New Delhi, June 13
The Delhi High Court today sought explanation from the NCT Government and the Tihar jail authorities on a PIL seeking inquiry into the recent deaths of inmates in the largest prison of Asia.

Observing that the condition of the jail is very pitiable, a Division Bench comprising Justice J P Singh and Justice S Murlidhar directed the government and the Tihar Jail superintendent to file their replies by June 18. "Get the status report and file before the court. The report should be in the form of affidavit by senior officers," the Bench said.

A public interest litigation (PIL) was today filed in the court by Shalek Chand Jain, a social activist, seeking judicial inquiry into the deaths and challenging jail officials' claim that the deaths had taken place only due to prevailing heat wave condition.

"The jail authorities should be directed to improve the condition of the prison as required under its manual in the interest of justice," the petition said.

"The deaths in Central jail have become a routine as the other co-prisoners are very dangerous and they are free to exploit other inmates who are not provided sufficient protection from the jail authorities," Jain claimed.

It was also pointed out by Sugreev Dubey, counsel for the petitioner that even today a police constable died in the Tihar jail premises.

The petitioner contended that between June 7 and 11, these prisoners had died due to various reasons which needed to be inquired into. He also claimed that the condition in the jail is very inhospitable and 50 per cent water supply has been cut in the jail in the recent times making life tough for prisoners.

Meanwhile, a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) delegation will visit the Asia's largest prison tomorrow for a spot report.

The delegation will submit the report within two weeks, sources said.—PTI 

New Delhi, June 13
In view of the six deaths in as many days in the Central Jail, Tihar here, the Lt. Governor of Delhi Tejindera Khanna has, on the recommendation of the Home Department, ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incidents.

The inquiry will be conducted by Sanjeev Mittal, Additional District Magistrate (West). Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, has also agreed with this course of action and felt that the inquiry report be submitted at the earliest. The inquiry is to be completed by the June 25.

According to a Raj Niwas release, the terms and conditions of the inquiry are:

- To clearly determine the Sections of law under which the inmates had been detained and details of the cases and stage of trial.

-The period spent under police custody and judicial custody respectively. Also the number appearances before the trial courts.

- Details of medical examination at the time of being lodged in the Jail. Subsequent treatment given and specific details as to referral treatment given.

- Nature and course of treatment at the referral hospital.

-Whether inquest proceedings have started and stage at which they have reached.

-Need for improving necessary infrastructure viz. adequate drinking water, sanitation etc. to minimize the incidents of debilitation and diseases. Besides the magisterial inquiry, inquest proceedings are being conducted under the provisions of Section 176 of the CrPC by the concerned metropolitan magistrates/ SDMs and further action in the matter will be taken on the receipt of inquest reports. During inquest proceedings, the statements of the co-prisoners and witnesses are recorded by the Magistrate and the postmortem conducted by the panel of doctors.

The LG has also issued directions to the Superintendent Jails and Medical Officers of Delhi Prisons for taking urgent measures in view of the rising temperature and humidity. These include - lemon water to be made available to the inmates and to those under-trials going to or returning from court and adequate supply of water through water tankers.

In case of emergencies patient to be referred directly to DDU hospital and other hospitals like Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Safdarjang hospital if the clinical condition demands.

All superintendents and senior medical officers have been directed to interact with prisoners for ensuring prevention of heat strokes.

The lock-out time in the morning to be 5 am and lock-up time to be 7 pm so as to increase open air movement time by more than an hour.

The LG has also directed all SMOs to have a ready list of seriously sick prisoners and they would follow up their medical check-up on daily basis. A medical officer to be posted for at least next 15 days instead of the junior residents during nights.

New Delhi, June 13
Swati was excited after a ride in the Delhi Metro. Nevertheless, her confused state of mind could be read clearly from her face. She is one of the thousand other girls who gather at the Delhi University every year from all parts of the country, around this time.

Swati landed in the city a week back from Patna with her brother and is staying at her relative's place.

Her priority is not to get a good course in a good college. It is actually girls' hostel that she is looking for. "I have only applied for the colleges where hostels are available for girls," she says. Girls' hostels are primarily available in the girls' colleges in Delhi University.

"I didn't want to study in a girls' college but I also wanted residential facility, which narrowed down my choices substantially," says Natasha from Hisar.

In the end, Natasha made a choice and decided to take up a room in one of the many PG's available around the North and South campuses of the University.

However, the problem continues on end. "The PG has closed down and I am looking for another place now," she says.

Delhi University has always had a crisis of residential facilities for girls. Mr S. K. Vij, the Dean of Student's Welfare, says that the University authorities are quite aware and sensitive about the issue.

"We have tried to maintain a balance as far as the hostel facility for post-graduation girl students is concerned. Colleges, however, are autonomous bodies. There's not much we can do about them," he says.

Many of the college buildings have been declared as heritage buildings, which means that no further construction can be introduced around them.

Some smaller student organisations have been struggling to force the University administration to take up the issue seriously. "It becomes very difficult for outstation girl students to take up higher studies till there is a secure place for them to reside in," says Robert Rehman Raman from Students' Federation of India.

"So many girls have represented our community in the Delhi University Students' Union but none of them has taken up our cause seriously. Girls are harassed at these PG's and they do not have any accountability," says Sania, who is providing admission assistance to the students.

Some of the colleges have taken positive initiatives in this direction, though. Sri Venkateswara College is planing to open girls' hostel soon.

Hindu college in the North campus was also thinking in this direction. The new colleges started by the Delhi administration will also provide hostel facilities. Nothing, however, seems to be coming up till the start of this session.

The upcoming month is going to be challenging for Swati and the likes. Its only when the cut-offs start coming out on June 26 that the things would start becoming clear. "Lets see", says Swati.

New Delhi, June 13
Suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba militant Mohd Mukhtar Ahmad Khan, arrested last evening from the busy Azadpur Sabzi Mandi, was allegedly all set to visit Pakistan today by the Delhi-Lahore bus service. A ticket of Delhi-Lahore bus and a passport with a visa for Pakistan have been recovered from him. He allegedly wanted to go there to meet his mentors in POK for deciding the future course of action and assignments.

DCP, Special Cell, Alok Kumar, said at a press conference he had been directed by the Pak base chief commander of LeT, Abu-Al-Kama, to carry out terrorist activities in Delhi. He had been directed to give shelter to others assigned for a similar task. The explosives seized from him were to be delivered to an accomplice in Azadpur Sabzi Mandi. The contraband had been taken from Kashmir.—OC

New Delhi, June 13
Jamia Millia Islamia here has emerged as a popular alternative for students seeking admission to various professional courses. The university had so far sold 75,000 forms for 6,250 seats, including 2,521 in undergraduate courses, a spokesperson said.

Another 15 per cent forms have been downloaded from the Internet and deposited for the various graduate, undergraduate and diploma and certificate courses.

The maximum number of applications, 24,000, have been received for undergraduate courses followed by B Tech at 19,800 and MA at 13,000.

Beginning July, the university will greet new students in a variety of courses scattered among its seven faculties and eight teaching centres.

Of the 6250 seats up for grabs this year, 2521 seats are in undergraduate courses, 1634 seats in PG and 2095 seats in diploma courses. The total number of courses available at Jamia is 222.

Forms for part-time or evening courses in engineering and MBA will only be available from July.

Gurgaon, June 13
The work of registration of sales deeds, signing of affidavits and other important revenue related documents have come to stand still at Hathin registrar's office since the State Vigilance Bureau (SVB) raided the premises on June 6.

More than a week has passed since any official work has been executed at Hathin Tehsil but still senior officials of Mewat district are playing a blame game to pass the responsibility. The officers are still not sure as when the functioning of the office will be resumed.

On a complaint of one Ved Prakash, State Vigilance Bureau had raided the Tehsildar office and arrested three staff members allegedly while taking bribe on June 6. The registry clerk Babulal took Rs 2,000, computer clerk Ramji Lal Rs 100, and peon Kelram took Rs 500 as bribe for doing official work, the bureau claimed.

Ved Prakash had alleged in his written complaint that tehsildar used to take one to two per cent of the total amount of sales deed as bribe for sanctioning the registration. He claimed that he had already paid Rs 60,000 to Tehsildar Rajendra Verma on May 17 and only after that he had sanctioned the sales deed on that day.

However, when the raid was conducted on June 6, Tehsildar Rajendra Verma could not be arrested for taking the bribe as he was not there at that time and did not take any amount as bribe. But he has not been attending the office since then. But what intrigued the case more is that Naib Tehsildar Shamsher Singh Yadav has also failed to join his duty since then till today.

Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Hathin Arvind Malhan told The Tribune that he had written to Mewat Deputy Commissioner and apprised him of the fact that no work was being done at the registrar office because the staff was not available.

He further elaborated that three main staff members had been arrested and Tehsildar and Naib Tehsildar were not willing to join the duty since June 6.

The SDM Malhan said that the Deputy Commissioner may sanction new staff within a couple of days and work may be resumed from Monday onwards. However, a document writer working at Hathin Tehsil informed on the condition of anonymity that these two officers were not joining the duties on the apprehension that they might be arrested by State Vigilance Bureau for taking bribes.

Pataudi (Gurgaon),June 13
A high-level team from the health department headed by Director-General, Health Services, Haryana, O. P. Mittal, today raided Buella Maternity and Health Centre run by a person claiming to be doctor for allegedly indulging in illegal pre-natal tests, abortion and other malpractices.

The accused A. K. Singh, who runs the hospital, is alleged to have already beenconvicted last year by the Chief Judicial Magistrate of the local court for allegedly using a degree relating to medical practice. He has gone in appeal against the court's ruling.

The health department at the state headquarters had been receiving complaints of malpractices on the part of the accused.

A woman doctor went as a decoy patient. The doctor immediately made preparation for a pre-natal test and abortion. His portable ultrasound machine was later impounded by the team.

According to official sources, the doctor had constructed a structure in which burnt up stuff was found. The overwhelming feeling among team members is that perhaps foetuses and instruments used for abortion were burnt in it.

The health department had received complaints that thedoctor threw the foetuses in a well near his house.

New Delhi, June 13
The Delhi Soccer Association (DSA) Institutional League, scheduled to start in the first week of June, seems to be facing an indefinite delay due to a combination of factors, which the DSA officials lament, "are beyond our control."

Though the extreme heat sweeping the Capital is being cited as one of the reasons for the delay in the start of the league, it is learnt the DSA has taken a firm stand regarding the "depleted state of the departmental teams" and wants the institutional teams to recruit more players in their ranks to enable them to field full-fledged teams in the league. The league will feature 21 prominent institutional teams of Delhi and the DSA wants to settle for nothing but the best.

Another reason for the delay in the start of the league is that due to water shortage the damage caused to the Ambedkar Stadium turf following a government function held in the first week of May has not yet been mended. But DSA secretary N. K. Bhatia said the league would most probably start after the conclusion of the inter-state transfer of players on June 20.

The inter-club transfers are slated to be held from June 20 to 26.

Faridabad, June 13
Unidentified armed persons snatched Rs 1.20 lakh from a resident of Tauru village on the Palwal-Sohna road this noon while he was on his way on a motorcycle. The accused were in a jeep and fled from the spot within minutes. The police have booked a case in this regard.

According to police sources, the victim, identified as Udhal, son of Bhoop Singh, had gone to Palwal town to get the documents of a plot registered. He had entered into an agreement with a person a few days ago.

Udhal and a friend went on a motor cycle this morning with the money. They had to return without getting their work done due to some differences with the other party though Rs 10,000 had been paid by the complainant.

According to a report lodged with the police, the two were intercepted by a Marshall jeep near Hajipur village on the Palwal-Sohna road at about 1.30 pm. The accused were able to overpower them after a chase when they refused to oblige them readily. The victims were also beaten up and they fell on the ground during the scuffle. The youths appeared to be armed as they threatened to kill them if they failed to hand over the money. The police at Dhatir village has registered a case, but no arrests have been made so far.

Meanwhile, in another incident in Palwal town, the police recovered the body of a married woman who had reportedly jumped into Agra canal along with her two minor daughters, about 30 km from here, last night. The woman, identified as Suman, wife of Prem Chand, was mentally upset due to illness in the family. She left her house yesterday with her daughters, Anita (10) and Kavita (15), and did not return.

While the girls were still missing the body of their mother was fished out today near a bridge located at Kithwari village. The deceased hailed from Baselva Colony here.

A labourer working at a brick kiln near Tigaon village in Ballabgarh subdivision was burnt alive after he fell into a fire pit at the kiln. The victim has been identified as Babulal.

New Delhi, June 13
The South-West district police today claimed to have busted a desperate interstate gang of truck hijackers with the arrest of three members of this gang, Mahesh Khatri, Vikas Malik and Sunil Kumar, from Kapashera.

Two revolvers along with live cartridges and a button-actuated knife were seized from the. A stolen Tata Safari was also recovered. They had created a havoc in Narela and Sonepat areas.

Following a tip-off that they would be coming in the area, a trap was laid. Seeing the police party, they tried to escape but were apprehended after a brief chase. During interrogation, they allegedly admitted their involvement in more than one dozen cases of truck hijacking in Narela, Kondli, Sonepat and Shahibabad areas.

They used to stop the targeted truck on the highway and then overpower the driver at gunpoint. After that, they would drop the driver in some isolated place and take the truck with them. After unloading the truck, they used to park the truck in some abandoned place.

They used to sell the looted goods in Seelampur and Palam areas. Munna and Kadir were the main receivers of the stolen stuff, said a police officer.