Chandigarh, December 12
The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s objective of ensuring transparency in the selection process is evident in the test conducted for the promotion of B-1 constables.

The selection process may, however, raise the hackles of ministers, legislators and senior police officers, who are known to use their influence to get gunmen and drivers attached with them selected.

The test is crucial for constables as clearing it ensures that they get promotions automatically and become head constables. During the tenure of the previous regime, the test became controversial as merit was allegedly given the go-by and extraneous factors ruled the roost while preparing the list of selected candidates.

Earlier, following repeated allegations of manipulations, it was decided to abolish the test and promote constables on the basis of seniority. This was done in 1994. However, after the Om Prakash Chautala-led INLD came to power in the state, the system of written examination was reintroduced in 2003. It was decided that 1,000 constables would be shortlisted through the test and gradually promoted when the vacancies arose.

In contrast, this time the state government has decided to select 500 constables out of 4,000-odd aspirants. In the written test conducted in all districts of the state yesterday, only objective-type questions on law and practical police work were given to avoid subjective assessment by the examiners. Also, putting policemen on duty for invigilation work at the examination centres was avoided as far as possible. School teachers and other civilians were put on invigilation duty.

The answer papers were checked yesterday and it turned out that 70 per cent of the persons appearing in the examination had flunked. Now, interviews of the successful candidates are being held for further screening. The final list of successful candidates is likely to come out soon.

Having paved the way for the fair selection process, Mr Hooda will now have to weather the storm that the selection may have set off among his political colleagues. Ruling party MLAs coming to Chandigarh for the Assembly session starting on Wednesday may give a tough time to the Chief Minister about their “nominees” being left out from the list.

Chandigarh, December 12
The Haryana Government has decided to ask the Union Home Ministry to reduce the cadre strength of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers in the state to 112 from the existing 125.

It is learnt that the state government had recently held a meeting to review the cadre strength of the IPS officers and decided to recommend to the Union Government to reduce it.

Originally, the cadre strength of the IPS in Haryana was 106. It was pushed up to 125 after the Indian National Lok Dal headed by Mr Om Prakash Chautala came to power in the state. Apparently, the Chautala regime had decided to expand the cadre strength to get more and more officers belonging to the Haryana Police Service (HPS) inducted into the IPS.

While the INLD government increased the cadre strength of the IPS, at the same time it reduced the intake of directly recruited IPS officers to the state. Between 2000 and 2005, only five directly recruited IPS officers had come to Haryana. In 2001, the state did not take any directly recruited IPS officer at all.

At present, there is scope for the induction of eight directly recruited IPS officers in the state. These vacancies were not filled during the Chautala regime as the government was more interested in elevating HPS officers to the IPS cadre. By doing this Mr Chautala secured the personal loyalty of these officers and allegedly used them for doing jobs which a directly recruited officer may not readily perform.

The state government’s recent decision to reduce the cadre strength of the IPS will restrict the scope of promotion of HPS officers to the IPS. The state government also intends to accept its stipulated intake of directly recruited IPS officers and revive parity in the ratio of directly recruited and promoted IPS officers.

Official sources said that after an exercise, the government came to the conclusion that for manning the 20 districts of the state, a cadre strength of 125 IPS officers was not necessary. The Union Home Ministry had also earlier given guidelines to the states to reduce their cadre strength by 10 per cent, the sources said.

They added that the state government proposal regarding the reduction in the cadre strength of the IPS would be examined by the Home Ministry in February next year.

Yamunanagar, December 12
Because of a rivalry between residents of Golni and Saylava village of Mustfabad block here, more than 150 children of Golni village today could not attend their school in Saylva village. They also missed their mid-term examination.

The children later marched to the Deputy Commissioner’s office and demand upgrading of primary school in their village.

Deputy Commissioner Sukriti Likhi said necessary steps were being taken and the children had been assured all help in case they faced any problem in attending school at Saylva.

As per information available, two residents of Golni village, Arun and Janak, were allegedly attacked by some residents of Saylva village on December 9. Arun and Janak were injured. The cause of the attack was said to be an altercation between the residents of the two villages during a marriage function a few days ago. The following day (December 10), the police booked 28 residents of Saylva village under various sections of the IPC. December 11 was Sunday.

Children from Golni village go to Saylva for schooling after Class V. “We were not allowed to attend the school today because of the FIR”, alleged the students.

The children from Golni village led by the village, sarpanch, later marched to the Deputy Commissioner’s office. The DC deputed the District Elementary Education Officer to look into the matter.

Ambala, December 12
A seminar was held at the Bal Bhavan, Ambala City, to discuss the issue of female foeticide.

Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner, Ambala, Mr J.P. Kaushik, said it was unfortunate that female foeticide was taking place. He said that the whole society was collectively responsible for female foeticide. There was a need for further strengthening the awareness campaign against female foeticide.

Mr Kaushik said that people must immediately inform the district administration and the police about female foeticide. He said that the name of the informer would be kept secret.

The Civil Surgeon, Dr Satvir Chaudhary, pointed out that according to the 2001 census, 10 districts where the sex ratio was the lowest included Ambala, Kurukshetra and Sonepat. He said that analysis of data from 1995 to 2005 showed that in Ambala district there were 12 villages where the sex ratio was less than 600.

The villages having sex ratio less than 600 include Durana, Barauli, Malwa, Nurpur, Khanpur, Rampur, Bhurewala, Badhauli, Dukheri, Kurani, Samalkha, Chudiala and Samalheri. Besides, the villages having sex ratio less than 800 include Bada Gaon, Mohra, Shahpur, Dukheri, Nanhera, Machonda, Barola, Sahipura, Bhuramajra and Dhanaura.

Sonepat, December 12
A housewife allegedly committed suicide by consuming some pesticide at her in-laws’ house in Ganaur town of the district today. The police has registered a dowry death complaint.

Babli, 30, took the extreme step by consuming “Celphos” tablets after a family quarrel, the police said.

The body has been sent for post-mortem. The police has registered a dowry death case on the complaint of Balwan, father of Babli, who alleged that her husband Bhupinder and in-laws had been harassing her for not bringing dowry.

No arrests have been made so far and police are investigating. — PTI

Ambala, December 12
Robbers struck at a tyre shop located on the Ambala-Chandigarh highway near Ambala City late last night.

The robbers decamped with tyres from the MRF showroom. Truck as well as car tyres were stolen from the showroom.

The showroom owner has told the police that he received a telephone call this morning stating that a robbery had taken place. When he reached the showroom, he found that the shutter of the showroom had been broken. The robbers had stolen tyres from the basement of the showroom.

Police officials suspect that a gang of robbers could be involved in the heist. They said that not only a number of persons were required to steal truck and car tyres, but also trucks would have to be used to take away the tyres. They said that the owner had claimed a loss of more than 100 tyres. Finger print experts and dog squad had arrived at the showroom.