Chandigarh, February 2
Three Indian fugitives, wanted by the Kaithal police in cases of murder and extortion, have been tracked down in South Africa.

Those arrested - Joginder Singh (24), Surender Kumar (26) and Baljeet Singh (26) - were wanted by the Kaithal police for the attempted extortion and subsequent murder of businessman Narender Arora in March last year. Baljeet Singh is also wanted for escaping from jail where he had been serving a life sentence for the murder of two persons in 2002.

Intriguingly, it was the investigation of this case that led to the mobile scam in which thousands of SIM cards were issued on a single identity by certain mobile companies. The Kaithal police followed that case in which the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the quashing of FIRs registered against the mobile companies.

All three are now facing extradition to India as well as charges for being in South Africa illegally. The Superintendent of Police of Kaithal, Mr Navdeep Virk, confirmed not only their arrests but also expressed his gratitude to the South African police for its prompt action on the information sent through email by the Kaithal police.

“We are seeking an extradition order. Meanwhile, we also intend to send a team of investigators to South Africa to question them there,” confirmed Mr Virk, holding that the “Kaithal police is working closely with the SA Police Service and hopes to get the three men back soon to get them convicted.”

South African newspapers this morning quoted Senior Superintendent Vishnu Naidoo, national police spokesman of South Africa, as saying that “searching for these men was like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

This morning the South African Police Service’s Crime Intelligence Unit arrested the Indian fugitives at their Johannesburg hideout.

Mr Virk said the arrested fugitives belonged to the notorious Surender Geong gang which had demanded several lakhs from Mr Arora, who dealt in sanitary fittings. He was threatened with death in case he failed to pay the ransom.

Mr Arora was provided protective custody but was later gunned down outside his business premises.

After the killing, the police arrested 30-odd members of the gang but Joginder Singh, Surender Kumar and Baljeet Singh managed to flee India.

Surender Kumar, alias Surender Pehalwan, was the first to escape in April, 2006. Later Baljeet Singh and Joginder Singh came in contact with Sushil Kumar, alias Tandon, also of Kaithal, who helped them escape to South Africa, after they acquired passports in false names from Nagpur.

Even after reaching South Africa, they continued making extortion calls to prominent doctors and businessmen of Kaithal, Kurukshetra and Panipat.

In July last year, Mr Virk sent an email to the South African police which responded immediately and set up a special task force to track down the fugitives. The task force remained in constant touch with the Kaithal police.

Ambala, February 2
There might be some respite for the residents of Hill Road in Ambala Sadar as the local Subzi Mandi is going to be shifted out soon.

The residents of Hill Road have to put up with garbage, filth and squalor due to the Subzi Mandi. Now, all that is set to change with the Municipal Council, Ambala Sadar, giving the green signal for a piece of land near the Dhobi Ghat.

MC Executive Officer, Ambala Sadar, K.K. Jain accompanied Superinten-dent of Police Amitabh Dhillon to the proposed site yesterday.

Following the visit, it had been decided to prepare an estimate for making the area `pucca’ so that the rehris could be shifted there at the earliest.

EO K.K. Jain said an estimate of about Rs 10 lakh had been prepared. “We will be sending the estimate to the Deputy Commissioner for approval. The area earmarked for the rehris is presently uneven but after work is completed, it will be suitable for the vendors,” he said.

About 300 vendors are expected to be adjusted in the area earmarked for them. There will be 15-16 feet wide road running between two rows of rehris in the area.

To ensure that there is no chaos in the area, entry of motor vehicles will be banned. “We have also decided to provide parking space near the area. Motorists will park their vehicles in the parking space and walk through the area to buy the items,” Mr K.K. Jain said.

Earlier an estimate of Rs 32 lakh was prepared for developing the area. However, it was decided at last month’s meeting of the Municipal Council to discuss the matter in the next meeting. To ensure that work is done speedily, a fresh estimate has now been prepared and is being sent to the DC.

Rohtak, February 2
The district administration has cautioned local residents not to buy residential or commercial plots without prior verification from the District Town Planner or Administrator, Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA). An official press release issued by the District Town Planner said here today that the state government had released some land in Sectors 4, 5 and 6 and some property dealers were selling plots illegally in this released land.

After reports indicated that some property dealers had signed sale agreements for such plots in the released land, officials visited the area and informed people that the agreements were illegal and that the sale would not be effected. He said if any purchaser came forward, a police case under Section 420 of the IPC would be registered against the property dealers for selling land fraudulently.

The release said khasra numbers of the land involved were available with the Tehsildar where prospective buyers could verify the numbers before entering into an agreement. 

Ambala, February 2
The Federation of Welfare Societies/Associations today demanded a probe into the quality of concrete roads laid in the Mahesh Nagar area.

The secretary general of the federation, Mr N.D Arora, said the experience of residents of 29 outer colonies in the Mahesh Nagar area about the quality of concrete roads laid in their area is not a happy one. He said the quality of the concrete roads needs to be checked.

He pointed out that the concrete roads had started wearing out within months of being laid.

In a communique addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Ambala, the federation stated, "Ordinary people feel that either the preparation of estimates had not been done as per specifications or work had not been executed as per the laid down procedures. A sample survey of the concrete roads laid during the past few years will make the picture clear."

The federation has demanded that a survey must be carried out. The federation has offered to assist the survey team.

Rewari, February 2
A ritual pertaining to the initiation of a vehicle resulted in the tragic death of two persons at Rajgarh village, 12 km from here.

Ompal Singh and his brother Tejpal Singh, sons of Jai Singh, who got married on January 23, were reportedly given a Bolero jeep by the parents of the brides.

It is stated that while performing the initiation ceremony of the vehicle, the priest asked Ompal to crush a lemon under its wheel. As soon as he started the vehicle, it allegedly overran three villagers, Ram Singh, Sheo Narain and Kartar Singh, who were sitting some distance away facing the vehicle.

Ram Singh died on the spot while Sheo Naraian succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Delhi.

The Rampura police has registered a case of rash and negligent driving under Sections 279, 304-A of the IPC against Ompal who is reportedly absconding.

In another case, Davender Singh (25) of Padla village under Khol police station of the district, allegedly eloped with the 18-years-old daughter of Satish Kumar on January 19. The police has registered a case of abduction under Sections 363 and 366 of the IPC.

Kurukshetra, February 2
The district police has arrested two cable wire thieves and one vehicle lifter and stolen property of about Rs 1.5 lakh has been recovered from their possession.

District police chief Sanjay Kumar said both cable wire thieves, identified as Parvesh Kumar of Dubal, Kaithal, and Sunil Kumar of Lahli Kalanour, Rohtak, were caught red handed from near the new bus stand park while they were carrying burnt copper 
wire to sell the same in Yamunanagar.

During interrogation they told the police that they had stolen the wire from the field tube-wells near Baarna village. They also admitted to have stolen aluminium wire from electric poles in Ishaq, Gumthala-Garu and Arnaicha villages.

In another case, Pawan Kumar Mandabhind village, Gobindgarh, Jaipur, had been arrested from near Brahamsarover for allegedly stealing a motor cycle from a marriage palace here 10 days ago. The stolen vehicle had been recovered from his possession, Mr Kumar added.

Sirsa, February 2
Two young labourers were buried alive when a 35-year-old and about 40-foot-deep dilapidated well collapsed at Pippli village in the district yesterday.

Two other labourers sustained injuries during the rescue operations to extract the buried workers.

Official sources said that Jagan Nath (15) and Birbal (21), both residents of the same village, were engaged by Mr Hemraj to extract bricks from his defunct well in his fields. While extracting the bricks the old well suddenly collapsed and both the labourers were buried under a huge mound of earth.

On getting information volunteers from the nearby Dera Shah Bilochastani in Jagmalwali village, Naib-Tehsildar Dharampal Khokar and members of the Sahara Club, accompanied by some doctors, arrived on the spot to assist in the rescue work. After a few hours of labour both the victims were extracted from the well and rushed to a Kalanwali hospital where both were declared brought dead.

Two other labourers, Labh Chand and Kewal, sustained injuries during the rescue work and were hospitalised. The bodies of both the deceased were handed over to their kin after autopsy in the local Civil Hospital today. — PTI

Kurukshetra, February 2
The local court has sentenced Nishan Singh, a son of Mahender Singh, to 10-year imprisonment and fined Rs 1 lakh. If the accused fails to pay the fine, he will have to undergo additional two-year imprisonment. Nishan Singh was arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in October, 2005, by the police and 1.2 quintals of puppy husk was seized from his possession. — OC

Kaithal, February 2
Tributes were paid to late M.L. Verma, a former Additional Principal Secretary to then Haryana Chief Minister at a function held at local Sain Vidya Mandir School here yesterday. Mr Pyare Lal Verma, a former HCS officer, presided over the function.

Mr M.L. Verma, his wife Preeti, two sons Saurabh and Gaurav, driver Rajbir and gunman Sukhbir were gunned down by Punjab terrorists on January 31, 1992, near Kakkar Majra.

Representatives of various social organisations, Mr Sanjeev Verma, ADC, a brother of Mr M.L. Verma, Mr Jagdish Sharma, SDM, and Mr Baljeet Singh, CTM, Mr Kavi Raj Sharma, DCC president, and Ms Savitri Devi Tanwar, Chairperson of the Zila Parishad, appreciated the qualities of Mr Verma.

Ambala, February 2
Union Minister Kumari Selja today participated in various functions to mark Guru Ravidass jayanti in Ambala. She visited Ravidass Majri, Begumpura, Ambala City and Jatav Samaj temple here. Kumari Selja said Guru Ravidass guided humanity towards spiritual knowledge. She said the true tribute to Guru Ravidass would be to follow the path shown by him.

Kumari Selja announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh for Jatav Samaj temple and Rs 1 lakh for the construction of a dharamshala at Begumpura.