Hisar, June 17
Tension continues to grip the Surya Nagar locality here which witnessed a Dalit-Jat clash earlier this week.

A strong police presence in the area has prevented any further violence, but residents of the area belonging to both communities are still fearful.

Local residents held at a meeting here today to discuss the situation. It was attended mainly by members of the Jat community.

The meeting demanded immediate arrest of the culprits named in the FIR.

It pointed out that though the FIR named three persons and 200 unknown persons, no arrests had been made so far.

The meeting demanded adequate compensation for three brothers - Shingara, Nazara and Jagira - whose houses and two vehicles had been damaged extensively when a mob of Dalit youths stoned their residences.

It also demanded that the licensed arms belonging to the three brothers that had been seized by the police be returned to them immediately as they were feeling insecure.

The meeting demanded shifting of the Superintendent of Police, saying that the incident took place in the presence of some policemen.

Meanwhile, the district working committee of the Indian National Lok Dal today demanded a judicial probe into the Surya Nagar violence. A resolution to this effect was passed at the meeting.

It pointed out that though there was no connection between the two incidents, a judicial probe into the latest incident would be in order.

It expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

Sultanpur (Gurgaon), June 17
Stoppage of water supply to the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary has turned the wetland into a parched stretch of land bearing water-starved vegetation. Tonnes of fish, which used to thrive in the vast puddle, have also perished as their water abode has dried up.

Perhaps in a bid to keep visitors away from the enormous stink emanating from the place due to the dead fish, the authorities concerned have decided to keep the bird sanctuary closed till July 31.

Interestingly, while local officials maintain that the the water supply had been cut for maintenance and the fish which had perished were of an African species which ate up small fish, they are clearly under pressure from their Chandigarh bosses to explain the drying up of the wetland and the perishing of the fish.

Several government officials, including Pataudi SDM Vatsal Vashisth and officers of the Wildlife Department, today camped at the bird sanctuary, where they first held a meeting and then inspected the now dry wetland.

Senior officials maintain that most of the fish which had perished comprised an African species which eats up the small fish which form the fodder for migratory birds.

“In a way, these fish disturb the natural food chain and also put off the migratory birds by consuming their food,” they point out. However, the officials do not admit that the water supply had been cut to cull these fish.

The officials further maintain that while the lake gets a water supply of 5 to 7 cusecs from October to January, it is normally discontinued afterwards as the migratory birds return.

However, residents of Sultanpur village and the adjoining areas point out that they have never seen the lake being dried up like this.

“It is really painful to see the fish perish due to lack of water,” says an elderly farmer.

All in all, it seems that howsoever hard the officials concerned may try to assert that nothing is amiss, there is something more than meets the eye at the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, which has been declared a national park by the state government. Gurgaon DC Rajender Kataria said he was looking into the matter and appropriate action would be taken after taking stock of the situation.

Chandigarh, June 17
Providing a major thrust to the education sector in Mewat, the Mewat Development Board has earmarked Rs 10.65 crore for the education sector out of its total budget of Rs 18 crore for the current financial year.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the board here today.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia and attended by Chief Minister, who is vice-chairman of the board.

The board approved the setting up of an institute of hotel management and a school of science and maths in the region.

All villages in the region with a population of 800 would have anganwari centres.

During this fiscal, a sum of Rs 10.65 crore would be spent on promotion of education, Rs 1.50 crore on community works, Rs 1 crore each on agriculture and industrial training, Rs 75 lakh on health and Rs 80 lakh on community health.

This allocation is in addition to the other state and central schemes being implemented in the area. The Governor asked the board to focus more on education, health and social upliftment.

Hooda reviewed the progress of various schemes being implemented in Mewat.

He asked for timely completion of schemes and projects for the benefit of the people.

He enquired about the progress on the Kotla-Lake project.

He was told that land acquisition for the same was in progress.

He directed framing of a public-private partnership policy for greater private participation in the developmental process.

The institute of management would be set up at Salaheri village in Nuh. The science and maths school would be constructed at Madhi on the pattern of navodaya vidyalyas. 

Jind, June 17
Members of the Kandela khap panchayat, whose dharna against the police failure to arrest the culprits of the triple murder case at Khokri village entered the third day today, got the support of HJC supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi today when he reached the spot and sat in dharna for some time.

Describing the law and order situation in the state as “the worst so far”, he alleged that successive Congress and INLD governments had failed to protect people from criminals.

He claimed that the common man was feeling highly insecure due to “unprecedented rise in crime” in the state.

He alleged that the police had been acting tough with the common people by resorting to lathi charge, but had failed to track down the criminals who had murdered three innocent women at their house at Khokri village 37 days ago.

Yamunanagar, June 17
The police today launched a search for former IG MS Ahlawat, booked in a molestation case, after he failed to appear before the police, despite a notice sent to him.

Besides raiding possible hideouts within the state, a police team has also been sent out as Ahlawat is believed to have a number of hideouts in neighbouring states.

The notice was sent to Ahlawat under Section 160 of the CrPC at his Panchkula residence after his anticipatory bail application was dismissed by the court here yesterday. Ahlawat, booked under Sections 354, 323 and 506 of IPC, was asked to appear before the city police, Yamunanagar.

When contacted, SP Sibash Kabiraj said: “We have found that Ahlawat has a number of hideouts outside the state. We have constituted five teams to arrest him. Four of these teams will look for him within the state.

“One team will raid possible hideouts outside the state.

A notice has been pasted by the police outside Ahlawat's Panchkula residence while a lookout notice has also been issued and all airports alerted so that he is not able to flee the country,” the SP said.

"Ahlawat is absconding. We searched for him at his Panchkula residence today, but did not find him there. Nor did we get any information about his whereabouts," he said.

Ahlawat allegedly molested Arvinder Kaur, a local resident, and threatened to defame her while posted as SP, Yamunanagar, in 2002. A case was registered against him on June 8 on the directive of DGP RS Dalal.

Chandigarh: A day after his anticipatory bail application was turned down in a molestation case, Haryana’s former IG MS Ahlawat moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday.

His petition will come up before the vacation Bench on Friday, as the court is observing summer break. Ahlawat’s bail plea was rejected by Yamunanagar District and Sessions Judge RC Godara on Wednesday after it was strongly opposed by public prosecutors and the complainant’scounsel. They argued that the custody of the former Inspector-General of Police was imperative to take samples of his voice and handwriting.

Once granted bail, he could use his influence to tamper with evidence, it was argued. — TNS

Panchkula, June 17
After the Rathore and Ahlawat cases, now HCS officer Virender Sehrawat, posted as SDM, Gohana, may find himself in trouble.

Vishu Phogat, a resident of Panipat, met Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today, alleging that the police was harassing her at the behest of the officer, booked in a criminal case under Sections 376, 511, 506, 292 and 34,IPC, by the Ganaur police on September 20, 2008.

She said the police had removed some Sections from the complaint against the officer and had booked her for allegedly instigating Sehrawat’s wife to commit suicide. Vishu, in her complaint, had alleged that she met Sehrawat in Janaury 2007 in connection with some “domestic work”. During their meetings, he proposed to her, saying he was seeking a divorce from his wife.

She alleged that Sehrawat even tried to molest her.

On November 9, 2008, the bodies of Sehrawat’s wife and their two children were recovered from his residence.

The police found a suicide note by the officer’s wife, blaming a woman teacher for making life hell for her and her children. A revolver was found at the crime spot.

Vishu said the CM had assured her of an inqury into all allegations by the crime branch, but she had pleaded that the case be handed over to the CBI.

Chulkana (Panipat), June 17
Residents of this dusty little village have been living under the constant fear of some goons who, despite having been booked by the police for carrying out a murderous attack on a village shopkeeper about a month ago, have been moving around freely, challenging the law and order machinery of the district.

It was an attack on Manoj, owner of a small tea shop here, on May 12 that instilled the fear of these goons in the minds of the villagers, who saw him almost battered to death for refusing to give them some “freebies” from his shop.

The goons, who were promptly identified by the villagers, assaulted Manoj with rods and swords breaking his jaw and inflicting several injuries on his head. He was rushed to the Civil Hospital soon after the attack, from where doctors referred him to the PGI, Rohtak.

Manoj’s brother Satish Kumar said villagers’ pleas for the arrest of the accused had failed to move senior police officials. He said so far only three of the seven accused had surrendered before the police, while the others continued to move around in the village claiming that they had given “Rs 4 lakh to the police” and no one could harm them.

The sarpanch of the village, Pawan Kumar, said they reported the matter at the Samalkha police station, where an FIR was registered against seven persons - Sunder, Krishna, Dharampal, Telu, Pappa, Natrepal and Babu. He said three accused had surrendered themselves before the police, but it was just to “cover up things”. The other four were still threatening the villagers. The sarpanch demanded action against them.

Manoj’s elder brother Gyanendra said even after a month, his brother’s condition was critical and despite this the accused persons had somehow managed to get him discharged from the PGI, Rohtak. He said they were not in a position to challenge doctors at the PGI, who were asking them to take him home and give whatever medicines had been prescribed.