The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Cong worker thrashed by cops? Sardulgarh MLA demands probe Gurdeep Singh Mann Tribune News Service Mansa, May 2 Sardulgarh MLA Ajitinder Singh Mofar today demanded a high-level probe into the incident in which a Congress worker was beaten up by the policemen deployed at the Jhunir police station. The MLA alleged that one of the party workers, Satguru Singh, who belongs to a backward class, was brought to the Jhunir police station and was beaten up by the police after being instigated by the SAD workers. He said the worker, Satguru Singh, is undergoing treatment at the Mansa Civil Hospital for multiple injuries. Mofar, a second time MLA, said his party worker had gone to complain against one of his neighbours, allegedly involved in immoral activities. Mofar alleged that the police, however, beat up the complainant as he belongs to the Congress, and the man against whom the complaint was filed, belongs to SAD. Jhunir SHO Krishan Kumar, when contacted, refuted all the allegations levelled by the MLA. He termed the allegations as a bundle of lies. "I have nothing to do with the beating and the allegations are baseless. I am ready to face any inquiry as the police did not beat up the Congress worker," he said. Mansa SSP Sukhdev Singh Chahal said he has received a complaint and an inquiry has been marked to the DSP, Sardulgarh. He said though the allegation seems to have been blown out of proportion, even then, an inquiry has been marked in this regard. He added that both the injured and the complainant had a brawl a few months ago and the police had initiated preventive action at that time. Now again, they have fought with each other and the matter was brought to the notice of the police. Congress workers alleged that this is the second incident when the police beat up their party worker. Earlier this month, a Congress worker was beaten up by the police in a similar manner. Local Congress leaders threatened to launch an agitation if the police failed to take action against the policemen concerned.
	Farmer hit by gunshot Our Correspondent Ferozepur, May 2 An elderly farmer was injured after he was hit by a bullet during a scuffle with the men belonging to a mining contractor. According to the information available, Kala Singh was rushed to the Civil Hospital for treatment after the gunshot hit him. Police said Kala singh's his son Atma Singh was bringing a trolley of sand from village Duttewala as it was required for renovation going on in his house located in village Khai Pheme Ki. He said while his son was returning, some people blocked his way and told him to pay for the trolley of sand. Kala Singh said his son resisted the forceful collection of money and returned home. Later, four persons followed him to the house and entered into a scuffle with Atma Singh which took an ugly turn when one of the persons representing the mining contrator allegedly opened fire. The enraged villagers rushed after hearing the gunshot and apprehended three persons while the fourth managed to escape. The three men were later handed over to the police. Further investigation is on.
	Self-immolation by Dalit woman Case registered against Akali ex-sarpanch Balwant Garg/TNS Faridkot, May 2 Six days after a married Dalit woman of Dhudi village died after committing self-immolation as she was allegedly being stalked by a former Akali sarpanch for sexual favour, the Kotkapura police in Faridkot registered a criminal case against the accused today in the evening. The case was registered after a large number of residents of Dhudi village staged a protest in front of the SSP office, demanding action against the accused. Interestingly, while the protesting residents and the victim's family were demanding registration of a case related to abetment of suicide against the accused sarpanch, the police booked him only for a trivial offence, that of making indecent gesture to insult the modesty of a woman. The police booked the former sarpanch under Section 509 of the IPC, a crime which invites only simple imprisonment for one year or fine. This is a bailable offence. Rampal Singh, the husband of the 26-year-old deceased woman, alleged that though in her dying declaration before the duty magistrate, she accused the sarpanch Labh Singh of compelling her for sexual favour and forcing her to end her life, but taking a lenient view, the police booked the accused only for making indecent gestures. “Even this case has been registered six days after the death of my wife and when a large number of residents of our village staged a dharna against the police for its inaction,” said Rampal Singh. First, police attempted to save the accused by not registering any case. Now, when the police has registered a case after mounting public pressure, it is inconsequential,” said Pawan Preet Singh, a senior CPI leader in Faridkot. He was also participating in the dharna. Why has the police booked the sarpanch for a petty offence, ignoring the suicide angle? Answering the query, Kotkapura SHO Narinder Singh said the investigation in the case is still going on. The accused could be further booked for a more serious crime, if found guilty, he said.
	Loss to state exchequer: Two electricity dept officials booked Tribune News Service Muktsar, May 2 The city police today booked two officials of the electricity department for causing a loss of Rs 6.63 lakh to the state exchequer after tampering with the records. The police said that the officials, identified as Jaswinder Singh, a resident of Kotli Ablu village, and Ravinder Singh, a local resident, were booked after a complaint was received from the department alleging that these two had committed fraud after tampering with the records of payment made by the consumers. “I personally conducted an inquiry into the matter after which the order to book the officials was given. A case has been registered but the arrest is yet to be made in this regard,” said Gurdeep Singh, DSP (City), Muktsar. A case under sections 408, 409, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC has been registered at the city police station here.
	Beat the heat with solar-based coolers, air-conditioners Praful Chander Nagpal Fazilka, May 2 Bhupinder Singh, a retired professor from IIT Roorkee, who is based in Fazilka, and is the recipient of the Urja Purush award by the Uttarakhand government, has introduced solar energy-based fans, coolers and air conditioners. The equipment would work on solar energy during the day and will require minimum investment, without the use of any battery and will help save grid energy. “Since the sun rises for more than 260 days in a year in Punjab, hence, the shopkeepers, office and house owners can save grid power by using solar power equipment during the day in summer,” said Singh. For this, there will be a need to set up sun radiation photovoltaic (PV) panels which would meet the demand during the day. The significance of the project is that the consumers do not need batteries as these have to be replaced after about two years, which would have resulted in cost escalation. The panels generate the energy which runs the fans and coolers. Singh demonstrated the two systems today at his research centre in Ghas Mandi, Fazilka. One is a DC fan of 9" diameter run by a 90 W PV panel during the day time without any battery. It can provide spot cooling. Another is a standard PV set of panels with 90x3 W coupled to an inverter and a small battery capacity to operate an AC or a desert cooler. “A consumers needs to spend only Rs 4,000 on the project to run a fan, having a life of 10 years without incurring any expense,” said Singh. A patron of the Graduate Welfare Association, Fazilka, Singh called upon consumers to joint hands to tap solar energy during this summer. He invited them to watch the system at his research centre in Ghas Mandi. He regretted that the Punjab Energy Development Agencies (PEDA) has been allegedly unsuccessful in motivating people to conserve energy.
	Parshuram Jayanti Tribune News Service Bathinda, May 2 Punjab Education Minister Sikandar Singh Maluka will be the chief guest at the Parshuram Jayanti function being organised in Rampura Phul on May 6. State head of the BJP Ashwini Sharma will be the guest of honour on the occasion. Member of Parliament Paramjit Kaur Gulshan will be among other eminent personalities to grace the occasion.