Jalandhar, February 8
Two days ahead of the call for holding Khalsa chetna march by the Khalsa Action Committee (KAC) to protest against the activities of Dera Sacha Sauda, the police arrested former Akal Takht Jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode here today.

Talking to newspersons before being produced at a local court, Rode alleged that the statewide arrests were the first gift of SAD president Sukhbir Badal to the people of Punjab.

“He is trying to throw all those persons in jail who wanted to take out a peaceful march to register their protest against the anti-panth activities of the dera,” Rode said.

“This stance has also exposed the hypocrisy of the Akalis as they claim to be the sole custodians of Sikh history and traditions. In other words, this amounted to promoting deradom in the state at the cost of Sikh values,” 
he alleged.

He said the KAC was committed to protect the Sikh way of life and had taken out peaceful marches in the state on earlier occasions also. This march too was an extension to its earlier activities but the government thought otherwise. “The decision to stop the march is totally arbitrary and undemocratic,” he alleged.

This was also an attempt by the government to pressurise them into cancelling the march. He has been remanded to judicial custody till February 11.

Nawanshahr, February 8
Though the police has registered a case against CDPO Ravinder Kaur Bhatti for allegedly misappropriating groceries meant for mid-day meal scheme, the issue seems to be getting more complicated with the submission of a report by the block development and panchayat officer (BDPO).

BDPO-cum-departmental inquiry officer Rajesh Chadha, in his report, has stated that the CDPO, in connivance with anganwari supervisor and workers, had allegedly embezzled groceries issued for anganwari centre at Gurdwara Manji Sahib here.

The report reveals that as per the official records the anganwari was being run at Kulam Road and its shifting to the present site was never brought to the official books.

Moreover, the daughter of the CDPO was employed as an anganwari worker at the centre. The inquiry report submitted by the BDPO is based on the statements of chowkidar Bikker Singh, CDPO Ravinder Kaur, anganwari supervisor Alwinder Kaur and anganwari worker Kamalpreet Kaur.

During investigations, the CDPO in her statement said, “On January 25 I gave groceries to eight supervisors for distribution among 173 anganwari centres. Though they delivered items at 172 centres, the grocery for the anganwari near Gurdwara Manji Sahib was handed over back to the chowkidar by its supervisor Alwinder Kaur.”

However, Alwinder in her statement said that she returned the groceries because she could not find a centre at Kulam Road, while chowkidar said he was instructed by the CDPO to deliver groceries at her residence.

Ironically, while the supervisor in her statement has been showing ignorance about the shifting of the anganwari centre, Ravinder and Kamalpreet said Alwinder was aware of the shifting.

In her statement, Kamalpret Kaur said, “I joined the Kulam Road anganwari centre in September 2007 and I conducted a survey with Alwinder Kaur at Kulam Road. As we could not find any suitable accommodation for setting up the centre so the centre was set up near Gurdwara Manji Sahib in December 2007.” Alwinder also provided photocopies of the visitor book indicating the visits of the supervisor on January 1 and 18, 2008.

Nawanshahr, February 8
Parents of the victims of an accident which left three children dead and two seriously injured in collision of a school bus with a truck on January 25 submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner and the SSP today.

The parents are demanding action against the drivers of the two vehicles and the school management for negligence leading to the accident.

Rakesh Sharma, Varinder Pal, Rajiv Saini, Jatinder Singh, Rakesh Chopra, Khushwinder Khanna and Lata alleged that the accident occurred as the driver of the school bus did not stop when he saw a truck which was trying to overtake a tractor trolley leading to the vehicle going out of his control.

The hapless parents have also accused the school management of ignoring earlier complaints of reckless driving by the said driver.

They also alleged that the driver of the school bus had tried to cross an unmanned railway crossing a few days back but the train stopped in time to avert a mishap.

The matter had been brought into the notice of the school management but to no avail, they alleged. 

Hoshiarpur, February 8
Cases has been registered against fake travel agents at Mehtiana and Tanda police stations. According to police sources, the Mehtiana police on Friday booked a fake travel agent, Sucha Singh, resident of Bassi Pandori Kad, under sections 406 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly duping Harmesh Lal of the same village of Rs 3.50 lakh in the name of sending him abroad.

In another case, Surjit Kaur of Talwandi Salhan alleged that Kashmir Singh, his wife Baljit Kaur and daughter Sarabjit Kaur, all of Bahaltiwal (Gurdaspur), took Rs 8 lakh from her for sending her sons Kulwinder Singh and Sukhdev Singh to Canada.