Bathinda, May 13
As many as 10 persons, including two women, suffered injuries from gunshots and sharp-edged weapons during a clash that took place over the possession of a piece of land in the Bhagta Bhai Ka town, about 40 km from here, of this district today.

All the injured, who were lying in the fields when a police party led by DSP Vinod Chaudhary and Bhagta Bhai Ka police station SHO Daljit Singh arrived, were immediately shifted to the nearby Civil Hospital.

The injured have been identified as Hardev Singh, Kulwant Singh, Balbir Singh, Jagdev Singh, Chinder Singh, Nachhattar Singh, Darshan Singh, Naseeb kaur, Mukhtiar Kaur, Inderjit Singh, Gurdev Singh and Deepak Chawla.

As the condition of most of the injured was not stable, they were immediately referred to the Civil Hospital, Bathinda. Six out of the 10 injured persons were brought to the Bathinda Civil Hospital and were further referred to the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot.

About three injured persons were receiving treatment in another hospital located on the outskirts of this town.

Sources in the Civil Hospital said the condition of Inderjit Singh, Mukhtiar Kaur and two other injured was stated to be serious. Most of the injured had suffered multiple injuries, including head injuries.

Police sources said the clash among two parties started when a group led by Hardev Singh, a former chairman of Market Committee, entered the piece of land on the Society road which was in the possession of Gurdev Singh and was being cultivated by the latter for past many years.

While Hardev and his associates entered the land claiming that they had won a case in connection with the ownership and possession of the land from the relevant court of law, the other party led by Gurdev Singh resisted their attempts to take the land in their (Hardev and his associates) possession.

Some persons from Gurdev Singh’s house, which was close to the disputed piece of land, also reached the spot. A clash ensued. Within a few minutes, most of those involved in the clash were lying in an injured condition in the same fields.

Bathinda SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill said the preliminary inquiry revealed that Hardev Singh was carrying a double barrel gun when he allegedly entered the piece of land which was said to be in the possession of Gurdev Singh. The SSP said as to who made the first attack which led to the clash could be known only after an investigation into the case begins.

He said apart from gun, swords were also used in the clash. About eight empty shells were recovered from the site of the clash, he added.

A case in this connection would be registered under Section 307 of the IPC and Section 25 of the Arms Act, the SSP said.

Bathinda, May 13
Though the three-day pen-down strike being observed since May 11 by the ministerial staff (clerical cadre) on the call of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union (PSMSU) ended in the state today, a section of the ministerial staff in various districts is in favour of continuing the strike for an indefinite period to compel the state government to accept their long-standing demands, a state-level leader of the union said this evening.

The main demands of the union include release of a grant of Rs 100 crore for the clerks, stenos etc in lieu of their demand for higher pay-scale (Rs 10,300- 34,800), 20 per cent house rent allowance to the employees working in Bathinda and Patiala cities, conveyance allowance to the ministerial staff and no delay in imparting computer training to the clerks who have not passed Punjabi typing test so far.

State general secretary of the PSMSU Raman Kumar Sharma said a state-level meeting of the executive body of the union would be held tomorrow at Jalandhar, in which the future strategy of the agitation would be finalised.

Sharma said that the union would mainly discuss five points — continuation of the pen-down strike, a massive rally at Lambi (the Assembly constituency of the Chief Minister), court arrest, mass casual leave and fast-unto-death.

He said that as the government was not paying attention towards their demands and the promises made to the union, the latter was left with no other option except for chalking out a concrete programme.

Patron of the PSMSU Darshan Singh Bajaj said this was an election year and in case the ruling alliance ran away from its promises, it would have to bear the negative effect of the situation during the ensuing Assembly elections.

Bajaj said despite the three-day strike, the union did not get any response to their demands, from the government so far.

Meanwhile, due to the pen-down strike, the normal functioning in various government offices here remained paralysed for the third consecutive day today.

The employees also held a rally near the Suwidha Centre located on the premises of the Mini-secretariat here.

Among those present at the rally included district president of the union Sukhpal Singh Sidhu, patron Darshan Singh Bajaj, Meharjit Singh (DC office), Amarjit Sharma (Public Health), Kulwinder Kaur (Animal Husbandry), Gurdev Singh (Health) and Khushkaran Singh (Excise).

Rampura Phul, May 13
Hundreds of activists belonging to different farmer and labourer unions today staged a dharna in front of the office of local sub-divisional magistrate to pressurise the Punjab Government to take action against those policemen who committed atrocities on the residents of Selbrah village in the first week of this month.

The protesters alleged that though various organisations had submitted a memorandum to senior civil and police functionaries of the district to inquire into the Selbrah village incident and subsequently take action against the guilty cops, nothing concrete had come out of the same.

Those who addressed the dharna included Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president of the BKU (Ugrahan), Buta Singh Burj Gill, president of the BKU (Dakonda), and representatives of BKU (Krantikari), Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union and Krantikari Pendu Majdoor Union.

They alleged that when the residents of Selbrah lodged a peaceful protest against the opening of a liquor vend in the village, a large contingent of the Punjab Police descended on the village on May 2 and beat up residents, damaged household goods and drove cattle away.

They said about 19 public organisations, including social and religious bodies, had submitted the memorandum to the district administration against the opening of illegal liquor vend in the Selbrah village.

However, the authorities concerned were bent on allowing the liquor vend to run in the village, allegedly under political pressure. The villagers were beaten up by policemen with the sole aim of curbing their voice which was being raised against the acts of the SAD-BJP government, they alleged.

They said that their agitation would continue till the guilty policemen were put behind bars.

Bathinda, May 13
Led by state president of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) Kiranjit Singh Gehri, activists of the party and family members of the 20 Dalits (men and women) of Selbrah village, who are in jail, began an indefinite dharna outside the Mini-secretariat here today demanding an unconditional release of the jailed Dalits.

These persons were arrested on May 2 on the charge of attacking the police on April 30 evening when a clash had reportedly taken place between the police and the villagers over the opening of a liquor shop in the Sebrah village near Rampura Phul.

Gehri asked the state government to order a judicial inquiry into the atrocities committed on Dalits by the police in Selbrah.

He said someone was trying to open a liquor shop about two weeks ago in a house in the village, which was opposed by the villagers, especially the Dalits. He further alleged that in place of initiating an action against the person concerned, the police committed atrocities on the Dalits and put them behind bars.

Terming the arrested Dalits as innocent, Gehri gave an ultimatum to the government that if they were not released soon then the agitation would be intensified.

The protesters also raised slogans against the Punjab Government and the police and in favour of the release of those arrested.

Among those present on the dharna site were national secretary of Yuva LJP Jagdeep Singh Gehri, state president of Jabar Julam Virodhi Front Raj Singh Todar Mal, district president of the LJP Raja Singh Sivian and a Block Samiti member Thana Singh.

Moga, May 13
The District and Sessions court of Moga today acquitted the local Congress MLA Joginder Pal Jain, another local Congress leader Harnek Singh Ramuwala and a few others in an attempt to murder case, which was registered against them during the panchayat elections in May 2008.

As per the case file, an FIR in this regard was registered against them under Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act and Sections 307, 148 and 149 of the IPC on May 26, 2008. The complainant, Guriqbal Singh, had stated to the police that his brother Hargopal Singh was contesting for the post of panch in the panchayat elections.

He alleged that Jain and one of his associates, Harnek Singh, along with a few others, made an attempt to eliminate him. He further alleged that they first opened fire at his brother and later, Jain tried to crush him under a car. Soon after the incident, Jain moved an application before the court of the then Additional Sessions Judge BS Sandhu, who granted him an interim relief by staying his arrest for the time being, because the process of the elections was in progress at that time.

In the meantime, the case was transferred to the Additional Sessions Court of Amarjot Kaur Bhatti.

She rejected his application for bail on September 13, 2008 as the MLA did not join the police 
investigation. Later, Justice Arvind Kumar, on November 11, 2008, confirmed the anticipatory bail granted to him. Jain, through counsel Sant Pal Singh Sidhu, had moved the High Court following the dismissal of his anticipatory bail plea by the Sessions Court.

Additional Sessions Judge Sukhwinder Kaur, while taking up the case today acquitted all the alleged accused including the MLA as the prosecution failed to testify the evidence of the eye-witnesses in the court.

It was learnt that the complainant and his brother (eye-witnesses), both had been declared proclaimed offenders by a local court in another case, due to which, they could not testify their evidence. Moreover, the High Court, reacting to a petition filed by the MLA, had recently directed the sessions court to decide the case in a fixed period of time. 

Mansa, May 13
The people of this cotton rich district, also known as the most illiterate district of Punjab, have a reason to feel pride over the achievements of its three residents, who managed to figure in the list of the successful candidates of the Civil Services Exams conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The literacy rate of Mansa district is 62.8 per cent, the lowest in Punjab as per the report of Census-2011. Mansa was also once known as Asia’s ‘wettest’ place due to the high consumption of liquor in the area. This is perhaps for the first time that three residents of this district have made it to the civil services merit list in one go.

In the past, some candidates from the district have been selected for the IAS, IPS and allied services.

Shruti, a resident of Bhikhi, who has been working as a medico in one of the wings of the Punjab government, secured 578th rank in the overall merit list after getting basic and professional education at Bhikhi, Bathinda and other places of Punjab.

Lukesh Singla, another resident got 870th rank in the overall merit list. Lukesh, who has got education at Mansa, Bathinda, Patiala and Delhi, has done Masters in Business Administration and has been serving in the Excise and Taxation Department of Punjab, presently.

Vinay Kumar, a resident of Bareta, has also brought laurels to the area by getting 919th rank in the overall merit list of successful candidates of the Civil Services Exams of UPSC. Vinay has done Bachelor in Engineering (BE).

The Mansa district has also got the rare distinction of producing a scientist, Madan Lal, a resident of Budhlada, who designed and fabricated the Moon Impact Probe (MIP), which was released on the moon by Chandrayaan-1 in November 2008.

Information gathered by the TNS revealed that the district administration was working out a plan to hold a function to honour the three candidates fort their achievement. 

Ferozepur, May 13
The police have registered a case against nine Congressmen including former PPCC secretary Harinder Singh Sangha (Bittu) under Sections 323/148/149/336/34 of the IPC on the basis of a complaint lodged by Gurwinder Singh, vice-president, Youth Congress, Block Ghal Khurd, of this district.

Others against whom a case has been registered include Rohit Grover, Avtar Singh, Ajay Joshi, ex-MCB, Vishaldeep Singh, Balbir Singh Bath, Chamkaur Singh, Kulwant Rai and Sanjay Gupta, Block President Congress, Ferozepur Cantonment. Gurwinder Singh, who is admitted to the local civil hospital, was hurt in a brawl between the two rival factions of the Congress during a party meeting on May 11. The meeting was held to work out the modalities for the organisation of the May 17 Congress rally to be addressed by the PPCC chief Captain Amarinder Singh.

During the meeting, the two Congress factions owing allegiance to Ravinder Singh Babbal and Parminder Singh Pinki, respectively, had an altercation, following which, they exchanged blows and even threw chairs at each other. The meeting was presided over by Harminder Singh Jassi, MLA and was attended by Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi MLA and Balmukand Sharma besides other senior Congress leaders of the area. In his comlaint, Gurwinder alleged that during the brawl, Harinder Singh Sangha, along with other Congressmen hit him with an iron rod and later fired shots at his car while he was being taken to the civil hospital.

Yesterday, Ravinder Singh Babbal along with his supporters and Congress workers had sat on a dharna in front of the Kulgarhi police station demanding registration of a criminal case against Harinder Singh and other Congressmen. Meanwhile, Harinder Singh Sangha, brother-in-law of Pinki, denying all the allegations, demanded a CBI probe to ascertain the veracity of the facts. He also demanded that the car at which gun shots were supposedly fired should be sent for forensic examination. 

Bathinda, May 13
The biggest joint exercise ‘Vijayee Bhava’ of the Kharga Corps and Western Air Command in the Suratgarh sector of North Rajasthan entered its crucial culmination phase today.

According to SD Goswami, spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence, the month-long training was progressively structured to build on from the smallest unit upwards and today it is the entire Corps which is being put through its paces in a simulated battlefield environment against an exercise enemy. The exercise has also provided an opportunity to evaluate and test new equipment, technology and concepts of modern warfare, he added.

Army officer dies: An Army officer died of heart attack during the Vijayee Bhava Secretary exercise today. Captain Ritesh Poonia (28) complained of chest pain during the exercise. He was rushed in an ambulance to the military hospital at Suratgarh but died of cardiac arrest later. His body has been escorted to his native district, Jhunjhanu in Rajasthan, for cremation.

Abohar, May 13
In a significant development, of far reaching implicatons, the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) has expressed its inability to run the water supply and sewage disposal system here.

PWSSB Sub-Divisional Engineer Hakam Singh Sidhu visited the MC office to give a letter to Gurdas Singh, executive officer, minutes before the office was to be closed for the day. Referring to the letters sent to the Council by Managing Director of the PWSSB in the first week of March, it was resented that the MC had not so far approved the estimates submitted for the maintenance of waterworks and sewage disposal system.

PWSSB had sought sanction of Rs 97.60 lakh for annual maintenance of waterworks and Rs 125.03 lakh for sewage system. The estimates were to be put up in the meeting and funds released thereafter.

The Council did not take it up even when the new financial year began on April 1. 

Sriganganagar, May 13
Congress candidate Kalawati Gedhar has won in the Zila Parishad by-election from zone number 12 (Suratgarh) defeating Durga Taak of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The saffron party had succeeded twice from this zone in the past. Pradesh Congress Committee member Mohinder Meel, block president Devi Lal Saharan and Hanuman Meel, in-charge of the Lok Sabha constituency were among the first to greet the winner over preventing the BJP from registering a hat trick. A total of 142 out of 10,583 votes were declared invalid.