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| Monday,
October
13, 2003,
Chandigarh, India
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SGPC sacks 250 employees Amritsar, October 12 According to information, the ousted employees mostly are low-ranking staff. The decision to this effect has been taken due to the precarious condition of these gurdwaras and educational institutions. The salary budget of these institutions and gurdwaras had been inconsistent with the income, stated the SGPC in its orders. However the SGPC has assured that these ousted employees would be given priority in any future recruitments as per the requirements. Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, chief secretary SGPC, confirmed the terminations. He said some of these employees were drawing a daily wage of above Rs 250. He said the decision to this effect had already been taken at the executive committee meeting held at Fatehgarh Sahib on October 10 and implemented today. He explained that losses had become unbearable for these institutes and gurdwaras due to the salary slabs being drawn by these employees in various capacities. He asserted that the ousted employees had been recruited without any provision or permission of the executive committee of the SGPC. He revealed that a detailed report is being prepared on the nature of work and the circumstances of employment in addition to other relevant data pertaining to them. |
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Pak builds six more BOPs Jalandhar, October 12 The new BOPs were set up during the Army build-up on the two sides and during height of tension between the two countries. “We have detected six new BOPs, all of which were set up by Pakistan during the past about two years,” revealed Mr G.S. Gill Inspector-General of BSF (Punjab Frontier), based here during an interview with ‘The Tribune’. He said the BSF authorities were monitoring the situation constantly. The objective behind setting up new BOPs could be to effect a closer surveillance on the border, he added. Each BOP is likely to have deployment of a section or a platoon. There is, it is learnt, no specified number of BOPs on the border between two countries and international conventions are silent on the issue. The BSF sources, however, maintained that Pakistan had not effected any increase in its BOPs for decades. Only during the post-Kargil tension, it had to set up new BOPs. |
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ADGP told to investigate frame-up case Abohar, October 12 Mr N.K. Arora a member of the Commission, said in his order, that the complainant averred that they did not expect any justice from the police. Hence after careful consideration the commission while ordering an inquiry by the ADGP has fixed up December 12 as next date for hearing. Mr Ramesh Kataria, a resident of Gaushala Road here, had stated on oath that his son Tarun Kataria 21 was framed in the cases of theft by some police officers last year. This was allegedly done to save real culprits including the son of a Congress councillor. Stolen goods had actually been recovered during police raids from the residence of the councillor but it was claimed in the press releases issued by the police that the same had been recovered from Tarun’s residence in Gaushala Road locality. As many as 38 residents of the locality had submitted affidavits refuting the police story. They affirmed that the police had never carried any raid in the street where Tarun resides along with his family. The complainant said that his son was allegedly subjected to third degree methods in police custody to make him confess the crime which he had never committed. There was demand of bribe from the police officer, who had since been shifted to the District Police Lines, he alleged. The complainant said he had written to senior police officers but did not get justice. |
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Businessman missing for one month Amritsar, October 12 Rajesh having textile business went to leave his son to school on the Fatehgarh Churian road, his friend and business partner Ankush Seth’s car (PB-02-T-0413), but did not return. Sonu, brother of Rajesh said after searching here, the family got an FIR registered within D-division police station here on same day. The family suspected his friend Ankush Seth. He said later the car was found abandoned in front of Jandiala police station under the Majitha police district with a windowglass broken on September 21. He alleged that the police did not interrogate the suspect even as long time had passed. The brother said Ankush and his brother were planning to buy a property worth lakhs at Bhaiwala Katra a few days before his disappearance. Sonu alleged that some political persons were influencing the police. He said when the police took Ankush into custody, a senior Congress leader had approached the investigating officer. However, Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, SP City-I refuted all allegations. He said investigations of the case was on. |
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Badal man’s rice mill searched Doomwali (Bathinda), October 12 Yesterday, the team search palatial house and six shops in Killianwali village of Muktsar district owned by Mr Harbans Lal. Mr Harbans Lal has been arrested by the bureau in a case of corruption. The searches have been made as per order of a court. Searches today and yesterday failed to yield any thing incriminating but the bureau refused to divulge details of the searches. The bureau teams did not face any resistance from SAD (B) workers, as there was no worker present. Meanwhile, Mr Badal, alleged that the bureau had been extracting confession against him from a former employee of a petrol pump owned by his brother Mr Gurdas Badal. |
Akal Purakh ki Fauj honours seven Amritsar, October 12 “A machine to make imprints in Braille costs anywhere between Rs 8 lakh to Rs 40 lakh, but my meagre earnings are too little for me to take my work further,” says the Baba who also has the credit of making available the ‘Gurbani’ of Sikh Gurus in Bengali, Oriya and Marathi in Braille. “Will my art die with me, as techniques developed have become obsolete and dissemination of these is impossible” he asks an audience, before being awarded a citation and a shawl by the Panj Piaras (five beloved ones) on the concluding day of the four-day International Sikh Youth Conference by the Akal Purakh ki Fauj. The Baba and six other Sikhs holding distinction in their fields as varied as business, modelling, politics, etc were honoured with awards for the first time. Mr Reuben Singh, a millionaire at the age of 17, found mention in the Guinness Book of World Records the very next year for his business acumen in the field of information technology. He gave credit for his portrait at Britains national gallery and a European entrepreneur award last year to his unflinching belief in Sikhism. The Akal jathebandi chose Mr Jaspal Singh, who is the first turbaned Sikh to have bagged the title of Grasim Mr India runner-up in the glamourous field of modelling. Thereafter, he won the award for the best dressed person at Mr Intercontinental Contest held in Panama. ETC channel television tycoon, Mr Jagjit Singh, who is chairman of its Punjabi channel, was awarded the Sikh Gaurav Award at the function for his bringing Gurbani to the homes of millions in the country and abroad. Mr Jagit Singh announced that his channel would soon beam Gurbani to every Sikh home in the world without advertisements cutting in. Bhai Harjinder Singh a ragi of repute from Srinagar has contributed immensely towards recording of 90 audio cassettes of Gurbani. Bhai Baldeep Singh, a kirtankar exponent and revivalist of ancient instruments of kirtan from the time of the gurus, is a 13th generation kirtankar of his illustrious family. He gave up his career as an air force pilot to propagate
kirtan. He was also honoured on the occasion. Besides, Bhai Joginder Singh
Talwara, a Sikh intellectual and writer, was also honoured. |
SAD to contest Rajasthan poll Bathinda, October 12 Both were here today to attend a social function. At separate press conferences, they alleged that Capt Amarinder Singh and his few associates, were running the government including Vigilance Department, and using government agencies against the Akalis. Mr Parkash Singh Badal and Mr Sukhbir Badal, president and general secretary of SAD today said that party would contest the forthcoming Assembly elections in Rajasthan and Delhi. Mr Parkash Singh Badal said that party had conveyed its programme to the BJP central leadership. Mr Sukhbir Badal said that a decision to select the constituencies in Delhi and Rajasthan would be taken next week. |
Mann-police row: youth body to move court Phagwara, October 12 Dr Harjinder Jakhu, General Secretary, SAD (A) today told newsmen here that the Federation would be supported in its cause by the party which had engaged lawyer Ranjan Lakhanpal in connection with the PIL to be filed soon. The Federation had also taken up the issue with the National Commission for SC/ST in this regard and had already been given an appointment for October 15, said Dr Jakhu. We had already taken it up with the Commission on October 8, said Jakhu. The five Federation office-bearers, who will move the court, included Mr Gurjant Singh Kattu, President, Mr Gurdip Singh Phaguwal, Vice-President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Uppal, General Secretary, Mr Makhan Singh Taharpuri, Secretary and Mr Rajinder Kumar, Joint Secretary. Dr Jakhu alleged that feelings of Dalits had been hurt by the remarks of SP Harmanbir Singh Gill who had said that he was a son of “Jat” and would not apologise. The SP had made these remarks to SAD (A) General Secretary Mr Anoop Singh Minhas, in presence of party President and Lok Sabha member from Sangrur Simranjit Singh Mann at City Police Station, Phagwara, on October 4 continued Dr Jakhu, himself a Dalit stalwart. These remarks followed argument about hitting with stick the official vehicle of Mr Mann by a traffic constable who was bundled into Mr Mann’s vehicle by Mr Mann’s men and taken to police station. The cop had denied it already that he had hit the vehicle. A case against the driver, two gunmen and a supporter of Mr Mann was registered in wake of the incident. When contacted, SP Harmanbir Singh Gill denied that he had used any objectionable language against any caste. I had shown due regards to Mr Mann who remained in the police station on his own, added Mr Gill. |
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Writers not welcome at
Writers’ Home Patiala, October 12 Mr Karnalvi said he had requested employees present in the building to give him the contact number of the Director, Language Department, Mr Madan Lal Hasija, as he had come all the way from Karnal to stay at the Writers Home. He alleged that they showed helplessness in the matter saying they have been “instructed” by their boss not to give his phone number to anybody. Adding to his discomfort, even the in charge of the home who is supposed to have keys of the rooms, was also not present. When asked an employee informed that ‘Sahib’ had gone as there was a half-day that day. Although the rooms are available for just Rs 25, writers prefer to stay at a hotel as the home lacks even the basic facilities, including drinking water and clean surrounding, the awardee added. Neither the Education Minister Harnam Das Johar under whose jurisdiction it falls nor the state government have taken any concetre steps to improve the condition of the home which at present is in a state of despair. The home which was supposed to provide constructive and inspiring environment to writers. But the state Sahitya Sadan has defeated the purpose. While cobwebs all around greet visitors, carpets have been eaten away by termites and curtains have not been washed ever since they were put up. The home had remained without electricity as the Punjab State Electricity Board had cut the connection due to the non-payment of bills. When contacted Mr Hasija claimed that the home was properly maintained and the employees of the department fully cooperated with the visitors to make them feel comfortable. |
Cultural show dedicated
to Halwarvi Patiala, October 12 The chief guest, Dr Ashok Gupta of Ashok Clinical Laboratory, who was recently honoured with the Punjab Rattan Award, dedicated the programme to the memory of renowned Punjabi journalist Harbhajan Singh Halwarvi and Ajit Kumar Handa, a well-known musician of Chandigarh. He applauded the efforts of the National Theatre Arts Society (NTAS) for starting the garden theatre movement to promote Punjabi theatre in this part of the country and remembering prominent personalities. The programme, directed by Pran Sabharwal and Sunita Sabharwal, featured songs by Ramesh Kumar, Kamal Deep and Arvinder Singh, skits by Pran Sabharwal, Dharminder, Rohit and Satya Devi, dances by the troupes of Jagdish Kumar, Sukhwinder and Kunal Loomba, a humorous play, “Patangbaaz”, by Jagtar Singh, Davinder Kaur, Jaspreet Kaur, Harpal Singh, Jagdish and Dharminder. Dr D.D. Singh, a film-maker and theatre patron, offered to present NTAS programmes on TV and stage these at Chandigarh, Mandi Gobindgarh and Sonepat to promote Punjabi theatre. Dr Ashok Gupta, Master Tarlochan Singh Jeet, convener, Morning Walk Association and M/s Kohenoor enterprises presented mementoes and awards to the artistes. Prominent among others present on the occasion were Dr Joginder Singh, Principal Dr Manmohan Sehgal, formed Head, Hindi Department, Punjabi University, Mr P.C. Tiwari, former joint secretary, PSEB, Prof Subhash Sharma, Mr K.C. Khanna, Mr Sudesh Verma and Mr Sher
Jang. |
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Rabies claim 1 more life Amritsar, October 12 Before this Rajesh Popli, alias Rinku (20), a resident of Shakti Nagar locality had died of rabies on Octobr 7. Raman was bitten by a rabid dog about two months ago. However, his family members did not take it seriously at that time. On Thursday, he was admitted to hospital where he died. Residents of the Verka area complained about the
indifferent attitude of the Municipal Corporation and Health Department towards the menace stray dogs. They said certain residents of area had met the Civil Surgeon but to no avail. |
‘Shift labour court to judicial
complex’ Patiala, October 12 The association was given an assurance that the Labour Court would be shifted to the new judicial complex once it was completed. According to advocates, the court room and the makeshift retiring room of the Presiding Officer is very small and hinders court proceedings. Besides this, there was no proper toilet-cum-bathroom on the premises. The court yard was not even brick lined and a slight drizzle made the entire area slushy and sometimes non-negotiable. Association general secretary S.D. Marwaha said during the last inspection of the Labour Court, it had been assured that it would be shifted to the new Judicial Complex. He said provisions for a Labour Court had been made in the new complex. Mr Marwaha said District Bar Association president Rakesh Gupta had also requested that the Labour Court be shifted to the new complex during a recent visit of a visiting High Court judge. He said the new Judicial Complex being close to the bus stand and the railway station would be of much help. The Labour Court Bar Association has now approached the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. It has said Labour Courts of Amritsar and
Ludhiana are also situated in the new judicial complexes of the civil courts in these stations. |
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2 juvenile justice boards set up Faridkot, October 12 Mr Hans Raj Bansal, advocate, Mrs Nisha, and the Chief Judicial Magistrate, all from Faridkot, will cater to the needs of Amritsar, Bathinda, Ferozepore, Mansa, Moga, Muktsar, Sangrur and Faridkot while Mr Sarwan Kumar Sharma, president, Nishkam Sewa Ashram, Mr Ruby Fernandez, Principal of a senior secondary school, and the Chief Judicial Magistrate, all from Ludhiana, will cater to the needs of Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Nawanshahr, Patiala, Ropar and Ludhiana. |
Ferozepore tops in paddy procurement Ferozepore, October 12 While disclosing this, Mr Vikas Pratap, Deputy Commissioner, said the government procurement agencies had purchased 5,14,256 metric tonnes of paddy whereas private millers had procured 4,97,139 metric tonnes in 142 purchase centres of the district. He said the paddy coming to the grain markets was of the high quality due to which the private mill owners were purchasing it at a premium rate of Rs 605 per quintal as against the minimum support price of Rs 580. The Deputy Commissioner, who along with the heads of various procurement agencies raided various grain markets said already 60 per cent of the procured paddy had been lifted and Rs 115 crore had been paid. Mr Vikas said it was for the first time that there was no complaint from any quarters about the procurement of paddy. He said the government had made adequate arrangements for the procurement of paddy contrary to the claims of the opposition parties. Giving further details, Mr Vikas Pratap said the FCI had purchased 1,30,587 metric tonnes, PUNSUP 1,49,471 metric tonnes, Punjab Warehousing Corporation 43,893 metric tonnes, Punjab Agro 57,075 metric tonnes, Markfed 87,554 metric tonnes and Pungrain 45,676 metric tonnes of paddy. He said the administration had been able to keep a check on corrupt practices and the entire produce of farmers would be purchased and lifted in a record time this year. |
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Licences of 2 grain dealers suspended Faridkot, October 12 Earlier he held a meeting with senior officials of all four state government agencies, including
Pungrain, Punsup, Warehousing Corporation and Markfed besides the FCI and directed them to personally supervise the procurement process. Meanwhile talking to this correspondent he said over 3 lakh metric tonnes of the produce against the total target of 4.60 lakh metric tonnes had been purchased till today in the district. |
Sarpanch suspended Fazilka, October 12 According to the suspension order issued by Janak Raj Ghai, Deputy Director, irregularities were prima facie detected in actions of Gurlal Singh in an inquiry conducted by District Development and Panchayat Officer, Ferozepore. The order says that the sarpanch sold eight trees worth Rs 8,800 near the cremation ground of the village without the approval of the department. This resulted in a financial loss to the panchayat. Gurlal Singh has been suspended under Section 20 (4) of the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act 1994. He has been debarred from participating in any proceedings of the panchayat. |
Man rapes minor daughter Amritsar, October 12 Ajit Singh, a resident and ‘lambardar’ of Muchhal village, had been allegedly raping his daughter for the past many months. The girl told her mother and other family members about this. Ms Kashmir Kaur in her complaint alleged that on October 5 they had gone to Pandori Waraich village to attend a marriage. The accused kept his minor daughter with himself at home on the pretext that she would cook for him. The accused reportedly forced her daughter to hold her brother responsible for the crime of rape. However, she refused to do so. In a fit of rage, he took her to Tangra village and allegedly raped her repeatedly. The girl told about the incident to her family members when they returned home on October 10. They later registered an FIR at Jandiala police station. Police sources said a medical test would be conducted in this regard. Sources said the accused had been arrested by the police. However, this could not be confirmed officially till the filing of this report. |
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Security
guard murdered Phagwara, October 12 Green Planet Enterprises is owned by an NRI, Mr Angrez Singh Sangha, who had come to India from Britain six week ago. The security guard from a private security company was deployed over the rooftop of the company while the Nepali watchman was on night duty at the gate. Both had reportedly minor altercation over something last night. When Mr Sangha got up in the morning today, he found his room, the gate and the cabin of the watchman locked from outside. He rang up his partner, Mr Pardeep Dhiman. On coming out of the room, they found blood spots outside the cabin of the watchman. They informed the police. Chatar Singh was found murdered with blunt and sharp-edged weapons and his body was lying in a pool of blood. The watchman had evidently fled after the murder, locking the body of the security guard in his cabin. He had been recently employed as a watchman as the building was still under construction. The
SP claimed that the police had found vital clues to the murder
committed allegedly by the watchman whose brother was employed in a
factory nearby. Pepper was first thrown into the eyes of the security
guard to immobilise him and then he was hammered to death, the SP
said. Chatar Singh belonged to Kotli village in Gurdaspur district and
has two children. |
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SI, ASI held on graft charge Gurdaspur, October 12 Mr R.P.S. Brar, SSP, said today that both have been arrested and would be suspended shortly. It was on September 23 that Sat Pal of Miani an village on the Indo-Pakistan border complained to the police that the sub-inspector who was then the Station House Officer, Dorangala, and his ASI extorted Rs 14,000 from him. When they came to know that Sat Pal was an opium addict they raided his house two months ago and recovered 200 gm of poppy husk from his possession. At the time of raid Sat Pal offered the cops Rs 10,000 for his release but the cops took him to the police station. Meanwhile, the village elders intervened and made a deal with the cops for Sat Pal’s release for Rs 14,000. Sat Pal is too poor to make the payment of such a big amount. Later Sat Pal complained to the SSP who ordered an inquiry. The inquiry found the cops guilty and recommended the registration of a case of corruption against the cops. Mr Brar said that the police registered a case of corruption against both cops at Dinanagar police station yesterday. |
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ASI held on graft charge Moga, October 12 Complainant Joginder Singh informed officials of the Vigilance Bureau that he was beaten up by a person of Roranwali village and when he approached the police post for lodging a complaint, in charge of the police post Kasmiri Lal demanded Rs 1000 for registering the case and the deal was settled at Rs 500. The Vigilance Bureau team raided the police station and caught the ASI red-handed. —
PTI |
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Two held for robbery Gurdaspur, October 12 Yesterday the police at a nake at Chakki bridge arrested the two. The accused admitted that they were going to Pathankot for robbing people and enter Himachal after the crime to evade arrest. Deepak has been in fail under Section 376 for raping an insane girl and under Section 460 of the IPC for killing a person. Inder Dass used to work at an ahata at Mukerian which people used to visit. They became friendly and purchased weapons from a UP-based person who has not been identified. |
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Two held on murder charge Abohar, October 12 According to information, Dalip Kumar and his brother Raj Kumar went to Bahavwala village to meet their relatives on August 26. A friend, Budh Ram, met them on the way back and he reportedly asked Dalip Kumar to stay back on some pretext. The next day, Dalip Kumar was found lying at the bus stop at Sardarpura village. He was taken to the civil hospital, where he died after a few hours. The brother of the deceased took up the matter with senior police officers and suspected foul play. A special investigation team was formed. The inquiry report indicated that Dalip Kumar had been strangled and beaten up without causing injuries on his body. The culprits had suspected that the victim had fallen in love with the sister of one of the accused. The police registered a case under Sections 302 and 120-B of the IPC against Pappu of Dhinganwali village, Budh Ram of Bahavwala village and others and arrested two persons, who were remanded in police custody for two days. |
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Priests strangle man with ‘siropa’ Ludhiana, October 12 Sources disclosed that the deceased
Pawan, a resident of Payal was strangled with a ‘siropa’ by priests Paramjit Singh and Nirmal Singh. The deceased allegedly showed disrespect to ‘Langar’ served at the place. He was allegedly beaten up first and then killed. The police claimed that the man was a mentally challenged. They told the police that they had lost cool at the misconduct of the man in the religious place. |
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2 killed in accident Bathinda, October 12 Sources said that Manpreet Singh, 18, and Gurjeet Singh, 12, both residents of village Shekhpura were travelling on their scooter and a canter hit the same. Sources said that Manpreet Singh was killed on the spot and Gurjeet Singh succumbed to his injuries at the local Civil Hospital. The police have registered a case under Section 304-A IPC, against the driver of the canter and the dead bodies of the deceased were handed over to their kin after postmortem examinations. In a separate incident, Happy, 20, a resident of Malout town of Muktsar district allegedly tried to commit suicide by jumping before the Abha Express train. He was injured badly and was referred to the Gidderbaha Civil Hospital and later shifted to Bathinda civil hospital. The volunteers of Sahara Jan
Sewa, an NGO, who helped the patient, said that he had lost both of his arms in the incident and his kin had been informed about the incident. He took this extreme step due to compelling economic conditions, the sources said. |
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Man fears threat to life Amritsar, October 12 |
Students seek
refund of excess fee charged Gurdaspur, October 12 The Punjab government rolled back college fee to the previous year level which is about Rs 1000/- for the B.Sc. (part-I) students. Whereas the students after enhancement of the fee paid Rs 5150 for admission to B.Sc. (part-I). The students who joined late only paid Rs 1000 for admission to B.Sc. (part-I). The parents of these students were demanding refund due to the rollback of the fee. However, the college authorities have received no intimation so far to refund the excess amount charged by them. |
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