The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Five Kapurthala cops booked for kidnapping youth
Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 14
The local police today booked eight persons, including five personnel of the Kapurthala police on the charge of kidnapping a city-based youth from Shimla Puri last evening. The policemen include a Sub-Inspector posted as additional SHO of the Kapurthala city police station.

The police of both districts have locked horns over the case in which the Kapurthala police is charged with illegally raiding the colony and picking up a youth, Sunil Kumar, who was not wanted in any criminal case. The local police went ahead with the registration of the case after a talk between senior officials of both police districts failed to resolve the issue.

Under the rules, a police party has to inform the police station concerned before raiding another police district. The Kapurthala police allegedly did not follow the rules and picked up the youth. Interestingly, the police team had come to pick Sunil's elder brother and other relatives but took him away as they could not find the persons they were looking for. The youth, however, was released late last night.

The Kapurthala police maintained that they had not done anything wrong. The SHO of the city police station, Kapurthala, Inspector Mohinder Singh, told Ludhiana Tribune on the phone that the team had gone to verify a complaint made by a girl against her husband (Sunil’s elder brother) and her Ludhiana-based in-laws.

He, however, admitted that no case had been registered so far and the name of the youth, Sunil Kumar, was not in the complaint. He said he was on leave and would verify whether the youth was picked up or not.

Police sources said the Kapurthala policemen had in their telephonic conversation with a senior official here said they were taking away the youths on the directions of a senior official.

As per the FIR lodged on the statement of Ashok Kumar, father of the youth, a police team led by SI Sucha Singh, an ASI, a lady constable, two other police personnel, all in civil dress and three unidentified persons had descended on their house in Shimla Puri last evening.

They could not find anyone and then raided their relative’s house in Division No. 6. They could not take away anyone as the relatives protested. However, the police managed to find Sunil Kumar alone during the second raid on their house in Shimla Puri and took him away.

Inspector Navreet Singh, SHO, Shimla Puri police station, said it was illegal for any police party to take away a person, adding that the case had been registered as per law. He said the wife of the elder brother of the kidnapped youth had filed a complaint with the Kapurthala police about a dispute with her husband and in-laws. He said the police of that city should have informed them and after registering a case can arrest anyone.

The girl had made a complaint with the Shimla puri police also some time ago. Inspector Navreet Singh said the complaint was of a minor nature and he had brought about a compromise between the two parties.

He said the girl had not complained about dowry harassment or maltreatment but wanted action against her husband for not taking her to a hill station. He said the boy’s family had contended that they were busy with urgent family matters and following the complaint, the couple had gone to a hill station.

After that, the girl went for some days to her parent’s house in Kapurthala and filed a complaint.

Bairagis hint at withdrawing support to Congress
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 14
The Punjab Bairagi Mahamandal today hinted at withdrawing support to the Congress and fielding its candidates against Congress nominees in the Lok Sabha elections, claiming that the Bairagi community had got a raw deal from the party leadership over the years.

A state-level meeting of the body was held at Community Centre in Aggar Nagar here under the presidentship of Dr Rajinder Pal Singh Bairagi, chairman, political affairs committee of the body. It was attended, among others, by Mr Krishan Kumar Bawa, president, All-India Bairagi Mahamandal and a former chief of the District Congress Committee (Urban).

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Bawa claimed that successive Congress governments in Punjab and at the Centre had not recognised the support given by the Bairagi community.

Mr Bawa rued that genuine claims of the community had been ignored at the time of ticket distribution for Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. He alleged that some activists of the community had been unceremoniously removed from the organisation by the Congress leadership.

Several speakers urged the activists of the mahamandal to field Mr Bawa as an independent candidate for the Lok Sabha elections from the Sangrur seat if the Congress persisted with its discriminatory attitude towards the community. The outgoing MP from Ludhiana, Mr Gurcharan Singh Ghalib, also came in for criticism for his failure to release the promised grant of Rs 7 lakh to the organisation.

The meeting empowered the political affairs committee headed by Dr Rajinder Pal Singh Bairagi to take the final decision about contesting the Lok Sabha elections against official nominees of the Congress.

Woman dies under mysterious circumstances
Our Correspondent

Khanna, March 14
Bachni Devi, an old woman, died under mysterious circumstances in her house in Model Town last evening, even as her son, Mangal, went missing. Her body was sent to the Civil Hospital for a postmortem examination by the police today. Dr N. K. Singla, doctor on duty, said the postmortem examination had been done but the report would be submitted tomorrow after a thorough study.

A resident of the locality told the police that Mangal had returned home yesterday in an inebriated condition. He also had an altercation with his mother. Later, the news of her death was received.

When the woman’s close relatives were about to cremate her this morning, the police reached the spot and took the body to the Civil Hospital for a postmortem examination. Later, the body was handed over to her family members.

The police has initiated proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC.

Doctor alleges harassment by insurance company
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 14
A leading city physician has alleged that the branch manager of a public sector insurance company had been harassing him and demanding money for settling the insurance claim of his stolen vehicle.

In a signed complaint addressed to National Insurance Company, copies of which have been sent to the Chief Vigilance Commissioner, the Director, Vigilance, Punjab, the SSP, Vigilance, Ludhiana, the Finance Minister and the Insurance Regulatory Authority, Dr Gurcharan Singh alleged that the manager of one of the branches of the company had deliberately delayed the settlement of his claim and wanted money for the same.

He alleged that the manager was also the inquiry officer in the case and wanted that he be “compensated” for settling the claim. Demanding strict action against the manager, the doctor said this was necessary to ensure that the common man was not harassed.

He observed at a time when private insurance companies were offering transparent services, it was high time that public sector companies also be made to function in a client-friendly manner.

Significance of Guru Granth Sahib stressed
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 14
Dr Jagbir Singh, former Professor, Delhi University, while presiding over the second day of the seminar on “Allround importance and significance of Sri Guru Granth Sahib” at Punjabi Sahit Akademi here today, stated that Guru Granth Sahib was both a cultural and a religious text.

He said the teachings in Guru Granth Sahib could play a vital role in the betterment of society. Dr Surjit Hans read his paper on “Guru Granth Sahib Kirat and Kirti Ki Rajniti”. He said the Granth carried the message of spiritualism. Dr Paramjit Singh of Guru Nanak Dev University read his paper on “Guru Granth Sahib di bhasha vilakhanta”.

Dr Jagdish Kaur, Prof Harkrishan Singh Mehta and Dr Harbhajan Singh Bhatia were among the other speakers. Mr Gurdit Singh was the special invitee at the seminar. He shared his views on the Gurmukhi script.

Dr Waryam Singh Sandhu presided over the second round of the seminar.

BUSINESS

Textile processing concept launched
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 14
Black Magic, a revolutionary concept in textile wet processing, was launched by Clariant India Limited here yesterday.

Mr Eric Argast from Clariant International (Switzerland) made a presentation on the subject, highlighting the features and benefits of the concept, which is based on 50 per cent saving in water, time and energy in the pre-treatment process.

He remarked that the load on an effluent treatment plant could be reduced drastically. Another feature of the concept was an increase in production capacity by around 30 per cent within the same set-up.