Jalandhar, October 24
The district police and the District Transport Office (DTO) impounded nine buses and challaned several others at the initiative of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Punjab Roadways here today.

While the police led by the DSP (traffic), Mr Jagjit Singh Bhagtana, impounded five buses, the DTO office led by the Additional District Transport Officer, Mr Jaswant Singh Dhillon, confiscated four buses.

One of the five buses impounded by the police belonged to Pyar Bus Service, reportedly belonging to the Congress MLA from Beas, Mr Jasbir Singh Gill ‘Dimpa’ , also chairman of the Punjab Sewerage Board.

However, when contacted, Mr Dimpa said the bus was not belonging to him but that belonged to his brother.

The bus belonging to Pyar Bus Service was impounded at the PAP chowk when it was on its way to Jalandhar from Amritsar.

Meanwhile, the roadways employees said they had contacted the DTO office and the Jalandhar police for stopping plying of illegal buses with their help in an attempt to save loss to the government exchequer.

The DTO, Mr Sukhmander Singh, deputed the ADTO to laid a naka with the help of JAC representatives to impound and challan the illegal buses, they said, alleging that the ADTO went somewhere else in an attempt to avoid impounding buses of “influential” persons.

However, the ADTO, Mr Jaswant Singh Dhillon, denied the allegation and said he had gone near the Paragpur chungi to lay a naka there after laying nakas at the PAP and Rama Mandi chowks.

While most of the impounded and challaned buses belonged to private bus operators, one of the impounded buses belonged to Haryana Roadways.

Nawanshahr, October 24
The Sri Guru Har Rai Educational Trust, Chhokeran, today honoured the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Krishan Kumar, by presenting him Sant Baba Inder Singh Mauni Award for his efforts to provide people-oriented administration. He was honoured at a function organised at Chhokeran village to commemorate the death anniversary of Sant Baba Inder Singh Mauni.

Baba Balbir Singh, president of the trust, said the award presented to him was a token of gratitude from the general public. He had contributed a lot to mobilise people against the social evils like female foeticide and drug addiction, he added.

The trust, in collaboration with the Bhai Ghanayia Seva Samiti and the district health department, also organised a free medical check-up camp.

Dr Davinder Dhand, Dr Paramjit Mann, Dr Ranjiv Kumar, Dr S.K. Sukhi and Dr Ashwani Dhir examined 250 patients. Free medicines were also given to patients.

Dr Balbir Singh, Civil Surgeon, Mr Gurmit Singh Dhugga, Mr Jhilman singh, Mr Dara Singh, Mr Kashmir Singh, Mr Birbal Takhi and Mr Vivek Markanda, among others, spoke on the occasion. 

Jalandhar, October 24
Several Ravidas organisations today demanded from the state government the imposition of a ban on Punjabi film “Baghi”.

Addressing mediapersons on behalf of various Ravidas organisations here today, Jalandhar Mayor, Mr Surender Mahey, alleged that the film had hurt the sentiments of the Ravidas community as “defamatory language” had been used in several dialogues of the film, which had been released on Friday and was being shown in some theatres of the state.

Mr Mahey also demanded the registration of a criminal case under relevant sections of the Prevention of Atrocity on SC/ST Act against producer Gaj Deol, director Sukhwinder Dhanjal, storywriter Sardar Sohi and distributor Kumar Films for “hurting the sentiments” of the Ravidas community.

Meanwhile, the Mayor said he had already brought the matter to the notice of the Local Bodies Minister, Mr Jagjit Singh.

Amritsar: If the police records are to be believed, the Holy City is becoming a den for criminals and safe haven for drug peddlers and smugglers.

The cases pertaining to the seizure of narcotics and the number of detentions have almost doubled. According to the available information, 224 cases were registered this year as compared to 127 cases in the corresponding period of the previous year, besides the seizure of huge quantity of heroin and intoxicants.

This year, nine cases of rape were registered in the district, while the number of rape cases registered during the last year was five. Four dowry deaths were reported this year as well as the last year. There were about 31 dowry cases registered this year, while last year 45 dowry cases were reported.

Thefts and kidnappings have also shown a phenomenal increase. Residents of the city have urged senior police authorities to nab the criminals and improve the law and order situation that is “deteriorating day by day”.

A high spurt in snatchings is another cause for worry for the residents of the Holy City. However, often these petty crimes such as snatchings go unreported as victims are wary of “lengthy and complicated” procedures of lodging complaints.

As many as 188 theft cases have been reported in 2006 till now as compared to 82 cases in the previous year — more than double as compared to the last year. Besides, the city also witnessed four dacoity incidents, while there were no such incidents during the corresponding period in 2005.

Interestingly, unemployed educated youths hooked to drugs have adopted a novel modus operandi to hoodwink gullible individuals and make good their escape with high-tech computer laptops and mobile phones from the busy shopping areas of the Mall Road and the Lawrence Road. Police sources said the department had received more than a dozen complaints of this kind of theft in the last few months.

Narrating an incident of similar nature, a leading garment showroom owner said he, along with his wife, was going on the Lawrence Road when a well-dressed boy bumped into him and asked him the address of a bank. Later the boy again distracted his attention with a frivolous enquiry, while the boy’s companion opened the rear door of his car and made away with the showroom owner’s laptop.

The police authorities confirmed that they had received many similar complaints of laptop lifting and mobile phone snatchings, but due to lack of computer backup regarding the profiles of such criminals, the police found it difficult to nab them.

Meanwhile, as compared to 37 murder cases last year, the Amritsar police has registered 35 murder cases this year till now, with four murder cases being reported within the past 10 days. There were 19 cases of kidnapping registered this year, while the number of these cases was 15 during the corresponding period of the previous year.

The police said there was an increase in the crime graph due to various reasons, including rampant commercialisation, large-scale migration from poor pockets of other states and various other factors compounded by liberalised economic policies which lent a new dimension to criminality. 

Jalandhar, October 24
The mutilated body of two-year-old Laalu, son of a migrant labourer Ganesh, was found today from the local Basti minor (known as DAV Wali Nahar).

The victim’s arm, foot and eyes were found missing.

The body’s condition has fuelled the speculation that the child could have been a victim of some tantrik ritual on the occasion of Divali.

The child had gone missing from outside his family’s rented accommodation in the Grover Colony on October 15.

An FIR pertaining to the crime was registered by the police at the behest of one Amit Taneja, a local Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha activist.

The mutilated body of Laalu was extricated from the minor under the supervision of senior police officers, including Mr Satinder Singh, SP, Mr Harkanwalpreet Singh Khakh and Mr Charanjit Singh Ghumman, both DSPs, after Ganesh identified it.

Ganesh was informed by a woman tea vendor, living on the banks of the minor at Basti Bawa Khel, around 10 am today that she had spotted a body of a child lying in the bed of the minor.

Sunayna, mother of the victim, and other relatives followed Ganesh to the spot.

Inconsolable Ganesh and Sunayna said they suspected the hand of a migrant labourer, settled near their home, in the crime.

The police is working on two theories. One is that since children of the area used to play around the temple in the vicinity of the locality, and the way from the temple led to the minor, it was possible for the child to have been drowned in the minor.

The other theory is that he might have been kidnapped by some tantrik who killed him while performing some gory ritual.

“We are working in two directions. Since the involvement of a tantrik is also possible, we have asked the medical authorities to concentrate on this angle,” said Mr Khakh. 

Batala, October 24
The police has arrested five persons on charges of murdering Padam Bahadur, a Nepalese watchman. He was found dead in the Dashmesh Nagar locality here in July.

The SSP, Batala, Mr L.K. Yadav, said today that the accused, Kuldeep Singh, Sardar Masseih, Baldev Singh, Harmesh Singh and Narinder Singh, were arrested on charges of drug peddling. During interrogation it was found that they were drug addicts and used to steal goods from shops and farms.

They admitted that on July 22 they came to burgle a grocery shop in Dashmesh Nagar. The watchman noticed them and raised alarm. The gang members overpowered him. He was hit on the head with an iron rod and died on the spot.

A case under Section 302, IPC, has been registered against them.