B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Farmer kills wife, mother-in-law by pushing them in canal 
Faridkot, June 17
A 28-year-old farmer pushed his wife and mother-in-law into the Rajasthan Feeder Canal near Faridkot today in the evening. Some farmers working in the fields adjoining the canal pulled out the bodies and nabbed the accused. After giving him a severe thrashing, the enraged farmers handed over the alleged double-murder accused to the police.

Wife, paramour booked for man’s murder
Muktsar, June 17
A woman hailing from Mallan village, along with her paramour, was charged with killing her husband today. The deceased worked at a flour mill in the village. The police said that Kewal Singh (35) died due to head injury late last night. He was injured after one Jaswinder Singh allegedly hit him on the head with a sharp wooden stick.

Jagmeet Brar now to focus on state politics
Muktsar, June 17
Firebrand Congress leader Jagmeet Brar, who is now no longer a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) post reshuffle, today said he was packing his belongings from his Delhi and Gurgaon residences to return to his native village Charewan in Muktsar district to actively participate in state politics.

Four teachers booked for neglecting election duty
Fazilka, June 17
The Punjab Government has come down heavily on those employees who took their duties lightly during the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections held on May 19 in Fazilka district.

Stamp papers destroyed in rain
Muktsar, June 17
A large number of stamp papers were destroyed in the rain, which lashed this town on Saturday. District Treasury Officer Charanjit said, "The rain water caused a major loss to the local treasury office as a large number of stamp papers were destroyed. The senior officials have been informed in this regard."

Authorised banks yet to get application forms from PUDA
Fazilka, June 17
The Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) launched an ambitious project for the allotment of 428 free hold residential plots in Faridkot under style PUDA Enclave (sugar mill site), Faridkot.

Missing youth’s body found in canal
Abohar, June 17
The Khuyiansarwer police in Abohar sub-division fished out the body of a youth from the Malukpura canal with the help of a non-governmental organisation (NGO). The deceased was identified as Baljit Singh of village Srawan Bodla in Malout. He had been missing for the last three days after the death of his sister.

Releasing river water from Punjab to Pak unfortunate: Vasundhara Raje
Abohar, June 17
Sharing the concern expressed by the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti over releasing of 5000 cusecs of river water from gate number 15 of Hussainiwala headworks to Kasur region of west Punjab province in Pakistan, former chief minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje, while addressing rallies in the neighbouring district of Sriganganagar in Rajasthan today, termed it as unfortunate.

 Farmer kills wife, mother-in-law by pushing them in canal 
Balwant Garg
Tribne News Service

Faridkot, June 17
A 28-year-old farmer pushed his wife and mother-in-law into the Rajasthan Feeder Canal near Faridkot today in the evening. Some farmers working in the fields adjoining the canal pulled out the bodies and nabbed the accused. After giving him a severe thrashing, the enraged farmers handed over the alleged double-murder accused to the police.

Preliminary investigation by the police revealed that the accused, Amrik Singh of Khidakian village in Muktsar, was married to Kirandeep Kaur of Pucca village in Faridkot four years back. Though the couple had a three-year-old daughter from their wedlock, the relationship between the husband and the wife had been under strain for some time.

A few days back, after a tiff with her husband, Kirandeep Kaur had returned to her parents' house in Pucca village and was staying with them.

Today, Amrik Singh reached Pucca village and offered his ailing wife medicines from a doctor in Faridkot. Kirandeep Kaur agreed to accompany her husband. She along with her mother, Gurjit Kaur, travelled on a motorcycle with the accused.

But instead of taking the women to the doctor, Amrik Singh took them to Rajasthan Feeder Canal on the outskirts of Faridkot on Machaki road.

It is alleged that in his attempt to push them into the canal, Amrik Singh started pelting stones on his wife and mother-in-law. To escape the stones, when the two inched closer to the canal bank, he pushed them into the waters.

The farmers working in the adjoining fields said the accused kept pelting stones on the women even after pushing them into the canal so that they could not escape.

Some farmers rushed to help the drowning women and jumped into the canal to rescue them but it was too late.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Faridkot, GS Randhawan said the police has booked Amrik Singh for the offence of murder and the bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.

 Wife, paramour booked for man’s murder
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, June 17
A woman hailing from Mallan village, along with her paramour, was charged with killing her husband today. The deceased worked at a flour mill in the village. The police said that Kewal Singh (35) died due to head injury late last night. He was injured after one Jaswinder Singh allegedly hit him on the head with a sharp wooden stick.

As per the complaint lodged by the deceased’s mother, Jaswinder had come to their house late last night to elope with Paramjit Kaur, the wife of the deceased. “But the family members saw both of them and objected to it, which led to an altercation and Jaswinder hit Kewal in the head as a result of which he died," said the police.

The police added that the deceased’s wife was allegedly having illicit relations with Jaswinder for the last few years.

“The family had even objected to it a number of times. But every time, Paramjit Kaur promised to mend her ways, which reportedly became the reason of her husband’s killing,” said the police.

The Kot Bhai police has registered a case against the duo under sections 302, 451 and 34 of the IPC.

Paramjit Kaur was said to have been be rounded up by the police but Jaswinder was eluding the arrest. 

 Jagmeet Brar now to focus on state politics
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, June 17
Firebrand Congress leader Jagmeet Brar, who is now no longer a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) post reshuffle, today said he was packing his belongings from his Delhi and Gurgaon residences to return to his native village Charewan in Muktsar district to actively participate in state politics.

"After returning to Muktsar, I will work to ensure the victory of our candidates contesting the panchayat poll. I will remain in Muktsar and listen to the complaints of party workers," Brar said while talking over the phone from Delhi.

"I have served as CWC member for more than eight years. I welcome the decision of the party high command and congratulate the new members of the committee. I have not demanded any post in the party and am happy to work as an ex-MP."

Talking about Captain Amarinder Singh's elevation as CWC member in his place, he said, "Amarinder is a former chief minister and a five-time MLA. Moreover, the high command had promised him readjustment. But it is not that he is the first Punjab leader to be appointed as a permanent invitee to the CWC. I have remained a special invitee to the CWC from 2005 to 2009 and permanent invitee from 2009 to 2013."

Meanwhile, Jagmeet Brar's younger brother, who is ex-MLA Kotkapura, Ripjit Brar, resented, "The high command does not want more than one leader in Delhi from Punjab, so that PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa is not disturbed. They desire a safe passage for Bajwa in Punjab. However, to be honest, Bajwa's elevation has not been able to pose an iota of challenge to the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal."

Ripjit Brar hoped the party would give a suitable position to Jagmeet in the next few days.

Earlier, Jagmeet Brar was in the race with Bajwa to become the PCC chief.

 Four teachers booked for neglecting election duty
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, June 17
The Punjab Government has come down heavily on those employees who took their duties lightly during the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections held on May 19 in Fazilka district.

The Fazilka police has booked four employees, including Surinder Kumar Vinayak and Sat Pal, both teachers at Government High School School, Kera Kher (Abohar), Naresh Kumar and Sham Sunder Setia, both ETT teachers attached with the Block Primary Education Officer, Block I, Abohar, for dereliction of duty under Section 120 of the Punjab State Election Act, 1994.

Sources said these reserve staff employees were directed to report on duty on May 19, but they failed to turn up.

“The employees have been booked on the instructions of the office of Deputy Commissioner, Fazilka,” said Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Manmohan Sharma.

 Stamp papers destroyed in rain
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, June 17
A large number of stamp papers were destroyed in the rain, which lashed this town on Saturday. District Treasury Officer Charanjit said, "The rain water caused a major loss to the local treasury office as a large number of stamp papers were destroyed. The senior officials have been informed in this regard."

The District Treasury Officer said that the 
building was too old and the office should be shifted to some other place, so that such losses could be avoided in future. 

 Allotment of residential plots
Authorised banks yet to get application forms from PUDA
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, June 17
The Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) launched an ambitious project for the allotment of 428 free hold residential plots in Faridkot under style PUDA Enclave (sugar mill site), Faridkot.

The PUDA got the advertisements published in different newspapers inviting applications for the purchase of 428 plots through prescribed forms. The residential plots would be allotted on the basis of a lucky draw. The PUDA authorities opened the scheme on June 3 and it would close on July 2.

The authorities also mentioned the list of the different banks authorised for selling of application forms in the state.

But the aspirants are running from pillar to post to purchase the forms. Ironically, none of the branches of banks authorised to sell the forms have received it so far.

“I have been visiting the banks for the last 15 days to get the forms but had to return empty-handed," said an aspirant Subhash Chander of Radha Swami Colony.

“We are yet to receive the forms and are not in a position to spell out when the forms would land here,” said a bank official.

When contacted, Estate Officer, Bathinda Development Authority, Harjit Singh Sandhu said he would get back after confirming the facts.

 Missing youth’s body found in canal
Our Correspondent

Abohar, June 17
The Khuyiansarwer police in Abohar sub-division fished out the body of a youth from the Malukpura canal with the help of a non-governmental organisation (NGO). The deceased was identified as Baljit Singh of village Srawan Bodla in Malout. He had been missing for the last three days after the death of his sister.

An unidentified body was found today near Burajmuhar chowk on the Abohar-Fazilka road (National Highway 10).

 Releasing river water from Punjab to Pak unfortunate: Vasundhara Raje
Raj Sadosh

Abohar, June 17
Sharing the concern expressed by the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti over releasing of 5000 cusecs of river water from gate number 15 of Hussainiwala headworks to Kasur region of west Punjab province in Pakistan, former chief minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje, while addressing rallies in the neighbouring district of Sriganganagar in Rajasthan today, termed it as unfortunate.

She regretted that Rajasthan had not been able to fill the vacancy in the Bhakra and Beas Management Board (BBMB). Its representative had been relieved on attaining the age of superannuation. The affairs were now being managed by the representatives of Punjab and Haryana and both were denying Rajasthan its due share of water. Short supply of water had resulted in partial cultivation in Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh districts.

Many farmers informed her that they have not been able to sow kharif crop as the canals originating from Ferozepur/Harike headworks were not running to their approved capacity despite the recent renovation and lining work. She blamed the state government led by Ashok Gehlot for the dismal agricultural scenario.