Bathinda, September 4
With the arrest of six gangsters, including a class IV woman employee of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) office in Rama Mandi. District police today claimed to have cracked six criminal cases, including the mystery shrouding the two dacoities alleged by the PSEB staff years back.

The accused have been identified as Bharpoor Singh of Mageana (Haryana), Gian Singh of Alamwala (Moga), Kulwant Singh of Sukhladhi, Harbans Singh of Rughubangi, Kuldeep Singh of Khosa Kotla (Moga), Karan Singh of Rughubangi and the PSEB employee Mahinder Kaur of Sukhladhi.

Giving information, senior police officials said that all of them had been arrested except for Karan Singh, who managed to escape. Police recovered 1.65 lakh in cash, two .12 bore countrymade pistols along with five cartridges, a Maruti car, a motorcycle and some other deadly weapons from the possession of the accused gangsters.

According to details available, Mahinder Kaur had friendly relations with Kulwant Singh. As an accomplice of the gang, her job was to inform Kulwant about the timing and identity of the staff, carrying cash to deposit in the bank. He further used to inform others.

About three years back, they snatched a bag containing Rs 3.10 lakh from the cashier of the PSEB on gunpoint. Applying the same modus operandi, they looted Rs 1.90 lakh from another employee. In both cases, Mahinder Kaur was the informer. In yet another case, about 10 months back, the accused gangsters had snatched Rs 65,000 from a shopkeeper at Baghapurana at gunpoint.

Cops said that Gian Singh had remained active during the militancy period in the state. He had once kidnapped the kin of a doctor of Baghapurana and released him after receiving a ransom of Rs 7.50 lakh. After being identified, he had fled to some other state. Returning in 2005, he formed a gang and hatched the conspiracy of looting the PSEB staff, with the help of Mahinder Kaur.

During the interrogation, the accused accepted three incidents of looting petrol pumps. However, being it being a small amount, the victims had not lodged a complaint.

Superintendent of Police (D) Ajay Maluja, under whose observance the CIA team nabbed the accused gangsters, said the gang was once again planning some major crime. But before they could give their plan a practical shape, six of them were nabbed and booked under sections 399, 420 of the IPC and 25/54/59 of the Arms Act.

Bathinda, September 4
Taking a step forward in checking the menace of drug addiction in Punjab, Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal today approached the Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, Mukul Wasnik, and sought his support for the cause.

Apprising the minister of the problem that has engulfed the entire state, Harsimrat requested the minister to provide adequate funds for setting up super-specialty drug de-addiction centres in the state.

In his response, the minister reportedly assured her of according special focus to the state and reviewing the schemes so that provisions for setting up super-specialty centres could be made.

The minister assured her of launching a special awareness campaign in the state and that he would personally visit Punjab for the purpose.

Further, she sought immediate sanction of funds for setting up a school for the mentally-challenged kids and an old age home in Bathinda region.

Talking to TNS from Delhi, Harsimrat said that during the discussion, she pointed out that Punjab needed special consideration as far as the problem of de-addiction was concerned because of its location on the transit route of illegal narcotic trade from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“Despite the police vigil on the narcotic traders, youth were falling prey to the menace. Gravity of the problem could be judged from the fact that the Bathinda de-addiction centre has last year treated 24,317 addicts whereas the Mansa centre treated over 21,000,” she added.

Harsimrat highlighted the fact that paltry and irregular grants proved to be a hindrance in the smooth functioning of Bathinda and Mansa drug de-addiction centres.

The MP sought immediate intervention of the minister in ensuring early and enhanced release of grants for these centres.

Further, she requested for supply of adequate number of tricycles, hearing aids and crutches for physically-handicapped persons and children of the Bathinda constituency.

Bathinda, September 4
A huge hoarding outside the Improvement Trust office congratulating the appointment of its chairman from past about two months has raised a fresh controversy.

About a week back, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had directed all party men, office-bearers and leaders not to erect such hoardings at the public places. He had directed the local administration to remove the unauthorised hoardings, including political billboards, with immediate effect. He had felt that such hoardings were not only hazardous to traffic but were also a nuisance.

Terming it as a path-breaking decision, he had said that as a party with long traditions of sacrifice, the SAD was opposed to the culture of flattery and self-glorification. Setting an example, during his Bathinda visit on September 2, Sukhbir had ordered for the immediate removal for all hoardings installed outside the venue to accord him welcome.

Reacting to the hoarding outside the Improvement Trust, people are alleging that the BJP leaders were caring two hoots to Deputy CM’s order. Meanwhile, it is also being said that the direction does not apply to the Improvement Trust, Bathinda, as it is being chaired by a BJP man.

“We are surprised why the BJP men are so adamant over keeping the board installed there,” said a SAD councillor of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation.

Another councillor said, “It may be just to satisfy the publicity hunger of the dozen persons, whose pictures are printed on the hoarding.”

When asked, Ashok Bharti, chairman of the Improvement Trust, Bathinda, said, “I could not pay attention towards it. I will get it removed soon.”

It may be mentioned that the chairman resides near the Improvement Trust office.

Bathinda, September 4
The Adesh Medical College and Hospital, located at Barnala road in Bathinda, has requisitioned the services of specialists in various fields and arranged for test and treatment.

These doctors include urologist Puneet Bansal, laparoscopic surgeon Ashish Kumar Ohri, ENT specialist Dr Priyanka, nephrologists Maninder Singh Sidhu and Neeru Mittal who is chest and TB specialist.

Gynaecologists Pragati Grover and Sangeeta Rani will also be available, a press release informed here on Friday. — TNS

Bathinda, September 4
A team of senior officials from the labour department today visited the upcoming Guru Gobind Singh Refinery project to see for themselves the novel concept of Hindustan Mittal Energy Limited (HMEL), where children of migrant construction workers are involved in education and learning.

Giving information, a spokesman of the HMEL said, “At the project site, where work is in full swing, labourers have come from all over the country and some of them have come along with their families. For helping in providing education to the children of workers at labour camps, the HMEL entered into a tie-up with one of the leading NGOs in the field of education, Pratham.”

“Pratham is a renowned non-government organisation (NGO) working to provide quality education to the underprivileged children of India. At labour camps, Pratham has been running a community learning enhancement programme with support from HMEL since March this year,” he stated further.

The education project covers four community locations with learning supports including books, charts, writing material and pencil. Classes have been divided into two categories—Learn to Read (L2R) and Balwadi groups.

This education initiative has reportedly been started for ‘out of the school’ children and has been designed to focus on first generation learners. 

Chandigarh, September 4
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today felicitated the teaching fraternity on the occasion of the Teachers’ Day.

The CM assured the teachers that the state government was making all efforts to create a congenial atmosphere to enable them to discharge their duties in an efficient manner.

Meanwhile, Upinderjit Kaur, Education Minister, extended greetings to the teaching fraternity and urged them to infuse noble qualities of discipline among their students.

Ferozepur, September 4
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the police constituted on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to probe into the alleged abduction of a local RTI activist lawyer Kiran Pandey has arrested his elder brother Ashok Kumar alias Kala, Sandip Kumar and Sanjiv Kumar on charges of conspiring, planning and executing the false drama of abduction of the said lawyer.

The SSP of Ferozepur Surinder Pal Singh Parmar and Harjit Singh Pannu, SP (D), who is heading the SIT while confirming this to The Tribune claimed that they had solved this case.

The lawyer went missing in the second week of July and was found lying on the roadside after five days in the cantonment area.

Giving details, Sarabhjit Singh in-charge of the CIA staff revealed that they would be produced before a local court on Saturday. The FIR was already registered by the police on July 16 after Pandey went missing.

At that time, Pandey's family members had alleged that Joginder Singh Jindu, vice-president, and Satish Arora, junior engineer of the cantonment board, had abducted him because Pandey had filed more than 70 applications under the RTI Act in the board office to get some vital information to expose corruption.

But, the SIT during the course of investigation had found that the allegations against them were baseless and it was a drama executed and planned to settle personal scores with the board officials.

Meanwhile, when contacted, Kiran Pandey said that his brother and two other persons had been abducted by some unknown persons and the police was registering an FIR in this regard but when he was told that the police had arrested he said that the way in which they were picked up was in total violation of the human rights. "The police have not informed the family members about their arrest,” he alleged. 

Bathinda, September 4
Launching an unusual two-day search operation, Income Tax sleuths closed in on renowned colonizers of the state and some leading commission agents, who run their business from Sardulgarh and Mansa. After the extensive operation, the team today disclosed a huge sum of Rs 27 crore as unaccounted.

The action of the Income Tax department is being taken as a message that tax evaders even in small towns would hardly be spared.

According to details available, Income Tax Investigation Wing, falling under the jurisdiction of the Directorate of Investigation, Ludhiana, reached Sardulgarh on Thursday in disguise. The caravan of vehicles was bearing wedding stickers on the windshields.

Divided in different groups, about 150 members of the IT wing, including the state police, conducted the operation by raiding simultaneously at Sardulgarh, Mansa, Moga, Muktsar and Chandigarh.

Among others, sources in Sardulgarh named the firms as Chiranji Lal Darshan Kumar, Garg Cotton Factory, Ganesh Cotton Factory, Meera Public School, Rodki Rice Mill, Malwa Rice Mill, Bharat Group of Institutes, Babu Ram Hira Lal, two tractor agencies, some marble houses and a doctor’s place. It was informed that the teams searched the houses of the suspects in a thorough way.

According to the details available, Abha Rani Singh, additional director of investigation, Amritsar and Rajinder Kaur, deputy director of investigation, headed the teams. The sleuths searched the buildings and carried important documents and papers along for further investigations. Rajinder Kaur later said, “The accused will have to pay the taxes on the unaccounted money. All related investments and assets will be scrutinised in due course of time.”

Moga, September 4
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued notices to the District Magistrate, SSP of Moga, besides, the Home Secretary and the DGP reacting to a civil writ petition filed by two lawyers Kharaiti Lal Arora and his son Varinder Arora who had alleged that a local school owner, also an advocate, was using the influence of bureaucracy to grab their plot purchased from Prem Pal Singh Dhillon, Air Marshal (retd).

Justice Zora Singh while taking up the matter on September 1 had sought a reply from them by September 25, the next date of hearing. The notices had also been issued to the school owner and local SHO of the police station (city).

The lawyers had alleged that the school owner got registered a false FIR under sections 326, 342, 324, 323, 148 and 149 of the IPC on May 27, 2005 against them by manipulating injuries on one of his employees working in his school with the help of bureaucracy.

Varinder had alleged that a senior official of the administration had 'illegally' recommended registration of a FIR against him for violation of the Indian Stamp Act, whereas, there is no provision of FIR as per the law in this case. However, the SSP and District Revenue Officer raised objections on the 'illegal' recommendation and thus the FIR was not registered against him.

Air Marshal Dhillon who was decorated with Paramveer Chakra in a letter written to the SSP, the copy of which is available with The Tribune, had also alleged that the school owner forged a sale deed of the disputed plot on the name of one of his employees and demanded action against him but the police had so far not taken any action on his complaint. A copy of this letter had also been attached in the petition filed by the lawyers.

The petitioners while praying before the court to secure their life and liberty had further alleged that with the active aid of the administration the school owner had prevailed upon the authorities to subject the petitioners to undue harassment in violation of the law. 

Abohar, September 4
Hundreds of residents of Jammu Basti including women took out protest march today to express resentment over the notices slapped by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) on more than 350 families for vacating their houses that had been developed on the ancient Mud Fort area by tomorrow.

Earlier cutting across political lines leaders of the Congress and SAD shared dais during the rally held in the locality today. Legislator Sunil Jakhar while supporting the demands of the occupants questioned why Sher Singh Ghubaya MP had not raised the issue during last session of the Lok Sabha. He offered to lead a deputation to the Punjab CM to press demand for sanctioning sufficient amount from the displaced persons rehabilitation fund besides allocation of plots. The MLA turned down the proposal to allot land to the affected families near Indo-Pak border in Hindumalkot sector.

SAD circle president Sukhwinder Singh assured that the CM would do the maximum since MP Ghubaya too had recommended the cause. — OC

Abohar, September 4
Congress today urged the state government to get back possession of the plenty of Punjab Waqf Board land that the mighty persons had allegedly grabbed in connivance with the officials and allot the same on lease to over 350 families which are to be displaced . In a memorandum signed by the party legislator Sunil Jakhar, city Congress president Banwari Lal Nagpal besides all members of the Municipal Council (MC), the Congress said families to be displaced should be rehabilitated properly. — OC

Sriganganagar/Abohar, September 4
The North West Railways today announced suspension of rail services on some sections to kickstart long awaited conversion of the tracks from meter gauge to broad gauge on September 6. A new train for Jaipur from Hanumangarh will also be started on the same day.

Chief PRO G.L. Meena said rail traffic on the Sadulpur-Churu-Ratangarh-Sri Dungergarh section would be suspended from Sunday. Time table for some trains on the Jaipur-Reengas-Sikar-Luharu-Churu section is being changed. The affected trains include 461/462,465/466, 9735/9736, 161/162 Jaipur-Sikar/Sikar-Surajgarh Holiday special, 485/486 Jaipur-Churu, 165/166 Jaipur-Churu Holiday special, 487/488 Churu-Sikar. 711/712 Jaipur-Churu-Sriganganagar will now run between Sadulpur-Sriganganagar. 473/474 Sikar-Luharu Holiday special will run between Jaipur-Luharu with changed schedule. The new trains to be introduced by September 6 are: 463/464 Jaipur-Luharu, 467/468 Jaipur-Churu Holiday special. There will be change in the timings of the trains on the Sadulpur-Hanumangarh-Sriganganagar-Suratgarh meter gauge section. — OC

Fazilka, September 4
Congressmen of Fazilka paid tributes to YS Rajshekhar Reddy who lost his life in chopper crash on Thursday. A special tribute paying programme was organised at the Congress office of Davinder Sachdeva here today.

The party men observed two minutes silence. Senior Congress leader Rajesh Angi described him the leader of strong convictions. Municipal Councillor Davinder Kumar Sachdeva said that Reddy gave a new direction to the Congress party in AP.

Youth Congress leader Vishal Kamra, Ashok Soni, K.L. Ahuja Babu Lal, S. Sachdeva, D Chuchra, S.Baghla, G. Lal, A. Poonchhi, M.L Sharma, Dharampal Gandhi, Narinder Sachdeva also paid tributes. — OC

Sriganganagar/Abohar, September 4
Even when the weather gods played a spoilsport there was no dearth of enthusiasm among the people who thronged the flooded Maharaja Ganga Singh Stadium this afternoon at Sriganganagar to have a close look at the Bofors guns and other weapons that were on display on Friday.

Hundred of army men had been busy in organising the mega event named 'Know Your Army' for couple of weeks but rain that lashed the city for third consecutive day forced the organisers to cancel live demonstrations including the thrilling dare devils show for which the people were very eager to enjoy.

Choppers were found flying over the stadium to take stock of the prevailing situation in the morning hours.

As per sources, more than two dozen houses collapsed due to heavy downpour in the Purani Abadi area while some houses were also partly damaged in the Guru Nanak Basti.

The district officials who visited the affected areas have cordoned off the Purani Abadi locality after getting as many as 130 houses vacated.