Patiala, February 16
The disappearance of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra has taken a new turn with the sole witness who claims to have witnessed the murder of the activist, alleging that he had seen former Punjab Police Director-General of Police K.P.S. Gill go into a room in which Khalra was being kept at Manawala in Taran Tarn.

The witness, Kuldeep Singh, is a former Special Police Officer who claims he was recruited into the police by former Taran Tarn Senior Superintendent of Police Ajit Singh Sandhu. He told the court of the Additional Sessions Judge here that it was Sandhu’s house in Manawala village in Taran Tarn which was visited by K.P.S. Gill and other “clean shaven official” a few days before Khalra was murdered in 1995.

The witness who told TNS after stepping out of the court that he was happy he had finally been able to tell the truth, said during his deposition that he was taken to the residence of the Taran Tarn, SSP, by Jhabal Police Station SHO Satnam Singh who was keeping Khalra locked in illegal confinement. He further alleged that Mr K.P.S. Gill remained in the room where Khalra was being kept for half an hour adding that during the journey back to the Jhabal police station, SHO Satnam Singh told Khalra that he would have saved himself if he had listened to the “advice” of the DGP.

Giving a lengthy deposition, the former SPO said he came into contact with Mr Ajit Singh Sandhu, who was a prime accused in the Khalra disappearance case before he committed suicide in 1994. He said when Sandhu was posted to Taran Tarn in 1995 he accompanied him as a gun man.

The witness said he was posted to the Jhabal police station in the police district subsequently and it was here that he was handed over the keys of a room in which Khalra was being kept.

The SPO said his responsibility was to provide food to Khalra and it was during this time that DSP Jaspal Singh and his body guard Arvinder besides Sarhali SHO Surinderpal Singh, Manochahal SHO Jasbir Singh, Prithipal Singh and Balwinder Singh Gora came to the police station in separate cars.

He alleged that the police officials started beating up Khalra and’’I was asked to get a glass of hot water by SHO Satnam Singh’’.

The SPO said even as he was heating up the water he heard the sound of two shots and when he rushed towards the room, he was told by Satnam Singh to go where the cars were parked.

“Subsequently Balwinder Singh Gora reversed the Maruti van in which he had come and he and Arvinder took hold of Khalra’s legs and arms to dump him into the boot of the vehicle. I saw blood oozing out of Khalra’s chest,” he claimed. Kuldeep said while he sat in SHO Satnam Singh’s vehicle the two other cars containing the same police officials moved ahead.

At around 10 pm the cavalcade reached Harike where Arvinder and Balwinder Singh Gora took out Khalra’s body and threw it into a canal, he alleged.

Telling a gory tale of brutality, the SPO alleged that all cars proceeded to the Harike guest house after the act where other police officials, including Mr Ajit Singh Sandhu, were present.

He said while the officers went inside he, Arvinder and Balwinder were given two bottles of liquor which they consumed in the lawns of the rest house.

Kuldeep Singh said he had a change of heart on the issue after listening to a human rights activist speaking about the disappearance of Khalra and decided to tell his tale. “It has taken several years to do so during which time I have resisted severe pressure from the accused police officials,” he added.

Patiala, February 16
The Sikh Nation Organisation (SNO) today said the decision of a French court which ruled that no violation of human rights had taken place by asking a French Sikh to remove his turban to be photographed for obtaining his driving licence, was a “blot on the fair image of the French system of 
justice”.

In a statement here, SNO president Dr Manjit Singh Randhawa said the SNO would intensify its global stir on the French turban ban. He said Sikh men, women and children would organise a token public protest in India, Europe and America from February 25 to March 25 and would submit memorandums to French Embassies and the United Nations. Dr Randhawa appealed to Sikhs living in different countries to wear saffron headgear during these protests and to register effective protests on every Thursday on the issue of the turban ban.

Dr Randhawa disclosed that the administrative court had ruled that no violation of human rights was made out in asking Mr Singh to remove his turban, to be photographed for obtaining his driving licence afresh. He said the court ruled that the petitioner would have to agree to pose with naked head for a lawful photograph of identify, to obtain a driving licence. However, Mr Shingara Singh Mann maintained that it was impossible for him to remove the turban.

Dr Randhawa said Mr Mann insisted that it would be shameful and against Sikh tenets and that the turban was an inseparable part of his religious identity. Mr E. Jacquot, his lawyer, argued that the practice of wearing the turban had been ritualised over a period of three centuries and it was a religious privilege of Sikhs recognised worldwide.

The state did not have to enter into interpretation of religion. Moreover, for the past 25 years, Mr Singh had worn his turban on all photographs of his official permits, and the administration had always permitted it in the past.

Jalandhar, February 16
The million-dollar question in the Abhi Verma kidnapping and murder case is how the kidnappers managed to enter Jalandhar district from Hoshiarpur, crossing all nakas and evading the much publicised red alert, which the Punjab police claimed to have sounded.

Though the police theory that the kidnappers might have killed Abhi after making the last call to his father around 7.45 pm on Monday seems to hold a lot of water, what remains a mystery is how they managed to cross all police nakas if any.

Moreover, as the situation became fluid after the kidnapping of Abhi on Monday morning, the Punjab police had claimed to have sounded a red alert immediately after the incident and intensified vigil. But if the police was alert, how did the kidnappers manage to enter Jalandhar district without any checking? How did a big car like the black Chevrolet used by them to ferry the body of Abhi uptil Daulatpur near Alawalpur township in Jalandhar escape being checked at any point?

Moreover, the postmortem of the body that hints that the boy might have been killed between 4 pm and 5 pm on Monday by the kidnappers has further confounded the situation.

If it was so the kidnappers were making calls to the parents of Abhi even after killing him. If they called up Abhi’s parents a number of times why was any action not taken to detect the number from where the calls were made?

Ferozepore, February 16
After having failed to get any clue in connection with the sensational kidnapping of Amritsar-based Prabir Singh and the brutal killing of Hoshiarpur Abhi Verma, the state police authorities have decided to adopt new strategies to check the menace.

The state police authorities, which are under tremendous pressure after Punjab witnessed a spate of kidnappings, have now decided to contact members of inter-state gangs involved in kidnappings and abduction, lodged in different jails. Special police teams will visit different jails to question such gang members. The police may also take such gang members in custody.

The state police authorities are also collecting information and data in connection with the kidnappings and abductions, which have taken place in Punjab since 1995.

A senior police official while talking to The Tribune on the condition of anonymity pointed out that intelligence inputs had revealed that some UP, Delhi and Bihar-based gangs might be involved in the kidnappings, which had taken place in Punjab in the past and hence members of the gangs including one led by Bablu Shrivastva, who were lodged in different jails in Punjab, would be questioned in connection with their modus operandi to solve these cases.

Two residents, one each of Ferozepore and Faridkot districts, who had earned notoriety in kidnapping and abduction of business tycoons and were lodged in different jails, would also be questioned in connection with the spate of kidnappings witnessed in Punjab in the recent past. The state police authorities are also scanning information pertaining to gangs involved in contract killings in Punjab and gangs involved in illegal arms deals.

A senior official pointed out that Mr J. P. Virdi, ADGP (Law and Order), who is camping in Amritsar ever since Prabir Singh was kidnapped, is monitoring the working of policemen.

Information revealed that state police authorities had also sought information from district authorities regarding terrorists, who were released from jails in the past 10 years to verify whether a section of them had taken to crime again.

Police sources said mock exercises of kidnapping and abduction had been started in various parts of Punjab to make the parents, school authorities and others alert.

Policemen in plain clothes had also been deployed around different schools in the state. This had been done to instil confidence among school children and parents.

Mr Paramjit Singh Gill, DIG, Border Range, when contacted, said a list of dismissed police personnel, and jawans of Punjab home guards was also being prepared to verify whether they were involved in any crime. Every vehicle arousing suspicion was being checked and every stranger was being watched.

Amritsar, February 16
Decrying attempts of the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, to cash in on the issue of Scheduled Class status to ‘Rai Sikhs’, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, president, SAD, claimed that it was the SAD-BJP combine which had mooted and cleared the proposal.

Addressing several public meetings at Panj Garaian, Teri, Rajia, Bhoewali, Kiampura, Tera Kalaan and Tera Khurd in Ajnala today, Mr Badal accused the ruling party of delaying the proposal for nearly three-and-a-half years.

Kariyal (Ajnala), February 16
Even as Christian votes are a deciding factor in the crucial Ajnala byelection, Mr Oscar Fernandes, a Member Parliament and general secretary of the All-India Congress Committee, today held a closed door meeting with the priests in the presence of the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, and the PPCC President, Mr H.S. Hanspal, on church premises in this remote border village, here today.

Before addressing an election rally, Fr Franco (Jalandhar), Fr Paul and Fr Thomas Valia (Ajnala) apparently got a promise from Mr Fernandes and the Chief Minister that the genuine demands of the Christian community would be accepted after the byelection.

The local Christian leaders urged the Chief Minister and Mr Fernandes that the members of the community belonging to the economically weaker sections should be given all facilities given to other Scheduled Castes. They also demanded that one Assembly constituency should be reserved for Christians candidate in the state. However, they appreciated the state government for declaring ‘’Good Friday’’, as a gazetted holiday.

Amid slogans of ‘Halleluia’ (praise for the Almighty), Fr Franco, openly sought votes for the Congress candidate, Mr Harpartap Singh Ajnala, He said the Christian votes were a factor which could tilt the balance in the byelection.

Mr Fernandes, said Christian community had always reposed faith in the policies and programmes of the Congress. He said the Congress was the only party that had been instrumental in the overall development of the downtrodden and fought for the common interests of the underprivileged section of the society. He said the Union Government had already decided in principal to give all economic and social facilities equivalent to the reserved categories. He said the state government too was committed to give due representation to the representatives of the Christians. He complimented the people of Punjab in general and Christians in particular for their unflinching support to the party which was evident from the verdict given during the byelections of Malout, Garhshankar and Kapurthala.

Mr H.S. Hanspal, President, PPCC, while addressing the Congress rally said the state government was fully determined to grant minority status to the educational institutions run by Christians and would provide all financial assistance so that these temples of learning may continue to provide quality education to the children.

Speaking on the occasion, Capt Amarinder Singh said the state government was committed to uplift the downtrodden. He said all efforts would be made for the overall development of the border constituency.

Amritsar, February 16
The body of Christian missionary, Father Mark (74), was finally laid to rest on the premises of St. Marry Church School, Gumtala, 24 hours after his death . Father Mark had been running this school for a long time. The Jalandhar Diocese, however, abstained from the burial.

The controversy over the last resting place for the Christian missionary of Ajnala ended with the arrival of his England-based sister, Ms Anne Waikling, who sided with his ardent followers for burying the Father on the school premises where he had spent more than 40 years of his life.

Controversy had erupted after the Jalandhar Diocese insisted that the coffin of Father Mark be taken to Jalandhar for burial but Fathers’ followers insisted on burying him at Gumtala where they plan a suitable memorial for him.

Talking to The Tribune, Ms Waikling said her brother lived for the upliftment of the people of the border area. She said she had never seen such upsurge of love and passion for anyone . “After being overwhelmed by the emotions , I decided to accept the appeal of the local people “, she said.

Father Mark had 11 brothers and sisters who were born at Sabarmati Ashram (Gujarat). After Partition Father Mark preferred to stay in Ajnala and decided to continue as a missionary in the most backward area near the Indo-Pak border.

Father Mark, who succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital here yesterday, had been visiting Canada and England from where he used to collect donations for the welfare of people of Ajnala whom he considered like his own children.

A high drama was enacted at St. Francis Church here last evening when both factions tried to outwit each other in their bid to take possession of the body. However, the district administration later intervened and persuaded them to come to an amicable solution and later said the final decision on the family who were expected to participate in his last rites. The administration in its bid to diffuse the tense situation at St. Francis Church took the body to Escort Hospital mortuary late last night.

Large number of disciples gathered outside the Escort Multi-Specialty Hospital at Verka bypass here for taking the body for burial. However, their representatives said they would abide by the decision of the Sister Anne, who arrived in the afternoon. They were shouting slogans ‘father mark Amar rahe’, ‘Father mark sade hun’ besides religious slogans.

She emotionally wept while meeting with women disciples outside the hospital who hugged her and expressed their grief. She interacted with them for about five minutes.

The police had made elaborate arrangements in wake of large number of disciples present outside the hospital to ward off any untoward incident.

The representatives of disciples from Ajnala, including Priest Surjit said Father Mark, a Canadian Christian missionary, was residing here for the past four decades. He alleged that the diocese at Jalandhar ignored him totally during this period. He said they would urge Sister Anne to bury Father Mark’s body at St. Mary Church at Ajnala. 

Jalandhar, February 16
The true face of the anti-corruption drive of the Congress government was virtually exposed today when the district transport authorities allegedly refused to challan private buses owned by two Congress ministers and transporters owing allegiance to the ruling party. The buses were plying on different routes without valid permits causing a loss of lakhs of rupees daily to the state exchequer.

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Punjab Roadways employees, which has launched a drive to stop plying of private buses in an unauthorised manner from the inter-state bus terminus (ISBT) here since yesterday, announced to launch an agitation against the authorities concerned for latter’s refusal to take action against the erring private transporters.

The JAC members detained two private buses from the ISBT complex: one of Malwa Bus Service (PB 29 E 5666) bound for Ludhiana, and another of PBS Transport (PB 09 B 4191) bound for Kapurthala. Though the JAC informed the local transport authorities in this regard, but the latter allegedly refused to take action without assigning any valid reasons. This infuriated JAC members, who laters laid seige to the ISBT for refusal of the authorities to challan private buses.

The agitating Punjab Roadways employees did not allow any bus to either enter or exit the ISBT for more than two hours, thus, resulting in blockade of traffic on the G.T. road. The commuters and vehicle owners kept stranded for hours together. The blockade was lifted when the DTO reached the spot and assured the agitating employees to take action against such transporters.

The JAC had detained four such private buses yesterday and reportedly informed the District Transport Officer (DTO) here for initiation of legal action against the owners of the buses. According to the convener of the JAC, Mr Jagtar Singh, the DTO, instead of visiting the ISBT where buses were detained for carrying passengers without valid permits, tried to avoid the situation for obvious reasons.

The DTO, Mr Jasbir Singh, refuted the allegations and said that they were conducting routine inspection on different routes on daily basis to curb plying of such private buses. “We definitely take action against owners of such buses for violating the prescribed norms,” He added.

Hoshiarpur, February 16
A grant of Rs 10 lakh announced by Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav, Railway Minister, for the development of Mansar village was received by Mr D.K. Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner, Hoshiarpur, from Mr Randhir Singh Gera, Senior Divisional Safety Officer, Northern Railway, Ferozepore, yesterday.

The cheque was handed over by the Deputy Commissioner to Mr Tara Singh, Sarpanch of the village, in the presence of members of the panchayat.

Mr Yadav had announced the grant as an appreciation for the courage and concern shown by the village residents for the injured passengers and railway goods during the recent train accident near the village.

PATIALA HERITAGE FESTIVAL

A tribute to Sahibzadas
Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 16
But for the venue, everything about yesterday’s classical music and dance presentations was inspiring. In a unique experiment of fusion, two exponents of distinct dance idioms – Odissi and Mohiniattam – exemplified the character of their respective forms.

The success of the choreography lay in its brilliant conception, its awe-inspiring synchronisation and its ability to create a historical perspective. As both Kiran Segal and Bharati Shivaji had promised, their respective traditions of Odissi and Mohiniattam captured the imagination of the gathering and stirred its soul.

The dancers, however, regretted that the rain had robbed them of an opportunity to perform against the backdrop of Quila Mubarak. They had to finally settle for the Central Library.

The distraction, however, did not deter the artistes from abiding by the principles of fusion dance. Not even once did they violate each other’s space. Instead, they gestured in coherence to familiarise the audiences with the nuances of the forms. And once the basic introduction was made through pure dance pieces, they presented impressive bits to delineate the uniqueness of their traditions.

On stage, Odissi and Mohiniattam came across as sister forms – thoroughly lyrical in nature and pattern, but purely distinct in movement and throw.

While Bharati Shivaji made a brilliant mythological and historical presentation of Mohiniattam, Kiran Segal exhibited how Odissi was commanded by postures.

Elegant and enchanting, both the forms held their own on stage, delicately baring their myriad tones. And as it was, the audience did not have any difficulty in distinguishing one from the other. While Mohiniattam movements were clearly circular and outward, Odissi’s slant was sideways from the centre of the body. The stress in the latter was on the formidability of posture and in the former on the graceful, rounded gestures.

At the heart of the composition was spring, as the two friends and artistes danced on the eternal ‘Geeta Govindam’, which has been translated into every classical dance tradition of India. Through Oriya poet Jayadeva’s ‘ashtapadi’, Kiran Segal reflected the Vaishnavite philosophy of the Bhakti era.

The piece revolved around Radha and Krishna and their romantic encounters on the eve of spring. The “raas leela’ finally became a symbol of divine love, even as the significance of spring was reflected in the lyricism of dance forms.

Earlier, Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt spilled the charm of mohan veena.

Chandigarh, February 16
Coming down heavily on the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for its move to seek heritage status for the Golden Temple at Amritsar, Shiromani Akali Dal (Longowal) president Prem Singh Chandumajra today said it would dissolve the independent entity of Akal Takht.

Addressing a press conference yesterday morning, Mr Chandumajra said the SGPC was acting beyond its powers by trying to implement the proposal. It was the custodian of the Panth’s property and not its owner. Moreover, there were other organisations also which were concerned about the welfare of the Panth and the Golden Temple.

Otherwise also, the Golden Temple was not a monument as being projected. Darbar Sahib and Akal Takht were torch-bearers of the Sikh philosophy, ideology and ethos, he added.

Describing it as a conspiracy, he added that the ‘nomination dossier’ was deliberately not being made public by the SGPC. The same, he said, was prepared by a committee which had 90 per cent non-Sikhs. No Sikh scholar was associated with its preparation, he added.

Mr Chandumajra said there were certain controversial references with regard to the Golden Temple and Gurbani in the dossier. Even the wordings were objectionable. The dossier had wrongly stated that some concepts had been borrowed from Hinduism and Islam.

Elaborating upon his contention, Mohali’s SGPC member Hardeep Singh said the dossier had reportedly mentioned that the concept of “sacrifice” was borrowed from Islam, while the same was not true.

Gurdaspur, February 16
A number of people being granted relaxation in the forest felling rules by the government was leading to the exploitation of farmers and illegal felling of trees in the Dhar forest area of the district. The sources in the department of forests told The Tribune that there has been a sudden spurt in the number of applications being filed for relaxation in forest rules from the Dhar area recently.

Interestingly, these applications are being marked by the political leaders, including the MLAs and ministers, and are being approved by the Minister for Forests. Recently deviation permission has been granted for Bhakatpur village about six years after the lapse of notified period.

As per the felling rules the cutting of trees in the private forest areas conserved under Sections 4 and 5 of the Forest Act was allowed once in 10 years. If someone fails to cut his forest during the notified year he would have to seek permission for felling from the local DFO within one year of the notified period as a deviation of the forest felling rules. Generally after one year of the notified area deviation was not granted for felling the trees.

However, a nexus of forest contractors and local politicians has now devised a new method to cut especially valuable khair trees. They have allegedly contacted poor farmers of the Dhar area who failed to get sanction for cutting their trees during the notified year. A paltry sum of Rs 500 to 1000 was being handed over to the owners to get an application for deviation. The contractors then get the application approved and cut the trees without paying anything extra to the poor landowners.

Sources in the department of forests alleged that in an unprecedented manner deviations were being allowed even four to five years after the lapse of notified felling period. In addition to that deviations were being granted for even 50 to 100 trees that was not the practice earlier.

The sources told that besides Gurdaspur the deviation cases were also being pursued vigorously in Hoshiarpur and Ropar districts by a nexus of politicians and contractors.

Apprehensions are also being expressed regarding the exploitation of the farmers by the nexus of forest officials, politicians and contractors in the areas where felling has been allowed this year. The modus operandi of the contractors involved the collection of permits for cutting directly from the forest department. The trees are felled without intimating or giving proper payment to the farmers. Though in other parts of the state the farmers are paid about Rs 1,500 per Khair tree in the Dhar forest they are paid an amount ranging just from Rs 300 to 500 per tree.

This year permit has been granted by the forest department to fell 1,800 khair and 200 other trees falling under revenue limits of Sukret and Salari villages in Dhar block.

Bathinda, February 16
It took more than five hours to shift a patient from Bathinda to Ludhiana as the vehicle could not run at its normal speed, thanks to the bad condition of the Barnala-Mullanpur stretch of the Bathinda-Ludhiana main road. Normally it takes about three hours to reach Ludhiana which is about 140 km from the town.

Residents of the area prefer other routes, covering more distance, to reach Kotkapura, Faridkot and other towns of Ferozepore district instead of taking the shortest route of the Goniana-Jaitu stretch. The stretch has virtually become unmotorable.

A section of people have started using link roads instead of main roads. The condition of main roads, including a few stretches of the national highway passing through a large part of the Malwa region, which has produced a maximum number of Chief Ministers after the greater Punjab was reorganised in 1966, have become the worst as no maintenance work has been undertaken over the past few years.

Potholes, encroachments, slush and broken edges have been a major source of road accidents in this region.

Officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) said the condition of almost all main roads, including planned roads, was deteriorating as the state government was facing a shortage of funds. Almost all roads criss-crossing Bathinda, Mansa, Ferozepore, Moga, Muktsar, Sangrur and Faridkot districts have failed to attract attention of the authorities concerned.

The main roads whose condition has become the worst are the Barnala-Sangera, Bajakhana-Bhagta Bhai Ka, Muktsar-Kotkapura, Muktsar-Jalalabad, Talwandi Sabo-Maur Mandi, Malerkotla-Sangrur, Ferozepore-Fazilka, Goniana-Jaitu, Mansa-Sardulgarh and Sardulgarh-Ratia stretches.

Some of the link roads, which had been repaired in the past few years, have developed, cracks and potholes after the diversion of heavy vehicles on them.

Mr P.L. Dhawan, Superintendent Engineer (SE), PWD, said a meeting of higher officials of the department was held at Moga on February 9 and presided over by Mr R.S. Sandhu, Secretary, PWD (B&R) where the condition of each road was discussed.

He said the state government would raise a loan from Nabard for strengthening the roads. The work would be done in a phased manner.

Mr D.P.S. Sandhu, SE, National Highways, Ferozepore, said by March each stretch of the national highway passing through Bathinda, Muktsar and Ferozepore would be repaired. The department was likely to get Rs 32 crore to carry out the repair of the Fazilka-Ferozepore road, he said.

Patiala, February 16
US Embassy Media Outreach Officer Bob Richard said today India and the USA had a lot in common as far as journalistic practises were concerned.

Addressing a workshop on “Media Ethics” on the Punjabi University campus here, Mr Richard said both nations had long history of democracy, concern for human rights values and freedom of expression.

Mr Bob emphasised that in every democratic nation enjoying freedom of the Press, its Responsibility to take care of even the micro-level effects of human psyche become more important.

He hoped that the Indian media was mature enough to take care of all aspects and basic needs of society in every possible manner.

Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor Swarn Singh Boparai said the USA had made the best and most effective use of its media for strengthening its democratic roots.

The power of US journalists lies in their practice of not loosening the grip till hauling up the criminals.

He said the American society commands full credit for using the media as the best weapon to safeguard their interests.

He cautioned journalism students to refrain from petty allurement, and prejudices.

Earlier, Dr H.P.S.Walia while welcoming the guests introduced the theme of the workshop.

Dr Shakuntala Rao, a scholar from New York, also shared her views with the budding journalists. Dr S.P.S.Virdi proposed the vote of thanks. bright scholar from New York also shared her views with the budding journalists. Dr. S.P.S. Virdi proposed a vote of thanks.

Chandigarh, February 16
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered investigation by an officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police of the Crime Branch of a 13-year-old case relating to alleged custodial death of a Rajpura youth.

In its order, the Bench also directed that the final report in the matter be submitted within six months. The Bench also ordered interim compensation of Rs 1.5 lakh to the family of the deceased.

In her petition, Ms Ajmer Kaur, a Dalit, had alleged that her son, Baljeet Ram, who was employed in the office of Chief Architect, Patiala, was picked up by the Rajpura police on July 11, 1992, for his alleged involvement in a kidnapping case.

However, when her son was not presented before a court till July 14, 1992, she filed an application seeking production of her son.

However, in the court, the police denied having arrested her son. On July 19, 1992, the body of the petitioner's son was taken to an Ambala hospital by SHO Balkar Singh and SI Bahadur Singh. It was later established that the cause of the death was damage to bladder.

On July 22, both the officers were booked but were not arrested. After waiting for over three years, the mother moved the court when the SDM, Rajpura, absolved the deceased of any role in the kidnapping.

Ludhiana, February 16
The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has detected 8000 illegal power connections in some areas of the city including the Focal Point, Industrial Area, Tajpur Road and the Police Colony, Jamalpur. One lineman has also been suspended for collusion in facilitating the illegal power supply to these households.

The PSEB has neither imposed any penalty nor initiated any action against the defaulters. Instead all these connections have been regularised. The board officials maintained that it was found advisable to generate regular revenue after getting these regularised.

Superintending Engineer of the PSEB K.B. Chaudhary, said here today that the board had launched an intensive campaign to find out the illegal connections in these areas as the transmission losses were going up. With the legalisation of these connections, the board expects to bring down the losses from 60 to five per cent only.

Mr Chaudhary disclosed that the board had found that the lineman of the particular area was also involved in facilitating the illegal electricity supply to the defaulters. Surprisingly the illegal connections had been found in some households which had telephone connection and also owned cars but did not get the electric connections legalised as they were managing it unauthorisedly.

During investigation it was found that the lineman used to help the defaulters by intimating them about the possible raids in advance.

The lineman would also instal meters at these households to mislead the raiding parties as they could never doubt that these meters were installed temporarily only. During a raid on his house several meters and wire were recovered from his possession.

Mr Chaudhary said that now individual meters have been installed on a common board for all households found getting electricity illegally. These meters cannot be tampered with, the SE said, while adding that the board hopes to generate additional revenue.

Mansa, February 16
The district police has launched a campaign to curb the menace of drug smuggling and sale of illicit liquor in the district.

The police has arrested about 168 persons in the past one month who were involved in the village trades.

It has recovered about 18 kg of opium, 480 kg of poppy husk, 73 gm of smack, 7 working stills, 5075 kg of lahan, 530 litres of illicit liquor, 22 litres of country liquor, during the past about 45 days.

Mr Gautam Cheema, SSP, while talking to this correspondent said the latest success achieved by the police when it recovered 4.20 kg of opium from Sehjad Singh, a resident of Haryana, near local Reond Chowk.

The district has been prone to all types of smuggling due to its close proximity with Haryana and Rajasthan states. Poor economic conditions and low literacy rate has been the major causes for involvement of people into smuggling and illicit sale of drugs in the district.

Out of the total 168 arrested, the district police has booked about 30 persons under the NDPS Act, 104 persons under the Excise Act and 34 persons under the Gambling Act in the past one month.

It also recovered about Rs 32,000 from gamblers during its campaign.

About 151 cases have been registered against the drug smugglers and gamblers, out of which 22 cases have been registered against those arrested under the NDPS Act, 101 cases under the Excise Act while 28 cases have been registered under the Gambling Act.

Bathinda, February 16
A case against Mr Mohit Gupta, president, BJP, district unit (rural) and his father Mr Pawan Kumar was registered at Nathana police station on the complaint of Mr Baljit Singh for allegedly frauding the complainant and others.

Meanwhile Pawan Kumar registered a case of fraud against Mr Baljit Singh in the same police station yesterday.

Police sources said that the seven accused, against whom two separate cases were registered under Sections 420, 465, 468, 467, 471 and 120-B of the IPC in Nathana police station were directors of a company running the bottling plant at Jhandu Ke.

Sources added that while Mr Mohit Gupta belonged to the BJP, a section of the accused against whom the case was registered on the complaint of Mr Pawan Kumar belonged to the SAD (Badal). None has been arrested so far.