Lawyers demand case against cops
YAMUNANAGAR, March 1 — Lawyers of the Jagadhri Bar Association today decided to continue its stir up to March3 till a criminal case will be registered against the officials because of whom an advocate was mercilessly beaten.

Union Budget "anti-poor"
CHANDIGARH, March 1 — While politicians belonging to opposition parties of Haryana have described the Union Budget as anti-farmer, anti-poor and anti-employee, the industry seems by and large satisfied.

Haryana upgrades phone system
SONEPAT, March 1 — The Department of Telecommunications has decided to convert all the 850 telephone exchanges functioning in Haryana into electronic ones by the first week of April.

2 octroi clerks suspended
FATEHABAD, March 1 — A large scale evasion of sales tax with connivance of some octroi officials led to the suspension of two octroi clerks of the municipal committee here today.

Holi greetings
CHANDIGARH, March 1 — Haryana Governor Mahabir Prasad and Chief Minister Bansi Lal have greeted people on the occasion of Holi.

New District Judge

Ultras’ hideouts in Haryana

AMBALA, March 1 (UNI) — Various terrorist outfits had secret pockets and set up hideouts in Ambala, Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts of Haryana and in Patiala district of Punjab.

During extensive combing operations and door-to-door checking it had come to the notice that a number of youths from these districts were still in Pakistan.

This was stated by Haryana Railway Police DIG Resham Singh at a news conference here today. He said to combat terrorist activities, police forces in Haryana and Punjab had decided to coordinate in the districts bordering the two states.

Mr Resham Singh enlisted the outfits active in the districts as Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), the Babbar Khalsa, the Khalistan Zindabad Force and the Khalistan Commando Force. BKI activist Purushotam Singh of Matheri village, near here, was active in the area and mobilising youths in getting training, he added.

Purushotam, said the DIG, was suspected to be brain behind the Matheri Shrhan incident in which RDX was recovered in a large quantity.

He said that the railway police had taken a number of measures, including the setting up of mobile police stations in running trains, to guard against terrorist activities.

He said the recovery of RDX from the Markanda (Shahabad) and Ghaggar (Shambhu on the Haryana-Punjab border) rail bridges indicated the presence of the cadre of terrorists outfits in these areas.

The DIG said that following the recovery of the RDX, raids conducted at suspected hideouts of terrorist outfits some very important clues had come to the notice. According to him the blast in the Jhelum Express at Ambala cantonment in December 1996 was the handiwork of BKI activists.

He said the Haryana GRP would set up mobile police stations, on the pattern of Rajasthan to regularly patrol all coaches of the train while in motion. The passengers would have the facility to lodge their complaints in a running train.

DIG honoured gangmen Sahib Singh and Hari Chand for giving timely information regarding planting of RDX at Shahabad and Shambu rail bridges. This, he said, had averted what could have been a major disaster.
The DIG inaugurated a new drive of wearing chest nameplates with belt number by the patrolling policemen in trains.

Develop rural areas, says ISRO chief
From Our Correspondent

KURUKSHETRA, March 1 — Dr K.K. Kasturirangan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), while delivering a lecture at Kurukshetra University recently said, "The phenomenal growth of satellite communication and remote sensing technologies in the country have opened up a vast spectrum of opportunities for national development."

"The three decades of the Indian space programme has essentially focussed its main thrust in utilising the contributions from space technology for delivering benefits to society", said the ISRO chief. ISRO had played a crucial role in dealing with the major national tasks and in particular, its emphasis in transforming the remote area population and bringing them into the mainstream of the nation, thus making the programme a unique one, he said.

While emphasising the significance of the Indian space programme for rural uplift, Dr Kasturirangan said a unique developmental communication project was taken up in the predominantly tribal Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh for two years, starting in 1996. The project showed that it had created a lot of awareness among rural masses on better agricultural practices, land and water resources' management, family planning, health care, hygiene etc. With the encouraging results, the project was now proposed to be extended to 25 more districts during the ninth plan, he said.

Regarding the future projects to be undertaken by ISRO, he said the planned launch of INSAT-2E in 1999 would further augment the INSAT services. Efforts were in progress to launch INSAT-3 series of satellites (five satellites INSAT-3A through E) which would have more advanced features than the present ones.

Ex-minister hurt, 1 killed in clash
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, March 1 — One person was killed and ten, including a former minister, were injured in a clash over a land dispute at Dera village under Naraingarh police station on Saturday evening.

According to information available, the former minister, Mr Manphool Singh, along with around 40 armed persons went to the village situated on Naraingarh-Kala Amb road in order to take possession of some 20 acres of land, in three tractor-trolleys, two Tata Sumos, one Maruti and a Canter carrying guns, lathis and sharp-edged weapons.

Mr Manphool Singh had contested the Ambala Lok Sabha seat during the last parliamentary elections.

When they tried to cultivate the land in question, the village sarpanch, Mr Barkha Ram, objected on the ground that it was the village's common land and that even if Mr Singh and the others had sale deed, it was not genuine.

When the former minister did not relent the sarpanch went back to the village and informed the villagers who rushed to the spot.

A clash ensued and once a supporter of Mr Manphool allegedly fired a shot, the fight intensified. In the free for all several supporters of Mr Manphool Singh were injured.

The injured were taken to the civil hospital at Naraingarh from where five of them, Mr Manphool Singh, Mr J.P. Singh, Mr Mohinder, Mr Gurnam Singh, and Mr Nachattar Singh were referred to the PGI. Later Mr Gurnam Singh succumbed to his injuries.

On the basis of the first information report lodged by the sarpanch, a case under Sections 336, 427 of IPC and sections 25, 54 and 59 of the arms Act has been registered against Mr Manphool Singh, Mr Mohinder Singh, Mr Phool Singh and others. A case has also been registered against Tehal Singh, Balwant Singh, Sarwan, Prem Singh and others of the village on a complaint lodged by Phool Singh claiming that he and the others had come to the village to cultivate his land.

Some arrests have been made in this connection.

Govt recommends CBI probe into killings
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, March 1 — The Haryana Government on Sunday assured agitating villagers of Jassia that the alleged murder of two local school boys last week would be recommended for a CBI inquiry.

Earlier, the panchayats of Meham Chaubisi, Hooda Khap and Ahulana Bahara had expressed dissatisfaction over the police action and had demanded a CBI inquiry.

In accordance with the panchayats' decision the HPCC chief, Mr Bhupender Singh Hooda and a Lok Dal MLA from Meham, Mr Sri Kishan Hooda had announced a fast-unto-death till the demand for a CBI inquiry was not accepted.

It is learnt that Mr P.V. Rathi, DIG Rohtak range, contacted the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal on the phone and apprised him of the demand raised by the villagers. The Chief Minister reportedly acceded to the demand. Following the assurance by the government the blockade was lifted and the vehicular traffic was restored on Rohtak-Panipat state highway.

Meanwhile, Mr Charan Singh, general secretary of Haryana Lok Dal, has threatened that the party would gherao the deputy commissioner if the culprits behind the crime were not arrested in a week. He demanded a government job to one member of the family of the deceased and compensation of Rs five lakh to the kin of deceased.

Mr Krishan Murti Hooda, a former minister, criticised the incident and said the involvement of a police official in the crime could not be ruled out. Mr Dharam Vir Chiri, general secretary of Akhil Bhartiya Khet Majdoor Union, demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

Lawyers demand case against cops
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, March 1 — Lawyers of the Jagadhri Bar Association today decided to continue its stir up to March3 till a criminal case will be registered against the officials concerned, because of whom an advocate was mercilessly beaten, Mr Nirman Kapoor, General Secretary of association, informed here at a meeting of the general body of the association.

Mr Gopal Vijay Kaushish, Advocate, was mercilessly beaten by some encroachers at Chholli village in the district on February 24 in which he sustained grave injuries. Mr Kapoor informed that Mr Kaushish went to the site as per the order of the District Magistrate along with the police and social panchayat officer. The condition of Mr Kaushish have further deteriorated in the PGI, Chandigarh.

Mr Kapoor said that at the meeting, it was resolved that a criminal case should be registered against the Social Education Panchayat Officer, SHO police station, Bilaspur and other police officers whose dereliction of duty caused such grave incident.

However, Superintendent of Police has already suspended five police cops, including ASI.

It is learnt that an inquiry was conducted by Mr Narinder Singh SDM, Jagadhri, who went to Chholli village on Saturday along with Mr Niranjan Saini, President District Bar Association, Jagadhri and other lawyers.

However Superintendent of Police, Yamunanagar on an inquiry conducted by the DSP district headquarters, Mr Paramjit Singh Ahalawat has suspended SHO Bilaspur, Mr Dhanna Ram, for dereliction of duty.

Union Budget "anti-poor"
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 1 — While politicians belonging to opposition parties of Haryana have described the Union Budget as anti-farmer, anti-poor and anti-employee, the industry seems by and large satisfied.

In statements issued here today, the Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, and the former Haryana Congress President, Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala, criticised the imposition of Re 1 per litre cess on diesel and said that with one stroke of pen Mr Sinha had put a burden of Rs 5,000 crore on the farming community and transporters. They said the transporters, in turn, would raise freight, putting the ultimate burden on the common man. The farmers, however, would have to bear the burden themselves.

The enhancement of postal rates to the tune of Rs 150 crore was another anti-poor step by the BJP-led coalition Government.

The two leaders also criticised the imposition of a 10 per cent surcharge on income tax and said it would hurt the salaried class the most.

Mr Surjewala, who is also the president of the Haryana Krishak Samaj said the Samaj would organise a demonstration, later this month outside Parliament during its current session to protest against the Budget proposals.

A former president of the Haryana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr S.P. Gupta, and the senior vice-president of the chamber, Mr N.C. Jain, said under the circumstances prevailing in the country, Mr Sinha could not have done better. They welcomed the reduction in excise slabs.

Haryana upgrades phone system
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, March 1 — The Department of Telecommunications has decided to convert all the 850 telephone exchanges functioning in Haryana into electronic ones by the first week of April.

Stating this, Dr D.P.S. Seth, Chief General Manager Telecom, Haryana told mediapersons here today that as many as 794 exchanges had gone electronic in the state so far. Giving details, he said the thrust would be to connect at least 60 rural telephone exchanges with 'optic fibre cable' by the end of the next financial year.

The department would give at least one lakh new telephone connections in the current financial year. Of these, 60,000 new telephone connections had already been given. The department, had set up 25 new telephone exchanges during 1998-99 as compared to 10 in 1997-98.

The department introduced 'Internet service' last year and 250 connections were given.

It also started an 'integrated services digital nature' (ISDN) service in Faridabad and Gurgaon districts on an experimental basis. So far 10 connections had been given to the subscribers in both districts. Similar service will also be introduced in Panipat and Sonepat shortly.

The department would also introduce an 'integrated network service' (INS) in Gurgaon shortly.

The department, he said, had banned new recruitments since April 1985. The department had set a target of 25 lineman to 1,000 subscribers. As the number of telephone connections was increasing, this fell to 14 linesmen for 1,000 subscribers.

2 octroi clerks suspended
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, March 1 — A large scale evasion of sales tax with connivance of some octroi officials led to the suspension of two octroi clerks of the municipal committee here today.

According to sources, some local traders were evading sales tax for the past many years in connivance with some octroi clerks. The modus operandi adopted by these traders was that they brought their goods by road but did not enter the bill in their cash books. The octroi tax was paid on their goods but not in the name of their firm.

Sales tax officials detected the fraud last year and caught a local hardware dealer. The dealer had brought his goods from Punjab and got the octroi slip in the name of some other person. The officials seized the relevant bills from the firm and imposed a heavy fine along with the tax on that firm.

During an appeal to the Joint Taxation Commissioner the firm pleaded that an octroi slip was no proof of the purchase of goods and claimed that any one could obtain a bogus octroi slip.

To corroborate its claim the firm got octroi slips bearing the name of an excise and taxation officer and the District Excise and Taxation Commissioner and produced these slips before the Joint Commissioner. The matter was then brought to the notice of the Deputy Commissioner's office. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr V. Raja Sekh, after inquiry, suspended two octroi clerks Karam Chand and Krishan Dhawan.

Holi greetings
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 1 — Haryana Governor Mahabir Prasad and Chief Minister Bansi Lal have greeted people on the occasion of Holi.

They described the festival of colours as a symbol of communal harmony and urged the people to celebrate this festival in a traditional fervour as such festivals play a vital role in strengthening national integration.

New District Judge
From Our Correspondent

NARNAUL, March 1 — Mr Arvind Kumar Goyal, has taken over as District and Sessions Judge, here today. This is his first posting after promotion from Karnal.

Mr R.S. Madan, District and Sessions Judge, has been transferred to Rohtak.