Monday, September 20, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Monday, September 20, 1999 |
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Youth
dies in police custody Governor's report to be reviewed:
CM |
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Spate of
challans angers residents CM orders probe BSP seeks case withdrawal Ram Lal alleges poll code
violation Kidnapped boy escapes Rape case: JD seeks CBI probe PSEB engineers resent delay Park upgradation delayed Lawyers call off strike 3 held for making spurious grease |
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Case against SI, others ROPAR, Sept 19 — Devinder Singh, alias Bhola, a 21-year-old truck driver from Hasanpur village near Kharar, died in the custody of CIA staff here last night. A case has been registered against Malwinder Singh Malhi, Sub-Inspector of the CIA, and other police officials concerned under Section 302 IPC, at the sadar police station here in this regard. Mr Gurmukh Singh, father of the deceased, alleged that his son had been tortured to death by the police less than 24 hours after taking him into custody from Hasanpur at 4 am the previous day. Bhola was brought dead to a hospital at about 8.35 p.m. yesterday, according to hospital staff. The police says that he died on the way to hospital. It claims that Bhola developed some health problem in the CIA office and a police officer immediately rushed him to the hospital. Mr Gurmukh Singh said Bhola was taken into custody along with Sapinder Singh, his brother, and two others — Karnail Singh and Inderjit Singh — from the village by a police party, including SHO Didar Singh. (Anandpur Sahib), Malwinder Singh Malhi and Manbir Singh, without being told of their crime. He also alleged that Sapinder Singh and Karnail Singh had been beaten up by the police outside the village. Mr Gurmukh Singh alleged that Devinder Singh could not stand on his legs when he was brought to the village at 2 p.m. for the recovery of an assault rifle which the police claimed that he and the others had in their possession. The police dug up about a bigha of land to recover the rifle, but did not find anything. He said the police returned to Ropar around 5 p.m. adding that he got the information about his son's death after reaching the hospital here this morning. Villagers today blocked the road near the local civil hospital for more than an hour and raised slogans against the Punjab Police, demanding immediate arrest of the erring officials. Some women also held a 'siapa' in the hospital. Mr Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, SSP, talking to newspersons said after he received information about the victim's death at 9 p.m. last night, he immediately ordered that an FIR be registered against the officials concerned. The FIR was registered at about 9.40 p.m. he said. However, the SSP said Devinder Singh had been arrested following the registration of a case against him under Section 25 of the Arms Act at Kharar police station. He said the police had arrested all four persons after receiving an information that they had an assault rifle. He also added that these persons had no previous criminal record. District Magistrate Kulbir Singh Sidhu has ordered the SDM to hold an inquiry under Section 176 of the Cr PC and the Civil Surgeon to form a board to conduct the post-mortem examination under video filming. Mr Kaka Singh, a panchayat member of Hasanpur village, on behalf of the panchayat has demanded that the culprits should be arrested immediately. Mr Gurdev Singh Kohli, Senior Vice-President of the district unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal, demanded a judicial inquiry into the custodial death. According to Dr Rajinder
Singh, Civil Surgeon, the medical board conducted the
post-mortem examination. He said the board had not found
any fatal external injury on the body of the deceased
though there were three minor injuries on the back of the
shoulder and arms. He said the viscera of the deceased
had been sent to Patiala for chemical examination. |
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Governor's report to be reviewed:
CM GURU KI DHAB ( Faridkot), Sept, 19 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal said today that the report of the Governor Lt-Gen B.K.N. Chhibber (retd), regarding the indictment of four Congress ministers by the Lok Pal would be reviewed in the next session of the Vidhan Sabha. Mr Badal said the complaints against four Congress ministers, including Mr Bal Mukand Sharma, Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, Mr Lal Singh and Mr Lakhmir Singh Randhawa, who were indicted by the Lok Pal, were received when Mr Justice S.S Sodhi was the Lok Pal during the chief ministership of Mr H.S. Brar. He stated that these four ministers of the previous Congress government were not indicted by the Lok Pal on any political consideration and hence the report of the Governor would be reviewed in the next session. Mr Badal, while talking to mediapersons after addressing a party conference here on the occasion of the annual Jor Mela, said only the SGPC was authorised to approve any amendment in the laws relating to gurdwaras and Sikh religion. To a question, he said the financial position of Punjab would be strengthened soon. When asked whether he had suggested the name of any person to be appointed as the Governor of the state in place of Lt-Gen Chhibber to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, he said the new Governor would be appointed after the formation of the new government at the Centre and added that so far he had not suggested the name of any person to Mr Vajpayee. Mr Badal said the Ranjit Sagar dam project had been completed and it would be commissioned shortly. A committee was investigating the technical problem which had developed in it. Bibi Jagir Kaur,
President, SGPC, who was also present said the people
should follow the philosophy of great Gurus and should
launch a crusade against social evils. |
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Spate of challans angers residents JALANDHAR, Sept 19 (PTI) —An intensive drive to enforce the Motor Vehicles Act clause necessitating the wearing of helmets by drivers and pillion riders of two -wheelers has resulted in the city traffic police personnel issuing over 3,500 challans in a matter of five days triggering off protests from two-wheeler drivers who termed the sudden vigour to enforce the law as "unjustified". "We had merely ventured to the street corner shop to have a cold drink but were slapped with a challan each for not wearing the helmet. Why don’t the traffic police restrict such strict enforcement merely to the highways," said a group of youngsters showing the challans. Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Yadav said 3,696 challans for not wearing helmets were issued under sections 129 and 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act while 203 challans were issued to four-wheeler owners who had black films pasted on window panes. Two-wheeler owners said the system of issuing a challan and then making the scooter driver before a magistrate on a day given by the police was what was creating real trouble. "I am not peeved by the challan handed over by the over-zealous policeman but by the fact that I would have to spend an entire day at the court waiting for my turn to pay up and a get my registration certification back," said a sales executive for whom a day at the courts also meant loss of pay and business for one day. A number of citizens in the city said the police personnel catching violators should release the fine amount on the spot, as is the system in Delhi or Chandigarh. But the SSP told PTI that the police here does not have such powers. "The power to release the fine on the spot on the basis of compounded fine amount has to be delegated by the state government to the district police. At present, the Jalandhar police has no such powers," Mr Yadav said. People at the New Courts
Complex, who had gathered there to appear with the
challan before the magistrate, said the police was
enforcing the "helmet-must" rule under pressure
from the high court which had issued instructions for
enforcement of the Motor Vehicles Act. |
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Threat to gherao Punjab
ministers CHANDIGARH, Sept 19 — The Punjab unit of the CPI has urged the government to compensate paddy growers for distress sale of their produce with government agencies "almost abstaining from market". Addressing a joint press conference the CPI state unit secretary, Mr Joginder Dayal, Punjab Kisan Sabha president, Mr Kulwant Singh and its secretary, Mr Hardev Arshi, said the government should make good for the difference in the amount of the minimum support price and the actual price they got through early sale of their produce. The leaders accused the government of ignoring the interests of farmers by leaving them "at the mercy" of rice mill owners and paddy traders, who before the entry of the government into market purchased 75 per cent of the paddy growers’ produce at rates lower than Rs 60 to Rs 70 to Rs 200 before government agencies purchased at the minimum support price. They threatened to
gherao ministers of the BJP-Akali Dal coalition
government if the problems were not looked into afresh. |
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CM orders probe BATHINDA, Sept 19 — Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today ordered a probe into the registration of an allegedly false case of corruption against Dr Gurdev Singh Sidhu, Senior Medical Officer (SMO), Civil Hospital, Raman Mandi, by a vigilance team on Septemer 17. Mr Badal asked the SP (Vigilance, Bathinda, to hold the inquiry when a deputation of the PCMS Association and the IMA led by Dr Ajit Pal and Dr Rajesh Maheshwary met him here today. Mr Badal assured the deputation that after the inquiry, the guilty would be punished. Mr S.R. Ladhar, District Magistrate, has also ordered a magisterial probe into the incident and deputed Mrs K.P. Brar, AC(Grievances), to conduct it. Talking to TNS, Dr Sidhu alleged that members of the vigilance team started beating him up in his room and took him to the police station. Before it the vigilance team sent a woman to his room. She threw currency notes on his table which he returned to her through another person. He alleged that the vigilance team did not reveal its identity. It did not inform any member of his family about his arrest and he was taken to a private clinic at Talwandi Sabo from Raman Mandi where members of the team misbehaved with him. His wife, Dr Patwant Kaur, also approached the DGP, the Punjab and Haryana High Court and human rights organisation to know his where abouts. Meanwhile, members of
the PCMS Association have decided to wear black badges
till the case against Dr Sidhu is withdrawn by the
authorities concerned. A deputation of the association
will also meet the Director and the Principal Secretary,
Department of Health, Punjab soon in this regard. |
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BSP seeks case withdrawal PHAGWARA, Sept 19 (UNI) — Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) district President Ashok Sandhu and party Lok Sabha candidate from Phillaur (reserve) Avinash Chander today threatened to launch an agitation if the police did not withdraw a case registered against nine activists of the party, including Mr Sandhu. The Police had registered a case on Friday against Mr Sandhu and eight others on a complaint of their political rivals from the Bahujan Samaj Morcha (BSM) after workers of the two parties clashed during electioneering. Two activists of the BSM
and one of the BSP were injured. |
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Ram Lal alleges poll code
violation NANGAL, Sept 19 — Mr Ram Lal Thakur, the Congress candidate from the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat, today blamed the Himachal Government for violating the election code. "The government has ordered the audit of accounts of village panchayats during these elections and is trying to pacify panchayat functionaries," Mr Thakur said while addressing a rally at Bhakra village. He said the government was making promises of a grant of Rs 2 lakh to each village, which was a violation of the election code. He blamed the government
for stopping the supply of sugar under the PDS scheme and
reducing investments under Indira Nivas Yojna. |
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Kidnapped boy escapes LUDHIANA, Sept 19 — Courage, survival instinct and deftness in analysing and acting upon the situation helped Sahil Dhawan to escape from his kidnappers after a two-hour-long ordeal here on September 17. Thirteen-year-old Sahil, son of a local BJP activist, Mr Rakesh Dhawan, was kidnapped by four persons while he was on his way to catch an autorickshaw for home after school. Incidentally, Nauriya Mal Jain School, near Bharat Nagar Chowk, where Sahil is a student of class VIII, closed down an hour in advance on that fateful day as it was a centre for the class X compartment exams of the PSEB. While talking to this correspondent, Sahil recalled that "one person walked up to me as I was heading towards an autorickshaw and said my father, Mr Rakesh Dhawan, was looking for me and asked me to accompany him. However, I got suspicious and ran away. But another of his accomplices ran towards me and pushed me inside a blue-coloured Maruti van," he said. There were five persons inside the van, including the driver. Two of the persons were wearing turbans, he added. Sahil alleged that the kidnappers held him by his throat all along and threatened him with a knife if he tried to protest. The kidnappers moved about in the city for sometime and finally stopped at a tea stall near a petrol pump at Haibbowal. While the kidnappers were sipping their tea, Sahil quietly got out of the car and boarded a local bus that was parked nearby. "Once I got out I did not look back and was determined to escape," he said. Sahil recalled that the overheard his kidnappers talk of taking him to their house at Haibbowal and of also kidnapping Mishra’s son and taking both of them to another hide-out. Sahil also claims that the driver of the vehicle had cautioned his other four accomplices about kidnapping him (Sahil) as his father, Mr Rakesh Dhawan, was a close aide of Mr Harish Bedi, another BJP leader. Meanwhile, Sahil’s
statement has been recorded by the police and an FIR may
be registered soon. |
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Rape case: JD seeks CBI probe LUDHIANA, Sept 19 — The Janata Dal, Punjab Pradesh and the Yuva Janata Dal today demanded a CBI inquiry into the rape case after a shift in the stand of the victim, absolving Mr Suba Singh, son of Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurdev Singh Badal of the crime. In a joint statement issued to the Press Mr Harish Khanna, Convener of the Janata Dal, Punjab, and Mr Jagdish Rai Mongh, President, Yuva Janata Dal, stated that something was amiss in the manner in which the rape victim had said that her earlier statements given to the police and the judicial magistrate accusing Mr Suba Singh of raping her for almost two months, were made under pressure. They said the girl and
her father had earlier been crying themselves hoarse
about the involvement of Mr Suba Singh. They said both
the victim and her father had approached the Governor of
Punjab and sought the arrest of the Culprits, including
Mr Suba Singh. |
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PSEB engineers resent delay PATIALA, Sept 19 — The PSEB Engineers Association has expressed concern over the delay in the commissioning of the Ranjit Sagar dam and demanded replacement of its General Manager. In a representation sent to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Mr Padamjit Singh and Mr H.S. Bedi, President and General Secretary of the association, respectively, said 80 days had elapsed since the detection of failure in P-1 tunnel of the dam and the repair procedure was yet to be decided. The association has cautioned the Chief Minister that those responsible for the lapse will try to cover it up by trying to commission P-2 tunnel. There was a possibility that P-2 tunnel may meet the same fate as P-1. The proper procedure as stressed by the design consultant would be to empty out the reservoir and repair the defect in P-1 tunnel while also checking P-2. The association said to
get short term gains and publicity, the government should
not try to commission P-2 tunnel at the cost of delaying
P-1 since this would mean that the units which get water
from P-1 would not be able to run next summer. |
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Park upgradation delayed PATIALA, Sept 19 — The proposed move of the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZAI) to upgrade the status of the deer park here to that of a small zoo has been delayed due to the non-fulfillment of several conditions by the park authorities. The CZAI had given 2 years’ time to fulfill the conditions. But with less than two weeks left for the expiry of the period, the authorities have not been able to meet the demand. According to sources, the authorities have sought a year’s extension for the fulfillment of the conditions. In a letter written to the CZAI, Mr P.C. Atyalia, in charge of the park, said that due to lack of funds from the Punjab Government, the project had been affected. The sources said the authorities had completed formalities such as pairing of birds and had even brought jackals to the park but they had yet not constructed aviaries and there was also no provision for a veterinary centre and a post-mortem house. Mr Atyalia, however, was hopeful that the demand for the extension of the time period would be accepted and said only a few conditions could not be fulfilled due to lack of funds. Meanwhile, the authorities have started demolishing all cement structures, depicting various animals, in the park on the direction of the CZAI which said only animals be kept in the park. Even the swings,
see-saws and the merry-go-rounds installed as additional
entertainment for children have been dismantled. |
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Lawyers call off strike MALERKOTLA, Sept 19 — Bar Association in Sangrur district, who were on an indefinite strike for the past one month in support of the lawyers of Malerkotla, have decide to call off the strike after a number of meetings with Mr Justice M.L. Singhal at the local PWD Rest House yesterday. The Malerkotla Bar
Association was on an indefinite strike in protest
against the non-cooperative attitude of Ms Kiran Bala,
Civil Judge (Junior Division) here. Mr Justice Singhal,
Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court, had visited
Malerkotla earlier also to pursue the lawyers to call off
the strike, but the matter was not settled. But yesterday
he had a number of meetings with the Joint Action
Committee. The matter was discussed in details and a
committee decided to resume work from Monday. |
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3 held for making spurious
grease GURDASPUR, Sept 19 — The police has unearthed a factory engaged in the manufacture of spurious grease and arrested its partners Vishal Kumar and Vijay Kumar, both residents of Pathankot, and Kewal Krishan of Amritsar. The factory is located at Pathankot. Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP, briefing newspersons here today said that the factory was set up seven months ago by the arrested who used lime stone, waste oil of trucks and rice bran oil to manufacture duplicate grease. The district police chief said the police accompanied by the Deputy Manager, Sales Indian Oil Corporation, on specific information raided the premises of the factory and seized 300 kg of duplicate grease. As many as 500 litres of waste oil, 250 kg of limestone, four bags of rice bran was also seized. A case has been
registered. |
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Beating up of doctor decried HOSHIARPUR, Sept 19 — Dr Ajay Bagga, press secretary, PCMS Association, Punjab, today condemned the beating up of Dr Gurdev Singh Sidhu, Senior Medical Officer Raman Mandi, Bathinda and the registration of a corruption case against him by the Vigilance Bureau. In a press note here, Dr Bagga said a fact-finding committee headed by Dr D.C. Sharma, general secretary of the association, constituted in this regard, met a number of persons and found that Dr Sidhu was innocent and had been falsely implicated. He said the committee found that Dr Gurdev Singh neither demanded money for performing an operation nor took it when the complainant tried to give it to him. He said the association would welcome an impartial probe into the matter by an independent agency. Meanwhile, at an
emergency meeting here, the association demanded
immediate release of Dr Sidhu. |
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Sevadar burnt alive TARN TARAN, Sept 19 — Surjit Singh (55), a sevadar of Gurdwara Khare da Kalsa, Naushehra Pannuaun, was allegedly burnt alive yesterday by a resident of the same village. According to sources, a
minor dispute was said to be behind the murder. A case
under Section 302, IPC, has been registered. The badly
burnt body was brought to the Civil Hospital here for a
post-mortem examination. |
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2 boys drowned BATALA, Sept 19 (PTI) — Two teenaged boys drowned in the sacred pond at the historic town of Dhianpur while taking a bath last evening. According to sources, five boys were taking a bath in the pond when two of them slipped. They were declared
brought dead at the Civil Hospital here. |
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