Amritsar, January 27
Balwinder Singh, a resident of Mulle Nangal village, was found dead near Raddison Hotel on the Ajnala road here in the morning today.

The Airport police has registered a case under Section 302 IPC in this connection.

Panic gripped the area around the hotel when the unidentified body was located by the residents in the morning. The residents saw several stray dogs eating the body.

Almost all parts of the body had been eaten up. The residents raised an alarm and informed the police.

During preliminary investigations, the victim was identified as Balwinder Singh, who worked as a watchman in Green Acre Enclave.

The family members of the deceased told the police that Balwinder had gone to work on the evening of January 25 but did not return. They tried to locate him but failed and later filed a report with the police.

The Airport police authorities said investigations have been launched and the body was handed over to the family after a post-mortem examination. “Nothing can be said at the moment as we are waiting for the post-mortem report to ascertain the cause of death,” said Jagdish Ram, SHO Airport police.

Meanwhile, another unidentified person, in his early forties, was found dead near Skatari Bagh area here today. A murder case has been registered in this regard. He said the body bore some injury marks on his face, he added.

Amritsar, January 27
On a day when the people were celebrating the Republic day, a 22-year-old woman, Jyoti, a resident of Nanglai Bhatha, was allegedly strangulated to death by her in-laws yesterday evening.

The police has arrested her husband, Parvesh Kumar, mother-in-law Kailash and brother-in-law Viresh Chhabra in this connection. Her sister-in-law Sonia and Sonia's husband Babbu, a police employee, are absconding.

Sadar police has registered a case under Section 304-B, 148, 149 of the IPC in this connection on the basis of the statement of Kuldip Singh, the father of the victim. The body was handed over the family after a post-mortem examination today.

Kuldip Singh, in his complaint alleged that Jyuoti's in-laws used to harass her for dowry. "Owing to their continuous demand for dowry, we gave them Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000. However, her in-laws were not satisfied and continued to harass Jyoti," alleged Kuldip. He said yesterday, they got a call from Parvesh that Jyoti was seriously ill. He said, he along with his wife rushed to their house and found Jyoti dead. He said a cloth was hanging from the ceiling fan. “Her in-laws told us that she had committed suicide but we saw scars around her neck indicating that she was strangulated to death," alleged Kuldip.

Amritsar, January 27
Even though the Election Commission of India (ECI) has told the Chief Electoral Officer of Punjab to maintain a record of the electors who may decide not to vote after his/her electoral roll number is duly entered in the register of voters but the general public seems unaware of the provision.

The ECI has directed that the total number of electors who may decide not to vote for any of the candidates, invoking the provision of the Rule 49-O, should be compiled to keep a record.

Rajat Kumar, a student said, “Many of those who don’t go to cast their vote are those who don’t think any of the candidates in the fray as eligible. It is good that the ECI has issued the instructions but there need to make people aware in this regard.”

He said during the previous Lok Sabha elections, he had asked for the said form but even the election staff was unaware of it.

Another resident Robindeep Singh said, “In most of the constituencies, people are finding it difficult to decide about a candidate. If the record of such voters is maintained, the policy makers will come to know that people are losing faith in the system.”

A student Sukdeep Kaur said, “Even during the previous elections, people were denied the said forms. This time too many of the residents are not aware and they will either vote for an unfit candidate or either sit at home and watch television.”

Tehsildar, elections, Rakesh Kumar said, “The returning officers have been asked to collect figures of such voters, who do not wish to cast their vote even after entering the polling booth. These directions are to be followed strictly.”

He said this is being done to keep a record of voters, who decide not to vote for any candidate.

The commission directed that the instructions may be issued immediately to all returning officers to collect the said figures (number of voters who decide not to vote) from Form 17 C at the time of the counting of votes. The information, so compiled, may be sent to the commission, indicating the total number of such electors constituency-wise.

Amritsar, January 27
Banking on the development projects initiated during his tenure, former Mayor Sunil Datti is in the fray from Amritsar (East) constituency. The constituency was carved out following delimitation.

Even though he is pitted against the Congress rebel candidate and a strong contender of the BJP from this constituency, Datti claims to know the pulse of the residents comprising urban slums and backward areas.

He asks for support for the projects, which he brought during his tenure as first citizen of the city. “I got a master plan worth Rs 300 crore approved for the overall development of these areas, including Maqboolpura, known as the locality of widows, when I was Mayor. But the ambitious project could not take off after the SAD-BJP government took over. If voted to power I will revive this project besides bring new projects from the Centre for the overall development of the constituency,” he told people during his door-to-door campaign in New Golden Avenue area in the morning today.

“To end drug menace from these areas is next on my list. No drug peddlers will be spared and plans will be initiated so that the people especially the youth do not fall prey to drugs.

I will bring in projects to revive the industry in East Mohan Nagar which was once a major industrial hub and has shifted to marriage palaces owning to the wrong policies of the state government.

This will also help bring employment for the youth and eradicate drug menace,” he said.

Within a short period of time, Datti earlier considered an outsider, claims to have justified his nomination as the Congress candidate.

He begins campaigning from 7 am till 10.30 pm. With folded hands, he visits every nook and corner of the constituency during his door-to-door campaign led by dholis.

He hugs the shopkeepers and seeks their support. Thereafter, he holds meetings and addresses public rallies till 10.30 pm.

“After this I plan for my next day’s programme. My wife, son, sister-in-law Mamta Datta and other family members are helping me a lot.

They are also holding meetings with the residents in various areas to garner support for me,” said Datti.

Amritsar (East) constituency has more than 70 per cent of its area which is under developed.

Various areas earlier falling under Verka, Jandiala, Amritsar (South) and Amritsar (North) constituencies, all of which are represented by the ruling the SAD-BJP combine have been added to this constituency. This includes historic townships of Vallah and Verka which remained deprived of any development works for decades.

Amritsar, January 27
The election commission has made ballot boxes available for the visually-impaired voters at all the 1,721 polling stations in the 11 assembly constituencies of the district. The visually-impaired can cast their vote using the Braille ballot papers.

Tehsildar Rakesh Kumar said the arrangement for the ballot boxes at each polling station has been made. He said the blind can cast their vote without any ones help using the special ballot which has encoding engraved on it in Braille.

However, only those visually-impaired persons can avail the facility who are trained in the Braille language. The illiterate are allowed to take help from an attendant to cast their vote during the elections by the Election Commission.

Though arrangements for the visually-impaired voters are in place, the district election office does not have a separate list of such voters at the various polling stations. There are no figures on them in the entire state, an election officer said.

The Association for welfare of the visually-impaired employees of Punjab president HS Bajaj said not every visually-impaired person is trained in reading the Braille language. “The state government has never cared to open a higher education institution for the visually- impaired even though we have been demanding it for long,” Bajaj said. There are very few schools for the visually-impaired where they can learn Braille, he added.

He said even as the visually-impaired are trying to overcome their handicap, the government has left them to the mercy of their attendants, who might manipulate or influence the blind. He said the government must try to educate the visually- impaired and only then they will be able to use their right to vote independently.

Raj Kumar, a music teacher who is visually-impaired said, “More than 90 per cent of the visually-impaired don’t know about Braille. Hence the ‘secret ballot system’ does not have any meaning for them as someone will cast their vote on their behalf.” As per the rules, only one person can accompany the visually-impaired to the polling station.

Amritsar, January 27
With the poll campaign entering into its last leg, candidates are resorting to all possible means to woo voters. The poll campaign has picked up can be seen in the markets and streets of the city with autos and cycle rickshaws equipped with the public address systems blaring patriotic songs and appeals in favour of candidates from various political parties.

These public address system stresses on highlighting the progress made in the candidates tenure, honesty and promise corruption-free governance. People sitting in autos and cycle rickshaws also distribute publicity material having poll symbols of the candidates among voters.

Lending a different flavour to the poll campaign are persons dressed as Jaddo, the character of an alien from a Bollywood film, distributing publicity material.

Those using autos include BJP’s Anil Joshi from Amritsar North constituency, Rakesh Gill from Amritsar West constituency, Tarun Chugh from Amritsar Central constituency, Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu from Amritsar East constituency and Inderbir Singh Bolaria from Amritsar South constituency. Congress candidates, including Karamjit Singh Rintu from Amritsar North constituency, Raj Kumar from Amritsar West constituency, OP Soni from Amritsar Central constituency, Sunil Dutti from Amritsar East and Jasbir Singh Dimpa from Amritsar South constituency, are also using public address system mounted on autos and cycle rickshaws to seek votes. Candidates have hired dholis to be a part of their door-to-door campaign.

Amritsar, January 27
A two-member delegation from Pakistan headed by Nasir Aslam Zahid, a retired judge from Pakistan, was in India for holding their fifth meeting of India-Pakistan Judicial Committee.

The delegation, along with their Indian counterparts, interacted with 45 Pakistani prisoners in Amritsar Central Jail. They had earlier visited central jails at Tihar and Jaipur. They spoke to as many as 46 and 98 Pakistani prisoners, respectively.

Interacting with media, Zahid said the delegation would strongly recommend the shifting of mentally challenged to mental health care centre. The members of delegation observed that the Consular Access Agreement signed between two governments should be implemented in letter and spirit. They also recommended to device a mechanism for early release of fishermen, who accidentally crossed over to Pakistani waters. “Every prisoner should be provided with consular access within three months of their arrest. Their repatriation should be made after a month with the completion of their sentences and confirmation of their nationality,” said Zahid.

“Prisoners who did not receive any consular access should be provided with the same as early as possible. The process of confirmation of their nationality should be initiated without any further delay,” said Mian Muhammad Ajmal, another Pakistani member of the delegation.

On Sarabjit’s release, who is in Pakistan’s Kot Lakhpat Jail, they said the matter was still pending in the court and his sentence was yet to be completed. They, however, refuted the theory of mistaken identity. A former judge from India and member of committee, AS Gill, said Sarabjit’s case has become more of a political issue that has resulted in the delay of his repatriation. He said the Indian delegation is likely to visit Paksitani jails in second half of April.