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July 28, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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Delhi Police rapped for inept handling of sedition cases New Delhi, July 27 The direction came from Additional Sessions Judge Babu Lal while acquitting Mohammad Hanif Iqbal, accused by the Delhi Police of being a member of the banned SIMI and propagating the secession of Kashmir from India. The police had arrested Iqbal in November 2001 for allegedly making a speech supporting the separation of Kashmir. The cops also claim to have seized books containing scurrilous remarks against Hindu deities from his possession. However, during trial the court noted that the “rukka” sent by the investigating officer did not contain anything to the effect that Iqbal spoke about the secession of Kashmir. The defence counsel claimed this was proof enough to indicate the police had introduced this charge at a later stage to establish their case. To complicate matters further, the two so-called witnesses to the speech declined to support the prosecution case. As regards the literature, which was allegedly recovered from the accused, his counsel argued it was freely available in the market. However, the prosecution stuck to its charges, contending that the accused was a librarian in the office of SIMI. But that argument failed to satisfy the court, which observed that “being an employee of an organisation was not sufficient proof that he will subscribe to the view of his employer.” The court also did not find any substance in allegations that Iqbal had preached the separation of Kashmir. However, the court did take serious note of the police approach to the case, especially so when it involved grave charges like sedition. “Inept handling of investigation in such cases has public and national ramifications. Therefore, I am of the view that it is necessary that investigation of such cases should be conducted by a police officer of the rank of inspector and that, too, by someone who is a senior and well versed in law and procedure,” the court observed. |
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States dither
on dishing out crime data New Delhi, July 27 This attitude of the states invariably delays the annual report compiled by the bureau. After much difficulty the bureau is now ready to release the national crime data, “Crime in India,” for the year 2001 and 2002, within the next few days. “Normally the report is released by the NCRB Director every year at its headquarters. This time, since the bureau will be releasing the data of 2001 and 2002, top officials of the Union Home Ministry are expected to release the reports,” said a source. The report, which contains nationwide data about the crimes in different states, is of great interest to administrators, crime analysts, criminologists, researchers, media and the general public. In fact, states like Bihar, Uttaranchal, Jharkhand and UP delay passing on the crime data to the NCRB. A state police official said, “On many occasions the state ministers and senior officials of the state government even advise the top police officials to reduce the incidence of crime by 10-20 per cent before sending the data to the bureau.” “We have to believe whatever data is available from the states and we cannot contradict their claims,” added sources. The Union Home Ministry is also ready to provide crores of rupees to the state governments for revamp of the police force, but most states do not avail of the grant, allowing it to lapse every year. Under this grant, computerisation of police stations, revamp of the wireless network, imparting IT education to policemen and tele-transmission of fingerprints can be undertaken. But most of the states are not interested in introducing the aforesaid to give a new look to their police forces, a source said. While states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Chandigarh are doing a good job of modernising their police forces and sharing the crime data, states like
Haryana, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir have come in for sharp criticism from the bureau. “After much persuasion states like Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir have notified the IIF forms, consisting of standardised FIRs,” sources informed. To ensure a foolproof fingerprinting system, the bureau, in coordination with the Registrar-General of India, is planning to introduce national identity cards. |
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SETTLING
SCORES Jhajjar, July 27 The complainant, Narayan Singh, reported to the police that he along with Mahender of the same village were going towards Shiv Mandir in the morning when they saw Hariom firing a shot at the deceased, who jumped into the pond in a bid to save himself. However, Hariom and his three accomplices dragged him out of the pond. While three of them took hold of the victim, Hariom slashed his neck with a knife. Police sources said there was enmity between the families of Kartar and Ramkumar. With the murder of Vinod, the family of Kartar claims to have avenged the killing of Sade last year. The police have registered a case in this connection but no arrests have been made. In the other incident, a Shiva devotee, who had brought a kanwar from Hardwar, was reportedly hacked to death by some persons in Chandol village when they congregated at a temple in the morning today. According to information, Sunita, wife of Krishan, had reportedly committed suicide by setting herself ablaze a few days ago. The husband of the deceased suspected she was having an illicit relationship with Ashok of the same village and nursed a grudge against him. The villagers said the two had quarrelled in the past on the issue but the matter was resolved by the village elders every time. Ashok arrived with the kanwar from Hardwar this morning at the village temple and offered Gangajal to Lord Shiva. On his way out five persons of the same village attacked him. They have been identified as Balwan, Ran Singh, Karambir, Sanjeev and Krishan. After being thrashed, Ashok was attacked with an axe. He was rushed to the hospital at Jhajjar where doctors declared him brought dead. The police have started investigations
but none of the accused has been arrested so far. |
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POWER
PANGS New
Delhi, July 27 The Delhi Street Lighting Corporation would monitor and maintain street lights in the wake of privatisation of the power distribution network in the Capital; the final modalities would be worked out by March 2004. Ms Dikshit said till such time the private power distribution companies (DISCOMs) had been asked to continue with the old system. In the meantime, the government would work towards fixing the rate of power to be paid and the party who would be entrusted with the maintenance. The Chief Minister said, though there was an option to go the Mumbai way, with the Municipal Corporation maintaining the infrastructure and paying charges as per an agreed rate to the DISCOMs, there were doubts whether it would work in Delhi. She said she was not sure whether the corporation here was capable and had the requisite manpower to do the job. For efficient maintenance, her government had in mind an alternative plan of forming a separate body exclusively for the job, she said after a meeting with representatives of DISCOMs yesterday. The Chief Minister said maintaining street lighting in Delhi was a difficult job and might need an exclusive body for the purpose. Ms Dikshit said theft of electricity from the points marked for streetlights was peculiar to the ‘’electricity culture of Delhi.’’ Such thefts could only be checked by constant vigilance and monitoring, she added. |
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Mobiles have many uses on campus and outside, discover girl students Sonepat, July 27 A little later, another mobile rings. “Hey Swati, you did not come for tuition yesterday. I waited for you. All right, I am in the canteen. In fact, I did not take breakfast today. Are you coming over?” According to a BSc final year student, earlier the trend was confined to metropolitan cities. Now, even students in small towns have started using them. “What is wrong in using a mobile phone on the campus? After all, it saves time; we need not run here and there for conveying or receiving a message. For example, we can get a message on the mobile from our tutor, if he is not taking the class. Then, we can reschedule our studies or plan an outing. However, we ensure that the mobiles don’t ring in the classes or near the office complex of the college. We switch it off in the classes,” said another student of the college. Explains another BSc final year student: “Now, it is a requirement. We look elegant with a cell. Not only that, we can talk to boy friends, keep in touch with parents, brothers and sisters. My brother takes me home. When I am free, I send a message, so that he can come and pick me up. Thus, he is disturbed for the minimum time.” One of the students of Hindu Girls College admits that she brings her cell to the college daily. “One of our lecturers also brings her cell. If teachers feel this is indiscipline, let them punish me.” College managements also seem not to object to students bringing cell phones to the college. The principal of GVM Girls College, Dr Jyoti Juneja, remarked in jest that students can now easily go on strike. The principal of Hindu Girls College, Dr Lajja Goyal, feels that though cells have become a necessity, there is every possibility of the devices being misused. “So, we keep track of the students on the campus. We have even banned its use in the hostels,” she said. This was in the interest of the girls, she explains. The principal of Tika Ram Girls College, Dr Kamlesh Malik, whose two daughters are in the electronic media, is of the opinion that there is nothing wrong in girls bringing a cell to college, but cautioned that girls must ensure that they are not harassed by unscrupulous cell users. “Besides, in many cases, mobile phones give a sense of security to the girls. It also does wonders in boosting their confidence level,’’ she said. A number of wardens of girls hostels also nurse the same opinion. One retired teacher and father of a BA Part-1 student, B. S. Dahiya, told the NCR Tribune: “My daughter asked her mother for a cell and I acceded to her demand. Now, not only she, we also make use of it at’. |
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With no outlet for storm water, this town has rivulets for roads Mahendragarh, July 27 In fact, after the last substantive round of rains a few days ago, a number of places on the main thoroughfare can still boast of puddles of water. This time, during the rains, all roads in the town were submerged. At some places, one had to wade through knee-deep water. The worst affected were the ITI stretch near the general bus stand, the Gaushala road, the one leading to the town’s main shopping complex and the station road. When it pours, there is a deluge-like scene at the bus stand. The main entrance to the complex of the lower court is virtually cut off from mainland. A number of offices of the state government are housed in this complex. Officials and litigants struggle to get in and out of the complex. On the station road, the offices and residences of the SDM, the DSP and the City Magistrate are situated. Apart from the main road, a number of inner roads of the town as well a few residential areas have to suffer owing to the administration’s lack of preparedness. The residents allege that the problem has been aggravated on account of the district administration filling up an elongated trench along the fort. The trench had acted as a natural outlet for the storm water. If the rain was scanty, it allowed the storm water to accumulate, turning into a reservoir. A few years back the Deputy Commissioner got the trench filled up despite protests. The trees in the vicinity were also felled. There are many who feel the filling up of the trench served no practical purpose. The administration had no plans to use the site after filling up the trench. There was a whisper campaign about the trench being filled up to benefit a local INLD leader whose sprawling house was near the fort. There are many who feel that the local leader had an eye on the trench area. The government had also conducted an inquiry into the filling up of the trench.
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Villagers
block traffic for hours Sonepat, July 27 According to a report, the SDM, Mr Suraj Bhan Jangra, along with a strong contingent of the police arrived on the scene and assured the agitating residents that the officials of the Uttar Haryana Bjli Vitran Nigam would replace the burnt transformer within 24 hours. This assurance of the SDM led to the lifting of the blockade by the irate and agitating rural folk. According to another report, irate residents of Lath Jauli and Barot villages came out of heir houses and held up traffic on the Sonepat-Gohana road in protest against the erratic power supply in their villages. Officials of the UHBVN rushed to the site and succeeded in lifting the blockade by giving an assurance about regular and uninterrupted power supply in their villages. |
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EVMs: Number of polling booths to come down Faridabad, July 27 It is learnt that there are a total of 1,340 polling booths in the six Assembly constituencies falling in the district. These include 280 in Faridabad, 340 in Mewla Maharajpur, 222 in Ballabgarh, 178 in Palwal, 174 in Hasanpur and 146 in the Hathin constituency. The district election officials have proposed to bring down the number of polling booths in each constituency. It is claimed that the use of EVMs has necessitated the reduction as one EVM could record the votes of 1,500 voters. The speed of polling will increase with the use of EVMs. After the exercise is over, the Faridabad constituency will have 225 booths, Mewla Maharajpur 276, Ballabgarh 175 and Palwal 160. On other hand, there are certain objections to this proposal. According to Mr Karan Dalal, a former minister and MLA from the Palwal constituency, scaling down the number of polling booths may result in inconvenience to the voters. According to certain experts, the number of voters is likely to increase by several per cent by the time the next elections are held and it may be not proper to reduce the number of polling stations. It is pointed out that if the booth is moved from a nearby place to a far away place, certain voters may desist from casting their ballots. A BJP leader and MLA from the Mewla Maharajpur constituency, Mr Krishan Pal Gurjar, has asked the authorities to remove certain discrepancies regarding the existing polling booths in some areas. He pointed out that while the polling booth for Sihi village voters is in Sector 8 and that for Sector 8 voters in Sihi village. Stating that the reduction in the number of polling stations may not be a problem, he said that the convenience of voters must be kept on top and it must be ensured that the new polling booth should be located within reasonable distance only. He said there should be no criterion that a minimum of 1,500 voters are required for setting up a booth in a village. |
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Third Front rally for statehood to Delhi New Delhi, July 27 The Front said that the territorial division of Delhi, proposed in the 1998 Draft Bill on the statehood, was not acceptable. It slammed the BJP-led Central government for ‘betraying’ Delhiites and demanded that the proposed statehood bill should be introduced in the current session of Parliament. The Third Front was of the opinion that the NDMC area should be part of the bill. In the 1998 Draft Bill, it has been excluded from the National Capital Territory of Delhi
(NCTD). The Third Front’s leaders said that the Delhi Police should be placed under the Delhi Government and a special security force should be set up to look after the VVIPs and VIPs in the Capital which could be placed under the Union Home Ministry. If the bill containing these points is not introduced in Parliament, the statehood has no meanings and all the seven BJP Lok Sabha MPs from Delhi should resign from their seats for ‘betraying’ Delhiites. The Front’s chairman and senior national vice-president of the Lok Janshakti Party Ramvir Singh Bidhuri was of the view that the BJP-led Central government was not at all interested in giving statehood to Delhi and the issue was being raised with an eye on the Assembly elections. As soon as the elections are over, the issue of statehood would be buried as both the BJP and its Central government would be against giving more powers to the NCTD Government. Despite having a huge representation in the Union Cabinet, Delhi continues to get discriminatory treatment from the Cabinet, Mr Bidhuri said. |
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Worry stalks Bhiwani town where roads Bhiwani, July 27 Drivers of vehicles engaged in transporting people to surrounding villages park their vehicles at these junctions in an overt violation of traffic rules and that too under the very nose of the police. The risk of accidents increases when schools close in the afternoon when students and teachers rush to get home. Despite this regular feature, drivers of vans and other vehicles speed away caring two hoots for the safety of students. If anybody raises any objection to the rash driving, all drivers gather there and even bash up the complainant. The most unsafe areas are Meham Gate, Neki Ram Chowk, Hansi Gate, Dinod Gate, Rohtak Gate and Dadri Gate where traffic police are either found missing most of the time or would be lying easy on chairs. There are three schools near the Meham Gate area. Students and teachers cross the road in large numbers in the morning and noon. There are several shops selling juice, confectioneries, electrical goods and other wares on this road, besides a number of clinics and hospitals. There is no particular place for parking passenger vehicles and drivers of unauthorised vehicles are least bothered about the police. They stop abruptly even in the middle of the roads to pick up passengers. They come in great speed and stop their vehicles haphazardly near the junction, driving students to jump inside nearby shops to save themselves. At Neki Ram Chowk, there are several banks, two schools and the civil hospital. Called as the heart of the town, it is also a highly accident-prone area. The chowk connects the town with the railway junction. Several thousand shops line the roads in this locality. Though there is a police assistance booth, the cops hardly manage to regulate traffic. Unauthorised passenger vehicles, Haryana Roadways and private buses en route Devsar, Dadri and other villages halt here, thus blocking traffic. The cops hardly take any step to contain the menace. The Dinod Gate junction also connects the town with the railway junction and a mini vegetable market located at Krishna colony. Unauthorised taxi operators have chosen it as their “certified” destination. They park their vehicles in such a manner that hundreds of students of three schools near the area find it difficult to cross the roads. Perhaps, Bhiwani is the only town in the state where roads have no dividers or markings. From Hansi Gate to Neki Ram Chowk, the Public Works Department has left one feet-wide space, supposedly for building a divider. Sometimes, rashly driven vehicles from opposite sides lose track and collide with each other. Earlier, senior police officials used to take rounds of the town once or twice a day but now they are confined to their offices at the mini secretariat. Several complaints have been made to them about the traffic problems in these areas, but all have proved futile. Naya Bazar, Bichla Bazar, Sarai Chaupta, Jain Chowk and old grain market are areas where tractor-trolleys or four-wheelers enter in the morning and are parked in a way that none can byepass them. |
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Are these trains meant for milk vendors only? Sonepat, July 27 According to a report, between 20,000 and 30,000 commuters, including about 5,000 to 7,000 women, commute between Sonepat and Delhi daily. The commuters are mostly government servants and teachers. There are also some employees of private firms and a large number of milk vendors and businessmen. There are half a dozen trains linking Delhi with Sonepat and Panipat. The trains are generally overcrowded, but to make things worse the Northern Railway authorities cut down the number of coaches, forcing the passengers to huddle into the available space. The milk vendors also travel in the suburban trains; mostly, they hold monthly season tickets. More important, their huge containers occupy a lot of space in the bogies. This causes hardship to the passengers, particularly women, while they are boarding or getting down. As there are no foot-boards in the EMU trains, the passengers have to jump out of the coach when the train halts. The situation in the 1 p.m. EMU is stated to be worse as the coaches are chock-full. Again, the milkmen keep their containers without any prior booking near the main gate of the coaches, thus preventing the passengers from boarding or getting down from the train. The women passengers have asked the Union Railway Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, to travel in this train incognito and see for himself the problems of the women passengers, who are forced to travel standing all the way to their destinations. On a visit to Platform no 1 of the railway station, both in the morning and in the evening, this correspondent saw a shocking scene. The instant a train streamed in, the passengers ran from one coach to another to grab a seat. |
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Master’s Day celebrated Sant Darshin was the founder of the Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission and began the tradition of celebrating Master’s Day on the fourth Sunday of July. Baba Sawan Singh’s work was carried forward by his disciple Sant Kirpal Singh at the Sawan Ashram. He brought together people of different religions based on the underlying spiritual truth of love and unity. The work of spirituality is now being carried out by Sant Rajinder Singh Maharaj, president of the World Council of Religions. To spread the teachings of Sant Sawan Singh, a global conference on mysticism is being organised by Sant Rajinder Singh at Kirpal Bagh between September 13 and 22.
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Kanwarias
offer ‘Gangajal’, prayers Bhiwani, July 27 They had been gathering at different places for the last three days. Kanwarias worshipped and poured ‘Gangajal’ on Shivlingam amid chanting of bhajans which started at 4 in the morning. Thousand of devotees who lined up at local Jogiwala temple, Sheolalpuri Shiv temple, Akharawala temple and others since morning, were seen paying obeisance till noon. Matric exams date: He told that the Board had received complaints regarding the selling of applications by
black marketeers. The Board had decided to send blank application forms for matric examination to the offices of the District Education Officers through special messenger. The Board employees had been asked to ensure delivering application packets to the offices by 9 a.m. on Monday and these would be available to the examinees at a fixed price of Rs 10. Held for bid to rape: In a complaint, the father of the victim, resident of Bajina village had alleged that Sandeep dragged his daughter at noon to the field on July 10 and tried to outrage her modesty. The accused had torn her clothes, the complaint said. The police registered a case under Section 376 and 511 of the Indian Penal Code.
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NCR BRIEFS Sonepat, July 27 According to a report, the judge, however, acquitted three more accused Yogesh, Bhajan and Somvir for lack of evidence. According to the prosecution story, Mr Vijay Kumar, a commission agent of Narela Mandi had withdrawn Rs 27 lakh from a bank of Sonepat on May 6 last year and proceeded to Narela by car. However, on the way near Shafiabad village, five persons accosted him and snatched Rs 10 lakh from him. The other bag containing Rs 17 lakh was saved. The Kundli police registered the case and all of them were arrested and challaned. Two bodies found The Government Railway Police (GRP) found the body of an unidentified man (40), lying on the railway track between Sonepat and Sandal Kalan railway station about 8 km from here last evening, and sent it for a post-mortem. According to another report, the GRP also found the body of a worker on the railway track between Sonepat and Rathdhana railway stations about 8 km from here last evening, and sent it for a post-mortem. This worker was engaged in the construction of a bridge near diversion Drain No. 8. Scooter stolen A scooter parked outside the house of Mr Ashok Verma was allegedly stolen in broad daylight in Mohalla Khari Kuan here yesterday. The owner of the scooter has lodged a complaint with the police. Doctors’ vacancies being filled up Siwani (Bhiwani): The Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, announced that the The Chief Minister was redressing the grievances of the people at Siwani, 70 km from here yesterday. He said that the government would brick-line all the water courses during the current financial year to ensure optimum utilisation of irrigation water. |
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DELHI DIGEST New Delhi, July 27 Provisions of natural light and cross ventilation are being made. Two new rooms have been constructed. Painting and whitewash work is in progress. Clean toilets and water coolers are being arranged for the students, teachers and other staff members. Desks, chairs, swings and toys are being provided to the students, Mr Goel said. He said that all the 88 primary schools under the corporation in Chandni Chowk constituency would be given a face-lift. NGOs, social organisations and well-to-do people are taking interest in the scheme. Teej festival: The festival will have ‘mehandi’ celebration, swing, tambola and various other entertainment options. There will be stalls of ‘rakhis’, bangles, toys and food from various states. The Haryana Maitri Sangh chairman, Mr Mohan Garg, said that the entry to the festival would be free. |
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MRTS to make Metro coaches New Delhi, July 27 The Delhi Metro, which has already imported 14 trains (60 coaches) from South Korea, has selected Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML), Bangalore for assembly/manufacture of 45 more trains (180 coaches) needed by it. Initially, four trains in semi-knocked down conditions have been sent to BEML for assembly, thereon the trains would be manufactured at Bangalore with increasing indigenisation in a phased manner. With this, the spares for the Metro trains would also be available locally. The entire process would help the country develop the capability of manufacturing modern lightweight coaches comparable with the best in the world and also achieve self-sufficiency. The phased indigenisation plans would start with local assembly and testing of first few trains followed by local manufacture of coach shell, traction motor, converter-inverter unit, battery and passenger information system. The Delhi Metro coaches have micro-processed controlled train information management system, electronic passenger display system, low noise level and other modern facilities, it was pointed out. |
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SHOWCASE Godrej Consumer Products Limited has launched its herbal powder hair dye. The new product to colour your hair is made with the safety and goodness of ingredients like amla, reetha, shikakai and mehendi. These natural ingredients enhance the quality of hair. Amla acts as a natural hair-darkener that improves hair growth. Mehendi is a natural colorant and conditioner, while shikakai and reetha act as a natural cleansing agent and enhance hair growth. Water heaters: Meroni Termo Sanitari, leaders in water heating and space heating technology has introduced the new Eterno Pro–the first truly digitally programmable water heater for the Indian Market. Designed specially to meet the Indian conditions, this ‘new generation’ water heater offers the latest in water heating technology. The Eterno Pro, users can have the convenience of getting hot water without constant personal attention. Once programmed, the water heater switches on at the set time and switches off the desired time automatically. Versatile bike:
Grand Slam, the fitness equipment provider in northern India, has announced the launch of the magnetic drive RSC 100, a recumbent bike developed by Horizon Fitness, America’s leading fitness equipment manufacturer. Raman Sood, proprietor, Grand Slam, said, “We are pleased to introduce one of the most versatile types of endurance training, recumbent bike.” Designer
jewellery: Director Arti Gupta said to popularise the brand in India, the company has developed a chain of 700 retailers, which will soon expand to 1,000. Latest OTG: Hair care: This range would treat hair problems like dandruff, hair loss and a rapid build-up of sebum, which mostly spoils the hair. Sparkling shirts: Gentlemen’s watch: G Kannan, country manager, Swatch Group said, “The new watch is a perfect compromise for the man looking for a timepiece that plays therefore upon ancient beliefs and traditional complications – but in a modern way.” Eco-friendly coolers: The coolers are sleek in design with heavy duty stainless steel tank wrapped with copper cooling coils to provide cold running water at 13.5 degree Celsius. Provided with drip-tray to avoid water splash, Lloyd Aqua Chill Water Coolers are mounted on stainless steel legs for cleaning from the bottom. Power inverter: This DC and AC power inverter allows most of the AC-powered devices to operate in a car or any other vehicle. Global car models: The freshness of Honda’s innovation and technology was captured through the Sense of Smell. A ‘Smell of Freshness’ film, solely dedicated to the sense, captured the attention of the guests, who attended the launch. New chronograph:
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New Delhi, July 27