Ludhiana, August 31
Five persons allegedly gangraped a farm labourer for three hours in a PCO in Model Town extension here yesterday morning. The incident came to light today when the Model Town police announced the arrest of four of the five persons involved in the sordid crime.

The farm labourer belongs to Kotkapura town in Faridkot district and had come to the city yesterday in search of employment.

One of the accused, Sanjeev Kumar alias Babla, 27, who was about to get married in a few weeks time had met the woman at the bus stand in the morning. He had brought her to the shop on the pretext of providing her some work. He along with four others, raped her.

SI Rajesh Kumar, SHO of Model Town police station, told mediapersons that Babla claimed that he was a journalist, but he turned out to be a fruit juice seller of the Model Town extension area.

The other accused, include Rajeev Sharma, 30. He was unmarried and his family owned a preparatory school in the area. The third accused was a property dealer identified as Baljit Singh alias Latti, 45,. He has two grown up children.

The fourth accused Surinder Bansal who has a yarn sale purchase business created quite a drama during the press conference. He claimed that he was innocent and had just seen the woman with the other accused. However, the victim recognised him and even remembered what clothes he was wearing.

The SHO claimed that the fifth accused was yet to be arrested and the police would not like to disclose his name at this juncture. He said the victim had identified all accused. She was shown a couple of other men also but she said they were not involved.

He said other shopkeepers and area residents had found the woman weeping outside the shop in the afternoon. The shop was closed and she narrated her horrifying experience to people who informed the police.

The main accused Babbal, however, claimed that the woman had come with them on her own. She had demanded Rs 50 from him for the purpose. The woman denied the allegation.

SI Rajesh Kumar said the medical examination of the victim had confirmed rape.

Mandi Gobindgarh, August 31
A clash took place between two labour unions on the issue of loading of rice into wagons at Mandi Gobindgarh Railway Station today, Ten workers of the two groups were injured. Kartar Ram, Gullu Ram, Bhagwan Ram, Bilas Pawan, Madho Paswan, Arun Kumar, Gurdeep Singh, Mehas Paswan, Janardan Sahni and Meeta Singh were admitted to the local civil hospital.

The rice could not be loaded yesterday due to a dispute between the HP Group headed by Pamma Singh and FCI workers’ Union headed by Mewa Singh. The two unions were formed following a split in 1998. The FCI had helped formed Sardar Mandal in 2002 to help all groups come together. However, the HP group remained aloof.

To avoid trouble three FCI Assistant Managers Gurpreet Singh, Joginder Singh and R.C. Verma reached at the Railway station today and informed the police. Mr Gurpreet Singh said that the delay in loading had caused a loss of Rs 1 lakh to the government which would be recovered from both the unions. In the past too Rs 3.50 lakh were recovered from the unions for causing delay in the loading.

Mr Gurpreet Singh further said that one group recognised by the FCI was ordered today to load rice and the second was allowed to load under the banner of Pamma group if they so desired. Soon after the departure of FCI officials, a serious clash took place between the workers of the both the groups in which lathis, stones and brickbats were freely used. The railway police had a hard time to control the clash.

Consequently, one group loaded four wagon while the other group loaded two wagons. The railway police said the matter was being probed.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, August 31
A civil court at Malerkotla has restrained the PSEB authorities from disconnecting the power supply to the house of a local trader who had allegedly accused the defendants of demanding bribe and harassing him when he refused to pay up.

The board officials on the other hand had asked the local police to register a case against the consumer for allegedly tampering with the electricity meter.

Passing interim orders in the case of a suit filed by Mr Uggarsain, a local trader, for declaration and issuance of permanent injunction restraining Chairman, Executive Engineer and SDO, PSEB, Mr Barjinder Pal Singh, civil judge, Malerkotla, adjourned the case to September 14 for filing a written statement and reply and ordered, “Till then defendants are restrained from disconnecting the meter in dispute subject to the condition that the plaintiff will deposit the one half of the total amount and will produce the receipt in this respect on the next date of hearing.”

Mr Uggarsain had challenged the notice served by the board authorities regarding checking and a supplementary bill for Rs 39,974. Terming the action to be vindictive, the consumer had claimed that the arrear bill was wrong, illegal, arbitrary and against the law.

Vide an affidavit annexed with his complaint, the consumer had alleged that the team of board employees, led by an SDO, had demanded Rs 20,000 as bribe and had removed the meter when the family of the consumer refused to pay the same.

The board officials, on the other hand, had asked the local police to register a case against the consumer who, according to them, had tampered with the meter. Sources at the police station said a communication in this regard had been received from the board office. As the matter was pending in the court, further action would be taken after taking legal opinion from the authorities concerned.

Ludhiana, August 31
The problem of labour unrest in the state is not so serious as in more than 60 per cent of disputes, parties arrive at a compromise. The industrial environment in the state is much better than that in other states, feels Labour Commissioner Som Prakash.

The Labour Commissioner, who was in the city today, said disputes occurred everywhere and that the problem was not as serious as was being portrayed. However, he added that labour reforms needed to be implemented at the earliest.

“Reforms need to be implemented if we are to emerge effective amid global competition. However, the issue cannot be tackled in a day as there are many aspects that need to be taken care of,” he said, adding, “the state is also conducting a host of discussions on the amendments that are required. Work is going on in this direction.”

When asked about Mukesh Steels, where a furnace “blast” took lives of five and left several injured, he said investigations were going on. “A challan would certainly be presented in the court. The unit has been earlier also penalised twice and we would make sure that action is taken.”

He said it would be ensured that scrap is seggregated properly in order to avoid repetition of any such incidents. He said considering the seriousness of the issue, the department was actively conducting supervisions to make sure that any such incidents do not happen in future.

On the issue of non-registration of a couple of labour unions, being raised by trade unions in the city, Mr Som Prakash said as soon as the unions completed their formalities, they would be registered. “At times there are claims and counter claims by managements and workers. There could be other issues like some statutory conditions that they have not met so far. As and when they do we would certainly register them,” he asserted.

Mandi Gobindgarh, August 31
The RIMT Institute of Management and Computer Technology, here organised an interactive seminar on “Foreign Direct Investment and Strategic Behaviour.” Dr Satwinder Singh, noted academician from England, was the main resource person. Welcoming the academician, Mr Hukam Chand Bansal, chairman of the RIMT-IMCT, said the institute was committed to provide a platform to enhance scholars’ knowledge and skill and thanked Dr Satwinder Singh for his support.

Dr B.S. Bhatia, director of the institute, welcoming the speaker said the RIMT-IMCT had carved a niche in the education arena in a short span of time because of its quality education system in which special emphasis was given on interface with both the academia as well as the industry.

Initiating the discussion, Prof Gurvinder Bakshi outlined the relevance of the topic in the world in general and in India in particular. Dr Satwinder Singh in his lecture distinguished the strategic behaviour pattern of the MNCs and national companies in the present context “when geographical barriers are fast eroding”. He also comprehensively analysed the present Foreign Direct Invest scenario in India and its impact on its corporate future and development. Prof Gurcharan Kaur Bhatia, head, Department of Economics, Punjabi University, Patiala, also spoke.

Khanna, August 31
Khanna police has arrested a smuggler and seized 1.5 kg of opium from his possession on Tuesday night at a makeshift police post near Faijgarh village.

According to the police yesterday evening the SHO of Sadar Police station, Khanna, Dilbagh Singh laid down a naka near Faijgarh village. The police team stopped a man coming from the village. During search 1.5 kg of opium was seized from him. He was identified as Gurjant Singh, son Gurdev Singh and a resident of Madpur village. A case under NDPC Act has been registered at Sadar police station. The accused was produced in the court of Mr K.K. Goel who sent him in police custody for two days.

Ludhiana, August 31
The Model Town police has found an iron rod and a stick allegedly used in the murder of a fish seller Gajjan Sahni, whom a self-styled group of vigilante youths had allegedly done to death in Dugri a week ago.

Strengthening the allegations that the accused had also detained the youth and beaten him before allegedly throwing his wounded body near the Jawaddi bridge into Sidhwan Canal, the police has also recovered a starter plug of the deceased’s motor cycle.

Mr Ram Dayal, father of the girl Rani with whom Gajjan was spotted that night had in a statement to the police claimed that the accused — Mandeep, Ajaypal Singh and Manish — had removed the starter plug of Gajjan’s motor cycle when they-(Gajjan and Rani’s parents) had gone to Mandeep House to ask whey they had beaten up Gajjan and Rani.

Later, some family members of Mandeep had allegedly taken Rani’s parents in a car to their house while the accused had detained Gajjan. After two hours Gajjan was found lying unconscious near Jawaddi bridge. He died later in a city hospital.

Police sources said the starter plug has been recovered from Mandeep’s house along with the iron rod. SI Rajesh Kumar said the police was conducting raids to nab the fourth accused Vicky, son a of retired railway official.

Sources revealed that his house was found locked since the day of the incident took place.

Ludhiana, August 31
The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr S.P. Bangarh, has sentenced Baljit Singh (45), Balbir Kaur (60) of Mand Serian village and Harnek Singh (25) of Bhammal village to rigorous life imprisonment for murdering Machhiwara’s commission agent Harbhajan Singh.

The trio were also asked to pay a fine of Rs 6,000 each. Pronouncing the judgement, the judge ordered to take Balbir Kaur in custody. One co-accused, Ramesh Yadav, had been declared proclaimed offender.

An FIR was registered against the accused under Sections 302, 201 and 120-B of the IPC at Machhiwara police station on May 11, 2004, on the complaint of Prithipal Singh, younger brother of the victim.