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TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

Harvesting marks Baisakhi celebrations
Sriganganagar/Abohar, April 14
Even when severe heat wave conditions prevailed over north-western Rajasthan with border district of Sriganganagar recording 45 degree Celsius, the highest in the state, the region soaked in Baisakhi celebrations on Wednesday.

Women harvesting wheat crop in Budhranwali village of Sadulshehar. Photo: Raj Sadosh

Women harvesting wheat crop in Budhranwali village of Sadulshehar

Thin attendance at fair
Talwandi Sabo, April 14
Thousands of devotees took a dip in the holy sarovar and paid obeisance at the Takht Sri Damdama Sahib to mark the Baiskahi celebrations. But the attendance was less in comparison to the previous years.

Villagers protest against installation of liquor vend
Barnala, April 14
It appears that villagers in the state have become aware of the harmful effects of wine. Today, owing to stiff resistance from the villagers in Patti Sekhwaan who raised anti-excise department and anti-state government slogans.

Mann rues decay in system of governance
Talwandi Sabo, April 14
At a largely attended conference, the leaders of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) today attacked the “decaying system of governance.” Simranjit Singh Mann, the party president lashed out at the ruling SAD (B) as well as at the Congress.
President of the SAD (A) Simranjit Singh Mann at the political conference of his party in Talwandi Sabo on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

Land Acquisition
Protesters arrested
Bathinda, April 14
The local police last night and today arrested 21 protesters, including Malkiat Kaur (35) who was on an indefinite hunger strike since March 31 here, and president of the General Samaj Party (GSP) Suresh Kumar Goyal, under whose leadership the agitation by the residents of local Mehna Basti and Amarpura Basti was in progress.

Man gets life term for killing wife
Moga, April 14
The additional district and sessions judge of Moga SK Aggarwal has recently sentenced a man and one of his associates to life imprisonment after having been found guilty of murdering his wife, three years back.

Dr Ambedkar remembered
Abohar, April 14
The city unit of the BJP this time took a lead in celebrating Dr BR Ambedkar’s 119th birth anniversary in a befitting way on Wednesday. Workers of the saffron party assembled at the office of city president Manu Jaiswal, offered sweets at Shiv temple and marched to Ghantaghar Chowk.

	Dalit youth alleges torture by cops Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service Moga, April 14 A Dalit youth was allegedly tortured, paraded naked and subjected to obscene abuses when he surrendered before the police to free his wife from illegal detention at Ajitwal police station in Moga on Saturday and Sunday. The police was so ‘brutal’ to him that when the journalists tried to talk to him in the district hospital just after his medical check-up on Tuesday, the SHO not only inhumanly dragged him by his collar but while leaving the hospital premises on a private car was caught on camera directing the driver to crush one of the journalists from the electronic media under his car. The victim, a Dalit youth, Harry Singh, son of Pal Singh, presently residing at Dala village originally hailing from Dhurkot village while talking to The Tribune in the district hospital alleged that his wife was picked up by the police on Saturday over a family dispute. “I was produced before the police by the panchayat to free my wife from illegal custody,” he said. Harry said that he was brutally tortured, stripped naked and given severe beatings on his back with ‘pattas’ leaving him almost unconscious on Saturday night. “On Sunday, I was again beaten up,” he said. Darshan Singh, a member of the panchayat said that he went along with him in the presence of other villagers to the police station to surrender him, following which, his wife was immediately released from the illegal custody. Adding that he was surprised to know that Harry was booked by the police under sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act by showing a recovery of five kg poppy husk from his possession, Darshan said that Harry did not have poppy husk when he surrendered before the police. “I do not know from where the poppy husk has come,” he added. SHO Balbir Singh, when contacted on phone, refuted all the allegations and said that poppy husk was recovered from his possession by sub-inspector Jarnail Singh and the youth was not tortured in police custody. “We have got his medical examination conducted including X-Ray and nothing has come out of it,” he added. On the other hand, Dr Jasdeep Singh who conducted the medical examination of Harry revealed to the media persons that bruise marks were visible on his back along with swelling and marks on the left ankle, which he has written in the medico-legal report. However, no deep injury or fracture was detected from the X-Ray report, he said. Meanwhile, a local court has sent the victim to judicial custody for 14 days. It was learnt from reliable sources that he has so far not been given medical treatment in the judicial custody despite the fact that he could not walk properly.
	Rich tributes paid to 1971 war heroes at Asafwala Praful Chander Nagpal Fazilka, April 14 Army personnel of four Jat regiment posted at Jammu and Kashmir with office-bearers and War Memorial Committee Asafwala (Fazilka) paid glowing tributes to the war heroes of 1971 Indo-Pak war at the Asafwala War Memorial, here today. Hari Shankar Chaube, religious preacher of the Four Jat Regiment accompanied by other jawans of the regiment performed peace ‘yagya’ in memory of the martyrs. War memorial committee founder president Dr Rattan Lal Thakral, general secretary Mohan Lal Paruthi, vice-president Umesh Chander Kukkar, author Shashi Kant, executive members Lajwanti Devi, Sanjay Juneja and others also participated in the yagya. Jai Lal, brother of martyr Subedar Khanniya Lal from Hisar (Haryana) and Khema Ram brother of martyr constable Ishwar Singh, resident of district Jhunjhunu with their family members, also joined in the wreath laying ceremony. The memorial was first built on a small piece of about half acre land. It was unveiled by the Giani Zail Singh who was then the chief minister of Punjab in 1972. War Memorial Committee president Dr Rattan Lal Thakral said the memorial is under repair these days and the renovation would be completed soon to give it an attractive new look.
	Harvesting marks Baisakhi celebrations Our Correspondent Sriganganagar/Abohar, April 14 Even when severe heat wave conditions prevailed over north-western Rajasthan with border district of Sriganganagar recording 45 degree Celsius, the highest in the state, the region soaked in Baisakhi celebrations on Wednesday. Hundreds of devotees, Sikhs as well as Hindus, started visiting gurdwaras early morning not only in the district town but also at Raisinghnagar where raagis from Rama Mandi of Malwa region and students of Mata Gujari School performed Shabad Kirtan. The managing committee of Gurdwara Singh Sabha in the border town of Gharsana had especially invited the ‘dhadhi jatha’ led by Karnail Singh Komal from Punjab to perform Kirtan. The festival of fun and folic, the festival of gaiety was also celebrated in Suratgarh, Srikaranpur, Padampur and Hanumangarh. Braving the scorching heat, many dedicated women devotees were found harvesting wheat around the naam charcha complex of the Dera Sacha Sauda at village Budhranwali in the Sadulshehar area.
	Thin attendance at fair Rajay Deep Tribune News Service Talwandi Sabo, April 14 Thousands of devotees took a dip in the holy sarovar and paid obeisance at the Takht Sri Damdama Sahib to mark the Baiskahi celebrations. But the attendance was less in comparison to the previous years. The absence of bigwigs in the Congress conference, early arrival of wheat harvesting season and the clash of celebration dates were seen as factors that dimmed the charm of the fair. It was observed that most devotees had paid obeisance and taken a holy dip in the sarovar on Tuesday itself (April 13) and the crowd visiting the Takht Sahib today, was mainly interested in political conferences, organised by almost every political party. Though the fair was sparsely attended, it kept the police on its toes. A large number of cops were deployed at the fair as there were secret reports about the expected arrival of two suspected criminal masterminds — Bakhsheesh Singh and Harminder Singh. Bakhsheesh Singh was the suspected mastermind behind the attack on the convoy of Dera Sacha Sauda chief on February 2, 2008 at Nilokheri. Harminder Singh was the prime accused in the Shingar cinema blast, that took place in Ludhiana on October 14, 2007. Cops were seen carrying the pictures of the two criminals and posters were pasted on walls outside Takht Sahib complex. The heavy deployment of police, however, failed to manage vehicular traffic as road blockades were common. As part of the Nanhi Chhaan programme— a drive to grow plants and save the girl child— plants were distributed as 'Boota Parsad'. A long queue was seen at main langar hall inside Gurudwara premises. The favourite drink of the Nihangs 'Ghota' was seen being prepared at various places. As the occasion directly concerned the farmers, companies displayed tractors, agricultural tools, seeds etc.
	Villagers protest against installation of liquor vend Shariq Majeed Tribune News Service Barnala, April 14 It appears that villagers in the state have become aware of the harmful effects of wine. Today, owing to stiff resistance from the villagers in Patti Sekhwaan who raised anti-excise department and anti-state government slogans, the excise department along with the contractors had to wind up their plan of opening a liquor vend in the village. Local sources said that this afternoon a team of the excise department officials of Barnala headed by its inspector Baldev Raj Garg accompanied by contractors and heavy posse of police force reached Patti Sekhwaan village to install liquor vend at the village. However, sources said that owing to stiff resistance from the villagers the excise department officials, contractors wound up the plan of opening up a new vend at the village. Sarpanch of the village, Jasvir Kour revealed to media persons that the villagers did not allow anyone to open liquor vend and in future also they would not allow the same. “When the gram panchayat got the information about the authorities plan to open a liquor vend, we requested the Deputy Commissioner and excise department against the same. I fail to understand why they did not respect our wishes and sent the inspector to get a liquor vend opened in our village,” Kour said. Even as Excise inspector confirmed to the media that the department had got an application from villagers on March 31 who had sought that government should not get a liquor vend opened in the village, but the inspector failed to give concrete answer to query that why they were getting a vend opened even as villagers had requested against it?

Land Acquisition
Protesters arrested
Sushil Goyal/TNS

Bathinda, April 14
The local police last night and today arrested 21 protesters, including Malkiat Kaur (35) who was on an indefinite hunger strike since March 31 here, and president of the General Samaj Party (GSP) Suresh Kumar Goyal, under whose leadership the agitation by the residents of local Mehna Basti and Amarpura Basti was in progress, seeking adequate compensation and allotment of 100-yard plots in lieu of their lands acquired by the government for the construction of a bypass.

SHO Gurjit Singh Romana said the police arrested 13 persons, including five women protesters, the previous night from the dharna site while it today arrested eight more persons, including organising secretary of the GSM Sham Lal Bishnandi under Section 107 and 151 of the Cr. P.C.

He further said the police produced the arrested persons before the local SDM K.P.S. Mahi today who sent them in judicial custody for 14 days.

Man gets life term for killing wife

Moga, April 14
The additional district and sessions judge of Moga SK Aggarwal has recently sentenced a man and one of his associates to life imprisonment after having been found guilty of murdering his wife, three years back.

A criminal case under various sections of the IPC was registered against Jagtar Singh and seven of his associates for allegedly killing his wife Kiran Pal Kaur at Dharamkot police station. Jagtar reportedly strangulated his wife to death with the help of his friends.

SK Aggarwal additional district and sessions judge has sentenced Jagtar Singh and Gurcharan Singh life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each on them. In default, to pay the fine, they would have to undergo another three years in imprisonment. — TNS

Dr Ambedkar remembered
Our Correspondent

Abohar, April 14
The city unit of the BJP this time took a lead in celebrating Dr BR Ambedkar’s 119th birth anniversary in a befitting way on Wednesday. Workers of the saffron party assembled at the office of city president Manu Jaiswal, offered sweets at Shiv temple and marched to Ghantaghar Chowk.

Jaiswal along with former MLA Dr Ram Kumar Goyal, former district secretary Sandeep Rinwa and former city president Bhupinder Snehi garlanded the lifesize statue of Dr Ambedkar.