Bathinda, April 1
Providing a bit of relief to the unfavourable sex ratio in the state, the number of girls born during the past six years in 24 villages of the Bathinda district has been either more or equal to the number of boys born during the period, a village-wise report prepared by the district health authorities states.

These 24 villages are Natt, Chanarthal and Thamangarh in Maur block; Kotra Kaura and Kararwala in Rampura block; Lakhi Jangal, Beer Behman, Gill Patti, Karamgarh Satran, Goniana, Kothe Phula Singh and Bhagu in Bathinda block; Gatwali, Tarkhanwala, Jogeana and Manuana in Talwandi Sabo block; Rai Ke Khurd, Dunewala, Kothe Sangat and Batti Patti in Sangat block; Buraj Dalla, Joga Nand and Kothe Kartarpur in Nathana block; and Bhai Rupa in Phul block.

Out of these, four villages, namely Chanarthal, Karamgarh Satran, Bhagu and Batti Patti, were selected and honoured with a cash prize of Rs 1.50 lakh each in January last at a state-level function held by the state health authorities.

In these villages, past six years saw more baby girls born against the number of boys. In Chanarthal, 115 female babies and 89 male babies took birth while in Karamgarh Satran, 84 girls and 71 boys, in Bhagu 79 girls and 56 boys, and in Batti Patti 73 girls and 58 boys were born.

As per the 1991 Census, the sex ratio (0 to six years) in Bathinda district was 860 while in the 2001 Census, it declined to 785, which meant that there were 785 female babies against 1,000 male babies in the district.

However, an officer of the health department, seeking anonymity, claimed that as per registration of births, the sex ratio in 2009 was more than 825.

According to information available, though there are only 73 ultra-sound centres in the Bathinda district, it has reportedly taken a lead in the state in launching cases in courts against the ultra-sound centres. In Bathinda district, 12 cases have been launched in courts since the implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act 1994. In Ludhiana and Jalandhar districts, 10 cases each had been launched so far. These districts have 232 and 228 ultrasound centres, respectively.

Gidderbaha (Muktsar), April 1
Exposing a scam in the distribution of ration meant for APL families, police today recovered about 900 bags of illegally stocked subsidized wheat from the ration depots in the home district of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Eight depot holders of different villages have been booked along with one inspector of the food and supply department, whose connivance was allegedly corroborated through the documents police seized.

Though all booked persons managed to flee, police arrested the husband of a depot holder of Kotbhai village.

Acting upon a tip-off, Gidderbaha police conducted a raid at the ration depot in Kotbhai village. Finding 648 bags of wheat illegally stored there, police immediately nabbed one Surjeet Singh, who was running the depot in his wife's name.

Interrogating him, police got a lead and checked one more ration depot at Bhalaiana village from where about 250 more bags of wheat were seized. Taking a cue, police conducted raids at depots in Kauni and Khidkiyanwala villages also.

Going through the documents, police corroborated that all holders of the ration depots were hand-in-glove and used to sell the subsidized wheat to flour mills at discretionary rates.

Acting upon the evidence, police booked the depot holders, namely Saroj and Balmukand of Kotbhai village, Krishan Kumar of Bhalaiana, Satnam Singh, Ranjeet Singh, Gurdev Singh of Kauni village, Balvir Singh and Kaur Singh of Khidkiyan wala village under section 406, 420 of the IPC and 7 of the Essential Commodities Act.

Meanwhile, going through the records and the statement of one arrested person, police booked Krishan Brar, an inspector of food and supply department, who allegedly got his share in the whole process.

Confirming details, the DSP Gidderbaha, Jagjit Singh Bhagtana said, "We have been suspecting the connivance of many officials of the food and supply department in the illegal practice. We have launched an operation to arrest all the accused through whose interrogation we will try to nab all their accomplices."

The DFSC, Muktsar said, "As soon as the report comes to me, I will take appropriate action against the guilty depot holders."

"Their licenses can also be cancelled," the DFSC added.

Ferozepur, April 1
Sandeep Singh, a resident of village Bhamba Landa of this district was shot by a group of goons in Manila, the capital of Philippines on Wednesday when he resisted their attempt to loot him.

Sandeep, a 23-year-old youth, suffered bullet injuries in his chest and an arm when the goons fired at him from close range. Family sources said that Sandeep was living in Manila with his wife. He was battling for life in a hospital. His condition was stated to be critical by the doctors.

Sandeep migrated to Manila about three years ago. He managed to establish finance business in Manila within a short span of three years. Today, he was going to collect installments of the loans advanced by his finance company to various individuals and business establishments when he was attacked by the goons.

Sources said that Sandeep resisted the attempts of goons to loot him of the currency, which he had been carrying along with him. Frustrated over the resistance, one of the goons opened fire from a pistol and hit him on chest and one of the arms. He was rushed to the nearby hospital immediately, sources added.

Jaskaran Singh, father of Sandeep said that he had been trying to get the visa of Philippines so that he could reach his son without any delay.

He said that he had also urged the authorities concerned to take up the matter with Philippines government so that goons could be brought to book. 

Fazilka, April 1
The sleuths of BSF today recovered three kilograms of heroin and fake Indian currency (FIC) of Rs 99,000 from a farm located in the close vicinity of the Indo-Pak border in village Gulaba Bhaini of this sub-division. The value of heroin seized by the BSF today is around Rs 15 crores in the international market.

Information gathered by TNS revealed that smugglers in Pakistan had been trying to push maximum quantity of narcotics, weapons and FIC to India from the Indo-Pak border falling Punjab by taking advantage of the height of ripened wheat crop alongside the Zero Line.

Vimal Satyarthi, DIG, BSF, Abohar sector, who inspected the site from where the narcotics and FIC was recovered said that there were six packets of heroin containing 500 grams each and wrapped with tape.

The FIC was of wads of notes of Rs 500 denomination. A case in this connection had been registered, he said. — TNS

Abohar, April 1
Battlelines have been drawn between two groups of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) over the “compensation” that was allegedly received for “underhand” distribution among the farmers who had suffered a major loss due to sub-standard Bt cotton seed that was supplied by a private company through multipurpose cooperative societies, sources said.

Intriguingly, senior 
officers of agriculture department too had advocated during the sponsored Kisan melas in favour of this particular seed brand.

The faction headed by the BKU state vice-president Gurjant Singh of Rampura described the allegations levelled by the break-away group and asserted that it had nothing to do with the compromise that might have been brokered between the company and the farmers who had been virtually ruined by using the BT cotton seed.

The meeting in this connection was attended today by block president Budh Ram Bishnoi, vice-presidents Major Singh Muradwala and Subhash Godara.

The warring faction that had formed action committee to get the alleged scam probed by the Vigilance department also had a meeting today.

Those present included senior vice- president Nishan Singh Doda, general secretary Hanuman Seetogunno, finance secretary Baldev Singh and district organizing secretary Rohtas Bhagsar.

The meeting vide a resolution alleged that Rs eight lakh had been received by some senior functionaries but it was misappropriated.

Bhagsar alleged the alleged culprits had tried to influence him for not raising the issue.

Mool Chand Amarpura was authorised to carry signature campaign in the villages to press the demand for high-level probe through the Vigilance department as the amount of alleged underhand deal was expected to be higher. 

Chandigarh, April 1
International shooter Sorab Singh Gill’s aim is still not clearly within his sight.

Even after the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed India and other respondents to accord Gill - overseas citizen of India — “same status as an NRI” for representing the country in international sports events, the judgment has still not been implemented. So far, he has just been given a conditional go-ahead to participate in an international event. Currently in Bangkok, Gill has again moved the high court.

On his petition that came up for hearing this morning, Justice Rajive Bhalla observed: “Counsel for the respondents (the Union of India and others) states that in case the Shooting Federation of India allows the petitioner to be a part of the Indian national team and to participate in the ongoing tournament at Bangkok, the Ministry of Sports, Government of India, would have no objection”. April 4 has been fixed as the next date of hearing in the case. 

Bathinda, April 1
Suspecting his 32-year-old wife of having an illicit relationship, a peasant brutally killed her by repeatedly attacking her with a Ghotna (pestle) at village Malkana in the district this evening. However, kin of deceased Karamjeet Kaur accused her husband and his kin of murdering her due to domestic dispute.

In the police statement, maternal uncle of the deceased, Gulzar Singh accused her husband Nirmal Singh, his brothers Ram Pal Singh and Jagga Singh and mother Bachan Kaur of regularly torturing her.

He alleged that Karamjeet’s sister was married to Ram Pal Singh but she suffered from rheumatism and became bed-ridden. About six-month back, her in-laws deserted her. Since the day, they were putting pressure on Karamjeet for arranging Ram Pal’s marriage with one of her cousins. She was resisting their direction and was, as a result, abused and beaten up.

On the other hand, villagers informed that Nirmal Singh had doubts over the character of his wife, which led to her murder.

Giving details, DSP Talwandi Sabo, Surinder Pal Singh said acting upon the statement of bereaved family, the police was going to book her husband, brothers-in-law and mother-in-law under sections 302 and 34 of the IPC at the Rama police station. But till the filing of the news, the case could not be registered and only Nirmal had been rounded up.

Replying to a query, the DSP confirmed that Nirmal Singh had doubt over the character of Karamjeet Kaur but refused to divulge details.

The deceased was blessed with two sons, two-and-half month old and five-month old.

Bathinda, April 1
A meeting of the state executive of the Nationalist Conference Party (NCP) was held here today under the chairmanship of state president Swaran Singh. The meeting thanked Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar for providing a drought relief package of Rs 800 crore to Punjab. Pawar was also thanked for sanctioning Rs 50 crore under the National Horticulture Mission for the development of horticulture in the state. 

The NCP also urged CM Parkash Singh Badal to release the pending amount of Rs 1.93 crore for the sportspersons of the state who had won medals in the National Games 2007 held in Assam. An NCP spokesman said the meeting lauded the decision of Union Sports Minister MS Gill for declaring the national sports federations receiving a grant of Rs 10 lakh or more as public authority under section 2(h) of the Right to Information Act, 2005. — TNS