Gohana (Sonepat), September 7
It was a minor clash between a Dalit Shiv Kumar Kaka of Balimiki Colony here, and a Jat Ashok of Gharwal village, that led to the murder of the latter’s cousin and partner Baljeet Siwach on August 27, in a violent backlash of which over 50 houses of Dalits in the colony were torched on August 31.

One of the eyewitnesses Rajiv, owner of Sawan Digital Studio situated on the ground floor of a three-storeyed building on the Old Bus Adda road adjoining the colony, told The Tribune that Kaka had come to his shop on August 27 afternoon and asked him to come to his house for clicking a photograph of the family for a ration card.

Rajiv said Kaka asked him to charge reasonably from him. At this, he said that since he knew him for quite some time, he would not charge extra money from him.

However, Ashok, running his finance shop “Siwach Sale and Purchase” in partnership with his cousin Baljeet on the second floor of the same building who was coincidentally present there, commented that “Agar lugai ko dukan par le aayega, to paanch rupeye kam kar lengein” (If you bring your wife to the shop, the photographer will charge Rs 5 less).

Irked over Ashok’s comment, Kaka objected to it in strong words, following which, a minor clash took place between them. However, some prominent members of the bazaar, along with Rajiv and Baljeet, intervened and asked both of them to settle the matter, the photographer added.

Rajiv said he succeeded in persuading Kaka to go to his house and told him that he was also coming to his house for clicking the photograph.

Meanwhile, a former councillor, Raj Kumar, whose house was also burnt in the attack on the colony, told The Tribune that when Kaka was on his way back to his house, a woman came to the colony and told his relatives that some persons were quarrelling with Kaka.

At this, several Dalits of the colony went towards the shop and took Kaka with them for taking revenge. However, Ashok managed to flee on seeing them, Rajiv said, adding that they went towards Ashok’s finance shop where Baljeet was present. They beat Baljeet mercilessly to death.

Following the murder, Baljeet’s villagers organised a panchayat on August 28 at his native village, Gharwal, and served an ultimatum of 48 hours on the police to arrest the guilty.

On August 30, a panchayat of Butana Barha, Butana and surrounding 11 villages was held at Gharwal village where a committee of 51 persons was constituted to decide the future course of action.

When the 51-member committee was holding a meeting to decide the future course of action at Satsang Bhavan in Gohana on August 31, a violent mob attacked the Dalit colony.

Sonepat, September 7
Mr Krishan Singh Sangwan, MP and national vice-president of the BJP, today strongly opposed the decision of the state government of granting a compensation of Rs 1 lakh each to the Dalit families whose houses had been burnt at Gohana town in this district.

Talking to mediapersons here today, he also described the decision of the government as unjust and unwarranted and apprehended that it would encourage the anti-social elements and criminals. He demanded that the amount of compensation should not be given to those families whose members are involved in the murder of Mr Baljeet, a financier of Garhwal village. He blamed the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, for creating the trouble at Gohana. If he had ordered a CBI inquiry into the episode earlier, the situation might have not deteriorated there.

The BJP leader alleged that the Congress had adopted double standards about the Gohana incident and the murder of the financier. The Chief Minister, he alleged, had been forced to increase the amount of grant to woo the Dalit voters for winning the Rohtak Lok Sabha byelection. He further alleged that the government machinery was being used to win the confidence of Dalits and prevent the people from attending the following sarvkhap panchayat to be organised at Garhwal village on September 9.

The BJP leader also averred that one of the suspect involved in the murder of Mr Baljeet was hiding himself in the house of a Congress legislator at Jhajjar and the police had failed to apprehend him so far. He demanded that the suspect should be arrested without any further delay.

Gohana (Sonepat), September 7
Hundreds of students of different schools in this subdivision held a peace march here today. A large number of students of both government and private schools took part in the peace march which passed through main areas including those situated around the affected Balmiki Colony.

Meanwhile, the Haryana Government formally wrote to the Union Government yesterday regarding deputing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to look into the incidents of Baljeet Siwach’s murder and torching of Dalit houses, sources in the state Home Department told this correspondent.

In the meantime, a meeting of the peace committee comprising prominent representatives of different organisations was held here yesterday. The meeting was presided over by Rohtak Commissioner N.C. Wadhawa.

It was appealed in the meeting to reconsider the decision of holding panchayats by different communities regarding both incidents as the inquiry into the matter had been handed over to the CBI.

It may be recalled that a Sarv Khap panchayat is scheduled to be held at Baljeet Siwach’s Gharwal village on September 9, whereas a Dalit Mahapanchayat will be organised in Rohtak on September 18.

Meanwhile, the work of rebuilding and repairing 20 of the total 54 affected houses in Balmiki Colony here started today, said an official spokesman, adding that the work on the remaining houses would be started soon.

The spokesman further said that those 70 employees of different government departments, including the Municipal Council, who were residing in the colony, returned to their jobs today.

When contacted, IG Rohtak Range V.N. Rai said that the Haryana police would continue to raid different places to nab absconded accused in both the cases till the file related to both the cases was handed over to the CBI. Several teams had already been constituted for the purpose, he said, adding, four persons had been nabbed so far in each case.

Chandigarh, September 7
Well-known Hindi poet, Surinder Sharma, who is also the Deputy Chairman of the Haryana Sahitya Akademi, today urged mediapersons to exercise restraint while reporting sensitive matters like incidents of clashes between members of different communities.

Mr Sharma, also known for his humorous writings, was speaking at a meet-the Press programme organised at the Press Club here.

Mr Sharma, who was asked to comment on the recent incident of burning of houses of Dalits in Balmiki Colony in Gohana, said the headlines of the news items on this incident should not have mentioned that the burnt houses belonged to Dalits. Just mentioning that houses had been burnt was enough, he said. He added that mediapersons should be careful while dealing with issues that could lead to communal tension.

There was a time when politics and religion were used as a medium to educate people. But now these were being used to divide people. He called upon mediapersons to play a greater role in cementing bonds between various communities.

He said the akademi would encourage those who promoted communal harmony through their writings.

Ambala, September 7
The efforts made by the rebel Congress municipal councillors of Ambala Sadar to form a common platform against MC president Ms Neelam Sharma received a jolt today with the Vikas Parishad distancing itself from the move.

Vikas Parishad chief and former Ambala Cantonment MLA Anil Vij observed that it was an internal matter of the Congress. “I had a talk with municipal councillors who informed me that they were invited for a get-together yesterday. They were not provided the agenda for the meeting,” he said.

Mr Vij said that if any political decision had to be taken, then it would be taken by the Vikas Parishad and not by the coordination committee. “Neelam Sharma has recently become the MC president and she must be provided with an opportunity to work,” he said.

He made it clear that Vikas Parishad municipal councillors would not to be used as a tool in the internal matter of the Congress.

Yesterday, rebel Congress councillors along with councillors from other political parties had formed a coordination committee. Although the committee was formed to have a ‘common platform’ for discussion on various issues, the real reason was to evolve a consensus for a move against Ms Neelam Sharma.

Ambala, September 7
Two residents of Ambala are currently lodged in Kot Lakhpat Jail in Pakistan. While Suraj Bhan’s return to India had been hampered due to a confusion over his name, another youth, Devinder Pal Singh, is also lodged in Pakistan jail. It is believed that both the persons may finally return to India soon.

Devinder Pal Singh, a resident of Mullana, had always dreamt of greener pastures. He went to Greece through an agent about five years ago and had a harrowing experience.

His family members say that Devinder Pal Singh was nabbed at the Turkey border. From there, he was sent to Iran and from there to Afghanistan. He was thereafter pushed into Pakistan. He was lodged in Kot Lakhpat jail.

The family members of Devinder Pal Singh have been running from pillar to post. About three weeks ago, they received a letter from Devinder Pal Singh in which he pleaded with his family members to take up his case with the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and with the Union Minister for External Affairs, Mr Natwar Singh. Thereafter, the family members approached the PMO as well as the External Affairs Ministry. They have been assured that Devinder Pal Singh is likely to be released soon.

In the case of Suraj Bhan, a confusion took place as Pakistani officials have recorded his name as Suraj Pal. Suraj Bhan, 55, is also a resident of Mullana. His family members say that Suraj Bhan had left for Greece on January 22, 1997, but he, too, was nabbed and he ultimately reached Pakistan. He is also lodged in Kot Lakhpat jail.

Suraj Bhan used to work as a tailor before he headed for Europe in the hope of earning money. His family members, too, have been assured that Suraj Bhan’s case has finally been cleared by the Pakistani authorities and there is a possibility that he, too, might return to India soon.

Hisar, September 7
In a pioneering surgical venture, a patient suffering from cancer of the esophagus (food-pipe) was successfully operated upon by a team of specialists at the NC Jindal Institute of Medical Care and Research here. The hospital authorities maintain that it was for the first time that such an operation had been performed in this region.

The patient had developed a tumour in the esophagus, due to which he was unable to swallow food. In a six-hour-long surgery, the esophagus was removed from the patient’s body and a new food-pipe was constructed by using a portion of his stomach.

Surgical oncologists (cancer specialists), Dr Vivek Gupta and Dr Harish Sharma, claimed that the patient had completely recovered after the operation.

In a discussion on the causes, detection and cure of cancer, organised on the hospital premises today, Dr Gupta and Dr Sharma asserted that the use of tobacco was the single largest preventable factor responsible for cancer.

“In Haryana, a majority of cancer cases pertain to the cancer of the lung or the respiratory tract as smoking of tobacco is more prevalent here. In states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, where chewing of tobacco or gutka is more common, cases of oral cancer are on the rise,” they stated.

Apart from tobacco, excessive consumption of alcohol and non-vegetarian food might also cause cancer of the liver or the intestine, the doctors added. They pointed out that alternative forms of medicine were of little help in cancer treatment.

The Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr Adarsh Sharma, observed that the undue social acceptance granted to smoking in the rural areas of the state was responsible for the increased incidence of cancer.

Jagadhri, September 7
A ticketless tribal woman was allegedly pushed off moving Chhatishgarh Express near Jagadhri Railway Workshop station by a “railway employee” and her five-year-old daughter and one-year-old son were detrained at Jagadhri railway station a few km ahead late last night. The injured woman was rushed to the civil hospital this morning and her children united with her.

The Jagadhri Railway Station Master, however, said that he had no information about the incident.

Superintendent of Police (GRP) Dr Suman Manjri confirmed that an injured woman was found along the railway track near Gandhinagar crossing. “The woman was not in a position to make a statement as she was under medication”, said Dr Manjri. “The incident could be verified only after the woman gives her statement”, said ADRM – Ambala A.K. Gupta. He informed that the Divisional Security Commandant and the Divisional Commercial Manager had been asked to look into the matter and report by tomorrow afternoon.

Bhuria (35), a native of Bilaspur, Madhya Pardesh, had boarded a train from Chandigarh to Ambala. She lives somewhere in Sector 26 in Chandigarh with her husband who is a daily wage labourer. From Ambala she boarded the Chhatisgarh Express (8238) for MP. She reportedly had not purchased a ticket and was travelling in a three-tier coach of the train. She was sitting on the floor near the toilet.

In the civil hospital, she said that she was asked for a ticket by a “Railway employee”. When she tried to tell her story to him, he got angry and asked her to leave the train. While she was trying to tell her side of the story, she was pushed out of the moving train, alleged the woman. The train stops at Jagadhri Railway Workshop and the incident took place only at a small distance from the workshop.

Her daughter, Bimla and son Anant, were later allegedly detrained at Jagadhri Railway Station. The small children reportedly kept crying the whole night.

At 7.30 am, Bhuria was found lying along the tracks (Km 212) by a railway patrol party. She was taken to railway hospital, Jagadhri workshop from where she was shifted to the civil hospital. She had injuries on her forehead. People tracked the children to Jagadhri Railway station and united them with her.

Bhuria told that she had a fight with her husband, Mr Chat Ram yesterday. She said that she was beaten up by her husband. After being beaten up, she took her children and boarded a train from Chandigarh Railway station.

Ambala, September 7
The Press has played a pivotal role during the freedom struggle of India and a number of poets and writers have motivated and inspired the youth to imbibe the feeling of patriotism through their article and poems. These views were expressed by the Haryana Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Chander Mohan, at a function held to mark the inaugurational of the newly launched daily evening newspaper, here today.

Mr Chander Mohan sought the cooperation of the Press in eradicating social evils from the society. He asked journalists to write the news in such a manner so that these could be beneficial for the masses. He said that the Press was a bridge between the government and the masses and it was playing a vital role in spreading awareness among the people about the latest policies and programmes of the government.

The Deputy Chief Minister maintained that journalism was a mission and journalists had a great responsibility while giving quality news.

A former union minister, Mr Sanjay Singh, said the number of newspapers had increased manifold in the country after the Independence. He too emphasised that the quality of the news should be maintained.

Former Punjab DGP and All-India Federation President K.P.S. Gill maintained that terrorism was a worldwide problem and India had to give a tough fight to the terrorism.

On the occasion President of Haryana Akali Dal Kartar Singh Takkar, Senior Congress leader Azad Singh Nehra, Harvinder Singh Kalyan, Mohinder Sharma, Manu Bhatt, Puran Prakash Saini and a number of senior Congress leaders were also present.

Ambala, September 7
If allegations levelled in a civil suit filed before an Ambala court are to be believed, the Haryana Police subverted the legal process for harassing a local hotelier and his family after entering into a conspiracy with some others for grabbing their business.

In her suit seeking the recovery of over Rs 1.5 crore as damages from the state of Haryana and other defendants, applicant Geeta Sabhlok, along with her three children, asserted that a false complaint was filed against them in a court by a businessman interested in their business.

Even though the court did not order the registration of a criminal case — as admitted by a cop in his cross-examination as a prosecution witness — the police registered a first information report in the matter, she claimed.

The applicant added that despite clear-cut directions from the court, report in the matter was not submitted to the “illaqua magistrate” within the prescribed period of time. This was not all. Ms Sabhlok claimed that her husband Parveen Sabhlok was handcuffed by the police before being produced in the court.

She added that their troubles did not end there. As an Assistant Sub Inspector continued to visit their fast-food joint, the number of visitors started to diminish, affecting their business in the process.

Going into the background of the case, the applicant claimed that they agreed to expand the business by entering into a partnership. For the purpose, necessary documents were signed. After receiving the signed documents, the businessman did not make any payment. Rather, he entered into a conspiracy with a Deputy Superintendent of police and others for filing the false complaint against them. A power of attorney was enclosed along with the complaint, but it was not signed, she said.

The applicant added that the police presented the challan in the case after about six months, but necessary documents, including the partnership deed was not a part of it. They were, subsequently, acquitted in the case.

Ms Sabhlok added that the defendants intentionally entered into the conspiracy for framing them in a false case as the popularity of their fast-food joint was increasing day by day. Her suit against the state of Haryana and 14 others will now come up for further hearing on September 21.

Hisar, September 7
Residents of Chandan Nagar Colony on Balsamand road in the district today blocked traffic on the Hisar-Balsamand road against the increasing number of road accidents in their locality. The immediate provocation behind the protest was the death of a student after falling off from the roof of a moving bus.

However, local residents demanded that trees along the Hisar-Balsamand road be pruned. They alleged that despite their repeated requests, the Forest Department had not paid heed to their request. The residents further alleged that bus drivers did not drive properly.

Two such mishaps had occurred in the past two days, in which a student, Ashok Kumar, was killed and a youth, Bhagwan Dass, was injured. Both had fell off from moving buses. The blockade was lifted after the intervention.

Jind, September 7
Hundreds of residents of the local Mandi Chakkar Road area held a demonstration and staged a dharna here on yesterday in protest against the opening of a liquor vend on the Mandi Chakkar Road.

The demonstrators said that they had submitted a memorandum to the district authorities for shifting the liquor vend, but the district authorities took no action.

They said their agitation would continue till the shifting of the vend. The demonstrators pulled down the shutter of the vend and locked it. — OC