CM not against statehood per se, only 
retrograde clauses
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 26
Dismissing the assertions by the BJP on the issue of statehood for Delhi as hyperbole and politically motivated, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday said the Congress’ opposition was to certain provisions in the Bill that sought to strip the elected government of its powers.

Accusing the BJP of spreading canards, the chief minister said that the BJP was trying to create an impression in the minds of the public that the Congress was opposed to statehood. She reiterated that the draft Bill formulated by the Centre betrayed the sentiments of the people of NCT of Delhi.

How can a party choose to support a Bill that seeks to take away more powers than it actually bestows on the elected government, Ms Dikshit wanted to know, and chided the BJP for putting the clock back insofar as delegating powers to the Council of Ministers was concerned.

In particular, she referred to Clause 3 that gives the President overriding powers and another where the directions issued (by the Centre) in the event of a divergence of opinion between the Union and the state governments will be binding on the Government of NCT of Delhi.

“The Centre,” she said, “has betrayed the people of Delhi …. We had sent them several models of statehood but the Centre did not consult us and instead went ahead and incorporated those clauses.” The provisions of the Bill, she asserted, were retrograde. The chief minister said the Congress would state its position on the Bill when it is taken up for discussion by the standing committee of Parliament. The committee, she said, would also dwell on the documents prepared by the Government of NCT of Delhi.

Questioning the motivation of the BJP, Ms Dikshit said she had written to Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani about the consensus document arrived at after due discussions among the political parties but “we were not given what we wanted.”

She said the document detailed the delegation of powers and the type of statehood the parties desired but, if the provisions were any indicator, the Bill seemed to have been imposed on them. She reiterated Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s assertions during her rally last week.

Ms Gandhi had dismissed the Bill as an election gimmick of the BJP.

BEACH TRAGEDY
5 students of Amity drowned in Goa
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 26
Five students of Amity Business School at Noida, who were on a study trip to Goa, drowned while swimming in the sea at Candolim beach. The victims, who were part of a group of 357 students from the Business School in Noida, had gone to the coastal state on a three-day study tour.

Amity Founder President Ashok Chauhan, quoting police sources in Goa, confirmed the deaths and said three bodies had so far been found.

While three bodies have been found and identified, the authorities are continuing the search for two more bodies. The three have been identified as Agrah Maheshwari from Badayun, Uttar Pradesh, Sourab Charan and Javed Iqbal from Patna. The bodies of two other students, Atharv Shah of Moradabad and Hitesh Chandiramani of Delhi, are yet to be recovered.

Dr Chauhan said he had had a word with the Governor and the Chief Minister of Goa and with the state police officials.

He said he has been assured by the state authorities that an extensive search is on to trace the remaining two students.

The students of International Business Courses at Amity Centre visit seaports as part of their training curriculum every year.

Dr Chauhan said that the students had been directed to strictly adhere to the training schedule and not to venture into the sea. Seven students, however, went to the beach in the evening, and got washed away in the choppy waters.

He added that the parents of the victims have already been contacted and arrangements have been made for them to reach Goa. The recovered bodies were also being airlifted to their native places, he added.

Expressing shock over the tragedy, he said the entire Amity family was extremely sad over the incident. Amity has set up a round-the-clock Control Room with telephone nos. 0120-2431437 and 0120-2431463-66.

MDU staff association chief in the dock for hooliganism
Jatinder Sharma

Rohtak, August 26
The Senior Professors Committee constituted by the Vice-Chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University to inquire into incidents of hooliganism during elections to the Non-Teaching Employees Association office-bearers on August 20 is likely to submit its report on Thursday.

The returning officer and the presiding officers, appointed by the university to conduct the elections, have in their signed report squarely blamed the outgoing president, Mr Balraj Singh alias Ballu, for destroying the ballot papers when the result was ready to be declared.

The Vice-Chancellor has, following the receipt of the returning officer’s report, constituted a five-member committee comprising Prof Ravi Parkash, Prof Babu Ram, Prof Sri Bhagwan Dahiya, Prof R. S. Chaudhary and Mr R. K. Goyal, Deputy Registrar (Admn), to inquire into the incident and submit the report with its suggestions. The inquiry committee has recorded the statements of all those who were present during the counting of votes, except Mr Balraj Singh, who did not appear before it today. He has now been asked to present himself before the committee on August 28.

The returning officer, Mr Jagdish Nandal, and the presiding officer, Mr H. C. Wadhwa, have during deposition confirmed the contents of their report submitted to the university authorities immediately after the incident on August 20.

They have reportedly told the committee the total votes polled were sorted out candidate-wise but were to be counted when Mr Balraj Singh, one of the contestants for the post of president, picked up the ballot papers sorted out for the post of president and threw them outside the window. The voters standing outside the window removed these ballot papers within no time.

Then, the staff on duty interfered in the matter, but Mr Balraj Singh again picked up some more ballot papers of other posts, tore them and went away.

DU polls: Rules have to be bent to reach 
out to students
Smriti Kak
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 26
Reaching out to the thousands of students spread across 70 colleges in the city is cumbersome as also expensive. Posters, cards, pens…the list of paraphernalia used in reaching out (read campaigning) is endless. Even if it requires bending a few rules.

Students contesting for posts to the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) have been relying on these to reach out to their companions. And each year student organisations spend an enormous amount to foot the bills incurred during campaigning. This when the university’s code of conduct stipulates the expenditure should not be more than Rs10, 000.

“The amount of money that the rules specify is ridiculous, considering the fact that there are 70 colleges in the city and travelling alone will cost us more than Rs10, 000, forget the costs of posters and pamphlets”, asserts NSUI spokesperson Kuntal Krishna.

So, do the parties juggle the finances? “The party offices spend as per the rules. They cannot violate the code of conduct. However, the supporters can spend whatever amount they wish”, points out INSO spokesperson A. Kapoor. He adds, “INSO will adhere to the code of conduct, we have not gone to town pasting posters”.

With party offices adhering to the code of conduct, candidates depend on the largesse that the “supporters” can offer. “The supporters spend money on cars and posters and other campaigning material and that is legal”, it was pointed out.

Expenditure apart, the Monitoring Committee comprising senior professors has also thumbed down the use of loudspeakers, mikes in the vicinity of the colleges and the university and limited the number of vehicles used for canvassing to a mere two.

Surprisingly, there are not many complaints. “We are against too much fanfare. The party has chosen to print pamphlets on poor and cheap quality of paper, which can be used on both sides. There will be fewer posters and no mikes and loudspeakers will be used”, said Chatra Lok Janashakti general secretary Amit Sharma. He asserts, “We rely on verbal canvassing. We go to classrooms and talk to students about the aims of the party and what we are working for”.

While each party maintains that it believes in issue-based campaigning, the parties and the freebies that are a part of the election process are a different story.

Youth shot dead on college campus
Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service

Panipat, August 26
One person was killed and three others injured when two groups clashed on the premises of the local SD College here this morning. According to information, Parveen alias Sonu, a resident of Naultha village, was shot at pointblank range by Sumit Mor, a student of BA III and president of the college unit of the ABVP. Parveen died on the spot.

Sources said two groups from Naultha and Siwah villages, respectively, clashed on the college campus yesterday on a petty issue. The Siwah group had reportedly thrashed some of the students belonging to the other group yesterday and both the groups threatened each other with dire consequences today.

An uneasy calm prevailed on the campus today with both the groups coming to the college with lathis, sharp-edged weapons and countrymade revolvers. Lathis and sharp-edged weapons were freely used in the clash. Three persons — Karmvir (Naultha group), Sunil, a student of BA Part I, and Mor — were injured in the clash. Even as the two groups clashed, an injured Mor took out a countrymade revolver and pumped bullets into Parveen. Parveen was not a student of the college and had come with the Naultha group to lend them a helping hand. Mor and Sunil were arrested from the campus and taken to a private hospital in Bishan Sarup Colony for treatment.

However, they gave the police the slip in the private hospital. Meanwhile, the entire area was cordoned off and a house-to-house search launched to nab the accused. Later, the police was able to re-arrest them. A case has been registered.

Meanwhile, panic spread in the college area as the news of the death trickled in. The Principal of the college, Mr A. D. Chawla, denied that the accused were students of the college.

No hike in cable rates
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 26
The Cable Operators United Front has said consumers would not be made to pay an exorbitant price and that the rates would remain unchanged. The clarification came in the wake of reports in a section of the media that the rates could be hiked. The clarification came even as Delhi Pradesh BJP President Madan Lal Khurana accused the Congress of “politicising” the implementation of CAS. If that party had not made an issue out of it, he said CAS could have been implemented.

The president of the Front, Mr Virender Gaur, on Saturday told media persons the rates would remain unchanged in the Capital despite the deferment of the Conditional Access System (CAS.) Gaur was talking to reporters at the news conference of Madan Lal Khurana.

Gaur said there was no proposal to increase the cable rates to Rs 450 per month. “The deferment of CAS has nothing to do with our rates which are solely dependent on the rates being charged by the pay channels. The cable service rates would go up only if the charges of the pay channels goes up,” he said. The CAS was to be operational in the Capital from September 1 but the Union Government yesterday decided to defer it till the Assembly elections. The CAS in the first stage would be implemented only in Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai.

KIDNAP BID FALLOUT
Rickshaw pullers to have photo I-cards 

Sonepat: In a bid to curb crime and the increasing incidence of kidnapping of schoolchildren, the district administration and the police have decided to issue photo identity cards to rickshaw pullers in this city and elsewhere in the district. According to a report, this step followed the kidnapping of a school-going child reported in these columns yesterday.

PUBLIC FURY
Fed up with power pangs, villagers hold up traffic
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, August 26
A large number of angry residents of Saidpur and Jataula villages held up traffic for several hours on the Kharkhauda-Delhi road, about 25 km from here, last evening to register their protest against the erratic supply of power and low voltage which had paralysed their normal life and business activity.

According to a report, irate residents did not allow any vehicle to pass through the road. This resulted in lining up of a large number of vehicles on both sides of the road. On receipt of information, the police arrived on the scene and succeeded in lifting the blockade.

The police officials appealed to the irate residents to stage a protest and sit on dharna in front of the offices and power sub-stations of the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) instead of blocking the roads and hampering the smooth flow of traffic.

According to the residents, the Pipli feeder is overloaded and has created a power crisis in the villages of Saidpur, Jataula, Rampur Kundal, Nizampur Khurd and Ferozpur Bangar. They alleged that all their complaints made to the authorities concerned in this regard had fallen on deaf ears.

According to another report, an electricity transformer was burnt at Kanwali village, about 17 km from here, last night. This has caused the power crisis and the residents have demanded immediate replacement of the burnt transformer.

Meanwhile, a large number of employees of the UHBVN held a demonstration in front of the office of the Model Town subdivision here last evening to register their protest against the proposed shifting of the office from Model Town to nearby Kabirpur village. They also sat on a dharna and shouted slogans in support of their demands.

A rally was also held. It was addressed by leaders of the government employees unions who opposed the shifting of the office from the city.

POLITICS

‘NDA govt a failure on employment front’ 
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, August 26
Expressing concern over the rise in unemployment among the youths, Mr Krishan Murti Hoda, the spokesman of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, said that the BJP-led NDA government had failed to fulfil its promises made in this regard.

In a signed press statement issued here, he said instead of providing employment to the youths, lakhs of bank employees had been sacked under the Voluntary Retirements Scheme (VRS) during the past few years.

He claimed that the involvement of increasing number of youths in crime was a direct result of the failure of the Vajpayee government to provide jobs to them.

He accused the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, of having failed to fulfil his promise of providing jobs to 25,000 youths in the state.

He alleged that Mr Chautala is in the habit of misleading the masses by making false promises from time to time.

Responding to a survey report in India Today magazine about the creation of employment during the Congress regime, the Chief Minister had announced that his government would provide jobs to at least 50,000 jobless youths in the state.

The Congress leader alleged that Mr Chautala had retrenched 25,000 employees and abolished 40,000 posts in various departments of the government during the past about four years.

He declared that if the Congress party came to power, it would restore all the posts abolished by the Chautala regime.

He said that the HPCC president and former Chief Minister, Mr Bhajan Lal, had already declared that all the employees dismissed by the Chautala government would be taken back in government service.

Mr Hooda promised that his party would provide corruption free government under the leadership of Mr Bhajan Lal. 

Sonepat roads turn into ‘death trap’ for commuters 
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, August 26
Most of the roads belonging to the Sonepat Municipal Council, the PWD (B and R), the Market Committee and the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) in this city have become death traps. The drivers of vehicles find themselves jumping, swaying, cursing and clutching on the handles and steering wheels tightly as they try desperately to avoid the large number of potholes and manholes on these roads.

Almost all roads in the interiors of the city are cracked, broken and punctuated with holes, small and big. A majority of them are not properly surfaced. It seems that no thought has been given to road engineering or safety and several of them are merely country roads painted with tar.

A number of surveys in the past, conducted by road traffic experts, have found the city roads in pathetic conditions. The experts say that most of the roads are laid haphazardly, surfaced indifferently and are neither repaired nor properly maintained.

Experts also say that the normal life of a road should be 10 years but in this city, a road lasts not more than a year. If it rains heavily, even the newly laid surfaces disappear in half-an-hour.

Besides the lack of tar and proper asphalt mixture, the city roads are dotted by badly designed manhole covers, which either stick out of the surface or lie partly overturned. Traffic experts say these obstacles are potential killers. They are like landmines, said and official of the traffic police. Such obstacles are not easily visible especially in the dark and can often cause accidents leading to deaths.

They point out that another serious problem used to be open manholes. Following a hue and cry by the public over some deaths caused by such traps, the authorities have woken up and now only a few manholes are without proper cover, especially along the old DC road. However, the way these covers have been hastily put is causing a lot of accidents on busy roads.

The manhole covers are a serious menace in almost all areas of the city where anyone can find the covers either below the surface level or literally towering over the road surface. This disruption on a road surface, not easily visible to the human eye, can lead to the sudden braking of vehicles or cause jumps. The natural consequence of these can be accidents.

Besides road accidents and damage to the vehicles, roads portend a far more damaging effect on the health of the road users. A senior orthopaedic surgeon of the city said that driving on pot-holed and poorly surfaced roads can cause a lot of strain on the spinal cord and joints. Constant jerks and shakes can lead to early degeneration of the spine and joints and ligaments in the body, he added.

Traffic and road experts are unanimous in their opinion that one of the major reasons for the increasing number of accidents in the city is faulty road engineering and poorly surfaced roads. First, the roads are not designed properly and are constructed in the manner streets are carved out in unauthorised colonies. No thought is given to spillways, bays, pavements, dividers and a host of other factors, which are extremely crucial for the main roads through which thousands of vehicles pass everyday.

Experts say that if the roads were constructed at least properly with the right asphalt and bitumen mixture, the city will not have witnessed so many accidents. The problem with the city roads, the experts have found, is that they are neither properly laid nor surfaced. There is a set standard of asphalt and bitumen mixture to be used in the construction of roads but the contractors who are given the job hardly bother to even look at the standards. The authorities on their part never monitor the work.

For instance, they point out, stone chips and bitumen, a petroleum product, are heated separately before being mixed. The mixture should be in correct proportion and should be heated in a specific temperature. If the mixture is not heated properly, the bitumen comes out of the mixture and creates a thick, slippery layer on the road surface. In case the mixture is overheated, the bitumen becomes thin and offers no cover for the asphalt mix, thereby hastening development of cracks and potholes.

All these defects can be rectified only if the authorities concerned keep a watch on the contractors and strictly adhere to the standards laid down by the experts.

HVP stages dharna against non-payment
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, August 26
Activists of the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) staged a dharna at the mini secretariat here in protest against the non-payment of dues to sugarcane growers, the hike in the bus fare and the “deteriorating” law and order situation in the region.

Earlier, the protestors including women, students and party activists staged a massive demonstration and shouted anti-government slogans. Addressing the demonstrators, Mr Manphool Singh, senior vice-president of the HVP, alleged that every section of the society including farmers, employees, industrialists, traders, students and journalists had been fed up with the “faulty” policies of the Chautala government.

Seth Siri Kishan Das, a former minister, said an amount of nearly Rs 170 crore was pending with the cooperative sugar mills in the form of farmers’ dues while a huge stock of sugar worth nearly Rs 300 crore was lying in the government godowns.

Mr Ram Chander Jangra, state general secretary and president of the Backward Cell of the party, alleged there had been a sharp rise in the incidents of dacoity, theft, robbery and murder and the police had miserably failed in solving these cases.

A three-point memorandum was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Ashok Yadav, to be forwarded to the Governor.

SPECIAL FOCUS ON GURGAON
CRS health store inaugurated  at DLF City Centre
Our Correspondent

Gurgaon, August 26
A new chain of health store, Sak Consumer Retail Services (CRS), was inaugurated at DLF City Centre today. The CRS health store consists of a state-of-the-art pharmacy, special diabetic care section and offers a wide- range of self-diagnostics equipment, natural foods, baby care products, colour cosmetic and other personal hygiene products.

The managing director of the company, Mr Rahul Chadha, claims that the company provides the consumer with an international healthcare retailing experience.

The store also offers value-added services for the consumer, such as home delivery, prescription records, free health check-up camps and reminder services. The company recently organised two of its `well-being’ events, a free random sugar check-up in co-sponsorship wit USV-Braun and a free blood pressure check-up camp.

Mahabharta on stage: Nishta Sanskritik Manch, a prominent Gurgaon-based cultural society, staged ‘Andha Yugh’, a play highlighting the victory of good over evil.

The Manch president, Mr Sanjay Bhasin, informed that the play was based on the events on 17th and the last day of the great battle of Mahabharta. The supreme power of Ashawdhama was neutralised by Lord Krishna in a very fascinating and charming depiction.

The role of Ashawdhama was played by Rajnish Bhanot, Dhirtrastra by Arpit Bhasin, Gandhari by Bhawana and Sanjay by Sanjay Vasist. Distinguished persons, including prominent industrialists, businessmen and artists witnessed the play. It may be recalled that plays and dramas by the Manch have won numerous awards at the national level. 

NCR BRIEFS
588 cases settled at Lok Adalat
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, August 26
A total of 588 cases were settled at the Lok Adalat held at the District Courts here recently. According to the District and Sessions Judge, Mrs Nirmal Yadav, the Lok Adalat held by the Additional District and Sessions Judges here on Saturday last settled as many as 52 cases of motor accident claims and provided a compensation of 43.99 lakh to the victims. She disclosed that 75 labour cases were solved and a compensation of over Rs 25 lakh was given to the affected persons. The Lok Adalat settled 271 summary cases, 75 industrial tribunal cases, 82 criminal cases, 103 civil cases, three bank loan cases and two Hindu Marriage Act cases on the spot.

Vehicle thefts unabated

Thefts of motorcycles and cars have been going on unabated in the town. Two mobikes were reportedly stolen in the past 24 hours. Upender, a resident of Sector 29, in his complaint said that his motorcycle was stolen from outside his house on Sunday. Another mobike belonging to one Avdesh Prasad of Meethapur in Delhi was lifted by someone in Dabua subzi mandi yesterday. At least eight vehicles including three cars have been stolen in the past four days in the town. TNS

Seminar to mark Tribune scribe’s death anniversary

Jhajjar: The Jhajjar unit of the Haryana Union of Journalists is organising a seminar in Bahadurgarh tomorrow on the death anniversary of late Satya Pal Saini of Dainik Tribune. The topic of the seminar would be ‘Challenges of the grassroot journalism’. Mr Chaman Lal Gupta, Minister of State for Defence, would be the chief guest on the occasion while Mr Vijay Sahgal, senior journalist and former editor of Dainik Tribune would be the main speaker in the programme. The seminar is being held at the Bahadurgarh Chamber of Commerce and Industries hall in the MIE. OC

MDU Counselling

Rohtak: Maharshi Dayanand University has issued the notification for the second counselling of admissions to available vacant seats of BE/BTech/BArch (session 2003-2004) in varsities and affiliated colleges/institutes of Haryana. The counselling is being organised in view of the judgement of the apex court delivered on August 14 and in the light of the decision arrived between the university and management of various affiliated professional technical institutes. The second counselling would commence on August 30 and would be held till September 8 at the Directorate of Distance Education building of the university. OC

Nine held for running satta

Sonepat: The special staff of the Inspector General of Police, Rohtak Range, carried out surprise raids in the lottery bazars here last evening and arrested nine persons on the charge of running satta in the garb of selling lottery tickets. According to a report, the police also seized cash and other articles of gambling. Cases under the Gambling Act have been registered against them. OC

DELHI DIGEST
Vice-chairman of BCI disqualified
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 26
The Government of NCT of Delhi today notified the disqualification of advocate Adish C. Aggarwala to hold the office of vice-chairman of the Bar Council of India (BCI). The notification stated that as Mr Aggarwala had failed to attend three consecutive meetings of the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD), he was deemed to have been disqualified from the membership to the Delhi body.

“Mr Aggarwala, on being declared to have vacated the office as member of the BCD, has also ceased to be the member of the BCI and in the vacancy so caused, Mr Jatan Singh, Member, BCD, has been unanimously elected member, BCI, in place of Mr Aggarwala with immediate effect,” the notification said. Mr Aggarwala said he would challenge it at an appropriate forum.

NAD asks Centre to terminate Lahore bus service: Calling for a sterner action to counter terrorism that was unleashed in Mumbai yesterday, the National Akali Dal said the Centre should smoke the terrorists out and terminate the Delhi-Lahore bus service. The activists of the National Akali Dal led by its president Paramjit Singh Pamma today held a sit-in and burnt the flag of Pakistan. They had gathered at Jantar Mantar for marching to the Pakistan High Commission. The police stopped them from proceeding to the High Commission.

NTPC communication chief: Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vijai Kapoor has felicitated Mr P. D. Hindwan, chief of Corporate Communication, NTPC, for his contributions in the field of corporate communication in a function organised by the Capital Foundation Society and Delhi Andaman & Nicobar Islands Civil Service Officers Association.

Governor unveils statue of martyr

Rewari: Haryana Governor Babu Parmanand unveiled the statue of Assistant Commandant Naresh Kumar Yadav at Nand Rampurbas village, about 20 km from here, yesterday. The commandant, who served in the 66th Battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF), was killed in a gun battle with the Pakistani Army on June 12, 2002 in the Akhoor sector of Jammu and Kashmir. The Governor inaugurated the ‘Shaheed’ library and a gate erected to perpetuate his memory. OC

Racket in government securities unearthed
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 26
Three persons, who lured a number of people on the pretext of giving them central government securities for purchase and cheated them of crores of rupees, have been arrested by the Crime Branch Economic Offences Wing.

The accused, Sanjay Hariom Aggarwal, Ketan Seth and Subodh Bandari, operating under the auspices of Home Trade Ltd, used to reach out to gullible public through newspaper advertisements and by making personal calls to the clients. They also used a slogan, “Get More From Your Money, Get More From Life – Life Means More”, to entice the clients.

The company also engaged several celebrities like Sachin Tendulkar, Shahrukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan to promote its business.

The sleuths, based on a complaint from Infrastructure Capital Ltd, which had authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India to sell and purchase both central and state government securities, started investigating the case.

During investigation, it was revealed that the company had received huge sums through cheques.

As per the rules of the stock exchange, the physical and electronic delivery for the securities must take place within 20 to 30 days of the issue of contract, which did not happen in this case.

It was also found out during investigation that another company, PNR Securities Ltd, was also cheated by the company in a similar fashion.

The accused had lured several brokers, sub-brokers and the general public interested in dealing in government securities.

During interrogation the accused disclosed that they were also involved in at least 21 similar such cases in Maharashtra, Gujarat and West Bengal.

Further investigations are on to ascertain the details of other contracts which they had obtained by using the same modus operandi.

Conman cheats girl of Rs 50,000 on promise 
of marriage
Our Correspondent

Noida, August 26
Having won her heart and trust, the young man had reportedly planned to cheat the girl of Rs 50,000 on the promise of marrying her. However, the girl learnt, to her shock, that the man was already married and was a master cheat, who had duped a number of girls in the past.

According to the victim, the handsome stranger came to her TV channel office in Noida and tried to woo her. The accused again visited her after a fortnight and said that he had “managed a very good job for himself, but was short of Rs 50,000, which he had to pay to the person who had arranged the job”.

He talked the victim into agreeing to help him out. They also agreed to get married after the deal was finalised.

However, the friends of the victim advised her to personally check the bona fide of the man. So, one day, she landed at his residence unannounced. The cheat was not at home, but his wife, who was present in the house, was equally shocked by the news. His wife told her that he was a ‘master cheat’ who along with his mother-a drug addict-had made fool of many young women. The police have launched a manhunt to nab him after she filed a complaint with Superintendent of Police (city).

Woman thrown off bus footboard, killed
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 26
A 30-year-old woman was thrown out of the footboard of a moving bus plying on route 526 between Hamdard Nagar and Kamla Market and was killed this afternoon.

The police said that the thinly built woman, wearing a printed yellow suite, was on the footboard trying to disembark when the bus was taking a u-turn near the Hamdard Nagar terminus. The victim was taken to Batra Hospital where she was declared brought dead. The driver of the bus, Harbhajan Singh (48), a resident of Govind Puri, has been arrested.

Tour operator held for rape: The North-East district police have arrested a tour operator on the charge of raping a 19-year-old girl and then threatening to commit suicide in the Seelampur area.

The accused, Ravi, had lured the girl two months back from the ISBT by promising to marry her. Later, he took her to a house and raped her on several occasions before finally abandoning her with a woman in the Subzi Mandi area. Since she had not getting a good treatment from the woman, she escaped from her and reached the house of Ravi’s relative. Ravi who had also reached there and asked her to accompany him and threatened that he would commit suicide if she refused. During the ensuing confusion, he inflicted injuries on his neck with the help of a razor.

Three rape co-worker: In another case, the North-East district police arrested one person for raping a 17-year-old girl along with two of his fellow workers, all in the age group of early twenties, in the Seelampur area. The victim told the police that her co-workers, Kalim, Akram and Tasleem, raped her on August 17. The police have arrested Tasleem and efforts are being made to trace the other two.

Gang of robbers busted: The North-West district police today claimed to have busted a gang of robbers operating in the Alipur area with the arrest of four persons. The accused — Chanderpal (25), a resident of Aligarh, Chhote Lal (35) and Navratan (20), both residents of Bulandshahr, and Chetram (19), a resident of Meerut — were arrested from a godown. They were allegedly involved in half a dozen cases of robbery, attempt to murder and armed burglary. During interrogation, the accused, who were into flower cultivation in Nangli Poona, confessed to the crimes.