Gurgaon, September 1
The Haryana Police will increase forces on national and state highways for the security of vehicles. The decision will be the result of the mob outrage on Friday in which around 50 vehicles, including trucks buses and canters, were burnt on the Delhi-Jaipur highway.

An additional force will be deputed on checkposts on highways to ensure the security of vehicles in case of a mob outburst.

The Gurgaon police has already chalked out the plan.

The forces will not only deal with law and order situation but also have power of diverting routes as per the management and security needs.

According to the plan, additional personnel will be deputed on the Kherki Daula toll plaza and Rajiv Chowk that will cover the area up to Manesar. The third team will be posted in Pachgava that will keep a check from Manesar till Bilaspur chowk.

Similary for the Delhi-Alwar highway, two teams will be posted in Baadshahpur and Sohna which will keep a tab on vehicles passing to Rojka.

For the Gurgaon-Jhajjar road, the police will be deputed at Wazirpur and will look after the security of vehicles till Farukhnagar. There will be separate teams at Farukhnagar. For the Gurgaon-Baadli route, checkposts will be set up at Kaaliyawas. Checkposts will be also be set up on various points in the Gurgaon-Faridabad road.

Relief for victim's kin

Two companies of the CRPF, along with 500 jawans of Haryana Police, continued to be deployed in Pataudi. The Haryana Government has, meanwhile, released a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for next of kin of deceased Vikrant Yadav from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Vikrant was allegedly murdered by cattle smugglers. 

Gurgaon, September 1
Besides restoring peace and order in the violence-affected Gurgaon areas, the police has now another duty of protecting over 150 stray cattle which were rescued by a mob before burning trucks sent by the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.

The villagers, who had gone on the rampage and burnt the trucks, took away healthy animals, leaving behind bulls and old cows in village streets. These animals are proving to be a headache for the police.

“The people here are hypersensitive to cattle. The cattle rescued from the MC trucks are roaming and we are more bothered about their security. We have to protect 100 animals to ensure that they are not harmed,” said a policeman posted in the area.

“This added number has increased our work but it’s the duty of gaushalas or the civic authorities to coordinate and arrange for their rehabilitation,” said DCP. The Gurgaon civic authorities accused the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation of indifference as the MC should help the civic authorities protect and rehabilitate the animals. The violence has left many people elated. For some persons, earlier it was hard to earn their livelihood, but now they managed to get lactating cows.

Sirsa, September 1
An arms dealer from the district has been arrested by the anti-terrorist squad (ATS) of the Uttar Pradesh police for his alleged involvement in the supply of firearms to Maoist groups across the country.

Anil Kumar Jain, who owns a shop, Jain Brothers, near bus stand at Dabwali town of Sirsa, was summoned by the ATS of the UP Police to Lucknow, where he was arrested on Friday.

Sources said Jain’s arrest came in the follow-up investigations of a unique gunrunning racket the UP ATS had busted on April 18 with the arrest of three persons from Unnao.

The gang used to procure repaired and discarded handguns of top international brands at throwaway prices from international markets in Singapore and Canada. The weapons were then dismantled, smuggled into India and reassembled.

During the investigations, the ATS swooped on an apartment in Dadar-West, Mumbai, and arrested an 80-plus retired flight engineer, who, during his service and posting at international airports, used to help the gang smuggle parts of firearms to international firearm markets of Singapore and Canada.

Sources said the team had recovered a dozen odd pistol grips, a number of magazines of different bores and cartridges of .32 and .22 bore guns from the retired engineer’s Dadar-West apartment.

Sources said one of the accused arrested by the ATS had revealed that he had been fascinated by foreign-made arms since childhood. With the help of his maternal uncle, he came in contact with arms dealer in Kanpur and later through him he contacted an arms dealer in Dabwali town of Sirsa district who he identified as Anil Kumar Jain.

The weapons reassembled by the gang then found their way to Naxal outfits in various states of the country.

The police sources in Sirsa said the ATS had summoned three other dealers from Haryana, including one from Sirsa town for questioning.

However, the ATS picked up clues that suggested Jain’s involvement in the racket and arrested him.

Hisar, September 1
NGO All-Indian Organic Farmers Society (AIOFS) was blacklisted by Agriculture Ministry agency National Centre of Organic Farming (NCOF) after it found the NGO using its name illegally.

The documents in possession of The Tribune said the NCOF had served a show-cause notice on the NGO on November 15 last year following an advertisement by the NGO inviting applications for 885 posts to promote organic farming in the state under the participatory guarantee scheme. The NCOF had asked the society to reply for using the name of the NCOF.

Finding its reply unsatisfactory, NCOF director Krishan Chandra stated that the AIOFS had been blacklisted. It was also decided not to entertain any proposal from the organisation.

While the central agency was swift to take action, the Hisar administration, however, failed to rein in the NGO despite being alerted by the NCOF. It even ignored the suggestion to publicise the facts about the NGO across the state. The NCOF regional office at Hisar submitted a complaint to the Hisar police and also sent a copy to the DC office to take necessary action as the jobless youth could be misguided by the employment notice of the NGO.

Ambala, September 1
On a call given by the BJP Kisan Morcha, a large number of farmers from the state assembled at Ambala and marched towards Chandigarh, where they will hand over a memorandum to the Governor.

The farmers will halt at Dera Bassi where they will be joined by farmers from Punjab. They will march towards Punjab and Haryana Raj Bhawans to hand over the memoranda to their respective Governors.

The call was given in wake of farmers seeking permission to sell their body organs to sustain the expenses of their families.

Before proceeding to Dera Bassi, the farmers assembled at a local marriage palace where a rally was organised which was addressed by a number of farmer leaders and BJP MLAs, including leader of the BJP legislative party Anil Vij, state BJP chief Ram Bilas Sharma, Haryana chief of the Kisan Morcha Mahipal Dhanda, and party spokesman Rattan Lal Kataria.

Mahipal Dhanda stated that after coming back to power, the BJP along with its alliance partner would ensure that the land acquired by the government was returned to the farmers.

Ram Bilas Sharma said Congress leaders were bent on working for the benefit of big industrial houses while the interests of the farming community had been set aside.

Anil Vij said farming was no longer a lucrative profession as the input cost had increased manifold but the earning of the cultivators had remained the same. 

Chandigarh, September 1
The main Opposition BJP may have supported the landmark Land Acquisition Bill in the Lok Sabha but its kisan morcha today struck a discordant note, alleging that the Bill favoured big corporates in its current shape.

"Certain provisions of the legislation still weighed in favour of the big corporates and these need to be taken care of in farmers' interests in the Rajya Sabha," OP Dhankar, president of the BJP kisan morcha, said here.

Dhankar said there was no clear distinction between the public and private purpose in the Bill and it was silent on the return of that land to farmers on which the Special Economic Zones(SEZs) had been denotified. "Also the option was still open in the Bill to acquire the fertile land," he quipped.

"Land has become the most valuable asset in the country. Industrial houses and MNCs are busy creating landbanks whereas the original owners of land 'the farmers' are left bereft of its ownership rights," he alleged.

On the Food Security Bill, Dhankar said it did not take care of producers' (farmers) interests. However, the BJP supported the Bill in Parliament as it did not want to oppose the provisions of subsidised food to the poorer section of society, he added.

Blaming the Congress-led UPA government for farmers' plight, he alleged that except urea, all other inputs in the farming were in the control of MNCs. There had been no substantial development in the infrastructural growth of agriculture. "For the past many years, the country has only 40 per cent irrigated land, godowns are scarce, crops were rotting, procurement system is on its last legs, farmers are forced to throw away produce in the event of glut," he said.

"Thousands of farmers of Haryana and Punjab will visit Punjab and Haryana Governor Houses, demanding implementation of pro-farmers policies," Vineet Joshi, national spokesman of the kisan morcha, said.

anti-farmer

* Land Acquisition Bill favours big corporates

* The Bill silent on return of denotified SEZ lands to farmers

* Food Security Bill does not take care of producers' interests.

Jhajjar, September 1
Describing the ceasefire violation and intrusion as ‘opportunist steps’ by the neighbouring countries, former Army Chief VK Singh said the Centre must find a permanent solution to the border issues.

He was addressing a gathering of ex-servicemen during a programme at Durga Mandir in Patauda village here today. He said, "We must make it clear that they do not take us for a ride. We are not firm but we must be."

Speaking on the issue of one rank, one pension, the former Amry Chief said the parliamentary committee had accepted the one rank, one pension scheme but officials were unnecessarily putting obstacles in the way.

“When the government can spend a huge amount of 3.16 lakh crore to provide food to the poor people in the country, why is it not spending Rs 3,600 crore on the one rank, one pension scheme? The Army personnel protect the nation without caring for their lives,” he said.

He maintained that ex-servicemen were united over the issue and would vote for the political party in the next poll that supports the implementation of the scheme.

The former Army Chief admitted that the country requires a change but refuted the reports that he might be joining the BJP.

Later, while responding to a question raised by mediapersons about BJP’s ex-servicemen rally in Rewari on September 15, he said it was being organised for the ex-servicemen, hence he would attend it if invited.

Sirsa/Fatehabad, September 1
Owing to humid conditions prevailing in the area, the Guar (cluster bean) crop in Sirsa and Fatehabad has been badly hit by a disease, Bacterial Leaf Blight (BLB), and the infestation of whiteflies.

The attack of the BLB is so pronounced that farmers in the area are worried that it will affect the overall production of the crop.

A joint team of agriculture experts from the Kishi Vigyan Kendra of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University, Hisar, and experts from Hindustan Guar Gum, Bhiwani, visited Nahla, Pawra, Jandli Kalan, Jandli Khurd, Chobara and Gorakhpur villages of Fatehabad to assess the damage due to the diseases.

Dr Satyajit Singh, an agriculture expert from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra of the CCSHAU, said the infection of Bacterial Leaf Blight was quite high and it was increasing due to the ignorance of the farmers.

Since many farmers have grown Guar for the first time this year, they are ignorant of the diseases associated with the crops and have been using pesticides indiscriminately on the advice of dealers.

The agriculture experts maintain that the BLB disease can cause loss to the cluster bean crop up to 50 to 70 per cent in severe conditions.

The experts have cited high humidity conditions and warm temperature prevailing in the area as highly favourable for the spread of BLB.

Owing to higher prices of Guar last year and more hassles associated with the cotton crop, cluster bean has been grown on 1.05 lakh hactares in Sirsa and 33,000 hectares in Fatehabad this year.

The area under Guar is at least 40 per cent higher than that of last year. 

Sirsa, September 1
Senior INLD leader and Ellenabad MLA Abhay Singh Chautala today said his party would raise anti-people decisions of the government, including issues concerning health and education of children, in the state assembly.

Speaking to mediapersons here, Abhay Singh Chautala alleged that the Hooda government had been taking one anti-people decision after the other to the detriment of common people.

Abhay alleged that the state government was serving poison to schoolchildren in the name of mid-day meal and iron and folic acid tablets.

He alleged that the quality of food being served to children was so poor that insects could be seen running in it with naked eyes.

He said as a result of poor quality pills, hundreds of children were taking ill every time they had to consume these tablets.

Referring to the inordinate delay in the supply of books to schoolchildren, Abhay alleged that on one hand the state government spoke of making Haryana the educational hub of the country, while on the other hand, the schoolchildren were without books though the first semester was about to finish.

Speaking about the proposed September 29 rally of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at Kharia in the Rania Assembly segment of Sirsa, Abhay alleged that the state government was inimical towards this district.

The INLD leader demanded a white paper on all announcements made by Hooda during his public meetings.

Ashok Arora, president of the state INLD, who accompanied him, alleged that the present government nursed a grouse against some areas while it gave preferential treatment to others.

Chandigarh, September 1
The state government has notified Stage Carriage Permit Scheme, 2013.

A spokesman of the Transport Department said 198 permits would be granted to private bus operators in Ambala district, 220 in Bhiwani, 62 in Faridabad,188 in Fatehabad, 90 in Gurgaon, 328 in Hisar, 160 in Jhajjar, 242 in Jind, 224 in Kaithal, 182 in Karnal, 134 in Kurukshetra,102 in Mahendergarh, 90 in Mewat, 112 in Palwal, 68 in Panchkula, 218 in Panipat, 160 in Rewari, 173 in Rohtak, 238 in Sirsa, 194 in Sonepat and 136 in Yamunanagar.

He said any person of Haryana domicile, society, firm or company registered in Haryana local bodies within their respective jurisdiction would be eligible to apply for the permit. A society, firm, company or individuals would be eligible to apply only for one permit. — TNS

Kurukshetra September 1
In response to a call given by the All-India Federation of University and College Teachers' Organisations, the university and college teachers' organisations of the north at a meeting here today decided to mobilise teachers for the September 20 rally at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

A spokesperson said the teachers were upset over the UGC regulations, 2013, affecting the promotional chances of teachers. — OC

Sirsa, September 1
The police has busted a gang of inter-state robbers by arresting two of its members. Saurabh Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, told mediapersons here yesterday after the interrogation of the two accused, they had confessed to stealing a car from the HUDA area on February 24, 2013, dacoity in the house of trader Jay Narain Tayal on February 26, 2013, and robbery of Rs 5 lakh from a cooperative bank at Kagdana village in Sirsa in May this year.

The arrested persons have been identified as Naresh, a resident of Shahpuria, and Gurpreet, a resident of Gukkanwali village in Sirsa.

Saurabh Singh said the police had recovered the car and Rs 2.35 lakh looted from the bank from the accused.

The SSP said a team of the CIA staff led by Inspector Arun Bishnoi arrested Naresh with a pistol and on information from him, the police nabbed the other accused. He said the accused had revealed the identity of four other accomplices and the police hoped to arrest them soon. — TNS

Sirsa, September 1
Amid continuous nuisance by vested interests in the name of stopping the alleged Kala Kachha Gang, the police last night arrested 16 persons and booked them for rioting, criminal intimidation and causing nuisance under Sections 148, 149, 506 and 290 of the IPC at Dhani Bilaspur of Jhorarnali village in Sirsa.

Though the accused youths, all residents of Ottu village, have maintained that they had come to Dhani Bilaspur after receiving information about the attack of Kala Kachha Gang, the police has booked them on the complaint lodged by Dhanoor and Jhorarnali villagers.

Due to the rumours of Kala Kachha Gang, residents of almost all villages in Sirsa have been guarding their areas at night.

The police maintained that in the name of night vigil, certain mischievous elements had started their activities to take benefit of the situation.

Some youths were spotted riding on motorcycles near Dhanoor village last night and when the villagers tried to stop them, they did not listen and went towards the neighbouring Dhani Bilaspur village.

Dhanoor villagers chased them and also informed their counterparts at Dhani Bilaspur about the suspicious movement of the motorcyclists.

Finally, the villagers from Dhanoor and Dhani Bilaspur succeeded in stopping the motorcycles by firing in the air. The police took 16 motorcyclists in its custody and booked them for rioting, criminal intimidation and causing nuisance.

More villagers from Ottu came in support of the motorcyclists and maintained that the youths had gone towards Dhanoor and Dhani Bilaspur after a milkman informed them about the activities of Kala Kachha Gang in that area.

They said just because youths did not stop at Dhanoor village, the people took them for Kala Kachha Gang members and informed the police.

Meanwhile, the police said despite its clarifications that there was no Kala Kachha Gang active in Sirsa, some unscrupulous elements had been trying to take undue benefit of the situation.

3 women among six taken hostage

Hisar: Following rumours about Kala Kaccha Gang, residents of Ghirai village in the district today took six persons, including three women, hostage for about one hour in the village. The police took them in custody and during interrogation, they turned out to be waste collectors.

Sources said when they were gathering waste material, some villagers mistook them for gang members and locked them in a room. The police reached the spot and took them to the police station for questioning. The police clarified that suspects were not involved any unlawful activities.

In another similar incident, a youth was shot at by villagers when he tried to escape Chuli village of the district last night. The victim, Suresh Kumar, said he was going to meet his sister in the village when some villagers mistook him for Kala Kachha Gang member and started chasing him. He ran away and hid himself in the fields. He was admitted to a hospital and is stated to be out of danger.

Sonepat, September 1
Jyoti, a newly married girl, committed suicide by consuming a poisonous substance in her parents' house at Khanda village under the Kharkhoda police station yesterday. She was also a student of a local girls' college.

On a complaint of her husband, Manoj of Ram Nagar, a case has been registered in the police station against Surjit, Tej Singh and others of Devru village. In the complaint, Manoj alleged that while going to the college, the accused used to harass her. When she complained against the accused to her family members, the accused threatened her with dire consequences. Surjit had also threatened him, Manoj stated.

The police said the accused had been booked.