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| Thursday, February 1, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Coast Guard rules out oil spill
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Only 18 bank families could make it
8,000 bodies consigned to flames Plan to restore power supply BJP chief’s appeal NGO to adopt
50 children
2 Navy ships turned into hospitals Special train to
Ahmedabad Bhuj to be rebuilt
as model town
AIR, Star TV chip in for quake relief Rs 150-cr education
plan for Gujarat Panama Vice-President to arrive today CPM to gherao Irrigation office End racism, echoes seminar SC upholds HP
MLA’s election Gang poisoning
cattle busted
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Quake-resistant units NEW DELHI, Jan 31 — In view of India’s increasing vulnerability to killer tremors in the past 10 years, the Centre was contemplating on financing research for the construction of quake-resistant structures like Japan, Union Home Minister L.K. Advani said yesterday. “We used to think that we are less vulnerable to earthquakes. But after the experience of Uttarkashi, Latur, Jabalpur and Gujarat there is a need to reassess our position insofar as vulnerability to earthquakes is concerned and take suitable measures,” Mr Advani said. He was speaking to newspersons after the first meeting of the Empowered Group of Ministers, set up by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. The Defence Minister, the Finance Minister, the Railway Minister, the Agriculture Minister, the Power Minister, the Public Distribution System Minister, the Textile Minister, the Consumers Affairs Minister and the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission are members of the group. Mr Advani said the Meteorology Department had suggested that the government should focus on developing quake-resistant structures in view of the unpredictable seismic activity. Describing the Gujarat tragedy as “unimaginable”, the Home Minister said the “complete devastation” in Kutch still remained to be assessed in terms of lives lost and the buildings that have collapsed. He said the Gujarat Government had been asked to make a detailed assessment of the rehabilitation projects required for Kutch since the requirements for the other parts of the state were known. It was only after the debris was removed would a clear picture emerge of the number of people killed or buried under the rubble in Kutch. Impressed with the foreign relief teams and the equipment they were carrying, he stressed the need for developing expertise on similar lines. A four-member Swiss team had brought with them sniffer dogs who saved 10 lives in Ahmedabad on Monday. The BSF also trains such dogs but only to detect narcotics and explosives and catching criminals. “After seeing the Swiss dogs, one feels that such training could also be imparted here,” Mr Advani said. Asked about Defence Minister George Fernandes’ estimate that the death toll could go up to 100,000, Mr Advani said he did not want to speculate. Cabinet Secretary T.R. Prasad briefed the GOMs on the latest situation in the affected areas and said power supply had been partially restored in some of the areas. The next meeting of the GOMs would be held on February 2, Mr Advani, who was accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues Sushma Swaraj and Shanta Kumar, said. Mr Advani said about 25,000 Army and paramilitary personnel were deployed in different parts of the state to carry out rescue and relief on a war-footing and the CRPF deployed for maintaining law and order. |
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Coast Guard rules out oil spill NEW DELHI, Jan 31— The Coast Guard today confirmed that had been no oil spill in the Rann of Kutch region, which was being suspected following the devastating January 26 earthquake. Talking to newspersons today Coast Guard Director- General John C. de Silva said Coast Guard ships 'Daman', 'Vijaya' and C-63 had carried out extensive surveillance in the Rann of Kutch region and found no oil spill of any sort in the area. However, a chemical spill was reported at Kandla which he said was attended to immediately by the Coast Guard. He said that the Coast Guard ships immediately responded to the situation and neutralised the spill by the use of sand and foam. The Kandla authorities had reported the spill of acryonitrile (ACN) and heavy normal paraffin on storage premises of M/s J. R. Enterprises at Old Kandla. Admiral De Silva said while the chemical spill had been effectively neutralised the Coast Guard team was still at stand by. Meanwhile, in its anti-poaching operations, the Coast Guard apprehended 75 boats belonging to different countries from the Indian waters during the past one year. Of these 16 were Pakistani, 15 Sri Lankan, 22 Mayanmarese, 10 Indonesian, nine Thai and three Taiwanese. On December 7, the Coast Guard ship 'Viragha' apprehended five Pakistani fishing vessels with 48 crewmen. The vessel were apprehended in the peripheral waters of India close to the international boundary line. After ascertaining that they were only engaged in fishing, the Coast Guard released the vessels as a goodwill gesture in view of the holy month of Ramzan. Admiral De Silva said in order to guard the south Tamil Nadu coast against infiltration of militants, Operation Tasha was continuing. One Coast Guard ship was on patrol in the Palk Bay at all given times. Similarly, Operation Swan undertaken by the Coast Guard in coordination with the Navy was continuing along the coasts of Maharashtra and Gujarat. |
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No scientific basis to quake predictions DEHRA DUN: Given the record of seismic activity in the earthquake-prone zone, one would tend to believe that Uttaranchal, the Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh, parts of Jammu and Kashmir and north-eastern states comprising fault lines deep inside the earth may experience major earthquakes in the coming months. But scientists of
the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehra Dun have cautioned against the panic being created by such unscientific predictions about earthquakes. Dr Niranjan Singh Virdi, Director of the institute, said that no such technique has been developed that can specify areas where and when the tremor will hit. However, a day before the scientists observed certain changes on the seismogram which was one of the precursor of tremor but again the method is yet to be developed to specify areas and timing of earthquake. Millions of dollars are spent every year in the world to study the precursors of the next possible earthquake by noting changes in the water table, discharge of springs, gravitational acceleration and
other magnetic characteristics, but no technique to predict a seismic disaster occurring in the wake of a major earthquake has been made. Frequent seismic activity in the Rann of Kutch area (Gujarat), Chamoli and Uttarkashi districts (Uttaranchal), Kangra valley (Himachal
Pradesh) and parts of Kashmir valley has apparently caused several faults in these areas as a result of the disturbances and consequent shearing and cracking of subterranean rocks. According to Dr Virdi, the Himalayan mountain range, an outcome of the compressional processes ensuing from the India-Asia collision (70-40ma) has been undergoing extensive crustal shortening along the entire 2400 km long northern edge of the Indian place. A series of thrust planes is known to have formed as a result of these processes. Three principal thrust planes in the Himalayan region are the Main Central Thrust (MCT), the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) and the Main Frontal Thrust (MFT). The MCT is believed to have resulted from an intra-crustal thrust that brought up the mid-crustal level rocks of the Higher Himalayan Crystallines to the Lesser Himalaya. Tectonically, it represents a ductile shear zone at depth, comprising a duplex zone with three distinct sub-thrusts — MCT - 1, MCT - 2 & MCT - 3, from south to north. Of these, MCT-1 (between Kangra & Uttarkashi), the southern most and the youngest appears to be seismically more active. The Lesser Himalayan sequence lying between the MCT and the MBT (Tehri, Mussoorie, Rishikesh) shows stacking of various groups of rocks characterised by south-vergent thrusts, which were later folded into major scale synforms and antiforms. The geological maps of the Himalayan region indicate the presence of an anticlinal structure very close to Chamoli. After the March 29, 1999, earthquake at Chamoli, the field investigations by the scientists found signatures of recent deformation associated with this anticline. A sharp contact of MCT-1 with recent deposits was identified near Chamoli on the southern flanks of the anticline along the Alkananda River. Thick deposits of colluvium (boulders and pebbles intercalated with course sand) occur at the foot of the sleeper limb of the fold. The colluvium might have been remobilised on an incipient slope due to the development of the growing fold. This contact is interpreted to be the surface expression of an active fold. Dr Virdi advocates precautionary measures for the people living around the active fault lines. Despite a record of calamities, these regions have seen an explosion of unchecked construction activities and unplanned growth which ultimately took the toll by over 10 times the number of lives lost two centuries ago in the Rann of Kutch area. Half a dozen oil refineries, nuclear, thermal and proposed hydro-electric plants within a short distance of the disaster zone of the Bhuj earthquake bore little or no damage. This is evidence enough to prove that if earthquake-resistance structures were erected, event he most sensitive installations could be saved from damage, the scientist claimed. Instead of spreading panic about the disaster to strike the Himalayan regions, the men of science have recommended an extensive and meticulous assessment of vulnerability of the existing structures. Dr Virdi added that generally earthquakes occur in the same active region once every 500 to 700 years. He did not rule out a recurrence in the future, but said it was impossible to make predictions given the existing technological capabilities the world over. Regarding the difference of opinion between the Indian scientists and those of the rest of the world on the measurement of the magnitude of Gujarat earthquake, he said that the media has misquoted the scientific terms. There is no such difference of opinion among the scientists. Scientifically, the Indians measured Body Wave Magnitude which was recorded at 6.9, but the scientists of the USA, Japan, China and other countries measured Surface Wave Magnitude recorded at 7.9. |
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Only 18 bank families could make it AHMEDABAD, Jan 31 (UNI) — Only 18 Syndicate Bank employees and their families were pulled out from the debris alive at the Shikar Towers here, while the authorities extricated about 70 bodies of the total 160 families which resided there. The survivors said, “It was just heaps of rubble and dust all over when the quake hit, preventing our friends from scurrying into the open.” Officials said about 38 families were feared dead. “We hope that some people trapped under the rubble are still alive.” On the rescue operation, the officials said, “Three children and an adult were rescued on the first day itself. About 160 families lived in four wings of the Shikhar apartment. Rescue work had to be ceased as we apprehended a further collapse.” The bank officers added even after six days of the tragedy, there was no news of any builder being booked. Besides, these buildings look beautiful but their structures lack strength, they added. One of the survivors said, “I suspected something foul in the ‘A’ wing after the
rains. The structures seemed feeble then itself.” Fuming over the official apathy, some residents said, “No structural engineer has arrived yet to help us retrieve our belongings from the ruined building.” They also complain that “the Deputy Collector had assured provision of all necessities such as tents, halogen lamps, blankets and mattresses. But till date nothing has come in”. |
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8,000 bodies consigned to flames ahmedabad, Jan 31 (UNI)— Nearly 8,000 bodies, claimed and unclaimed, have so far been consigned to flames in the quake-affected Gujarat, even as rescue workers termed the survival prospects of tens of thousands buried under the rubble as “grim’’. The state government figures put the toll at 20,000 plus, with more and more bodies being dug out of the rubble in a decomposed condition. Rescue workers termed the hopes of finding survivors as“no less than a miracle’’,five days after the 7.9 magnitude quake jolted the state. About 4,500 bodies have been cremated en-masse in the Kutch district alone, where entire families were buried in mounds of rubble. It is feared that many more bodies buried under heaps of debris in the interior areas of Kutch, Rajkot, Surendranagar and other districts are decomposing. There has been little help here since the attention of the state government and those engaged in rescue and relief works is so far centred mainly at Bhuj and Ahmedabad. The decomposed bodies have led to a large number of vultures sharing the sky with relief helicopters in Anjar, Bhachau and other areas of Kutch, giving rise to the apprehensions of epidemics. Even drinking water is not available and electricity supply and communication set-up lies erratic. Until last evening, the “officially confirmed’’ toll (according to the number of bodies found) was 7140. Of these, 5719 were in the Kutch district, followed by Ahmedabad (738), Rajkot (320), Jamnagar (100), Surendranagar (89), Surat (50), Patan (39), Palanpur-Banaskantha (33), Navsari (17), Amreli (12), Porbander and Bharuch (nine each), Junagarh (eight), Vadodara (six), Sabarkantha and Gandhinagar (three each), Bhavnagar (two) and Anand (one). However, more than the disposal of the bodies, it is the survivors who now face a bigger problem, that of resettlement. Vast areas of land are today covered with heaps of rubble in Kutch district, leaving the nearly 15 lakh survivors roofless. |
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Plan to restore power supply NEW DELHI, Jan 31—The government has formulated a plan for the early restoration of power supply in quake-hit Gujarat. Union Power Minister Suresh Prabhu convened a meeting of the heads of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Power Finance Corporation (PFC), Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) and Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) to draw out the plan. Mr Prabhu said the NTPC and PGCIL were already undertaking the restoration work of the 220-kv and 132-kv grid substations at Anar, Nanikhakhar, Nakhatrana and Samakhiyali. The minister also said the Governments of Gujarat and Maharashtra would provide seismologically sound designs for civil construction. “ Loans will be given for equipment required for the restoration of substation by the REC” , an official statement said. The Union Power Ministry had cleared a Rs 100-crore assistance for the restoration of power supply in the quake-devastated state. |
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BJP chief’s appeal NEW DELHI, Jan 31— The BJP President,Mr Bangaru Laxman, today appealed to party members to contribute their mite for collecting funds for extending succour to quake-affected people of Gujarat. In an appeal, Mr Laxman asked the party members to treat the disaster as a challenge to “our capability to personally contribute our maximum in order to enable our
brethren in Gujarat to start life a new”. Mr Laxman’s appeal, which was released here, is being issued in different state capitals for wider circulation through newspapers and electronic media, the convener of the party’s quake fund cell, Mr J.P. Mathur said. Meanwhile, the party Vice- President, Mr K. Jana Krishnamurthi reached Ahmedabad today and reviewed the party’s assistance programme, Mr Mathur added. |
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NGO to adopt
50 children NEW DELHI, Jan 31— Prayas, an NGO for care, protection and rehabilitation of street and working children has offered to adopt 50 orphaned children in the age group of six to 16 years from the earthquake-affected areas in Gujarat. The General Secretary of Prayas, Mr Amod Kanth, has written a letter to the authorities concerned for adopting the children. Mr Kanth said children would be adopted and inducted into Prayas shelter homes in Delhi where they would be suitably counselled by trained counsellors and psychologists to recover from the trauma. Academic as well as technical education would be imparted to them. Prayas along with its partners was sending a team which included doctors, nurses, social workers and counsellors to help the earthquake victims. Some
relief material would also be sent to Bhuj and Ahmedabad, he said. |
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2 Navy ships turned into hospitals KANDLA PORT, Jan 31 (PTI) — Two of the four Indian naval ships, which arrived here with relief materials, have been converted into makeshift hospitals while the other two have left for Mumbai with those seriously injured in the quake. While the dormitories of the two ships, “INS Yamuna” and “INS Nirdesh”, have been converted into hospital wards, the area having air-conditioning facility has been turned into operation theatres. |
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Special train to
Ahmedabad NEW DELHI, Jan 31 — A special train will run from Allahabad to Ahmedabad to clear the rush of passengers to Gujarat. The train, with nine second-class sleeper bogeys, will depart from Allahabad at 5 p.m. and travel via Jabalpur. An extra bogey will also be attached to the 9106 Delhi-Ahmedabad Express and the 2916 Ashram Express daily till further notice, a Northern Railway spokesman said. |
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Bhuj to be rebuilt
as model town MUMBAI, Jan 31 (PTI) — The Minister of State for Power, Ms Jayawanti Mehta, said today that the quake-hit towns of Bhuj and Anjar in Gujarat would be reconstructed as model towns where there would be no pilferage of power. Ms Mehta told reporters here that the model towns would incorporate the reforms suggested by the ministry, especially in preventing power thefts. |
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AIR, Star TV chip in for quake relief NEW DELHI, Jan 31 (UNI) — Even as media organisations are highlighting the immense human tragedy caused by the earthquake in Gujarat through their reportage, many of them are doing their bit in other ways to contribute to the relief and rehabilitation measures. People wanting to send messages relating to the earthquake can e-mail All India Radio (AIR) at helpline@air.org.in and these will be broadcast by Ahmedabad and Rajkot stations. The messages and their responses can also be seen on the website allindiaradio.com. Star TV will contribute to the National Relief Fund an amount equivalent to that won by participants in this week’s “Kaun Banega Crorepati” (telecast from January 29 to February 1. Media baron Rupert Murdoch’s Star TV, Kerry Packer’s Channel Nine (on DD Metro), ATV in Canada and Sunrise Radio in the UK are among the channels co-partnering the initiative. One has to log on to http://relief.india.com to make credit card contributions towards the Gujarat Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. |
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Rs 150-cr
education plan for Gujarat NEW DELHI, Jan 31 (PTI) — Close on the heels of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s announcement of a financial package of Rs 500 crore for quake-hit Gujarat, the Human Resource
Development (HRD) Ministry today announced a Rs 150-crore “Gujarat Education Reconstruction Plan”. This was decided after a high-level meeting which Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi had with senior officials of his ministry. Of the Rs 150-crore to be given from the current year’s budget, Rs 100 crore will be earmarked for elementary and secondary education and Rs 50 crore for college and university education, to be funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC). |
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Panama Vice-President to arrive today NEW DELHI, Jan 31— First Vice-President of Panama Arturo Vallarino is arriving here tomorrow on a five-day official visit to lure Indian software experts to develop the information technology sector in that country. “There is an untapped market in the IT sector and India can be the pivot by using Panama as a crucial gateway not only to the Spanish speaking world but also the USA and the Carribean,” observed Panama’s ambassador to India Alejandro Garrido. Panama, he emphasised , was keen to exploit the world class talent available here in the IT sector which would be beneficial to both countries, besides ushering in a new era of partnership especially with far- flung Latin America. Mr Vallarino’s visit, the first of its kind by a top notch Panamanian leader in the last 40 years, assumes significance because the dignitary will also explore Indian investment in the pharmaceutical and other sectors like agriculture, education and shipping. The Panamanian leader, who is being hosted by Vice-President Krishan Kant, is the key pointsperson in his country entrusted with travelling around the world to forge collaborative endeavours and tap investments in specialised spheres. As the special envoy of Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso, Mr Vallarino, will hold wide -ranging discussions with Mr Kant, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, minister of state for external affairs Ajit Panja and senior officials. During his two-day stay in the capital, the two sides will sign a
memorandum of understanding (MoU) for regular interface on bilateral, international and other issues between the ministry of external affairs of the two countries. Another MOU is expected to the initialled in the cultural field. Efforts are on to work out an arrangement in science and technology. Mr Garrido drew pointed attention to India’s advances in science and technology which he believes can be used in projects like the Techno Park in Panama. Considering Panama’s geographic location wedged as it was between the Atlantic and the Pacific, he said they would like to concentrate on re-exporting items, especially to markets in Latin America. He hoped India’s private corporate sector would take advantage of his country’s export processing zone. There is a 15,000- strong community of people of Indian origin who were doing well in trade, banking and the services sector. They were Panamanians having been in that country for more than a 100 years and made a strong contribution to the economy. Clearly, India’s emergence as an acknowledged super power in the IT sector has compelled Panama to look towards India. Panama’s foreign office secretary-general Maria Alejandra Eisenmann, who is here in advance, said Mr Vallarino’s only port of call in South Asia was India. She wanted a new dynamism to the imparted to Panama-India relations. Mr Vallarino will also be visiting Cyberabad in Hyderabad and Bangalore known as India’s silicon valley where he will have discussions, among others, with the Infosys chief. |
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CPM to gherao Irrigation office HANUMANGARH, Jan 31 — Policies of the state and the central government are against the interests of the farmers. With the fixation of three and a half days rotation of water supply in place of seven days, from canals the crops are getting damaged for want of water. At the Kisan Mahapanchayat held on January 15, a demand letter was presented to the district collector and it was declared that if the administration did not pay attention to the demands, over the next few days there would be agitation in front of the irrigation office, on February 5. This was stated by Mr Shopat Singh, a former MP and CPI CPM leader, while addressing a press conference here. Mr Shopat Singh, who is also the regional president of the Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha, alleged that it is the result of wrong policies of the state government that the crops were on the verge of destruction, because of improper water supply. The policies of the central government are also not in the interest of the cultivator, as the minimum support price has not been fixed for the rabi crop. The leader said that when the government declared a three and a half-day rotation of water supply from canals the farmers sank tubewells to save the crops. Now the farmers are running these tubewells on their own and are bearing the expenses. He questioned, how the Irrigation Department would charge the fee when the farmers are not making use of the facilities. He further said that with the approaching summer demand of water would increase, but the Irrigation Department had not made any efforts to face the situation. Mr Shopat Singh said that at a meeting held in September last year of Irrigation Department about the issue of fixation of three and a half- day rotation of water supply from canals in place of then going on seven days supply, the Chief Engineer of Hanumangarh had registered his dissatisfaction. Mr Shopat Singh said that a gherao of the Irrigation office and offices of Centre Government would be done to oppose the policies adopted by both the governments, which are against the interests of the farmer community. He said that, if the demands mentioned in the memorandum, passed in the Kisan Mahapanchayat last month, are not considered, the state government would be responsible for the future situation. A meeting of the District Youth Congress was held on Sunday, at which the District Youth Congress President, Mr Krishan Nehra, appealed to the party workers to go in their areas for collecting money and relief material for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The Hanumangarh Trade Federation and Trade Circle is to send a truck today to Ahmedabad, containing 90-quintal of flour, for the Bhuj, Bachau, Anjaar, Kutch and Gandhidham areas. The material has been collected as donation from the public. The General Merchants’ Organisation, Hanumangarh Junction will send food worth Rs 5,000 for the quake-affected area. The ration will be sent along with the truck of Hanumangarh Trade Federation and Trade Circle. The staff of Dablirathan Branch of SBBJ, have decided to donate one-day’s salary to the relief fund for the quake-affected Gujarat. The amount collected will be sent to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. At a meeting the Neelkanth Mahadev Sewa Samiti, a volunteer organisation a decision was taken to send a truck-containing ration, medicines and blankets to Gujarat. Meanwhile, the district collector Mr J.P. Chandellia, has appealed to various volunteer organisations, institutions, political parties and public in general to donate for the quake affected people of Gujarat. At meeting held yesterday, attended by the officers of various departments and representative of trade organisation, education institution, Mr Chandellia said that from all over the state Hanumangarh was the first district, which came to the rescue of the people of Gujarat. |
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End racism, echoes seminar NEW DELHI, Jan 31— A code of conduct and a regulated system should be evolved for treating migrant workers to end racial discrimination and handicaps they often face in the developed countries. Speaking about the problems being faced by migrant workers, specially from South Asia, at a seminar on “Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance’’the Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, Mr Mostafa Faruque Mohammed, said contracts offered to the migrant workers in several countries exposed them to exploitation. He said the workers were not allowed to bring families, and often, their wages were less than those of the locals doing similar jobs. Emphasisng unity in diversity, Ms M. E. Nkoaoana
Mashabane, High Commissioner of South Africa in India, narrated how the government in South Africa was integrating
society torn apart by apartheid policies of the white-regime. Mr Michael Caillouet, Head of Delegation of the European Commission in India, said a monitoring mechanism against racial discrimination had been set up in Geneva in 1997. The EU countries, he said, were sensitising all institutions which were likely to have an interface with migrant workers. Ms Mary Johnson from the ILO raised several labour-related issues, including equal pay for equal value of work. Justice P. N. Bhagwati, Vice-Chairman, UN Human Rights Committee and former Chief Justice of India, stressed importance of education in fighting discrimination. Others who spoke included Mr Romesh Chandra, President of Honour, World Peace Council and Mr Feodor Starcevic, Director, United Nations Information Centre. The conference was held in preparation for the upcoming UN conference against racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance to be held in Durban, South Africa, from August 31 to September 7. |
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SC upholds HP
MLA’s election NEW DELHI, Jan 31 — The Supreme Court today upheld the election of Mr Tek Chand (Congress) to the Himachal Pradesh Assembly from the 61-Nachan (SC) Assembly constituency in the February, 1998, elections. A three-Judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising the Chief Justice, Dr Justice A.S. Anand, Mr Justice R.C. Lahoti and Mr Justice Shivaraj Patil upheld the election while allowing Mr Tek Chand’s appeal against the judgment of the Himachal Pradesh High Court which set aside the election as void under Section 116-A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. |
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Gang poisoning
cattle busted SRIGANGANAGAR, Jan 31 — The New Gharsana police has busted a gang of thieves who used to poison livestock for their hide. According to Mr Pramod Swami, SHO, the suspects used to administer poison to cattle and then buy the carcasses from the owners at a normal price. He said the police had been puzzled for quite some time about the death of the livestock in the area. On January 30, Mohammad Hayat, a farmer, informed that his buffalo had died under mysterious circumstances. Following this, the carcass was sent for a post-mortem. The report revealed that it had been poisoned. The suspects, who were under surveillance were rounded up. After initial interrogation, the suspects — Nand Ram, Mangi Lal and Satpal — admitted that they used to put rat poison in dough and administer it to animals. They later either offered to take away the carcass or bought it at a nominal price. They used to sell the skin and earn their livelihood. Four pouches of rat poison were also recovered from their possession. Meanwhile, the police has recovered the bodies of two persons from a canal while a farmer of Mahianwali succumbed to his injuries here today. The police said it received information that a woman of Sadhuwali, near here, had committed suicide by jumping in the canal. Rescue operations were launched but her body could not be found. While the search was on, the rescuers came across two bodies floating in the water. The bodies were those of a teenaged boy and a man believed to be in his thirties. |
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