Moga, March 18
A team of the FCI from its Noida office arrived here on Thursday and took as many as four samples of rice from the storehouse of the food agency at Dharamkot in Moga district. The analysis of these samples would be conducted at Noida.

This is the second visit of the FCI officials from the zonal office during the past fortnight in Moga. In the first week of March, the FCI officials took a few samples from the district, the report of which was yet not disclosed by the authorities concerned of the food agency.

On February 8, a team led by Chunni Lal Ram, general manager (North Zone-1) had also come here and took eight samples from the storehouses of the corporation situated at the district headquarters.

On February 5, another team led by Inder Kumar Negi, deputy general manager (quality control) collected five samples of rice from a storehouse at Ajitwal in the district.

The Tribune in its news report ‘Millers importing poor quality rice into state’ published on January 4 had exposed the modus operandi of the rice millers of Punjab, who were importing cheaper varieties of rice from outside the state and deceiving the authorities of the FCI by mixing the imported rice with the locally produced paddy varieties, the milling of which is in progress these days.

When contacted, the district manager of the FCI DK Jain said, “The collection of samples by a team from the zonal office is a routine exercise.” He said there is nothing new in it and this exercise is done by the local, regional and zonal offices during every season.

However, insiders in the rice milling industry said that there have been some differences between the analysis reports of the samples taken by the local authorities and the regional/zonal offices with regard to the rice being given to the FCI during the current season, the milling of which is still in progress.

Meanwhile, a rice miller on the condition of anonymity said that a powerful lobby of the local rice millers has tried to prevent the higher authorities from taking samples from the main storehouse of the FCI situated on its premises at the district headquarters.

It is notable that during the past three months, the rice millers/traders have imported rice worth over Rs 250 crore from other states in Punjab to mix it with the local produce.

Bathinda, March 18
Due to less supply of irrigation water through some minor canals to canal tail-end villages of this district, farmers of these villages have been facing irrigation water crisis as standing crops like wheat besides fodder, need much water to survive during these days.

Leaders of the BKU (Ugrahan) said there are about 40 such canal tail-end villages, which have been receiving water in the minors from 20 to 50 per cent of their capacity only. The villages are Gidder, Ganga, Nathana and Dhelwan (Ganga minor); Bajjoana and Gidder (Kalyan minor); Bhucho Khurd, Bhucho Kalan and Kahan Singh Wala (Bhucho Kalan minor); Bhagwangarh and Shergarh (Kot Shamir minor); and Buraj Mehma and Deon (Deon minor).

District president of the BKU (Ugrahan) Shingara Singh Mann said in some tail-end villages, including Buraj Mehma and Deon, the farmers were receiving only 10 per cent water of the minors’ capacity.

Rajinder Singh Khokhar, XEN, Bathinda Canal Division, denied there was any such crisis. He said, “However, in winter season, canals get filled with moss due to which the speed of water recedes and water level rises in canals, leading to release of more water from upper “moghas” and supply of less water at the tail-end villages.” He said the situation would continue till March 31 and later, the department would get the canals cleaned.

Meanwhile, BKU (Ugrahan) activists staged a dharna in front of the office of the XEN, Bathinda Canal Division, today to protest against less water supply in the Deon minor canal that fed tail-end villages of Buraj Mehma and Deon. Dharna was lifted when an official assured grievance redressal.

Moga, March 18
A migrant labourer Banwari Lal (36) was murdered and his wife sustained serious injuries while their eight-year-old son had a narrow escape when two youths fired at them in broad daylight just 50 metres away from the city police station in the main market of Moga, this afternoon.

As per the details available, Banwari and two of his colleagues including Arvind and Hans Ram had allegedly murdered one Raghubir Singh Babbi on June 29, 2008 at Rattian village of this district. Banwari was recently granted bail by the court while the two other alleged accused were still in judicial custody.

Today, Banwari came to the town for a court hearing and after the hearing, he was going to the main market when two youths opened fire at them. He succumbed to the injuries at the district hospital a few minutes after he was admitted to the emergency ward.

It is learnt that the child had identified the youths who opened fire at them and disclosed their names to the police The police registered a criminal case under section 302 of the IPC and under the Arms Act against the alleged accused persons in the police station (City-I) and begun investigations.

When contacted, Moga SSP Ashok Bath and SP (D) Lashkar Singh said that the police had launched a hunt to nab the alleged culprits.

Abohar, March 18
The vigilance team from Baroda House headquarters of the Railway Board which raided rural halt stations of village Odaki and Kotha-Pucci besides Hindumalkot located on the Abohar-Sriganganagar section on Wednesday has now left for New Delhi along with the relevant record for further investigation into the alleged daily ticket sales (DTS) scam, sources confirmed today.

The team comprising R Subramanian, SN Tripathi, Suraj Mal and Baljinder Tiwari reportedly interrogated Subhash Gautam (station superintendent) at Hindumalkot and the staff that was deployed at the halt stations. Though the team remained tightlipped about the outcome of the investigation conducted so far, it is learnt that the Rail Bhawan was concerned over fall in the daily ticket sales that had nosedived to about Rs 500-700 during the last six months whereas it had been about Rs 5,000 earlier.

The staff had been procuring tickets from the Hindumalkot depot against advance payment as per the rules. Since opening of bank account was not required for the stations that earn less than Rs 15,000 per day, the superintendent enjoyed the liberty of keeping the daily sales amount with him, it is learnt.

Intriguingly, the Commercial Movement Inspector (CMI) was supposed to visit the stations in question at least once in a month but he could not smell the foul play, sources added.

Jalalabad, March 18
The police succeeded in rescuing two victims, both cousins, hailing from Rajasthan from the captivity of kidnappers here on Tuesday. The police also managed to arrest two kidnappers out of three, who allegedly kidnapped two youths belonging to the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan on March 14 from the local bus stand. The kidnappers had been demanding Rs eight lakhs as ransom from the relatives to release them safe from their custody.

Police sources said that the youths namely Bhagirath and Sagar were on their way to the Central jail Ferozepur, when they were kidnapped by Manjeet Singh alias Lakha, his son Jagsir Singh alias Laddi and Jagga, father-in-law Manjeet Singh’s daughter.

Sarbjit Singh, in-charge, CIA police station, Ferozepur, when contacted, said that Jagsir Singh and Jagga had been arrested. Manjeet Singh had been absconding. He added that a case in this connection had been registered against them.

Muktsar, March 18
A colourful prize distribution function was organized at the Guru Nanak College for Girls, Muktsar, here today. SGPC president Avtar Singh was the chief guest on the occasion.

He laid the foundation stone of the Bhai Maha Singh Stadium in the college premises and donated Rs 25 lakhs for its construction. Principal Dr Tejinder Kaur read out the annual report. About 175 students received prizes for their achievements in academic, sports, cultural and religious arena.

Bathinda, March 18
With the arrest of three persons, the Bathinda police claimed to have busted a gang of car thieves, who allegedly used to sell stolen vehicles with fake number plates and registration certificates.

They have been sent on police remand for five days.

The police has recovered three cars along with some fake number plates, registration certificates and fake stamps of the transport department.

Giving details, police officials said acting upon a tip-off about drug peddling, a team of Anti-narcotics Cell intercepted a Zen car bearing number DL 6CA 3569 at a canal distributary bridge in Jodhpur Romana village on the Bathinda-Dabwali road. Frightened seeing the police, the driver vainly tried to take a U-turn, as cops encircled them. Out of the four persons in the car, the police could arrest three, namely, Amandeep Singh of village Gehari Bara Singh, Jagmel Singh of village Kheowali and Deepak Kumar of Phulo Mithi.

Raj Kumar alias Pardesi of Nathana, however, managed to flee from the spot. During search of the vehicle, the police recovered some fake registration documents, number plates and rubber stamps of the district transport office, Bathinda.

A case under the IPC has been registered against the four accused at the Sadar police station. The arrested trio was produced in the court, which sent them on five-day police remand.

During interrogation, the accused led the cops to recover two more stolen cars (an Esteem bearing number DL 5CE 2689 and a Maruti car DL 9CB 9211) along with some more documents and number plates.

Confirming details, officiating SSP Ajay Maluja said one of the arrested persons Jagmel Singh was a proclaimed offender in two cases of smuggling intoxicant powders at Patiala. “We have been interrogating the accused to ascertain their links and trace the vehicles they had sold after stealing,” he added.

Zira (Ferozepur), March 18
The local police arrested Nazar Hussain, a resident of Rajasthan, and recovered three and a half kilograms of opium from the car which was being driven by him today.

Palwinder Singh, SHO, local police station, said that Nazar Hussain, a resident of village Naiwala of Hanumangarh district was arrested during a special naka laid down on the Zira-Amritsar road today.

Opium was taken into possession in presence of the DSP Raghubir Singh, he said. During preliminary investigation, the accused had confessed the crime. The accused had already supplied opium to someone in Moga whose identity was being verified, he added. A case in this connection had been registered under the NDPS Act in the local police station, he said.

Abohar: The BSF has seized a bag that contained 10 kg of poppy husk in Hindumalkot sector, official sources said. Saurabh Sinha, inspector 192 Bn, informed the police at Hindumalkot that a cyclist ran away leaving behind the bicycle loaded with the bag when the soldiers on patrolling duty signalled him for checking near the Khakha BoP.

A case under section 8/15 of the NDPS Act has been registered.