Yamunanagar, October 11
There are at least three dengue patients admitted in different hospitals of the district and 31 persons are admitted with symptoms similar to that of dengue fever. Unofficial sources said that the number of confirmed dengue cases is 10.

Sources in the health department said Sanju of Gandhi Nagar area and Hatim of Habitpur village were suffering from dengue. Sources added that the PGI, Chandigarh had confirmed seven more cases of dengue but a report is yet to reach here.

The most affected areas are Camp, Gandhi Nagar and Harbanspura. Sources said the department was facing shortage of funds for carrying out fogging in the district as 100 litres of diesel or petrol was required. The department now has approached the Municipal Committees of Jagadhri and Yamunanagar for fogging in the district.

The Chief Medical Officer was not available for comments.

Rajiv Tyagi of Kulsat village of Sharanpur is reported to be suffering from dengue and admitted to a private hospital here. Neetu and her brother Honey, of Durga Garden, Jagadhri too are reportedly affected with dengue and admitted to a private hospital. Ms Sukhwinder Kaur of Harbanspura who was also affected with dengue, said sources. Dhanvantri Devi of Old Hamida was also showing symptoms of dengue. Sources added that Sachin Kamboj (Vikas Nagar), Rajiv Nehra (Taprion Jatan), Naveen Kumar (Patel Nagar), Amrik Singh (Kala Pur) and Surinder Kumar (Bina Heri, Sharanpur) were also admitted to private hospitals with symptoms similar to that of dengue.

Yamunanagar, October 11
The Postal Department has decided to franchise its service to private players where opening of new post offices is not viable and the department will recruit 2,500 persons in clerical grade.

In the beginning 75 franchises would be given in the country. In Haryana five franchises each would be opened in Faridabad and Gurgoan by November 15. Mr Prithivran Kumar, Chief Postmaster General, Haryana stated this at a press conference here today. Asked if it was a move towards privatisation, he said, “no it is not but it is being done to strengthen postal services”. He admitted private courier companies, which have grown into an industry was giving tough competition to the department. He was here in connection with Postal Week celebrations.

He informed all 22 postal circles of the country had demanded staff of 7,500 and 2,500 had been approved. In Haryana 30 vacancies would be filled and five per cent of it would be given to the kin of deceased employees.

He claimed the Haryana circle was among the few profit-making circles of the country. “We have fixed target that by the end of this year the circle would be earning Rs 50 over an expenditure of each Rs 100”, said Mr Kumar. He said ‘Sampuran Bachat Gram Yojna’, a scheme in under which every house in a village would be targeted for small saving schemes of the department.

He said he did not find the local post office up-to the mark and soon it would be computerised. He also said bhomi pujan for the main post-office building of the district would be performed before March 31. 

Hisar, October 11
Divisional Commissioner R.R. Fuliya claimed here today that the employees of his office, who had been staging a dharna, had ended their stir unconditionally and resumed work.

The employees had been protesting against the Commissioner’s alleged misbehaviour with them.

Addressing a press conference, Mr Fuliya maintained that he had assured the employees that a vindictive attitude would not be adopted against them.

Yamunanagar, October 11
A special team under DSP of Jagadhri Raj Kumar has been sent to Punjab to arrest Punjab police Inspector Gurmeet Singh Pinki who has been held guilty of murder of a Ludhiana resident, Avtar Singh Gola.

The 12-member team left for Punjab last night and would be taking the help of the Punjab police to nab Pinki. The special team was formed on the order of District and Sessions Judge Virender Singh. The next date of hearing has been fixed for October 17.

Kaithal, October 11
The police arrested a man yesterday who demanded Rs 10 lakh from a Kalayat-based property dealer. The police also recovered a .315 bore pistol and four live cartridges from his possession. The man was a bail jumper in an attempt to murder case and a case under the Arms Act registered against him by the Kalayat police in 2004.

Giving this information to mediapersons here yesterday, the SSP, Mr Navdeep Singh Virk, said the accused Kuldip Rajput, a resident of Padma Patti of Kalayat, had been threatening the property dealer to pay him Rs 10 lakh.

Even on Dasehra day, Kuldip and two unidentified persons came to his residence and asked his wife to inform her husband to pay Rs 10 lakh or face elimination of entire family. On October 4, Kuldip stopped the victim when he was going to his shop and threatened him.

Following a complaint lodged by the property dealer, the police had registered a case under Sections 387, 451,506 and 34 of the IPC against Kuldip. A police party of the CIA branch headed by Romesh Chander, Sub-Inspector, arrested the accused.

Fatehabad, October 11
The District Town Planner, Fatehabad has lodged an FIR against a Tohana-based coloniser and six others for violation of the Haryana Development Regulation of Urban Area Act.

An FIR was lodged yesterday under Section 7(2) of the Haryana Development Regulation of Urban Area Act against the coloniser. The coloniser allegedly carved out a colony near the Gupta Colony, Tohana, in violation of the rules. The DTP also lodged an FIR against six others namely Tarsem Singh, Sucha Singh, Piara Singh, Lakhbir Singh, Sandeep Singh and Sarabjit Singh under section 7(2) of the said Act.

These persons are alleged to have sub-divided their land without prior permission with intent to facilitate the carving out of the unauthorised colony.

Sources in the planning office revealed that the District Town Planner had initiated the action under directions for the Punjab and Haryana High Court. 

Jhajjar, October 11
The woman sarpanch of Kunjia village and three of her family members were charged with murder of a youth of the village today. The youth was found dead near her house this morning after he went to the sarpanch’s house to take back Rs 1.25 lakh which they had borrowed from him.

According to information, deceased Rambir (25) was last seen at the house of the sarpanch last night. However, he was found lying in a pool of blood with injury marks over his face afflicted with a blunt weapon in a village street near the house of the accused.

Dayanand, a brother of deceased, had accused that sarpanch Shravan Devi, his two sons, Balwan and Kaptan, Balwan’s wife Geeta and some other family members had murdered Rambir. Police sources said that Balwan, Kaptan and Geeta had been taken in custody for interrogation.

In another incident, Aman, a one-and-a-half year-old son of Baljeet, was crushed to death by a jeep at Hasanpur village of the district today. The police has registered a case against driver Rajesh and arrested him.

Rohtak, October 11
Mr Rajesh Malhotra, a lecturer in physics in University College here was found murdered in his Sant Nagar residence early this morning.

He had been living with his mother since he divorced his wife eight years ago. According to his mother, around 11.30 p. m. there was a knock at the door. She opened the door and three persons wanted to see the lecturer.

She guided them to Rajesh’s room. Later, two more persons joined them. She said her son asked her to go to sleep, saying he would lock the door when the visitors had left.

She woke up around 3. 30 a. m and called for Rajesh to bring her water. When he did not respond, she went to his room and found him lying in a pool of blood. His legs and hands had been tied to the cot. There was no sign of the visitors and she found the telephone line snapped.

The police was summoned by the neighbours when she raised the alarm after coming out in the street. No arrests have been made so far.

Ambala, October 11
The Rashtriya Kisan Sangathan will hold a rural India kisan fair on the HUDA grounds, Sector 8, Ambala City, from October 12 to 14, general secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (Haryana) Jasbir Singh said here today.

Mr Jasbir Singh said Union Agriculture Minister Kanti Lal Bhoria would inaugurate the fair. Mr Parminder Pal Singh, an NRI, would sponsor a cultural programme in which folk artistes from Punjab would perform. Chanpreet Channi would perform on all days while Ranjit Malvai and Dilpreet Kaur would present a cultural programme on October 13. — OC

Ambala, October 11
The Haryana Government has enhanced the amount for encouraging inter-caste marriages in the state from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000. This was stated by the spokesman for the Haryana Welfare Department, Ambala, here today.

The spokesman said to get benefit under the scheme, the age of the girl and boy should not be less than 18 years and 21 years, respectively. The beneficiary should be a permanent resident of Haryana. — OC