Toll tax collection to be in pvt hands
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 13
The all-powerful Standing Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) today unanimously approved the controversial proposal of privatisation of toll tax collection in the Capital. The report will now be placed before the House at the end of the year for ratification. It is likely to be implemented in January next year.

The report was tabled along with other items on the agenda before the Standing Committee. It was passed without any opposition. The Leader of the House, Mr Ram Babu Sharma, also constituted a sub-committee, under the chairmanship of BJP member Vijender Gupta, to study the implications of the report.

The sub-committee discussed the toll tax proposal with experts and senior officials of the corporation. The final report was tabled after making certain changes. The toll tax privatisation issue had taken a controversial turn following the murder of Atma Ram Gupta, a senior councillor of the Congress party and a member of the Standing Committee.

Atma Ram Gupta was also the chairman of the sub-committee formed to deliberate on the issue of toll tax. Another sub-committee was formed after his murder and Vijender Gupta was appointed chairman of the committee. It was alleged that the tender mafia, which was not in favour of privatisation of the toll tax, was involved in the murder of Atma Ram Gupta.

With the privatisation, the corporation is expected to generate an income of Rs 65 crore per annum from toll tax collection against only Rs 23 crore at present. A tender notice will be issued in local newspapers inviting bids from private contract seekers. The contract will be given only for a year. There will be just one contractor in the Capital for collecting toll tax.

According to the proposal, the contractor will be required to deposit a monthly installment in advance within seven days from the due date, failing which an annual interest of 4.5 per cent will be charged. The contract can be rescinded on account of this fault besides other actions under the agreement.

The toll tax evaders will be subjected to a five-time penalty plus the amount due over which the private operators will have no claim. Vehicles of the tax evaders will also be impounded for the period of default.

The earnest money of Rs 15 lakh, to be deposited by the tender seekers with the offer, will be kept as security against punctual payment of electricity, telephone and water charges and bills payable in respect of consumption of utilities at the toll tax barriers. The contractors will have complete responsibility of care, maintenance and other dues. The corporation will decide the toll tax rate.

The definition of various terms incorporated in the contract has been given legal shape in conformity with the provisions of the DMC Act. For overall supervision of the toll tax collection work a municipal officer will have authority on behalf of the corporation and the commissioner to check malpractices.

The contractor will be required to display the toll tax rate in English and Hindi on a board of the size to be approved by the competent officer, Mr Vijender Gupta said.

Drive to install tubewell meters angers farmers 
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, November 13
The campaign launched by the state power department to install meters on power supply to agricultural tubewells and end the flat rate system is seen as yet another move to harass the farming community. Some of the political parties and farmers organisations have opposed the move and demanded the suspension of the campaign till there was an equitable distribution of canal water in the state.

The flat rate system of power supply to the tubewells was launched way back in 1977. But it is now learnt that the state power authorities have decided to phase out the flat rate system and continue metered supply for the agricultural sector also. Although the northern parts of the state have less connections which are getting supply on flat rate basis, such connections in the southern districts of Haryana are around 90,000 at present, while total such connections in the state are estimated to be just over 2.5 lakh.

The present government reportedly decided to give the flat rate system the go-bye in 2001, and since then, hundreds of meters have been installed in various districts of the state. The Janata Dal (U) president of Haryana unit, Mr Ved Prakash Vidrohi, has described the move as unjust as far as the interests of the farmers in the arid regions are concerned.

He said while the farmers of southern Haryana depended mainly on tubewells for irrigating their fields, the metered supply of power would inflate their bills by several times and they would not be able to pay the bills as the rate of power had been maximum in the state.

He said the level of water underground in the districts like Rewari, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Mahendergarh and Jhajjar districts was much below and a tubewell in this region required more power to draw the same quantity of water in comparison to the districts of northern Haryana. He said if the flat rate system was ended, it could be hard-hitting for the farmers of the region, who were already reeling from the severe drought conditions.

Traders attack sales tax on MRP
Jatinder Sharma

Rohtak, November 13
The state government decision to impose sales tax on the maximum retail price (MRP) of nearly 60 consumer items has been severely criticised by the Haryana Beopar Mandal led by Mr Lakshmi Chand Gupta.

The Haryana Government has with effect from November 1 levied sales tax at a flat rate of 10 per cent on the maximum retail price of nearly 60 items, including electrical appliances, batteries, shaving blades and razors, cosmetic items, computer parts and electronic goods, including washing machines, refrigerators, televisions etc.

Mr Gupta said that the government had in fact imposed this tax on over 1,000 items. The maximum retail price of an item, he said, was fixed by the manufacturer and the trader purchased them after a great deal of bargaining at rates much below the printed MRP of the item. The levying of the sales tax on the MRP would adversely affect the traders as well as the consumers. Almost every daily use item would cost much more than in the neighbouring states.

He said that Haryana was the only state which had levied sales tax on the MRP of consumer items. There was no such tax in the neighbouring states of Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

With this, the traders would have to pay the tax on the printed MRP and not on the actual cost of purchase and sale of an item. This would adversely affect the traders and the consumers alike, Mr Gupta told the ‘NCR Tribune’. This would also encourage sales and purchases without billing and circulation of duplicate items in the market.

The Beopar Mandal has described the government decision as anti-people and anti-trader and demanded its immediate withdrawal. If the government did not withdraw the tax, the traders in Haryana would be forced to migrate to other neighbouring states, Mr Gupta warned.

The Beopar Mandal president has also severely criticised the frequent visits of Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala to foreign countries in the name of inviting multinational companies to invest in Haryana. While the Chief Minister was spending crores of rupees on foreign tours, he was forcing the existing industries to leave Haryana by enhancing the Local Area Development Tax to 10 per cent.

Mr Gupta said that a state-level meeting of the Beopar Mandal would be held here on November 17 to consider the issue and decide the future course of action.

Trade fair under security wrap 
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 13
The India International Trade Fair (IITF) will begin here tomorrow under an unprecedented security cover in view of the terrorist threat perception. More than 1,000 policemen, including contingents of the Delhi Police, commando squads and quick reaction teams, are being deployed all over the sprawling grounds for 15 days during which the annual event showcases the country’s industrial technological and cultural achievements.

Particular attention is being paid to the parking areas around the Pragati Maidan to prevent anyone from planting a vehicle laden with explosives. Highly trained cops equipped with specialised equipment will check each and every car, which comes for parking there. No vehicles will be allowed to park unauthorisedly anywhere near the periphery of the grounds. Traffic police cranes and staff will be on hand to tow away these promptly.

Closed circuit television cameras have been installed at all vantage locations and these will be monitored continuously by senior police officers and security personnel in the control room specially set up for the purpose. Plainclothesmen from the Special Cell of the Delhi Police will mingle with the crowds to spot suspected terrorists. Every visitor to the fair this year will have to pass through door frame metal detectors erected at all entry points and even at the various pavilions set up by the states as well as industries.

Highly placed sources said that the regular security staff of the of the Trade Fair Authority have been specially briefed on how to react in case of an emergency. Sniffer dogs and bomb disposal squads will remain on hand in case their services are required immediately.

“The idea is to have all arrangements at hand, so that the response time is reduced in case of an incident. We cannot take any chances in view of the fact that lakhs of people, including women and children, are expected to visit the fair,” a senior security officer said.

The entire area of the grounds, including the pavilions, will be “sanitised” by tonight and security arrangements put in place for Thursday’s inauguration.

Children’s Day comes of age
Tripti Nath and Smriti Kak
Tribune News Service

Police Commissioner R.S. Gupta at a painting exhibition of child victims of crime. — Tribune Photo

HC ‘no’ to functions in Lodhi Garden
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 13
In order to keep the parks in Delhi clean and maintain their ambience, the Delhi High Court today restrained the government from allowing public functions in parks, especially in Lodhi Garden. The court said that the orders passed in this regard earlier be enforced strictly.

However, a Bench comprising Mr Justice Anil Dev Singh and Mr Justice R. S. Sodhi declined to ban shooting of films in Lodhi Garden, which has various important monuments. The Bench said a ban on shooting of films in the garden or near any other monument would also affect shooting of period films.

Disposing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by some spirited morning walkers about lack of public convenience in Lodhi Garden and its “ill-maintenance” by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), the court issued a series of directives for maintaining the garden.

It said the two public toilets to be constructed near the garden should be outside the prohibited area of the nearest monuments. Care should be taken to ensure that the view does not get disturbed and they blend with the ambience of the garden and the monuments. The court said the garden’s dry lake should be maintained by providing water supply from the two tubewells being sunk by the NDMC.

DU teachers court arrest
Our Correspondent

New Delhi, November 13
Around 500 Delhi University Teachers took part in a demonstration organised by the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) today. The congregation of teachers courted arrest en route to the Prime Minister’s residence and was taken to the Tughlaq Road police station.

The office-bearers of the DUTA were later escorted to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) where they submitted a memorandum. The main issues highlighted in the memorandum pertain to the dishonouring of an agreement by the government on service conditions, the proposed de-linking of colleges from the university and the latest plan of employing all teachers on contract basis.

The DUTA is planning to hold a General Body Meeting on November 21 to take stock of the situation and plan further action on teachers’ demands. It has also planned a seminar on higher education on November 23 in which it plans to raise all issues of the teachers’ movement. DUTA Treasurer Sanjaya Bohidar said, “We have already confirmed the attendance of Prof. Nigavekar (UGC Chairman) for the seminar and are planning to ensure the attendance of other bureaucrats attached with the higher education sector.”

The DUTA attributes the actions of the UGC in past months to the government agenda of disinvesting in higher education and considers the directives issued to various universities as manifestations of the same. The DUTA meanwhile has also set itself the agenda of thwarting all moves of the government in that very direction.

UHBVN to spend Rs 26 cr on sub-stations
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, November 13
The Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) has earmarked Rs 26.69 crore for the construction of new sub-stations, installation of new transformers and augmentation of the existing sub-stations in a bid to improve the power supply and distribution systems in Sonepat district.

Mr S. N. Roy, Deputy Commissioner, told mediapersons here today that it had installed a new 100 MVA transformer at a cost of Rs 2 crore in the existing 220 KV substation at Fazilpur village near this city. A new 132 KV sub-station was being constructed at a cost of Rs 6 crore to augment the supply of power in and around Sonepat, he added.

He also disclosed that the nigam had set up a 132 KV sub-station at Kharkhauda town at a cost of Rs 5 crore.

Another 132 KV sub-station was being constructed at Murthal at a cost of Rs 6 crore and the construction work would be completed by the end of March next.

According to the DC, the UHBVN had allocated Rs 1.25 crore for the installation of 20 MVA transformer at the 132 KV power sub-station and another 25 MVA transformer at the 33 KV sub-station at Kundli village near the Haryana-Delhi border. Eighty per cent of the work had already been completed and the remaining work would be completed shortly.

The DC further disclosed that the nigam would spend Rs 1.24 crore on the installation of 33 KV sub-station at Khanda village and the work would be completed by the end of the current financial year. Similarly, a sum of Rs 1.2 crore would be spent on the construction of a 33 KV sub-station at Khanpur Kalan village.

Mr Roy also disclosed that the nigam had allocated Rs 16 lakh for the augmentation of the existing transformers in different parts of the city. This would improve the power supply and distribution systems and ensure uninterrupted power supply in the domestic sector.

Referring to the beautification campaign launched in this city and elsewhere in the district, the DC claimed it had yielded good results as almost all the main roads had been widened and crossings beautified. All sorts of encroachments along these roads had been removed.

Unauthorised structures and platforms in front of the shops had been demolished in a systematic manner.

Probe sought into PDS racket
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, November 13
The Haryana Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Association and the Dhanik Harijan Welfare Sangh today urged the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, to order a high-level probe into the public complaints about the inefficient and unsatisfactory working of the Food and Supplies Department in Sonepat district.

In a joint press release issued here, representatives of these organisations have expressed grave concern over the diversion of rationed commodities, particularly levy sugar, kerosene oil and subsidised atta to the black market instead of reaching the ration card holders belonging to the families living below the poverty line for which these were meant. They alleged that most of the poor class consumers having yellow and pink ration cards were being fooled and fleeced by the owners of the fair price shops every month. These consumers were also deprived of their monthly quota of levy sugar and kerosene oil and all complaints made in this regard to the authorities concerned fell on deaf ears, they further alleged.

They also pointed out that this massive racket in this city and elsewhere in the district was flourishing thanks to the nexus between unscrupulous ration shop owners and corrupt officials of the Food and Supplies Department.

They also stated that the poor masses kept making endless trips to the ration shops to be often turned away on some pretext or the other.

They also alleged that the district authorities had failed to take any action against the corrupt officials of the department having links with unscrupulous depot-holders. They were minting money from them regularly for overlooking the public complaints.

These representatives also alleged that corrupt official in the offices of the Food and Supplies Department had added to the common man’s woes as these officials had been holding lucrative posts in the office of the Food and Supplies Controller, Sonepat, for the past many years.

These officials, they alleged, had been holding key and lucrative posts for releasing the rationed commodities and brick kiln licences and in this way the offices of the department had become dens of corruption.

These representatives also demanded stern action against these officials and their transfers without any further delay.

Lynching: SC/ST Commission summons HS
Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service

Panipat, November 13
Hardening its posture against the Haryana Government over the Dulina incident, in which five Dalits engaged in animal skin trade were allegedly lynched by a mob, the National Commission for the SCs and STs has decided to summon the state Home Secretary.

The decision to summon the HS has been taken on the recommendation of a DIG of the commission, who visited Dulina for an on-the-spot assessment, commission member Narain Singh Kesari said here today. The final report will be submitted to the President of India and the Union Home Ministry.

Squarely blaming the state government for the worsening law and order situation and the atrocities against the SCs, Mr Kesari was particularly critical of the role of the police in the Dulina incident. Had the police not behaved like a “mute spectator”, five precious lives could have been saved, he said.

Mr Kesari rued that even 55 years after Independence the chasm between the Dalits and the upper castes had widened. This, he warned, would have dangerous consequences. In some states, such a gulf had produced the menace of Naxalites.

A part of the problem was that only a small minority of the 24.5 crore SCs and STs were aware of their rights and the possibility of their redressal at the hands of the commission, a body constituted under the Constitution with judicial powers. (The current commission is the 4th one, which was constituted in March 2002. The members of the commission are now touring different states to spread awareness among the SC/STs about their constitutional rights.)

Dubbing the Panchayati Raj a ‘failure’, Mr Kesari wanted a mechanism for training the elected representatives, so that they could discharge their duties effectively.

Later, Mr Kesari visited the Chhichrana village. It is alleged that the Dalits were not allowed to construct an Ambedkar Bhawan there. Also the house of a Dalit was set afire a few months back. Mr Kesai said the DC and the SP had assured him that both these matters would be sorted out soon.

Sonepat demolition squad under fire
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, November 13
The district and civic administration continued their anti-encroachment campaign here today. The campaign is aimed at beautification of the city by widening the main roads and crossings in a bid to solve the problem of traffic congestion.

The officials of the Sonepat Municipal Council, headed by Mr C. L. Verma, Executive Officer, accompanied by a strong contingent of the police, swung into action and demolished the unauthorised structures and platforms in front of the shops near the bus stand and Shaheed Chowk by pressing into service the JCB machines. This caused panic among the shopkeepers and rehri owners in the area.

The shopkeepers did not oppose the demolitions due to the presence of the police but they alleged that the officials and the Executive Officer adopted a step-motherly treatment in the demolition operation. They demanded immediate suspension of these officials and a high-level probe into the forcible collection of funds from the shopkeepers on the pretext that their encroachments would not be demolished.

Many shopkeepers also alleged that their goods were taken away by the staff of the demolition squad in tractor-trailers. No receipt of any kind was given to them in spite of repeated representations. They also alleged that the officials did not serve any notice to them prior to the demolition operation.

Some shopkeepers are contemplating filing a suit against the civic authorities for demolishing their structures and platforms.

Although the residents of the city have hailed the demolition and anti-encroachment campaign launched by the district and civic administration they are critical of the way chosen by the authorities. They said the authorities should serve notices to the shopkeepers prior to the demolition so that they can demolish the unauthorised structures and platforms on their own. The JCB machines had cut off underground telephone cables and water and sewerage pipelines in almost all parts of the city.

Power for all by 2012. That’s the aim
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 13
Efforts are being made to revitalise the power sector so that power can be made available to all by 2012. the Union Power minister, Mr Anant G. Geete, stated this today while inaugurating the induction programme of NTPC’s executive trainees’2002 batch. He emphasised that the young professional managers would have to manage as well as initiate changes in the power sector.

Mr R. V. Shahi, Secretary (Power), Mr M. M. K. Sardana, Special Secretary (Power), Mr H.L. Bajaj, Chairman, CEA, Mr C.P. Jain, CMD, NTPC, Mr K. K. Sinha, Director (HRA), Mr B.N. Ojha, Director (Operation), Mr T.Sankaralingam, Director (Projects), and Mr S.L. Kapur, Director (Technical), NTPC, and other senior officials of the NTPC were also present on the occasion.

The minister gave the engineering professionals awards on this occasion. The gold medals were awarded to Mr Rahul Kashyap and Mr Abhijit Chakravarty for their outstanding performance during the training. The silver medals were presented to Mr Mohit Attre and Ms Pratibha Singh. The awards were also given to the employees who had completed M. Tech from IIT.

A total of 202 executive trainees in engineering and human resources have been selected by the NTPC from 4,44,328 applicants. Since the inception of the Executive Trainee Programme in 1977, 25 batches of executive trainees have been inducted. The total number of engineer trainees inducted is 4,188.

10th garbage station opens
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 13
Mrs P. M. Singh, Chairperson, New Delhi Municipal Council, inaugurated the NDMC’s 10th garbage station at Shivaji Stadium Bus Terminal this morning in the presence of Mr Arun Baroka, Secretary, NDMC, and other senior officers of the civic body along with local residents and traders of the area. The garbage station has been constructed in a plot area of 300 sq ft at a cost of Rs 4 lakh and completed in a short period of three months.

The objective behind setting up of this garbage station is to segregate the solid waste on a short term at primary collection stage. This station will provide facilities of segregation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes with colour coding system i.e. red for metal and glass, yellow for plastic materials, green for paper, gutta and organic waste and blue for mixed waste. With the setting up of these garbage stations the environment will be upgraded and self-sustainable eco-friendly atmosphere will be developed by the successful functioning of these garbage stations. For segregation of garbage rag-pickers are being trained by an NGO.

M/s Fumes International, a pioneer in the field of BOT-based public amenities, has been entrusted the task of construction of 10 garbage stations on experimental basis, out of which this is the last one.

Delhi to host Map India conference
Our Correspondent

New Delhi, November 13
A four-day international conference and exhibition in the field of mapping technologies will begin in the Capital from January 28 and continue till February 1 next year. This will include Geographical Information Services (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS), Aerial Photography and Remote Sensing.

Map India, 2003 is being organised by the Centre for Spatial Database Management Services (CSDMS), the National Consortium on Remote Sensing in Transportation (NCRST), USA, and the Geographical Survey of India.

According to Mr Sanjay Kumar, Convenor, Map India, GIS/GPS experts from India and abroad will attend and discuss the latest mapping technologies and their use in disaster management, health, environment, transportation, railways, defence, power, telecom and agriculture in this conference.

Geographical Information System (GIS) is a computer system which is capable of storing, assembling, manipulating and displaying geographical related information. India is emerging as a major data conversion centre for GIS with major importers from the USA, Europe, Japan and Austria. Some other subjects which will be discussed during the conference include use of GIS in power sector, mobile mapping, Internet GIS, high resolution mapping, map portals and use of these services in various industries.

Major industry leaders, including Tata Infotech, De Beers, Eicher Map, Hewlett Packard and Autodesk are expected to participate in this conference.

Proposal to set up city museum
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 13
In a high-level meeting held in the office of MOS in the PMO, Mr Vijay Goel, it was agreed to work towards removing the bottlenecks in the setting up of a Delhi City Museum and to facilitate a policy proposal for decongesting Delhi by evolving a proper cycle rickshaw policy. The committee would submit its report within a month. The meeting was attended by Mr Vijai Kapoor, Lt-Governor, Mr Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister, and others.

It was agreed to facilitate the setting up of a City Museum at Kashmere Gate, Nickolson Park near City Wall.

The proposed museum may exhibit rare archaeological materials depicting the history of Delhi through the ages and also display crafts, music instruments, children’s toys, armament, costumes etc. Mr Vijay Goel, the Lt Governor and the Chief Minister emphasised on the early completion of the project.

It was stated that the site is in an ideal location, crossing over north and south, east and west. The setting up of the museum in this area will also upgrade the area.

The meeting also discussed regulations for plying cycle rickshaws. It was pointed out that out of the quota of 90,000 cycle rickshaws, there are about five lakh licenced and unlicenced cycle rickshaws plying in Delhi. It was pointed out those quantitative restrictions lead to corruption. It was agreed to constitute a committee with the involvement of the Principal Secretary (Urban Development) of the Delhi Government, MCD Commissioner, NDMC Chairperson, Commissioner of Police and others as deemed fit to de-congest Delhi by formulating a proper policy.

NCR BRIEFS
Bid to rob bus passenger foiled
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, November 13
The police arrested a passenger of a Chandigarh-Gurgaon bus, Jonu, while trying to take away the goods of a co-passenger, Mr Bhagwan Singh, after serving him a cup of tea, which was poisoned, at Ganaur bus stand, about 20 km from here, last night.

According to a report, some other passengers noticed Mr Bhagwan Singh sitting unconscious and they apprehended the hand of the Jonu and handed him over to the cops at Qumashpur police post on the National Highway No. 1. The police have registered a case and further investigations are in progress.

Shooting victim dies

Mr Surinder Singla, a local resident, succumbed to the injuries he received during the shooting incident on September 16 at the All India Medical Institute of Sciences, New Delhi on Tuesday. The body was brought here and cremated on Tuesday.

Mystery shrouds woman’s death

Faridabad: A married woman of a village in Palwal subdivision died under mysterious circumstances on Tuesday.

According to kin of the victim, identified as Seema, belonging to Bhupani village, she had been married to one Jalwant of Ladoli village in June last year. She died after consuming poison at her in-laws house on Tuesday.

While the woman’s relatives have alleged that it was a case of dowry death, the in-laws have denied the charges. The police are investigating the case.

Gang involved in Noida Sector 14 looting busted
Our Correspondent

Noida, November 13
With the arrest of one criminal, the Noida police today claimed to have busted the gang that looted Rs 10,000 after injuring V. K. Nagpal in posh Sector 14 on November 7. A Honda City car, Rs 2100 of the looted money and weapons used in the crime have also been recovered, SP City Vijay Bhushan said.

Police teams under Sector 20 police station SO R. D. Nigam and another team under Special Operations Group chief Alok Sharma had been put on the job to track down the culprits. Acting on a specific information provided by an informer, the police nabbed Vishal Yadav of Vathana town, Baghpat from the film city tri-junction here yesterday and seized an illegal .315 bore gun used in the crime and some cartridges.

The accused confessed during interrogation that he was involved in the looting in Sector 14. He also admitted that he had been part of gangs involved in various looting incidents along with his companions, Sachin Jain and Ashok Gheewala, who is the leader of the gang.

Vishal Yadav also helped the police to recover a Honda City car used in the crime. He said he had got Rs 3,500 as his share of the booty of which the police recovered Rs 2,100.

The SP City said the gang was involved in many looting cases, including a Rs 14 lakh loot in Muzzafarnagar and another of Rs 50,000. According to the police, Vishal Yadav said the gang had learnt that the party would withdraw Rs 6 lakh from the Syndicate Bank, Sector 18. That was why they had shot at Mr Nagpal. They wanted to snatch the money.

Woman gangraped in front of husband in Dwarka
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 13
Three persons, all in their early twenties, reportedly raped a woman yesterday night after overpowering her husband in Ambarhai village in Dwarka in South-West district. The accused entered the house of the victim, Priya (name changed), in her early twenties, around midnight and raped her in front of her husband – who was overpowered by the accused. The victim’s husband works as an assistant with a DDA contractor. Two of the three accused were later identified as Hari Kishan and Hari Om who were arrested by the police, while a search is on for the third accused.

Three held for murder: With the arrest of three persons - Lal Chand alias Daga (20), Lekh Raj alias Chand (19) and Nathy Ram alias Kalu (22) - the West district police today claimed to have solved the murder of a bad character, Mohammad Yamin alias Anwar. He was murdered by five persons on November 7 near Hastsal in Uttam Nagar.

The deceased, Anwar, reportedly harassed the accused, Lal Chand, Lekh Raj, Nathu Ram, Ajay and Praveen, who then decided to eliminate the deceased. The police have launched a hunt to nab Ajay and Praveen who were absconding.

Man, wife nabbed: With the arrest of two burglars, Alamgir (23) and his wife Rashida Begum (53), residents of East Nathu Colony, the North-East district police today claimed to have busted a gang of Bangladeshi burglars involved in thefts and burglaries. With their arrest, the police have also claimed to have solved more than ten cases and recovered stolen property worth Rs 1 lakh.

Pirated software seized: The Crime Branch Economic Offences Wing has raided the premises of Apex, a computer institute, and seized pirated software of Parametric Technology, Pro-engineer, which was used by the institute unauthorisedly to teach students. Six CPUs and master server with accessories loaded with pirated software worth Rs 6 crore were seized by the police. 

Harassed woman ends it all
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, November 13
Exhausted by the repeated harassment at the hands of her in-laws, a married woman committed suicide at Bahu jamalpur village on Tuesday. Mr Mauji Ram, a resident of Sukhpura village, stated in the FIR that his daughter, Sheela Devi, got married with Rajesh at Bahu Jamalpur village in February 1990. His daughter had found that her husband was having illicit relations with some women in the village. The matter was taken up with members of Rajesh’s family who assured that Rajesh would be faithful to his wife in future.

However, Mr Mauji Ram alleged the in-laws of his daughter started harassing her soon after. He alleged that they often beat her up without any reason. Finally, his daughter was forced to commit suicide. The police have registered a case under Sections 306 and 34 of the IPC.