New Delhi, September 2
The first day of implementation of new parking rates witnessed a number of clashes between the parking contractors and visitors at Connaghut Place, where the New Delhi Municipal Council has increased the rate of parking. Now, the people have to pay the charges for the number of hours their vehicles are parked there.

Though no major incident has taken place, the police had to move to the places following the calls given either by the visitors or by contractors of the parking. However, the clashes have bee sorted out by the police.

The major problem is with the people who work in the Connaught Place, as they have to park their vehicle for at least six hours, consequently, they have to pay a major of part of their salary to the parking people. When they claim that they park their vehicle in front of their offices, the parking people fight with them saying that they have to pay for the parking as the site has been given on contract to them by the NDMC. There is no clause in the new rate order of the NDMC for the employees working in the companies who have their offices in the Connaught Place area, the contractors claimed.

Anil Kumar, who works with a private company, said that people who work with the offices and shops located in Connaught Place should be allowed to park their vehicle in front of their offices. Now, the NDMC has made the parking so costly that employees cannot pay it. If the NDMC does not make relaxation for the employees, it will be difficult for them to use their own vehicle. Majority of them will start coming from buses that will be an added problem for them.

Shyam, a parking contractor, said that all the contractors deposit earnest money before taking the contract. Once the contract is awarded to them, they pay monthly charges. As they have been ordered by the authorities concerned to take the enhanced parking charge, they will adhere to the new rates.

New Delhi, September 2
The campaigning for the DUSU polls scheduled for September 3 came to an end, officially at noon today. Thereafter, began the customary, “one to one meeting” with candidates pushing their luck further to woo at the last minute.

Low on energy, but oozing confidence, the candidates in the fray for the elections left no opportunity to get even with their rivals. While the ABVP accused the NSUI of using muscle and moolah, the NSUI went to town accusing ABVP’s candidate for the post of Secretary, Ravinder Singh, of fudging his final year results to secure admission.

The NSUI, which claimed to have “proof” of the misdemeanour, said that Ravinder had manipulated his marksheet to seek re-admission to DU. The contention was vehemently denied by the ABVP, which armed with the rulebook clarified that the admission was “perfectly legal”.

The ABVP got a shot in the arm when the Chief Election Officer, Prof Rajiv Khanna, declared that there was “no discrepancy in the result”. He told The Tribune, “I have the original results with me and after scrutinising it, I know the results have not been tampered with”.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police, along with the university authorities, have made stringent arrangements to ensure peaceful polling. Security in the campus has been intensified with polling centres having been instructed to permit only identity card holders into college premises.

A watch is also being maintained on the vehicular movement the North and South Campus. All arrangements have been made for the free and fair poll. All colleges, which will go to polls, have been briefed on the security. Elaborate arrangements have been made to secure the ballot boxes and approximately 85,000 ballot sheets that were sent to colleges here today.

The university officials said that a team of five people, including the police and university officials, have been deployed to ensure the security of the boxes. The election process will begin at 8.30 a.m. in all 39 of the 52 centres. The elections for the 13 evening colleges will begin at 4 p.m and end at 7 p.m.

It was pointed out that 10 visiting squads have been deputed to cover morning colleges. “The squads will be in addition to the rounds that we and the VC himself will make to ensure a free, fair and peaceful polling,” said Prof Khanna.

The Traffic Police has advised motorists to avoid Sudhir Bose Marg, Khalsa College, Chattra Marg, Shreya Mishra Marg, Patel Chest, Maurice Nagar, Bunglow Road and other university roads on account of polling.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have decided to install video cameras at strategic positions to get a bird eye view of the whole proceedings of the poll. They will intensify the PCR van patrolling, especially around women colleges and sensitive centres.

New Delhi, September 2
After protests of shop workers over Delhi Government’s proposal for extending the marking timings till midnight, it is time of the Delhi Police personnel who expressed their concern over the decision of the government. Though no official version have come from the Delhi Police, some policemen are reluctant to work till midnight.

Since the policemen are already working 12 to 14 hours everyday. How will they get time to work till midnight? Some cops said. It will be difficult for the Delhi Police to control law and order in the market during the night. As a result, the crime graph will increase in the Capital. Before taking any final decision, the government should consult with the Union Home Ministry for recruitment of more policemen.

A Station House Officer in South district, said, “With duty hours now being extended to 16-17, where does a policeman get time to ‘recharge’ himself, as once again he has to report at eight in the morning for duty. And it is not a one-day thing, rather a routine affair. So how does he cope? He questioned.

Safety could be another casualty with checking coming to a minimal level as all shops and restaurants would be open till late night. Earlier, one was asked for reasons for being on road at late hours, but now it is not there. Besides, the culture of ‘extended shopping hours’ is limited to certain pockets and not a general phenomenon in society.

New Delhi, September 2
Rajinder Yadav, a constable of the Delhi Police who is posted in DAP ninth battalion, and his wife Savitri, are allegedly involved in a cheating case. A case has been registered against them in Dwarka.

They have allegedly cheated lakhs of rupees from a number of innocent residents in Raj Nagar near Palam Colony in South-West district on the pretext of getting jobs, land etc. When the victims asked their money back, the constable and his associates beat up them. Initially, the residents thought that he would help them in getting jobs in limited companies as he had been posted at the Airport. Now he has been transferred to ninth battalion.

In a complaint, Mrs Om Vati, wife of an ex-serviceman, stated that the suspect took Rs 1.15 from her on the pretext of providing job for her son. But he could not meet his promise. When she went back to take her money, the constable did not returned the money. The victim said that she borrowed the money from her relatives for the bribe. Now, she is unable to return them back. In the complaint, she appealed the police to take action against the suspect and pressurise the cop to return her money back.

Another victim, Raju Verma, said that the suspect had taken Rs 33,000 from him on instalment for giving 25 square yards land, but he refused to do this. When the victim wanted to lodge a complaint against the suspects, he threatened him of dire consequences.

Once the suspect and his two accomplices attacked him. He alleged that Dwarka police did not co-operate with the victims. Even after complaint, no action has been taken against him. Earlier, the suspects lived in Raj Nagar, now they have shifted to another colony.

As 20 people have lodged complaint in the local police station, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West) district office, Vigilance Department, Economic Offences Wing and office of the Commissioner of the Delhi Police and National Human Rights Commission against the suspects, the constable is still moving freely and doing his duty in ninth battalion, the complainants alleged.

New Delhi, September 2
A city court today remanded Rajesh, the prime accused in the Pushkin Chandra murder case, to 14-days judicial custody.

Metropolitan Magistrate S. K. Sharma sent 24-year-old to judicial custody till September 16, after his four-day police remand expired today. On August 28, Rajesh had been arrested from Chattarpur in Madhya Pradesh. Police had identified the second killer as Moti, alias Mohit, who is at large. Preliminary investigation revealed that the two killers were known to Pushkin and he (the deceased) had picked them up on the day of the murder from Connaught Place, the police said.

They, along with Kuldeep, had then gone to attend a party, thrown by Danish national Uffe Gartner. All four returned from the party to Pushkin’s house in Anand Lok in South Delhi, where the murder took place, police said.

Pushkin and Kuldeep had been found murdered in Anand Lok apartment on August 14, bearing multiple stab wounds. A number of the USAID employee’s belongings, including his car, credit cards, polaroid camera, a laptop were found missing from the scene of crime.

New Delhi, September 2
In an effort to make the Capital’s roads safer, the Government of NCT of Delhi today signed an agreement with Ashok Leyland for setting up a training institute for drivers of heavy vehicles.

The joint-venture institute, for which the agreement was signed by Transport Secretary Rajeev Talwar and Ashok Leyland Managing Director R Seshasayee, will operate at the infrastructure already created by the government on an eight-acre plot at Burari.

The training school, to be set up a cost of Rs three crore, is expected to start functioning in the next six to seven months.

“Since January, around 1,200 people have been killed in the Capital in road accidents. In such a scenario, having training schools, especially for drivers of heavy vehicles like trucks and buses, is imperative,” Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said after the signing of the agreement.

New Delhi, September 2
The Delhi Police today claims to have arrested five youths, including two dreaded criminals, who were active in Haryana. They were reportedly involved in murder, kidnapping-cum-ransom, extortion and robbery cases. A country-made pistol and cartridges were recovered from them.

The suspects have been identified as Surender, alias Monu and Balwant, alias Ballu, on whose head the Haryana police had declared a reward of Rs 50,000 on each. They had spread terror in Kaithal area, a senior officer of the Special Cell said. Their other accomplices were identified as Anil Kumar, Umesh Kumar and Chhatra Singh.

The officer said that Anil and Ballu wanted in seven cases in Haryana. They were in Santro car when they were arrested. The vehicle has been seized.

Surender was involved in a number of sensational cases in Kaithal. He had kidnapped a factory owner in Kaithal and released after taking a ransom of Rs 10 lakh. His wife tried to convince him to surrender before the police so that the entire family could live a normal life. But he had killed his wife and had thrown her body in the Gang Canal. He had killed her wife because he had a fear that his wife could got him arrested at any moment.

In June this year, he had kidnapped the son of a kiln owner and released him after receiving a ransom amount of Rs 10 lakh. On March, Surender and his associates had killed Krishan Pahelwan, a criminal, at Kaithal bus stand. Earlier, Krishan was a member of Surender gang. He had also killed a journalist Parmanand in Kaithal. Besides, he was involved in a number of cases of ransom from businessmen.

Anil is a member of Sensarpal gang of Uttar Pradesh. He was involved in a murder case of five members of the rival gang, Jatan Sirohi, in Uttar Pradesh. He had some conspiracy to have joined Surender gang. At present, Sirohi gang had planned to eliminate a rival gangster Sanjeev for Rs 2 lakh.

Ghaziabad, September 2
In a shocking incident, a financer, identified as Billu Pandit, shot dead one Jatinder, alias Jeetu, under the Kotwali police station area in Ghaziabad today. According to information, Dinesh, son of a teashop owner, Moolchand of Prem Nagar Mohalla, had taken a loan of Rs 20,000 from Billu Pandit of Babupura.

According to Billu Pandit, however, Dinesh owed him Rs 45,000, since he had not been able to pay any of his installments, including the interests. Billu Pandit and his friends went to the house of Moolchand in the morning where a heated argument took place with Dinesh and Jeetu.

During the heat of the moment, Billu Pandit fired some shots in the air while departing from the place. Later, Moolchand’s family members and their neighbours reported the matter to the police and requested the police to provide them protection.

Meanwhile, angry at hearing the subsequent developments, Billu Pandit intruded into the house of Moolchand with his friends. He found Jeetu alone in the house. They killed him in a hail of bullets and fled from the area.

Noida, September 2
A case of fake registration of an ultra sound machine by the office of the Deputy CMO, Government Hospital, Sector-30, Noida, has come to light. The ultra sound machine was for Fortis Hospital in Sector-62, Noida. The case had landed both the Health Department and the Fortis Hospital in an embarrassing position.

After the District Magistrate ordered an inquiry into the matter, the computer section of the CMO office has been sealed. The assistant to the Deputy CMO, Mr Braha Singh, has reportedly confessed to having issued the certificate with the
fake signatures of the Deputy CMO on payment of Rs 10,000 from the Fortis Hospital, Sector-62, Noida.

It is believed that the sealing of the computer section of CMO’s office will lead to some more sensational disclosures pertaining to fake documents being issued from the office. The Chief Medical Officer, Dr M. P. Singh, had inspected the Fortis Hospital in Sector-62 when the case pertaining to the registration of the ultrasound machine had come to light. It was pointed out that the documents had been signed by the Deputy CMO, Government Hospital, Noida, who was not empowered to issue such certifications. An explanation has been sought from the Deputy CMO, Dr R. C.Gaur by Dr M. P. Singh.

Meerut, September 2
The Meerut police claimed to have busted a prostitution racket, in which three girls, two customers and one pimp were arrested. However, one of the main pimp and organiser of the racket managed to escape, the police said.

According to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Meerut, Mr Prabhat Kumar, the SHO of TP Nagar, Mr Ashok Sisodiya and the CO raided premises in the Devlok Colony after a tip-off that a prostitution racket was being run from the house (House No B-152).

Those arrested were identified as Anjum (Daughter of Ayyub), Gudiya, Pooja and Mrs Lata. One customer, identified as Rajkumar, was also arrested. One Munna involved in arranging girls from Delhi managed to escape, the police said.

The arrested girls were between 16 to 20 years of age. The SSP informed that Mrs Lata was running the racket from her house for the last several years and customers were brought to her house only through agents.

It was also reveled that girls from Meerut were paid Rs 200 per day while those from Delhi were paid Rs 400 on contract basis. One of girl, Pooja from Delhi, told the police that Lata also arranged for their stay, food and blue films, which were available for the customers.

All the four arrested girls were sent to the women police station after their medical examinations.

Noida, September 2
Noida is being given a facelift for the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on September 5.

According to information available, Dr Manmohan Singh will be visiting Noida to take part in a programme at a private hospital in Sector-62.

The district administration is taking no chance with the security. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Jai Narain Singh, is personally looking into all aspects related to the security of the Prime Minister. Besides the intelligence wing, large number of policemen will be deployed in plainclothes too.

The policemen to be deployed in the area are being given special training. Three Superintendents of Police, 9 Additional Superintendents of Police, 19 Deputy Superintendents of Police, 225 Head Constables, 1,100 constables and 6 company of PAC will be deployed for the purpose, SSP J. N. Singh said. 

Meerut, September 2
More than fifty years after Independence, atrocities on Dalits continues without any fear. Members of the Rajput community beat up three Dalit youths and hanged them upside down in a well in village Sisana of Baghpat district on Tuesday night.

The only fault of the Dalit youths was that they washed their hands at the tubewell belonging to a person from the Rajput community.

In another case, an old lady was terrorised with dogs after she was caught coming out of a field that belonged to the Rajput community. She had gone to the field to relieve herself.

Three Dalits have filed an FIR against seven people of the Rajput community in the local police station. Hundreds of Dalits demonstrated at the camp office of the District Magistrate, Bagpat, Mrs Kamini Ratan, on Wednesday, and alleged that some people from of upper caste in the village had tortured three Dalits, including a physically challenged person, when they went to wash their hands at the tubewell of Kalu Rajput.

Dalits alleged the family members of Kalu had humiliated them and beat them up. Shyamlal, a Dalit, told the District Magistrate that the Rajputs had also fired at them when some Dalits had rushed to help them.

The police officials rushed to the spot and made arrangements for the medical examination of the Dalits, who were tortured.

Meanwhile, the Dalits have alleged that their lives were in danger and security should be provided to them. The District Magistrate has sent the SDM and the Circle Officer to the spot for further investigation.

Faridabad, September 2
The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Limited has entered into an agreement with the auto major Mahindra and Mahindra for joint research on alternative fuels and energy, with the aim to roll out the country’s first hydrogen engine in the next two years.

The Chairman of the Indian Oil, Mr M. S Ramchandran and the Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Mahindra and Mahindra, Mr Anand Mahindra, formally inked the pact recently. The agreement could be a milestone in the energy and petro sector due to the rising demand of petroleum and the simultaneous depleting oil reserves, a spokesperson of the company said here today. The present scenario dictated that an alternative fuel for the auto and energy sector was developed as soon as possible, he added.

The collaboration was a part of the IOC’s continued pursuit to develop alternative energy programmes, exploring new technology that could benefit the nation while ensuring protection of the environment, he said.

The memorandum of collaboration include testing and evaluation of bio-fuels in internal combustion engines, development and testing of hydrogen powered vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles and conducting feasibility studies on the same. The other areas of cooperation include alternative fuel production and application for automotive purposes.

The IOC and the M&M will have equal rights on the outcome of the collaborative effort in specific areas as per the agreement. The initiative by these companies is expected to provide impetus to the development of alternative fuels and implementation of the alternative energy programmes, which have shot into prominence following the dramatic increase in crude prices, which threatens to jeopardise the economic development of the country.

Faridabad, September 2
The Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, inaugurated the renovation work of six roads here today. Described as ‘commencement of infrastructure upgradation of Sector 22-23’ by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) officials, the authorities have announced an expenditure of Rs six crore on this project. The new concrete roads are likely to provide relief to the residents and commuters as such roads have longer and durable life.

Mr Chautala also laid the foundation stone of the second sewage treatment plant of the town, which will be built in Sector-12 here. Spread over an area of about 4,500 square metres, the plant will be built at a cost of Rs 38 lakh.

New Delhi, September 2
The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, today exhorted the people to strengthen the bonds of universal brotherhood by following the path of peace and love as shown by the great Sikh Gurus.

Mr Chautala was speaking at a light and sound programme

organised by the World Punjabi Organisation to mark 400th anniversary celebrations of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib Ji at the Siri Fort Auditorium here last evening.

He said the whole world was reeling under terrorism, and communal and separatist forces were raising their ugly heads. — TNS