Nawanshahr, October 20
With the arrest of three persons, Nawanshahr police to have solved the blind murder of local BJP leader Charanjit Singh Fauji’s son. This was revealed by SSP B Chandra Sekhar, while addressing mediapersons, here on Saturday. The accused have been identified as Kulwinder Singh alias Kinda, resident of Milap Nagar in Hoshiarpur, Chander Bhushan alias Bomb and Naresh Kumar, both of Balmiki Nagar here.

The body of Sarabjit Singh alias Sabba was found on Sloh-Bairsiana link road on August 5. Earlier, it was considered as a case of natural death. However, the parents of the deceased insisted on the postmortem examination. When a bullet was recovered from the body, a case was registered at city police station. “During the course of investigation we found out that it was a case of supari killing,” said the SSP, adding that it was Sarabjit’s brother-in-law Jasbir Singh, who had master-minded the killing.

Matrimonial dispute between Jasbir Singh, presently residing Germany, and his wife Manjit Kaur is said to be the reason behind the murder. Jasbir, through his brother Kulwinder Singh, had struck a deal of Rs one lakh with the killers. The latter were also promised that they would be settled broad, said the SSP. The investigations carried out by SHO (City) Rakesh Kumar revealed that the accused had received payments of Rs 20,000 and Rs 5, 000 as installments for the job. The cops have also recovered the country-made pistol used in the murder. 

Jalandhar, October 20
Lok Bhalai Party chief Balwant Singh Ramoowalia said today that a recruitment drive was under way to strengthen the outfit in all parts of the state and a large number of sarpanches, panches and other leaders had joined it.

Talking to media persons here, he said the drive would be completed by November 30. “Our target is to have a unit of 50 members in each village of the state that will propagate the policies and programme of the party,” he added. He said the alleged autocratic functioning of the SAD and the Congress had frustrated many of the people joining the LBP. “We are not wooing the big guns but the grassroots workers who have never been rewarded by any party for their selfless and dedicated work,” he added.

Ramoowalia said most of the workers deserting their parties were basically third-rung leaders who commanded a following at the village, block and tehsil levels. “Many of them are ex- servicemen who feel that his party had a lot to offer them. We want only those who are serious about out work among the people, especially the poor sections of society and the youth,” he pointed out.

The former union minister also announced an 11-point programme that provides for creating employment avenues for the needy, educating farmers on the latest techniques and making farming a viable option once again. 

Jalandhar, October 20
Disturbed with the stink emanating from garbage and overflowing toilets, several city advocates led by district bar association (DBA) senior vice-president Ashok Sharma today undertook a cleanliness drive in the district courts complex.

The advocates took brooms in their hands for not only cleaning the four-floored courts complex but also the 16 overflowing toilets in the complex.

Talking to The Tribune, Sharma said he had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) writ in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2005 regarding the uncleanliness and unoperational lifts in the court complex.

“In response to the writ, the then chief engineer of the PWD (B&R) had given an undertaking that the lifts would be made operational and cleanliness would be ensured in future,” Sharma said, adding that now lifts were operational but the unhygienic atmosphere was the same.

Sharma further said, apart from cleanliness, there was no proper arrangement of drinking water. Besides, due to inadequate parking space the visitors had to face a lot of difficulty.

When contacted, PWD (B&R) executive engineer B.S. Tuli said his department had no responsibility of maintaining cleanliness in the judicial complex. “It is the duty of the local administration of a particular building to ensure cleanliness,” he added.

In reply to a question, he said he would examine whether any undertaking had been given by the PWD chief engineer about cleanliness of the courts complex or not.

When contacted, district and sessions judge Gurdev Singh said the complex was being visited by a large number of people. “Efforts to maintain cleanliness are taken with the help of the available four-five sweepers,” he added.