Panipat, December 4
The police is allegedly pressurising on a Dalit family to reach a compromise with an upper caste family of Dodhpur village. Members of the upper caste family had allegedly molested a woman belonging to the Dalit family and used abusive language and derogatory remarks against Dalits on October 12.

This has been alleged by the state convener of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha, Mr P.P. Kapoor. The organisation had organised a dharna for several days outside the office of the Samalkha DSP, Mr Badan Singh Rana, office for the registration of a criminal case against the members of the upper caste family of Mohinder Singh.

Following the dharna, the police had to file a case under relevant sections of the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act against five members of the upper caste family on December 3, about seven weeks after the incident. Ironically, the police also filed a counter-FIR against the male member of the Dalit family, Mr Karan Singh, for allegedly raping a woman of the upper caste family.

Mr Kapoor said the FIR against Karan Singh had been filed just to put pressure on him to reach a compromise with the upper caste family and to withdraw his wife’s complaint lodged with the police.

When contacted, the Smalkha DSP, Mr Badan Singh Rana, said the police had received complaints from both parties. While the Dalit woman, wife of Karan Singh, had levelled accusations against five members, including two women, of upper caste Mohinder Singh’s family of molesting her and using abusive language and derogatory remarks against Dalits on October 12, a woman of Mohinder Singh’s family had accused Karan Singh of raping her on October 11, he said.

However, Mr Kapoor termed the statement of the DSP as a mere lie. He said had she been raped on October 11, the police should have got her medically examined at that time, but it was not done. Secondly, why the police had not registered a case of rape against Karan Singh on that day, he questioned.

He further said the complaint of the upper caste woman was just an afterthought to put pressure on the Dalit family to withdraw its complaint. He further said the Samalkha police had challaned Karan Singh’s autorickshaw for putting pressure on him to reach a compromise.

He said a meeting between the two rides was called in the last week of November in the DSP’s office and Mohinder Singh had agreed to apologise to the Dalit family for his act but the Dalit family insisted that either he should do so in the presence of villagers or an FIR should be lodged against him and his family members. Had he not done any crime, why he agreed to apologise, Kapoor asked.

Karan Singh’s wife, an anganwari worker, said Mohinder Singh and his family members not only touched her erogenous zone, but also used abusive language against her. She had gone to administer polio drops to children in that area as part of her duty, on October 12. She said she had reported the matter to the police on that day, but it registered an FIR only on December 3 after several days of dharna.

Chandigarh, December 4
More than 1.5 lakh names have been added in the list of beneficiaries under the old-age pension scheme of Haryana since a drive was launched from July 1 to enroll fresh recipients.

The amount of the pension was raised from Rs 200 to Rs 300 per month with effect from November 1. The state government, in the recently held two day session of the Assembly, allocated Rs 34.19 crore to meet the additional expenses on account of the pension for five months ending on March 31, 2005. This is by far the largest allocation among all the supplementary demands passed by the assembly for various schemes that go under the name of social security schemes.

The Opposition has alleged that Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, has increased the pension to lure the voters for the approaching Assembly elections. Congress leader Birender Singh alleged yesterday that beneficiaries of the pension scheme were being given letters saying if the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) returned to power in Haryana, then pension would be increased to Rs 400 per month.

Mr Randeep Singh Surjewala, Indian Youth Congress (IYC) chief, also made similar allegations here today.

Significantly, before the assembly elections in February, 2000, the state government headed by Mr Chautala had ordered increase in the pension and induction of fresh beneficiaries. Later, it was found that Rs 1.35 crore was paid to 16,849 ineligible persons during the period between December 1999 and April, 2000.

A state government official, when contacted regarding the genuineness of the beneficiaries recently included in the list, claimed that there was no chance of fraudulent receipt of the pension this time round.

Ambala, December 3
Haryana Chief Minister, Om Prakash Chautala today laid several of foundation stones for projects in Ambala.

Mr Chautala said that it has been decided to shift dairies outside cities to maintain sanitation and beautify towns.

He said that the dairy complex would house 71 dairies.

He said facilities like roads, water supply, electricity, drains and veterinary hospitals would be provided at a cost of Rs 1.48 crore.

Mr Chautala said that decision on alliance with any other party would only be taken after the announcement of the Assembly elections.

Mr Chautala, criticising the Congress, said that on the one hand they brought a no-confidence motion against his Government yesterday in the Vidhan Sabha but on the other hand they staged a walk-out without hearing the reply of his Government.

Addressing a gathering after laying the foundation of Navodya Vidayala, Mr Chautala said that the session of this school would commence soon as the villagers had already donated some rooms and the old-age home for starting the classes.

Later Mr Chautala laid the foundation stone of water supply scheme at Materi Shekhan village which would be constructed at a cost of Rs 46 lakh and benefit 3000 people of the area.

He also inaugurated the newly constructed Primary Health Centre at Naggal village which would provide better health services to the people of the area.

Sonepat, December 4
The police today arrested J.K. Mehra, an Assistant Postmaster of the Head Post Office here in connection with the case of duping of hundreds of investors by a former postal agent, Manohar Kumar. The agent, along with his family, had fled with crores of rupees that investors had given him for investing in various small savings schemes launched by the government.

According to sources, the police is also looking for Braham Singh, another employee who is also suspected to have been involved in the scam.

The police action followed the registration of a cheating case against Manohar Kumar and launching of protest by investors in front of the post office.

As soon as the police whisked away J.K. Mehra, employees of the post office came out from the office and started raising slogans against the police. They announced that these protest would continue till J.K. Mehra was released.

The action committee formed by the investors has demanded a CBI probe into the scam, besides a stern action against the postal officials allegedly involved in it. The committee has also started an indefinite dharna to press for its demands.

Meanwhile, police officials who had been sent to Mumbai for arresting Manohar Kumar have returned without achieving any breakthrough in the case. The officials, along with the Mumbai police, conducted a series of raids at the possible hideouts of Manohar Kumar, but to no avail.

Yamunanagar, December 4
As many as 39 cows loaded in three trucks, which were being allegedly taken to Uttar Pradesh for slaughter, have been seized here today. Nine persons of Uttar Pradesh have been arrested in the connection. Those arrested are Taiab, Rashid, Roshan, Ekram, Choota, Pappu, Shamsher, Mukesh and Imran. Seven persons have been declared absconding.

The cows, according to police sources, were brought from Punjab. One truck each with cows was impounded from Lapra ghat, Dusani and Brahmpura near here.

As per reports, everyday five to six trucks loaded with cows are crossing over to Uttar Pradesh slaughter houses via the Yamuna. The sources said it was difficult to keep watch on the river and the smugglers were taking benefit of it.

The sources further said cows were being smuggled into neighbouring UP from Tajewala, Khari, Bhudnkala, Lakra villages and ghats of Balewala, Bakrpur, Bibipur, Aundhari, Gumthala, Sanghla, Lal Chhapar, Lapra and Mukarampur, Kalanaur border and Jathlana. Bibipur Ghat is favourite among the smugglers as it is easy to cross the Yamuna from here. Interestingly, there is no police post on any of the smuggling routes.

Smugglers take the cattle to slaughter houses at Gangoha, Sharanpur, Dudhgarh, Chilkana, Tajpur, Raipur and Behat in Uttar Pardesh. There are reports that they take refuge in certain villages along the Yamuna.

Some members associated with different organisations working for saving cows say that smugglers are often armed with weapons. In one such incident in October the smugglers opened fire on the members of Ram Sena when the latter tried to free cows being taken for slaughter.

The police, on the other hand, claim to have made arrangements to check smuggling of cows. Now checkposts have been erected near ghats of the river.

Ambala, December 4
After years of dithering, anaj mandi and subzi mandi may soon be shifted out of Ambala Cantonment.

While the mandis are going to be shifted to Ghasitpur, their exact location is being worked out. The mandi complex, which was apparently scheduled to be developed behind the upcoming HUDA sectors, will now come up along the GT road.

Ambala Cantonment MLA Anil Vij said that anaj mandi and subzi mandi will be shifted to a new complex, which is going to be constructed soon.

"We took a decision today to relocate the mandi complex to near the GT road. Marketing Board Chief Administrator, Chief Engineer and HUDA officials have assessed the new location. The change has been done to ensure that the loaded vehicles do not have to pass through HUDA sectors which are going to be developed there," he said.

Mr Vij said the new mandi complex would be unique, as Ambala would be the second place after Karnal to have the anaj mandi located on the GT road. The foundation stone of the mandi complex would be laid by Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala later this month.

Short-term tenders are going to be called and the allocation of work will take place before December 31. Our objective is that the next arrival of grain during the harvesting season takes place at the new mandi complex, he said.

The shifting of mandis has been a long-pending demand of the local people. The mandis not only lead to traffic congestion, but also cause unhygienic conditions. When grain begins to arrive at the Ambala Cantonment grain market, it causes traffic bottlenecks.

As the anaj mandi in Ambala Cantonment is small, farmers unload their tractor-trolleys on the road.

While the grain market and vegetable market are going to be shifted to Ghasitpur, the chara mandi is going to be shifted to Kardhan village, where the dairy complex is going to be constructed.

Sonepat, December 4
Former Minister Krishna Gahlaut has been acquitted in a corruption case. The case was registered against her under the Prevention of Corruption Act by the state Vigilance Department at Sonepat on February 11, 2003.

The judgement was pronounced by District and Sessions Judge B.L. Singhal today.

The case related to alleges financial irregularities in purchases worth around Rs 1 lakh during the period when she was the Chairperson of the Haryana State Social Welfare Advisory Board from 1987 to 1992.