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Zila
parishad poll
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DGP SS Saini (right) and CSR Reddy, ADGP, at a press conference in Chandigarh on Monday. Tribune photo
Says it will move against Sodhi and his PA
Flag march in Muktsar’s Mann village
Reservation
for panchayat poll
After route change, PRTS tenders open today
Cong leaders give Rs 23 lakh to slain YC activist Sukhraj’s kin
Sukhbir: Fearing defeat, Cong looking for lame excuses
2 Cong workers booked, party cries foul
Akali candidate’s house burgled
BJP fills top slots in frontal bodies
Patient’s death sparks row at Govt Rajindra Hospital
Prabhjot Singh (body found) Purneetpal Singh (missing) Rajdeep Singh (missing)
Hambra youth drowns in Sutlej, 2 yet to be traced
Four killed in road mishap
5 booked in rape case
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Zila parishad poll
Faridkot, May 20 In Kothe Malooka Patti, there is a fierce competition between the SAD and BJP candidates. The Congress has announced its support for the BJP candidate. For the Golewala block samiti seat, where the Congress and the BJP have joined hands against the SAD, the prestige of several Akali leaders is at stake. Avtar Singh Brar, former Congress minister, and Parveen Gupta, Faridkot district BJP chief, claimed that the Akalis had resorted to rigging after receiving reports of a heavy mandate in favour of the BJP candidate. However, Deep Malhotra, Akali MLA from Faridkot, denied the charge. “We too have expressed concern over the violence and demanded police action against the miscreants,” he said. 80% in Fazilka Fazilka: Re-polling in booth no. 92 and 93 of Churiwala Chisti village in the Beganwali zila parishad zone and booth no. 33 and 34 of Ojhanwali village in the Hasta Kalan zila parishad zone of Fazilka passed off peacefully today amid tight security. A repoll was ordered by the State Election Commissioner yesterday following reports of booth-capturing and violence there. Besides, booth no. 15 of Dhani Dariya Singh in the Hasta Kalan zone was put off due to an error in the printing of ballot papers. Returning Officer Charandev Singh Maan said the turnout was 88 per cent reported in booth no. 92 and 93 and 73 per cent (average 80%) in booth no. number 33, 34 and 15. The police has registered two FIRs against unidentified persons on the basis of statements of presiding officers at Churiwala Chisti and Ojhanwali who said miscreants forcibly entered the booths, roughed up polling agents, snatched ballot papers and cast bogus votes. Presiding officer Lalit Kumar alleged that the miscreants threw stones at the polling station in Churiwala Chisti. Independent candidate Nishan Singh was seriously injured after he was assaulted with sharp-edged weapon in Ojhanwali yesterday. He has been admitted to the Faridkot Medical College. Likewise, Congress polling agent Jaspal Singh was injured in Churiwala Chisti. The police has not recorded the statements of the victims so far. “Nishan Singh is not in a condition to give his statement. Jaspal Singh’s statement will be recorded soon,” said Fazilka Deputy Superintendent of Police Ram Parkash. 68% in Muktsar Muktsar: Repoll at two polling booths in Rupana village was held peacefully with 68.9 per cent casting their vote. The police had also made tight security arrangements. Nobody was allowed to enter the booth without an identity card approved by the Election Commission. The repoll was ordered after Congress leaders lodged a complaint with the State Election Commission that fake votes had been cast at booth no. 138 and 139 in Rupana village. Gidderbaha MLA Amarinder Singh Raja Warring had blocked the Muktsar-Malout highway last evening, demanding that a case be registered against those who had polled bogus votes. He had also alleged that gunshots were fired into the air by the Akalis. 82% in Moga Moga: Re-polling in booth no, 155 at Indgarh village in the Dharamkot sub-division of Moga district, saw a turnout of 82.63 per cent. The repoll was ordered after 15 youths captured this booth during polling yesterday. Additional Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar said 771 of the total 933 voters exercised franchise. The average polling in the district was reported at 62 per cent.
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Police pats itself for ‘peaceful’ polling
Chandigarh, May 20 CSR Reddy, Additional DGP, Election Cell, made this claim at a press conference, chaired by state police chief Sumedh Singh Saini, here today. Reddy claimed that elections to panchayati raj institutions held in the state in 2005 and 2008 had witnessed incidents of murder, attempt to murder and use of weapons. He said only 18 incidents of violence had been reported yesterday and that re-polling had been ordered in just nine booths. Reddy claimed the police had been successful in curtailing violence because it had set up election cells in all districts, deputed personnel at the booth level, created 638 mobile parties and had a reserve force in place as part of its second response team. On the Lambi violence, Saini said Congress activists had set some vehicles ablaze and that action was being taken in this regard. He indicated that cases of violence during electioneering were a result of personal feuds. He said PPP’s Jaspreet Singh Jassa, who was killed in Adampur, Bathinda, became a victim of a gang war between “habitual criminals.”
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Says it will move against Sodhi and his PA
Chandigarh, May 20 Rana Sodhi had filed a complaint claiming that he was waylaid on March 7 when he was on his way to inquire into an attack against his personal assistant Naseeb Singh Sandhu. He had claimed that a pistol was placed on his temple. In a separate complaint, Rana's personal assistant had claimed that he was shot in the thigh following a scuffle during the filing of nominations at Mamdot in Ferozepur. Talking to the media, state police chief Sumedh Singh Saini claimed Rana Sodhi had lied that an attempt was made to kill him when nothing of that sort had happened. The DGP said the MLA would now face action for filing a false complaint. He claimed that Rana Sodhi's personal assistant too had "fabricated the gun injury". Investigations had revealed that a scuffle did take place, but no arms were used. Additional DGP Hardeep Dhillon, quoting ballistic experts, claimed that Naseeb Singh had inflicted an injury on his thigh and placed a used cartridge inside. He said the civil surgeon had reported that the bullet had been placed upside down in the wound. Forensic experts were of the opinion that the effect on Naseeb Singh's clothes was not consistent with the injury sustained by him. When contacted, Rana Sodhi said the district police was being controlled by various halqa in charge and that the higher-ups in the Police Department were "unaware" of it. He said his security personnel, when questioned, had reported gunfire at the spot but the report submitted to the higher-ups did not mention this. Sodhi said he had asked the Ferozepur SSP that his PA be examined at the PGI or AIIMS, but the local police had got the examination done overnight. He said even the ballistic and forensic report was prepared in a record eight hours.
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Flag march in Muktsar’s Mann village
Mann (Muktsar), May 20 School principal Jalour Singh said his staff remained busy throughout the day cleaning the school premises. The police held a flag march in the village. It also held one last night. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Surjeet Singh said since most of those booked on the complaint of an injured Akali worker belonged to Mann village, "we have increased the vigil here. Raids are being conducted to arrest those booked." Policemen in mufti deployed on the outskirts of the village did not let anyone enter or leave the village last night without proof of identity. The village has a large number of Congress families, say sources.
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Reservation
for panchayat poll
Chandigarh, May 20 The Bench asked Additional Advocate-General to seek instructions from the government whether it would put up the roster on notice boards in the offices of Deputy Commissioners, BDPOs and panchayat secretaries. The query came during resumed hearing of a PIL filed by HELP, a Nawanshahr-based non-government organisation (NGO), through its secretary Parvinder Singh Kittna, for directions to the Punjab Government to introduce transparency in the reservation and rotation of seats for the post of sarpanch through public hearing. As the case came up, Acting Chief Justice Jasbir Singh and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain directed state counsel JS Puri to seek the required instructions. The query came after Puri stated that the rosters had been prepared at the block level, as envisaged under the reservation rules, and would be put up on notice boards only after the notification of gram panchayat elections by the State Election Commission. The Bench made it amply clear that the voters of the villages concerned must get sufficient time to challenge the rosters in case they felt aggrieved. The PIL will now come up for further hearing on May 27.
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After route change, PRTS tenders open today
Amritsar, May 20 The Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) had invited fresh bids in view of the alterations in the PRTS route following apprehensions by heritage lovers that the then design may take a toll on the walled city’s architecture and its historic landmarks. Sources said the PIDB had invited bids for the project through an advertisement dated February 22, 2013. They said the last date for receiving the bids was April 26, which was later extended till May 21. This means it may take another few months for the work to begin on the ground. Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal said the tenders will be opened tomorrow and the work will be awarded after a comparative analysis of the bids, which may take a month or so. He said the due process had to be followed once the PRTS route was changed. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal had laid the foundation stone of the project amid much fanfare in December 2011, but the project has made a little headway ever since. In July last, The Tribune had highlighted the concerns of the heritage lovers that the project will eclipse the view of the holy city’s landmarks like the Jallianwalla Bagh and the Golden Temple. The government later changed the route plan from the railway station to the Golden Temple.
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Cong leaders give Rs 23 lakh to slain YC activist Sukhraj’s kin
Amritsar, May 20 A victim of pre-poll violence, Sukhraj was a candidate for block samiti elections. He was killed on May 8 allegedly by SAD supporters while he was coming out of a gurdwara after attending a religious congregation. The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president announced financial assistance of Rs 11 lakh for Sukhraj’s family. Among others who announced help for the bereaved family were Congress leader Harminder Singh Gill (Rs 5 lakh), Punjab Youth Congress president Vikramjit Chaudhary (Rs 5 lakh) and Dharam Singh Nabipur (Rs 2 lakh). In all, the family would get Rs 23 lakh. Ambika Soni announced that a grant of Rs 10 lakh for three consecutive years would be given to a teaching academy that Sukhraj was building for the betterment of rural children. She said Sukhraj had died while “safeguarding the democracy and the party will not let his death go in vain”. Bajwa assured the family of legal and financial help. He said poll violence had claimed six lives and hundreds of Congress workers were injured and booked in false cases across the state. The PPCC chief said the SAD-BJP coalition’s claim of peaceful elections was a “white lie” and that attacks on Congress workers were “pre-planned”. He said the party had warned the State Election Commission time and again, “but no concrete action was taken”. Bajwa called upon all like-minded parties to join hands to fight against the “anti-people” policies and “undemocratic” actions of the SAD-BJP government. Rajiv Satav, Youth Congress national president, said Sukhraj Singh was a “martyr and a memorial will be raised for him and his pictures displayed at the Youth Congress and PPCC offices”.
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Sukhbir: Fearing defeat, Cong looking for lame excuses
Chandigarh May 20 In a statement, he “advised” the PPCC leaders to stop defaming the democratic and peace-loving people of Punjab and study the cause of their ever-falling popularity graph in the state. “The fact of the matter is that the PPCC leadership, which had made tall claims before its high command on arresting the slide in the fortunes of the party in the state, is now seeing the writing on the wall. They had talked big and their bluster is about to be exposed. They are finding it hard to save face and therefore, they are already looking for lame excuses,” said the Deputy CM. The SAD president compared the elections with those conducted under the Congress regime in June 2002. “I have checked all facts and records and also the entire history of the previous elections. Facts belie the Congress propaganda and prove that this has been one of the most peaceful and free and fair elections in Punjab’s history. “The conduct of the poll has seen exemplary display of professional fairness and unbiased conduct by the polling staff and the police.” Sukhbir said in a massive electoral exercise covering 1.10 lakh voters spread over 12,756 polling stations and 17,857 booths, there had been just 18 cases of scuffle and seven incidents of violence. Contrasting this with the “state terror and high-handedness” in the last elections during the Congress regime, the SAD president said in the 2002 zila parishad elections under the Congress, there were 153 cases of violence in the state as against just eight during these elections. He said in 2002, thousands of Akali workers were rounded up to prevent them from casting their vote and more than 300 Akali workers were arrested to demoralise the Opposition.
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2 Cong workers booked, party cries foul
Patiala, May 20 The first case has been registered at the Rajpura police station, following a complaint by SHO Sadar Rajan Parminder Singh. He alleged he received a call from Rajpura SDM who told him to probe a complaint of booth capturing at Upalherhi village. “We later found that Congress agent Malkiat Singh, deputed at the booth, had raised a false alarm by calling the SDM,” the SHO said. Another case has been registered at the Kherhi Gandian police station, following a complaint by SAD candidate from Jain Neelpur village Harkesh Kaur. She alleged Gurnam Singh, father of her rival candidate Amarinder Partap Singh, had stopped her from entering the polling booth and abused her. Meanwhile, the District Congress Committee has alleged the police was biased in registering cases only against Congress workers.
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Akali candidate’s house burgled
Bathinda, May 20 Karamjit Kangar, who contested from Surjitpura, had left home with his family on May 15 for campaigning. Kangar kept calling up the Station House Officer (SHO) concerned, but he did not turn up. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ravcharan Brar has suspended SHO Gurdeep Singh Deol. Deol reportedly wrote in the DDR that he was on night patrol and, hence, could not visit the crime site. The SSP said Deol had failed to prevent the crime despite Operation Night Domination in the district. More than 220 gm of gold, a revolver and Rs 65,000 in cash were stolen from Kangar's house.
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BJP fills top slots in frontal bodies
Chandigarh, May 20 In a statement issued here today, party general secretary Tarun Chugh said Renu Thapar of Ludhiana had been appointed president of the Mahila Morcha. Jatinder Athwal of Anandpur Sahib had been appointed president of the Kisan Morcha, Mohit Gupta of Bathinda president of the Yuva Morcha, Javed Aslam president of the Minority Morcha and Dilbagh Rai had been appointed president of the Scheduled Caste Morcha, he added. — TNS
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Patient’s death sparks row at Govt Rajindra Hospital
Patiala, May 20 The victim, Radheshyam (50), was brought to the hospital yesterday after he was hit by a speeding car. He died today while he was being shifted from the surgery ward to the radiology department for a CT
scan without a mobile oxygen cylinder. The victim's brother alleged Radheshyam died due to negligence of the hospital authorities. "My brother had suffered a head injury in the accident. But he was stable in the emergency ward as he was getting oxygen supply. When the doctors sent him for a CT scan, he was not provided a mobile oxygen cylinder following which he started breathing heavily on the way and later died," he alleged. He claimed the doctors were saying that the patient needed regular supply of oxygen, but since a mobile oxygen cylinder was not available in the hospital and it was necessary to get his CT scan done, they sent him without oxygen. Though the hospital authorities claim they spend about Rs 40 lakh on oxygen each month, there are only two oxygen cylinders in the main emergency ward. A few months ago, hospital pharmacists had even written to the senior functionaries that they were unable to handle the stores due to inadequate supplies, mainly of
oxygen cylinders. Meanwhile, the hospital is yet to restart its centralised emergency ward even after eight months of the beginning of its reconstruction work. The authorities did not even bother to create any alternative ward to handle emergency cases. The patients are being sent to the respective wards for treatment. Most emergency patients need to undergo various medical tests, but since there is no provision of MRI, X-ray and ultrasound at one place, they are taken from one ward to the other. The shortage of attendants adds to the problem. Senior doctors, on condition of anonymity, said it was not the first time that a patient had died while being shifted. Many persons had lost their lives in the process in the past eight months, they added. Medical Superintendent Dr VK Sharda refuted the allegations. He claimed the patient died due to his head injury. He said: "We spend Rs 40 lakh on oxygen every month and ensure that all patients requiring oxygen get the supply". He, however, admitted that Radheshyam was not provided a mobile oxygen cylinder while he was being shifting.
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Hambra youth drowns in Sutlej, 2 yet to be traced
Ludhiana, May 20 The victim has been identified as Prabhjot (19). Those missing have been identified as Purneetpal Singh (20) and Rajdeep Singh (18), residents of Ghamnewal village, near Hambra. A search operation was on to trace the two. Prabhjot was the only child of his parents. His father Swarn Singh is a PSPCL employee. While Rajdeep's father Gurmail Singh is a tailor, Purneetpal's father Prem Singh is a farmer. Sources said the victims, all first-time voters, decided to take a dip in the river after casting their vote in the zila parishad elections. The police suspected that while taking a bath, they went deep into the river and were swept away,
they said. Manpreet Singh Ayali, local MLA, visited the spot and supervised the
rescue operation.
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Four killed in road mishap
Ropar, May 20 ASI Gurmukh Singh said all the youths were riding a Royal Enfield motorcycle. They were on way to attend a religious congregation when their bike hit a tree on the Kalawan-Khera Kalmot road. All four died on the spot. — TNS
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5 booked in rape case
Sangrur, May 20 The main accused, Aziz Mohammad, had allegedly developed physical relations with the girl on the pretext of marrying her. He also allegedly got her pregnancy terminated with the help of a doctor and others. — TNS
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Amritsar, May 20
Instead of taking action on my complaint, the police is deliberately trying to involve me in a false case. I am convinced the police wants to eliminate me and my
family
