Phagwara, August 8
A native of Khajurla village, settled in the Philippines, was shot dead in Manila on August 6, family members said here today.

This has added another name to the swelling list of Punjabis already murdered in the south Asian country.

Rajesh Kumar (50) and his friend Bhagwant Singh Bansal were attacked by nearly 12 armed persons as they were returning from a gurdwara in the Minmentoe area of the city on Sunday night, the deceased’s son, Sunil Kumar, said. The assailants sprayed bullets at the duo killing Bansal on the spot and seriously injuring his friend, he added. Bhagwant Singh is the president of the Indian Sikh Temple in Minmentoe.

Sunil Kumar, who said he had returned from Manila only a few days back, said his father had been living in Manila for the past 30 years and was running a finance company there.

The news has left the entire village in deep grief.

Sunil Kumar said the body of his father would be brought to village for cremation by Wednesday. 

Jalandhar, August 8
Coming in support of the residents of Ballan village who had clashed with the police on July 19 after three schoolboys were mowed down by a trailer on Pathankot Road, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) today gave a memorandum to the SSP requesting withdrawal of the attempt to murder cases registered against the villagers.

Mr Pawan Tinoo of the BSP alleged that police action was taken at the behest of a Cabinet minister, representing the area.

Siding with the villagers, he said they had turned emotional when they saw the bodies of the students. He said the villagers got agitated after they saw the police officers moving off the trailer and forgetting to take care of the bodies.

Fifteen residents of Ballan, Samastpur and Raipur villages, who too had signed the memorandum, said Section 307 imposed on the youths was serious, as no such offence was committed by them.

They alleged that the cases were registered to “terrorise” the villagers. 

Jalandhar, August 8
The district police has nabbed five proclaimed offenders (PO) evading arrest in different cases.

In a press note issued today, SSP Ishwar Singh said one Saranjit Singh of Santokhpura had been declared a PO in a case registered on March 7, 2005, under Section 385 of the IPC at Division No 8 police station.

Another PO, Balwinder Singh of Mohalla Chhajjan, Basti Sheikh, too has been nabbed, the SSP said.

He had been evading arrest since August 5, 2003, in a case registered under Sections 356, 323 and 34 of IPC.

Bittu of Sarai Khas village in Kartarpur, declared a PO in a case registered on June 24, 2004, under sections 406 and 420 of the IPC at Shahkot police station, too has been arrested. Peter of Dheena village, absconding since June 4, 2005, in a case under Sections 406, 420 and 365 of the IPC at Shahkot police station, has been arrested.

Manga of Tatiyan village in Sultanpur Lodhi, declared a PO on September 23, 2004 in a case under Section ¾ of the SC and ST Act at Nakodar police station, too has been nabbed. 

Phagwara, August 8
A woman, working as a helper in marriage ceremonies, was allegedly raped by three persons here yesterday night.

Acting on the complaint, the police has registered a case under Section 376 of the IPC against the trio, allegedly, involved in the incident. They are Paramjit Singh, sarpanch of Mannawali village, Rattan Singh, sarpanch, Basantpura, and Sodhi Ram, former PA to an ex-minister.

The victim is a resident of Hadiabad, a sub-town of Phagwara.

According to the complainant, who is now admitted in the Civil Hospital for a medical examination, at 10 pm yesterday, a sarpanch and owner of a marriage palace on the Nakodar road, asked her to work as a helper at some domestic function. “He took me to a room adjoining his office another sarpanch and the PA to a former minister were sitting,” she claimed.

In her statement to the police, she alleged that the trio repeatedly raped her till five in the morning. “I, along with residents of my locality, went to ASP Sukhchain Singh Gill and narrated the whole episode,” she added.

The ASP sent her to the Civil Hospital for a medical examination and directed the Sadar police station SHO Lakhwinder Singh Mall to inquire into the incident. The SHO said the victim’s statement had been recorded.