The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Himachal Pradesh Edition

TeenageR raped
One arrested; ASI suspended
Admn also orders probe into hospital’s role
Our Correspondent

Barnala, March 23
The police here has arrested a youth for allegedly raping a teenager girl of Sanghera village. Meanwhile, an ASI has been suspended for allegedly not taking appropriate action against the guilty. A probe has also been marked against Dr Jasbir Aulakh, head of the gynaecology department, Civil Hospital, Barnala.

As per the complaint made by the father of the victim, on Friday evening, the girl had gone out of her house to throw garbage on the outskirts when two boys, Jyoti and Devinder Singh, forcibly took her to their room. Neighbours smelling something fishy broke the door of the room and the girl was rescued. Later, the villagers took her to the hospital for medical examination.

As per the villagers, doctor in-charge at the hospital Jasbir Aulkah allegedly refused to conduct the examination for want of a police request. Agitated over the issue, the villagers raised slogans against the doctor and approached higher police authorities.

Only after the police gave written request, the medical examination of the girl was conducted and report was given to the investigation officer concerned.

On Saturday morning, hundreds of people held demonstration in front of the hospital. They also raised slogans against ASI Mangat Rai who had allegedly tried to get a compromise between the victim and the accused, as per the complaint of the victim’s father.

As the issue turned serious, deputy commissioner of Barnala R.L. Mehta, SSP Parmjeet Singh Garewal and SDM Pushpinder Singh Kehlay rushed to the hospital and tried to pacify the situation.

Sensing the gravity of the issue, Garewal suspended ASI Mangat Rai for aiding a forcible compromise. The DC ordered a probe into the whole incident of the hospital and marked an enquiry to SDM Kehlay for the role of Jasbir in the case.

The police registered a case against Jyoti and Devinder Singh. While Jyoti has been arrested, Devinder is still absconding.

Meanwhile, Jasbir Aulakh said that he had informed the police about the incident.

Admn plans CCTV cameras at entry points
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 23
Following the unchecked series of snatchings, theft and kidnappings, Bathinda is apparently going to be declared as the first ‘hyper-sensitive’ city of the state as the district administration along with the support of the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA), Municipal Corporation (MC) and police department is going to cordon off all the 16 identified entry points of the city.

Highly placed sources in the administration disclosed that the deputy commissioner, Bathinda, Rahul Tewari, came up with an idea to seal the city with the setting up of permanent check-points at all the entry points. To draft his brainchild, he held a meeting with the top brass of MC, BDA and police department and has received their nod.

As per the plan, the entry points have been identified where besides installing barricades, close circuit television (CCTV) cameras would also be installed. In addition, they will be manned round-the-clock.

The administration conducted a survey of the city’s border and concluded that the 35-km-long boundary was surrounded with canals and cantonment. And the remaining, nearly 7 km stretch, needed to be fenced.

The estimate to execute the plan is reportedly around Rs 80 lakh. However, the authorities were still looking for the source of funds.

When asked about the plan, the chief administrator, BDA, K.K. Yadav said, “According to the plan, the check-points would be manned by one policeman and two ex-servicemen. But the source of the funds is yet to be identified.”

The DC said, “I discussed the plan with the officers concerned and only after receiving their appreciation, we worked on it. The motive behind placing check-points was not to harass the commuters, but to protect our citizens. The plan will also help in reducing the entry of stray cattle into the city, as reports have been received that their owners on finding them useless send them into the city.”

Sikhs stage demonstration
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 23
The sensitivity of the Dera-Sikh controversy does not seem to wane, as the bhog ceremony of a Dera follower today triggered the issue in the area once again. Staging their protest, agitated Sikhs blocked the Bathinda-Dabwali and Bathinda-Mansa main roads thereby disrupting the traffic on these roads.

Giving the information, sources in the Harbans Nagar colony said that 95-year-old Jag Lal, a Dera Sacha Sauda follower, had died a couple of days back and today his condolence meet was being organised at his residence.

For the purpose, his family members had taken prior permission from the district administration that set few restrictions for the same. The ‘naam charcha’, a ritual of the sect, was being performed when a Sikh family also started reciting Sri Sukhmani Sahib Path. Following the bhog ceremony, the Sikh followers expressing their resentment blocked the Bathinda-Dabwali road, near ITI chowk here.

After some time, the dharna was shifted to Patiala railway-crossing and the traffic remained disrupted for two hours on Bathinda-Mansa road.

Instead of clearing the road, the police diverted the traffic to another road.

To boost up the protesters, Baljit Singh Dadu Sahib reached the spot and held conversation with the administration to accept the memorandum from the protesters. On being asked, he criticised the performance of ‘naam charcha’ in open as it would trigger the controversy again.

When asked about the government’s permission for the performance of naam charcha, he said, “There is nothing in black and white from the government side.”

After an hour, naib tehsildar Karnail Singh reached the spot and received the memorandum that mentioned the alleged open challenge of the dera-followers by violating the ‘Hukumnama’ of the Akal Takht. It was further mentioned in the memorandum that in the interest of society, the administration should not permit such ceremonies.

Noise Pollution
Another threat to residents
Anil Jerath
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 23
The air and noise pollution caused by indiscriminate use of generators in Bathinda due to long power cuts, with the onset of summers, has become a major cause for concern for environmentalists.

Though the presence of a genset provides relief from power cuts, the sound it generates is irritating. The noise of generators during long power cuts adds to the miseries of the residents.

The generators installed in commercial establishments and shops on the GT Road, Mall Road and Model Town create noise pollution and air pollution and create hurdles for the public as well, but the local administration turns a blind eye.

“During long power cuts, we have no other alternative but to install generators to run our business. It has become a necessity,” a shopkeeper on the GT Road, said.

“Due to the unusually long hours of power cuts, generators are being used extensively and the noise pollution level has been crossing tolerable limits in a large number of residential areas,” a senior Punjab Pollution Control Board official said.

Anu, a college student, said, Though we understand that the people are left with no other option but to go in for generators but they should not cause inconvenience to the general public. The administration should act against these violators who have not properly maintained their generators.”

Doctors also agree that frequent power cuts render students and elderly susceptible to allergies due to the smoke emanating from these gensets.

“We are getting fairly frequent number of bronchial and naso-bronchial allergy cases on a daily basis, a doctor said.

PPCB authorities said that noise pollution had already crossed the danger level in many parts of the city. As per the standard norms, a residential area can have a maximum of 55 decibel of noise pollution during the day, while it is 45 at night.

A PPCB official on request of anonymity said, “We are going to take legal action against such violators.”

Breach in Security
SHO among four cops suspended
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Goniana, March 23
For the dereliction of duty, four policemen including a station house officer (SHO) have been suspended after the enquiry of a case related to breach in the security circle of Sukhbir Singh Badal, chief of ruling Shiromani Akali Dal.

Saradara Singh, SHO, Bhucho police station, Jarnail Singh, and Jarnail Singh, both head constables at Bhucho and one Charanjit Singh, head constable posted at Balian wali police station have been suspended.

It may be mentioned that piercing the tight security arrangement, a non-medical student Nirmal Singh jumped over the stage, when Sukhbir Badal, the chief of the SAD (B), was delivering the speech at Goninana town on March 18.

The security personal immediately rounded him up and registered a case under sections 186 and 353 of the IPC against him.

After the interrogation, it was observed that the accused Nirmal Singh had no malafide intention as he jumped only to get an application sanctioned.

Then, after getting bail from the court, on compassionate ground, the deputy commissioner Bathinda, assured him of giving free training in C-Pyte at Kaljharani village in the district and provided with financial aid of Rs 5,000.

Confirming the suspension of the policemen, the probationer IPS officer P.K.Yadav, who was carrying out investigation into the lapse on the part of security, said, “They all have been found guilty of dereliction of duty for which they were suspended.”