Panipat, February 9
The police seems to have decided not to take any public support in nabbing Baksheesh Singh, the prime accused in the Nilokheri blast case.

Sources said the state police had prepared at least six different sketches of the main accused but the same were not released to the media for public assistance in nabbing him.

Fearing that the accused might attempt to crossover to Nepal, the police had reportedly dispatched his photographs and sketches at Indo-Nepal border posts.

The state police had released the photograph of Baksheesh Singh, a former Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) activist, on last Sunday, said Karnal SSP A.S. Chawla, adding that the prime accused had cut his hair and beard to conceal his identity.

Sources said the police also possessed the photograph of Pinda, the brother-in-law of the accused, who was residing in Ganganagar area in Lakhimpour Kheri (UP) on the Indo-Nepal border. But in both the cases, the police did not release the sketches.

Meanwhile, disputing the official decision, sources said that it could have been useful if the sketches of the accused were released in the public.

Citing the example of the arrest of infamous kidney racket kingpin, Dr Amit from Nepal, the source added that information by the public always remained significant for the investigators in tracing the criminals.

Surprisingly, the police that released the sketches of the wanted accused opted to be silent in this “act of terror”. DGP Ranjeev Singh Dalal had strictly directed officials not to interact with mediapersons.

Repeated attempts to reach the SSP and DGP proved futile, as they did not respond to calls made on their mobiles.

Though two persons were reportedly nabbed by dera followers after the attack, Singh and Pinda are still absconding. 

Rohtak, February 9
Realising that the lack of educational facilities was a major limiting factor in the progress of the poor and the downtrodden, Deenbandhu Sir Chhotu Ram played a significant role in the promotion of education, particularly in the rural areas. This was stated by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda while addressing “Chhotu Ram jayanti samaroh” organised by the Jat Education Society on the premises of Jat Senior Secondary School here today.

The CM said following the ideals and principles of Sir Chhotu Ram, the state government had accorded top priority to the provision of quality education. “The number of seats in technical and engineering institutes has been increased from 23,000 to 53,000 during the past three years and these would be increased up to one lakh in the next two years,” he maintained.

Hooda announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh from his discretionary fund for educational institutions of the society.

Earlier, the president of the society, Dharambir Hooda, welcomed the Chief Minister and sought his help for setting up an engineering college in the name of CM’s grandfather Matu Ram. Later, Hooda laid the foundation stones of a trauma centre, mother and child hospital and a new wing of dental college on the local PGIMS campus.

The PGIMS Director, Prof S.S. Sangwan, revealed that the trauma centre, with a provision of 200 beds, would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 25.88 crore. It is part of the expansion of existing accidental and emergency services being provided in PGIMS.

The mother and child hospital, to be constructed at a cost of Rs 11.48 crore, is being opened to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates.

The dental college principal, Prof Sajnay Tewari, said the new four-storey building of the college, involving a cost of Rs 5.39 crore, would be raised on 51,528 sq ft area. This expansion would also provide avenues to increase number of seats for starting new courses.

Chandigarh, February 9
In view of the representations made by various industries associations, the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam has decided to withdraw the peak-load charges with immediate effect. A spokesman said here today that the decision had been taken keeping in view the present power availability.

The consumption of high-tension (HT) industrial consumers having load of more than 70 KW will be billed as per normal industrial tariff and the peak-load exemption charges would not be levied henceforth.

The spokesman said the HT industrial consumers would be required to avail the supply as per prevailing power regulatory measures. In case of any violation of the notified power regulatory measures, the electricity supply of the consumer would be disconnected for seven days for first default, 14 days for second default and 21 days for the third default.

The official also said the nigam was making efforts to procure maximum power for all categories of consumers even at higher rates to overcome the prevailing power shortage. He urged the consumers to make optimum use of electricity and use energy efficient gadgets duly approved by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency.

Gurgaon, February 9
A former Haryana public works minister, Dharamvir Yadav, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 by a special court here for possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Additional district and session judge Balbir Singh, who is handling state vigilance bureau cases, pronounced the judgment.

A case was lodged against Dr Yadav by the state vigilance bureau in May 2002 when during Om Prakash Chautala’s government, CM squad had raided at Khansi residence of the minister and recovered some documents that proved that he was having assets more than his income.

Dr Yadav had successfully fought Vidhan Sabha elections from Salhwas in 1996. After that he held the charge of PWD minister in the cabinet of former Chief Minister Bansi Lal. But due to some internal conflicts, he resigned from the post in 1998. After that he never fought any election.

As per the vigilance inquiry, Dr Yadav had bought various properties in different parts of Haryana while he was the minister during 1996 to 1999.

He had bought 80 to 90 acres of land in Yamunanagar, 14 acres in Salawas and a piece of land in Jhal and Kosli districts in Rewari district in his relatives’ names. He even constructed farmhouses at these locations, the inquiry found.

The minister also purchased a number of plots in the name of his son Mohit Yadav.

Chandigarh, February 9
The panchayats of those villages of Sirsa district that have attained 100 per cent literacy will be given a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh each.

“Akshar sainiks” who have made a significant contribution in this drive would also get an honourarium of Rs 500 per month for three months so as to inspire others for such campaigns.

Stating this today, an official spokesman said the literacy campaign was being implemented in the district under the “Uttar Saksharta Mission”. The sarpanchs, panchs, numberdars, members of self-help groups and unskilled persons working under the National Employment Guarantee Scheme would also be covered under this campaign so as to make them literate.

He stated that various slums around anganwari kendras in the urban areas would also be covered under the campaign. Those “bal sevikas” who would give outstanding performance in this literacy drive would be honoured, he added.

With the implementation of the literacy campaign in the district, spots had been identified to set up 200 “jan chetna kendras” and these were being inaugurated by female officers. The official said as many as 654 classes had been commenced in the district and these were being attended by 6,540 men and women.

To convey the message of literacy to all areas of the district, a group of artistes performed skits in 104 villages to create awareness. All those engaged in this mission have been urged to devote more time during the months of February and March as the people in rural areas have enough spare time during these months.

Kaithal, February 9
Students of Indira Gandhi Mahila Mahavidyalaya today observed a strike and blocked traffic on the Kaithal-Karnal road for about half an hour to press their demands.

They held a demonstration and smashed windowpanes of the college. The police detained four students and later released them.

The students were protesting against the allegedly dictatorial attitude of the principal of the college, Sadhna Thukral, demanding her removal for being “excessively strict” with the students.

They were agitated, as the principal has banned the use of cellphones on the college premises. They also demanded to stop the practice of fine on latecomers and closure of the college entrance gate during study hours. They were also agitated over the denial of college authorities to give refreshments to NSS students as per rules.

The principal could not be contacted. However, a spokesman of the college management said there was nothing wrong in enforcing some discipline on the students as far as cellphone issue was concerned, adding that it was mentioned in the college prospectus that its use would not be allowed on the college premises.

Rohtak, February 9
The Vigilance Bureau arrested Jhajjar deputy excise and taxation commissioner (DETC) G.C. Chaudhry on charge of taking bribe from a trader here late this evening.

A Dadri-based oil trader, Sanjay Goel, had complained to the Vigilance authorities that the said official was demanding bribe of Rs 50,000 from him.

Goel said his oil tanker had been intercepted by the Excise and Taxation Department and a fine of about Rs 2 lakh was imposed on it.

Chaudhry demanded Rs 50,000 from him to let off his tanker without paying any penalty. The trader informed the authorities, who laid a trap. Goel went to Chaudhry’s house in Sector 14 here late this evening. Chaudhry’s son Vikas reportedly accepted the bribe amount from Goel. Following this, the Vigilance sleuths took the DETC and his son to the local Vigilance office, where they were being interrogated till the time of filing this report. Meanwhile, according to sources, a case has been registered.

Rewari, February 9
The Khol police has booked Anita Devi’s husband Pradeep Kumar, mother-in-law Kitabo Devi and brother-in-law Raja, all residents of Lisan village, 30 km from here, for her death.

Anita’s completely charred body was recovered by the police from a chaff-stuffed thatched room of her house at Lisan village last night.

A case of dowry death under Sections 498-A, 304-B and 34 of the IPC has been registered against them following a complaint filed by the father of the deceased, Krishan Pal, a resident of Jadra village, 8 km from here.

Krishan Pal alleged that his daughter Anita, who got married to Pradeep in 2002, was persistently tortured for dowry by her in-laws, who eventually forced her to take the extreme step yesterday. Anita is survived by three children.

The police said the charred body of Anita had been sent to the PGIMS, Rohtak, for postmortem examination.

Kaithal, February 9
The Kaithal police today arrested two cops posted at Pundri — assistant sub-inspector Raghubir Singh and head constable Karamvir Singh — in connection with the escape of an accused from the police custody. The cops were arrested under Sections 223 and 224 of the IPC (negligence of duty). Kaithal SP told mediapersons here today that they were later produced in a court, which ordered their release on bail. The police has, however, failed to rearrest the accused, Angrez Singh, who escaped from the police custody in Pundri on Wednesday. — OC