rooms set up in temple towns
Our Correspondent

Dharamsala , September 26
The Kangra police has set up control rooms in all important temple towns, namely Jwalamukhi, Kangra and Chamunda, to ensure that crime is checked during the forthcoming Shrawan navratras.

Giving details, the Kangra SP, Mr Zahoor H. Zaidi, said more than 450 constables in uniform as well as in mufti had been deployed in these towns. He said the police was determined to ensure that the pilgrims, who descended in thousands every day on these small towns, were provided with security and traffic was regulated. Women police constables and Home Guard jawans had also been deployed. Special efforts would be made to arrest pickpockets and eve teasers, he added. The district administration had banned carrying of arms and sharp-edged weapons in and around these towns during the navratras.

Mr Zaidi also asked the pilgrims to report any crime to the control room immediately so that action was taken against the criminals.

Former BSF cop held for duping 4 youths
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, September 26
The local police has arrested Jagir Singh of Amritsar presently residing in Shillong for collecting money from four youths on the pretext of providing them with employment in the Assam Rifles. A sum of Rs 1.40 lakh which he had collected from the four persons had also been recovered from his possession.

Mr Abhishek Trivedi, SP, Hamirpur, told reporters here this evening that a case had been registered against Jagir Singh. He said the police worked on a tip-off given by Mr Shyam Lal of Bilaspur and accordingly a trap was laid and Jagir Singh was nabbed near the local college ground where the recruitment process was going on these days.

Jagir Singh is a retired constable of the BSF and two of his sons are in the Assam Rifles. He had hired a house in the Anoo area since the start of the recruitment rally.

The Trivedi said that the police would also interrogate the Assam Rifles authorities and they would not be allowed to leave Hamirpur without holding an inquiry into the racket.

No officer of the Assam Rifles was available for comments.

DSP held for taking bribe
Our Correspondent

Mandi, September 26
Mr K.C. Sharma, DSP, posted at Dharamsala was arrested red-handed while accepting a bribe Rs 15,000 from Junior Engineer Sita Ram Yadav against whom some investigations were being conducted by the DSP.

Mr A.P. Siddiqui, SP (Vigilance), told reporters today that the Junior Engineer had informed him yesterday that the DSP was demanding Rs 15,000 for hushing up the matter. “ I rushed from Shimla to trap the DSP who had come to Mandi and had fixed up time with Mr Yadav. He was arrested while accepting Rs 15,000. A case under Sections 7 and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the DSP”, the SP added.

Youth gets 10-yr RI for rape
Our Correspondent

Chamba, September 26
The Session Judge, Mr V.K. Gupta, yesterday convicted Ishro, alias Jhajhar, 22, under Section 376 of the IPC for raping a 10-year-old girl on December 7, 2001. The Judge sentenced Ishro to undergo rigorous imprisonment (RI) for 10-years and also ordered him to pay a fine of Rs 5,000, failing which he would have to undergo rigorous imprisonment for another year. The girl had gone with her grandmother from Palga village to attend the marriage of a relative. She was playing with some children when Ishro allegedly forcibly took her to nearby fields and raped her.

The villagers later found the girl lying unconscious. The incident was reported to the police. After investigation, the police confirmed that the accused had raped the minor girl.

JBT exam results declared

Kangra, September 26
The Himachal Pradesh School Board of Education declared the results of the Junior Basic Training (JBT) examination yesterday. The examination was held on September 14, last.

Kanwar chief of Bar Association
Our Correspondent

Shimla, September 26
The Himachal Pradesh High Court Bar Association election was conducted today and Mr Kuldeep Singh Kanwar, senior advocate has been elected as president, Mr Ashok Sharma as vice-president and Mr Sunil Mohan Goyal as secretary of the association.