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Cases of Victimisation of Dalits
invitation to majithia as chief guest |
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Resident misbehaves with Water and Sewerage team, refuses to pay dues
Arrest of councillor
Hospital owner’s arrest demanded
Forum asks bank to pay Rs 2 lakh to complainant
2-day long book fair concludes
Fateh Academy lift gatka trophy
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Cases of Victimisation of Dalits Tribune News Service
Amritsar, August 27 In a case relating to the illegal confinement of a Dalit youth at the Lopoke police station for three days on “frivolous” grounds, Dr Verka had directed that an FIR should be lodged against the SHO, Harminder Singh. He had also told the authorities concerned to report back to the commission with the action-taken report within a fortnight. Ranjodh Singh, a resident of Bholowal Kachha village, had alleged that his brother, Jagtar Singh, was detained by the Lopoke police in a theft case. He said that his brother was put in police custody on August 8 by the Lopoke police. Later, his family members were not even allowed to meet him. A day after, a complaint was sent to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had appointed a warrant officer to enquire into the matter. The warrant officer raided the police station and found Jagtar in a bad condition. Ranjodh alleged that it was old rivalry with certain persons, including Sukhchain Singh, Rajwinder Singh and Japnam Singh, who had influenced the SHO to torture his brother brutally. In the second case, a Dalit woman of Sheraan Nigah had alleged that Baljinder Singh, alias Bablu, of her village had attempted to rape her. Though an FIR was registered, the police refrained from initiating action against the culprit under the influence of the village sarpanch. She also alleged that she was being threatened to withdraw the case. SSP Jasdeep Singh said that the case was being investigated. Earlier, DSP Amandeep Kaur was enquiring into the matter, but recently it had been handed over to DSP Sohan Singh. The truth would come out soon and a report would be submitted to the commission. Similarly, the kin of a minor girl, belonging to Nangli village on the Fatehgarh Churian road, who was raped, appealed to the commission that the police had booked four persons under Sections 376, 506, 120 B, IPC, but had arrested just one accused till date. Taking instant notice of it, Dr Verka directed the SSP, Jasdeep Singh, to arrest all missing accused within a fortnight.
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invitation to majithia as chief guest Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service
Amritsar, August 27 The police had booked six members of the sarpanch’s family for assaulting a police party and stealing a mobile phone from the pocket of a policeman who was a part of the raiding party. District Rural Congress president Gurjit Singh Aujla and senior leader Jagwinder Singh stated in a press conference that former sarpanch Muktar Singh’s son, Banka, was booked by the police for having written “Police” on his scooter a few days ago. Aujla said that the sarpanch had joined the Congress during the recent Lok Sabha elections. He said that till now Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majitha was invited as the chief guest at the annual fair, but as the family who organised the fair this time called Sukjinder Raj Singh Lalli, the case was registered as “vendetta”. Aujla said that while the fair was held yesterday, a police party raided Muktar Singh’s home to arrest his son. He alleged that the police had manhandled the women members of the family. He said that the police had concocted the story of theft of a mobile phone to press more charges against the family. The Congress leaders demanded that an independent inquiry should be conducted and the false case registered against the family should be withdrawn. Aujla also criticised the ruling party for trying to save a local councillor accused of beating a PCR head constable. He said that, on the one hand, the ruling party was trying to save its senior leader, accused of beating a policeman and, on the other hand, innocent people with different a political ideology were being implicated in false cases.
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Resident misbehaves with Water and Sewerage team, refuses to pay dues
Amritsar, August 27 The employees, through the Nagar Nigam Karamchari Sangh and other employees union representatives, has submitted a memorandum to the Office of the Municipal Corporation Commissioner, demanding adequate arrangements for the safety of the employees, who go to field and sought action against the resident. According to Sanjay Khosla, spokesperson of the sangh, the team had gone to recover the dues from Rajiv Mehra, a resident of the Katra Praja area. He was defaulting on an amount of Rs 38,500 as water and sewerage charges. The department had issued him a notice on August 20 to clear his dues, but he never bothered to clear his dues. Earlier, a notice was also pasted on his property. “Today, when the team went to realise the dues, he started arguing and refused to accept the notice. The team tried to disconnect his connection, but he starting abusing the officials and threatened them that he had political connections,” he said. MC Commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal said that the matter had been brought to his notice. “We will form a policy under which the residents who misbehave with the recovery team will be taken to task. If need be, we will not refrain from lodging an FIR against such violent defaulters,” he said.
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Rights body supports Gurparkash’s family
Amritsar, August 27 At a press conference today, Prabodh Chander Bali, RAIS chairman, said that the state government should order an independent inquiry to bring out the truth. Gurparkash’s wife, Gagneet Kaur, who was present at the press conference, said that an official in the Police Department was still threatening the family. “The official wants us to stop making efforts to highlight the case and sit quietly. They have threatened to implicate me in a drugs case if I continued my struggle,” she said, adding that she had already lost her daughter and that she would continue to work to save his husband. Gurparkash, who was picked up by the CIA staff police from a market opposite the local railway station on June 26, was implicated in a case registered on June 29. According to the police, he was arrested while travelling from Tarn Taran to Patti with half a kilogram of smack. Later, his six-year-old daughter, Namanjot Kaur, had died after suffering from depression. The family had accused the police of implicating Gurparkash in a false case and thus triggering circumstances in which the child had died. Gurparkash’s father, Prem Singh, said, “People had seen him being taken from the market here on June 26. We had gone to the police station immediately to find out the offence he was suspected of, but we were not allowed to meet him. Later, on June 29, an FIR was registered against him.” Prem Singh alleged that the police had demanded Rs 20 lakh from him to save his son. “Even if we sell all that we own, we will not be able to collect Rs 20 lakh,” said Prem Singh. He said that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal should not let the
police implicate innocents in drugs cases. “Instead of arresting innocents,
the police should focus on arresting smugglers,” he stated.
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Akali leaders smell foul play, say police misguided them
GS Paul Tribune News Service
Amritsar, August 27 Akali leaders said the local higher-rank police officials had kept them in dark till they arrested their colleague to please their top boss. They demanded immediate release of the councillor and action against the erring top policemen. “It is quite surprising that the DGP has specially flown to Amritsar to ensure the arrest of the councillor. This move needs a thorough review,” said Sandhu. Gate Hakima police had mercilessly tortured head constable Dilbagh Singh allegedly at the behest of councillor Dilbagh Singh on August 23 at the police station. Akali Dal workers alleged that the ADCP (crime), HS Brar, had lodged an FIR under pressure. Sandhu said the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) had assured him on the phone that the councillor’s name only figured in the FIR and no action would be taken against him. “ADCP Brar had also told me to send the councillor to the police station for a negotiation as the complainant too was a policeman. I believed him and accordingly conveyed to the councillor to do the same. We had little inkling that it was just a drama to arrest him and please the DGP,” he said. ADCP Brar said he was bound to perform his duties. “I did my duty to the best, which was the need of the hour,” he said. Sandhu also showed some audio CDs which had recordings of the abusive behaviour of head constable Dilbagh Singh. He said it was a wrong propaganda that the councillor had influenced the police action against the head constable because the later had declined to mention the former’s credential over the flex posters meant for the Baba Peeru Shah Mela, scheduled for August 25. Sandhu also showed posters released by the caretakers of the dargah, which already had pictures of the councillor. The Akali leaders also produced the caretaker of the dargah, Baba Shah Ji, to support their claim. “In fact, it was head constable Dilbagh Singh, who under the influence of liquor, had created ruckus at Baba Peeru Shah Dargah. He abused councillor and his family members openly on August 22. The police had arrested him, but he was let off only after the councillor declined to initiate any action against him. The next day at 8.30 pm, the heavily drunk head constable again created ruckus. The councillor and some other residents of the locality had approached the Gate Hakima police which nabbed head constable Dilbagh Singh and brought him to the police station. Since, he was still using abusive language under the influence of liquor, the policemen beat him up. There is no question of councillor’s role in it,” he said.
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Hospital owner’s arrest demanded
Amritsar, August 27 The delegation apprised the Police Commissioner of their decision to stall work at hospitals if the accused were not arrested within 72 hours. The members of the delegation, the Civil Surgeon, Dr Rajiv Bhalla, Dr Balwinder Kakkar, Dr Hardeep Ghai, Dr Rashmi Vij, Rakesh Kumar, Rajwant Singh Chinna and others stated that the police had failed to arrest the hospital owner and his supporters even as an FIR was registered six days ago. Employees of the Health Department stated that the police should not be lenient with the persons, who had forcibly obstructed senior officials from performing their duty. Rakesh Kumar said, “The slack approach of the police will send a wrong message to the bad elements that they can misbehave and obstruct employees from performing their duties with impunity.” He said the associations of all cadres of health employees would stand united for the cause. The police had earlier registered a case against Narang hospital owner Ashwani Narang and his supporters on August 22 for obstructing a team led by Dr Rajiv Bhalla from inspecting records pertaining to the deaths of two pregnant women in the process of delivery at the hospital during July. The team was abused, misbehaved with and threatened of dire consequences if it tried to inspect the hospital premises. Later, the department had managed to inspect the hospital premises after four days with the help of police.
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regularisation of houses in unauthorised colonies Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service
Amritsar, August 27 Plot holders said they were unable to register their properties for various reasons. Stopping of issuing no-objection certificates (NoCs) had left them in lurch as the Revenue Department did not issue registries without the NoC. A city resident, Satbir Singh, said he purchased a plot on Verka bypass in April. In the meantime, the government departments stopped issuing the NoCs, without which it was not possible to complete the process for registry. He said all stakeholders, including sellers, property agents, besides him were uncertain about the legal status of plots sold and purchased by them. The move came as a relief to plot holders like him, he added. Earlier, the impact of not issuing NoCs was negative on the earnings of the Revenue Department. Sources in the Revenue Department said the number of registries per day had plummeted from over 200 to 30. As many as 250 properties were registered in sections I and II of the Revenue Department every day before July last year. Amritsar Property Dealers and Colonisers Association president Surinder Vashisht termed the Cabinet announcement a mere eyewash and vague. He said it was yet to be known whether the resumption of regularisation policy was limited only to plot holders. The government must have made it clear whether it was opened for colonisers or not, he added. According to the regularisation policy, defined last year, the deadline was to end on October 7, 45 days after the notification of the policy. The government extended the deadline for facilitating the regularisation of properties several times. The deadline has been extended four times and it was now extended for the fifth time. However, those who were left out of this arrangement had been pleading with the government to extend the deadline further. In the district, Municipal Town Planning Department of the Municipal Corporation is collecting the regularisation fee from the public residing in its jurisdiction and the Amritsar Development Authority (ADA) is doing so from the residents in the rest of the district. There are over 405 illegal localities in the city. Of these, 242 colonies are under the Municipal Corporation and 167 under the ADA. According to the Act, the composition fee for the regularisation of the unauthorised colonies, constructed before August 17, 2007, is 0.5 per cent of the collector rate as on April 1, 2013, subject to a minimum of Rs 25,000 and a maximum Rs 1 lakh per acre. For unauthorised colonies constructed after August 17, 2007, the fee will be 2 per cent of the collector rate, subject to a minimum of Rs 1 lakh and a maximum Rs 5 lakh per acre.
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Iron railing makes commuting difficult
Amritsar, August 27 A section of the residents and shopkeepers have voiced concerns over installing of four-foot high grills, but there are many who see it as measure for the safety of the commuters in the fast moving traffic. The Public Works Department (Border and Roads), which is looking after the expansion of the airport road, had installed iron grills over a concrete divider ahead of Court Chowk to Mira Kot crossing. The residents on the stretch from Gumtala bypass to Mira Kot are finding the four feet high divider as an obstruction to smooth movement across the road. There are several residential localities and commercial outlets selling daily use merchandise on this stretch, which has forced the people living in these localities to protest against the divider. A resident of Guru Amar Das Avenue, Satwant Singh, said, “Many big and small streets are located on both the sides of the road. However, not a single provision for a U-turn has been made. Being residents of the area, we welcome any move to make roads more secure. However, at the same time the authority concerned should have spared a thought to provide a safe passage to at least pedestrians.” In the absence of any opening people were forced to commute a long distance, added Satwant. Jeewan, a shopkeeper, said, “The divider has badly affected our business. It took years for us to set up business and make customers.” Now, they had lost buyers of their goods, who were residing across the road, he added. Executive engineer Jasbir Singh Sodhi said iron grills were installed on the divider for the safety of the people. Speeding vehicles ferrying passengers to and from the airport moved on the road. Besides, the volume of heavy vehicles, which catered to Ramdas and Ajnala towns, besides villages, was also high on the road, he added. Sodhi said there was no logic to review the status of divider. Earlier, many accidents on the airport road had snuffed out precious lives, said the executive engineer.
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Legal services authority advocates use of lok adalat
Amritsar, August 27 Giving details of works of the centre, Gurbir Singh, District and Sessions Judge-cum-Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, said, “The most important facility provided for the general public is permanent lok adalat, which is presided over by a retired Additional District and Sessions Judge. It also has two nominated members.” “The lok adalat is meant for the settlement of disputes regarding public utility services such as gas connection (LPG), banking services, insurance services, postal and telephone services, hospital and sanitation services, electricity and water services or transport services. The procedure of filing a pre-litigative in this lok adalat is also very simple,” he said adding that, “Any person having any grievance against these services in any manner can file an application on a plain paper before the chairman of this lok adalat. No court fee or engagement of an advocate is required in this lok adalat.” “This lok adalat can pass an award on the basis of settlement between the parties and also on merits of the case. The award passed by the lok adalat is final and is deemed to be a decree of a civil court,” the judge said, adding that till date 53 cases had been settled by it. Advocates trained as mediators at Mediation and Conciliation Centre assisted the parties to resolve their conflict through mediation. Besides, in some cases secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Amritsar, an officer of the rank of Chief Judicial Magistrate, also acted as a mediator, added the District and Sessions Judge. “The mediators use specialised techniques for settlement of disputes between the parties by holding meetings in a joint as well as single session. The facility of mediation in matrimonial cases at pre-litigative stage is also provided,” he added. Training programmes for para legal volunteers were also conducted. Seven persons had been selected for training so far, said the District and Sessions Judge. “The centre also provides free legal aid to women, children, persons belonging to SC/ST, handicapped, persons in custody, as a matter of right. Any person having annual income less than Rs 1,50,000 can also avail free legal aid, which includes the services of an advocate and the entire expenses to be incurred on the case,” he added.
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Forum asks bank to pay Rs 2 lakh to complainant
Amritsar, August 27 Bachan Singh, a resident of Roran Wala Kalan village, had filed a complaint against State Bank of India, stating that he had applied for a loan of Rs 2 lakh from his GPF, which was paid through a cheque. He said he submitted the cheque to the bank for clearance and the bank issued him a counter voucher. He alleged that the amount was not credited to his account. He said after he filed a complaint regarding non-payment of the amount with the Sub Divisional Magistrate, the bank was instructed to make the payment. Bachan said the branch manager did not make the payment on the ground that during its clearance, the cheque was lost or might have been encashed by some other person. He said the branch manager handed him over a copy of the letter addressed to the Commissioner of Police and added that they had lodged a complaint against the culprit so they were not liable to pay the amount to the complainant. In its reply to the forum, the bank stated that it had made all efforts for the registration of a case at the nearest police station. The bank said the controversy involved various complicated points and facts for adjudication, which could have been adjudicated in a regular trial by a civil court. The cheque was encashed by Madho Ram, who had an account with Punjab National Bank, which failed to exercise due diligence and care to verify the prima facie genuineness of the cheque, added the bank. The forum observed that though the cheque was encashed by some other person, all this happened due to the negligence of the bank staff and it was liable to pay the amount to the complainant.
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2-day long book fair concludes
Amritsar, August 27 Honorary secretary, Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC), Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina and Principal, Dr Mehal Singh, said such exhibitions develop reading interest amongst students. “Interest to read books is declining amongst the students, which is worrisome,’’ they said. In the age of internet and e-books, students preferrered to spend time on computers, which should be taken as an added advantage. Students should not shun books, they added. “Reading is a bliss and it triggers mental exercise apart from making us knowledgeable,’’ said Chhina. Students attended the book exhibition enthusiastically and bought books of their interests. Dr Mehal said almost all publishers from the city displayed their books at the exhibition and students found the experience intellectually stimulating.
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Fateh Academy lift gatka trophy
Amritsar, August 27 Seven schools participated in the under-17 category competition in which girls of International Fateh Academy were selected for participation at the state level. Gatka, a Sikh martial art, has gained popularity as the Union Sports Ministry of India adopted it under its programme of other Indigenous Games and Martial Arts (IGMA) to boost the indigenous sports. International Fateh Academy was selected as the first centre for impating gatka training by the Sports Authority of India.
— TNS
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