Chandigarh, July 29
The Chandigarh police today placed Industrial Area police station SHO Jagir Singh along with four other policemen under suspension in connection with the custodial death of 35-year-old Inderjit Singh, who died under mysterious circumstances at the police station yesterday.

Sources said besides inspector Jagir Singh, investigating officer of the case, sub-inspector Narinder Singh, head constable Joginder Singh, munshi and constables, Mangat Singh and Varinder Singh; sentries posted at the police station had been placed under suspension for their role in the circumstances leading to Inderjit’s death. Inderjit Singh, a horse-cart rider, was taken to the police station after his cart knocked down a pedestrian, injuring him.

IG S.K. Jain said the SHO was suspended for lack of supervision, while the others were suspended for their failure to discharge their duties properly to ensure the safe custody of the accused.

He added that if the accused was drunk, he should have been taken to the hospital for a medical examination. Besides, the accused should have been kept in the lockup. Meanwhile, the body of the victim was cremated under tight security at the Mani Majra cremation ground.

There was a heavy deployment of police force at the cremation ground. The police also registered a case of rioting against 20 unidentified persons for yesterday’s rioting.

The police persuaded the family of the victim to take the body straight to the cremation ground, instead of taking it to their house in colony No. 4.

A board of doctors conducted a post-mortem examination at the Government Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sector 16.

The examination was conducted in the presence of judicial magistrate P.K. Lal and was videographed.

Giving an account of the footage available from the CCTV at the police station, sources said around 6.20 pm two acquaintances of Inderjit came to meet him.

They talked to Inderjit, who took a “biri” from them and began smoking. SI Narinder Singh and other policemen objected to it. It was learned that the SHO was at a meeting with a senior officer and was not present at the police station. He was informed about the incident at 7.10 pm.

At the hospital, Harish, one of the acquaintances of the victim who had seen the body claimed that there were no visible injury marks on the body.

Sudama, victim’s father, alleged that his son was tortured at the police station. He was also not allowed to meet his son and was informed about his death around 11 pm, six hours after his son died.

BJP’s local unit general secretary Sanjay Tandon said it was ironic that the police was quick at booking people for pelting stones but took a long time while registering a case of death due to negligence against its own men.

Chandigarh, July 29
There will be a metro station at the Chandigarh railway station. Under the proposed mass rapid transit system (MRTS) for the city, the Chandigarh administration has written to the Northern Railway regarding the setting up of a station at the Chandigarh railway station.

The station will come up along one of the proposed corridors from the motor market to Sector 105, Mohali, via the IT Park, Purv Marg.

The other proposed corridor is along the Sarangpur-Khuda Lahora-Maheshpur (Panchkula) section.

The importance of the railway station in the fast developing city and its connectivity to important destinations cannot be ignored. A number of mega projects are coming up on the northern and eastern brims of the city and there is a need to provide metro linkage to the railway station and the airport.

UT home secretary Sanjay Kumar confirmed that the railways had been approached to know about the availability of land for a metro station at the railway station.

The Chandigarh railway station has become an important hub with seven long-haul trains starting from the city. A similar plan for a metro station at the Chandigarh airport is also in the pipeline.

A few days ago, the administration had approved the name of RITES — a government of India undertaking — to carry out a comprehensive mobility plan for the metro project.

Among the three contenders — RITES, IDTE and Urban Mass Transit Company — the bid of Rs 55 lakh quoted by RITES was the lowest, confirmed a senior official.

Meanwhile, the Chandigarh administration and the Northern Railway have agreed to give land for widening of road to the station. Witness to frequent snarl-ups, the existing road is also the only link to Chandigarh railway station.

The issue was discussed during a meeting between officials of the Chandigarh administration and their railway counterparts yesterday.

A senior official said while land on one side of the road belonged to the railways, the other was with the UT forest department.

On parking issue, the railways was going in for a major expansion of the parking area.

A bus queue shelter for passengers has also been planned outside the station building.

Mohali, July 29
The Punjab government has decided not to extend the limits of the Nayagaon Notified Area Committee (NAC) to include the entire areas of Nadah and Karoran villages.

In a decision taken recently by the government, it was held that the Nayagaon NAC had large tracts of land, which are locked under the provisions of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (1900) and a matter regarding the delisting of these areas from the PLPA was pending in the Supreme Court.

Highly placed sources said it had been decided that till the Supreme Court took a final decision on the issue, it would not be proper for the state government to make any changes in the NAC boundaries. The NAC currently includes the entire boundary of Kansal village and parts of Nadah and Karoran villages.

The decision of the government comes in the wake of an order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court that the government should consider the representations made by the residents of these villages and take a final decision in this regard.

Chandigarh, July 29
The Chandigarh Administration has virtually shattered the dream of the Punjab government to construct its Finance and Planning Bhawan in Chandigarh.

The Punjab Government had given Rs 14.98 crore to the UT Administration for allotting 2.58 acres of land for the bhawan in March 2007. However, sources in the state government said the land was allotted to the state at such a place in Sector 38 where it was difficult to take possession of the land.

Sources said the land allotted was at present occupied by some persons and it was difficult to remove them from that piece of land. The UT Administration had been asked to give clear possession of the land to the state government after removing all the encumbrances involved in this regard.

In fact, the state government has made a provision of Rs 15 crore this year to start construction of the bhawan. However, as it is yet to get possession of the land, it is difficult for it to start the construction work on the land, it is learnt. In fact, the land has been allotted at such a place where it would be difficult for common people to visit. It should have been allotted at some central place. Several other organisations have been allotted land at suitable places whereas the state government has been allotted land at a place that will not be very convenient for the public to visit as it is on the far end of the city.

The state government has several off-shoots of the Finance Department scattered at several places in the city. The Planning Department that works under the command of the Finance Department is in Sector 17. The Lotteries Department that is also under the control of the Finance Department is located at some other place in the same sector.

Likewise, the Institutional Finance and Banking Department, Treasurer and Charitable Endowments, Treasury and Accounts and Small Savings wings of the Finance Department are located at different places.

The bhawan was conceived to being all off-shoots of the Finance Department under one roof for better coordination and administration. Provision has also been made for a full-fledged office for the finance minister in the bhawan, it is learnt.

Chandigarh, July 29
Fascinating is the word ambassador Danie’le Smadja, head of the Delegation of the European Commission in New Delhi, chooses to describe her Indian experience since she arrived in September last year.

She’s quick to justify her choice of description for India. “It is not only fascinating for the varied hues splashed around on the Indian canvas, the rich cultural history, the interesting personalities but also for its movement towards ‘Incredible India’. The one thing that particularly strikes me about India is that she is changing by the week, making rapid strides towards development,” Smadja said in an interview to TNS.

In the city on “business” and between meeting hopping, she admits that the complexity and diversity of India intrigue her and there is a big world to discover out there. “India is so big and so varied that a part of the challenge comes from making the European Union (EU) more known to India and the Indians,” she remarks.

While the warmth of the Indians has over-whelmed her, it’s global warming and climate change that are of immediate concern to her as also the European Union.

“We stand committed to peace and stability in Africa, the Balkan states and elsewhere. Equally important is the issue of climate change and energy security. We cannot wait any longer and have to act now to save the world,” she maintains. While holding that the EU is a leader in climate change negotiations, she says all member states will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent by 2020.

“We are committed to reduce these emissions to about 30 per cent while simultaneously working on energy conservation. Here, too, the plan is to meet 20 per cent of all energy needs from renewable energy again by the year 2020,” she insists.

The ambassador disclosed that though the targets had been identified and their thinking caps were on, the internal burden-sharing among states was still being worked out. “All member states are on board and modalities should be worked out by next year. How we get there is the big question before us now,” she explains.

Referring to the EU-India summit on climate change to be held later this year, Smadja opines, “Energy conservation is going to be a thrust area and we realise that India is committed to the cause and developing countries also need to set targets. The EU and India should and will be on the same side when it comes to climate change. However, we also agree that developing countries cannot have the same targets as developed countries but they have to be willing partners to at least be a part of the process.”

On the issue of India’s stake for a permanent seat in the Security Council, she said EU did not have a common position on this yet but this issue would be taken up in due course of time.

While she is keeping her fingers crossed that the on-going Geneva talks are “successful”. She juggles with concerns about multi-lateral trade and food security, all grave problems with no solutions so far, and time is running out fast. 

Chandigarh, July 29
Taking cognisance of Monday’s incident in which four students of the department of Punjabi, PU, protested against their teacher, the PU Syndicate today constituted a committee to look into the matter.

According to sources, it was decided that only after the committee’s recommendation, the university would consider re-evaluation of the examination papers as demanded by the students.

In fact, if the insiders are to be believed, when the matter was discussed in the Syndicate, some of the members opined that the allegations were politically motivated in view of the forthcoming Senate elections. However, looking at the severity of the allegations, the committee was constituted.

Four students of the Punjabi department had submitted a memorandum to the vice-chancellor and had sought re-evaluation of answer sheets of the M Phil first year examination, accusing the faculty of bias.

Levelling serious allegations, these students have accused the faculty of the department of victimising them because of the in-house fighting among the faculty members. 

Chandigarh, July 29
The Panjab University Syndicate at its meeting held today decided to give 10-day deadline to Homoeopathy College, Sector 26, to implement the agreement between the management and teachers over financial matters and promotions in the presence of the vice-chancellor failing which the university would start the disaffiliation process as per section 30 of the PU Act.

Also, at the meeting for the ensuing Senate elections in September, six PU fellows (senators ) had requested for change of the faculty. The matter was considered but was not accepted after having gone through the legal opinion obtained from two legal retainers of the university. The syndics also gave their nod to the proposal for 1 per cent reservation to the wards of martyrs and permanently disabled Army personnel of the Kargil war.

A proposal to provide 1 per cent reservation up to maximum one seat in every department and exemption in fee and hostel fee was put up earlier, which was approved today. The syndics also approved the proposal to increase the number of scholarships for toppers of various disciplines from affiliated colleges as well as from the teaching departments of PU. Also, the university would increase the amount of scholarships to be given to them.

The syndics approved the proposal to hike the scholarship fund, which is taken from each student at the time of initial enrolment to PU and its affiliated colleges from Rs 10 to Rs 15.

The syndics also approved appointment of professor Meera Malik, Department of Correspondence Studies, as chairperson, Centre for Women’s Studies & Development. 

Chandigarh, July 29
Students of the UIET (University Institute of Engineering and Technology), PU, are once again in the limelight and once more for wrong reasons. In a recent incident of ragging in UIET, the standing committee of PU had suspended the students after listening to both parties.

The involved students blamed the media today for straining their relationship with their seniors.

In fact, the students also staged a protest at Students’ Centre and submitted a memorandum to the PU authorities as well.

The first year students who were showing solidarity with their seniors had themselves identified the seniors as accused in front of the members of the anti-ragging standing committee.

What raises the doubts over the authenticity of this show is the fact that till yesterday these students were calling up the media persons saying that it’s their own genuine cause. In the protest, they were joined in by leaders of the university who sent the press statement exposing the genuiness of the whole drama.

Chandigarh, July 29
Surinder Singh and Ishwar Dayal Gaur, professors of history, Panjab University, after over three-year research have completed their project by editing a book, “Popular Literature and Pre-Modern Societies in South Asia.”

The two have tried to lend a voice to the underprivileged through the book.

It is a collection of 19 research papers written by historians from India and Pakistan and deals mainly with six themes related to state formation, resistance and protest, little traditions, gender relations, cultural fusion and social conventions.

“Books written on history in the past were based on official history but we tried to go beyond that and undertook a journey to Pakistan in January, 2006. We interacted with scholars, historians and intellectuals there to gather their first-hand account,” says Surinder Singh.

“Even though the stories of the underprivileged people are mentioned in history, these are not the words of such people but those of the elite class. Through this book, we have let people have their own viewpoint,” says Ishwar Dayal Gaur.

The contributors to this volume collectively intend to underline the significance of “history from below”.

For the purpose, they have encompassed the role of oral as well as popular written literary traditions.

The reader thus gets an opportunity to read vernacular or people’s history of Sind, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Jammu, Western Himalayas, Awzdh, Assam, Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

The book will serve as a guide to research students and a reference book to social scientists.

Chandigarh , July 29
If teachers of Moti Ram School, Sector 27, here, who have been teaching for 20 years, are to be believed, they are being "terrified" by the school management.

Reason: They took liberty to raise their voice against the dictatorial attitude of the management and the differential pay structure being given to them.

One teacher, Madhu Madan, was under such a depression that she collapsed this morning while taking her class. Her colleagues alleged that the school authorities did not allow any teacher to accompany Madhu to hospital. Later, she was shifted to the GH-32 with the help of her husband.

Director principal Shakuntala Mahajan called it a concocted story. "The teacher was fainted out of shock because a student had exploded a cracker in washroom," she replied.

When this correspondent went to meet Madhu, she blamed the director principal for putting her under tension.

"I was under so much stress that I collapsed while taking my class in the morning. Shakuntala Mahajan has been pressuring me to submit resignation from the post. Don’t we have right to ask for a justifiable salary?", said Madhu, Class XII economics teacher, who has been serving for the past 20 years.

Madhu stated that if something happens to her, it would be only because of the autocratic attitude of Shakuntala Mahajan.

Other teachers, too, disclosed that such treatment was being meted out to those teachers only who had been enrolled regularly.

About the differential pay structure, the director said the matter of revision in the salaries would be done in due course. "We have already sent a communication to the DPI (S) for approval of committee members who would decide the pay structure. As soon as we receive the approval from the office, we would revise accordingly", she justified.

“Only those teachers are pulled up whose results were not up to the mark. Otherwise, there is no issue”, she said.

On the other hand, the teachers rued that their results were reasonably good, the school management is finding excuses for not following a uniform salary structure as per the CBSE guidelines. "I have been working in the school for the past 23 years, till date I get Rs 7,000 as monthly pay. Like me, other teachers, too, are being paid 25 per cent reduced basic pay," rued a teacher.

The education department had served a notice to the school, regarding the withdrawal of permanent recognition because of various discrepancies found in its functioning. The department had pointed out that the school was not paying salary and DA on a par with those teachers working in the local government schools and not maintaing account books, service books and personal files of the staff properly.

Chandigarh, July 29
For ensuring a clean Panchkula, the municipal council requires at least 800 safai karamcharis but financial constraints did not permit the local administration to induct so many persons - this is what the authorities concerned have to say on the conditions prevailing in the town.

As the public interest petition seeking a cleaner Panchkula came up for hearing, Haryana Urban Development Authority chief administrator T.C. Gupta, deputy commissioner Rajinder Kumar Kataria and others appeared before the Punjab and Haryana High Court Division Bench of Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Mahesh Grover in accordance with the directions during the previous hearing on the need to ensure better sanitary conditions, roads, etc.

Others present during the resumed hearing on the case included executive officer, municipal council, Panchkula and the chief engineer, public health, Haryana.

Gupta apprised the court that various sectors and areas under reference in the report of the court commissioner A.R.Takkar were entirely within the jurisdiction of the municipal council and HUDA as such had little or no role either in repairs or other maintenance.

The deputy commissioner and also the municipal council officer pointed out that as far as the roads repair was concerned, it required at least Rs 50 crore to take up and complete the assignment. They added that paucity of funds with the municipal council was the single biggest hurdle in initiating steps for repair and maintenance of the roads. However, attempts are being made towards better garbage and solid waste management.

The officers, however, regretted that encroachments persisted because the affected persons were often able to secure a stay on the evictions. At this, the bench suggested that the civil courts should take the issue in entirety before granting stay on evictions as it hampered the development works of different nature. The need to attend to cleaning up of Singh Nullah of the garbage and similar other pollutants, too, was being taken up once the storm water management improved after the rainy season.

Before parting, the bench asked for a status report from the respondent within eight weeks and has listed the case for further hearing on September 30. 

Chandigarh, July 29
The Chandigarh police today formally arrested Jaswinder Singh Bhullar, alias Rocky, one of the prime suspects in the murder case of “gangster” Prabhjinder Singh Dimpy. He was produced before a local court, which remanded him in police custody till August 4, while his associate, Amandeep Singh, arrested under Arms Act with Rocky, was remanded in judicial custody.

Seeking remand, the police pleaded before the court that during interrogation Rocky had revealed the names of two Meerut-based shooters - Sunil and Surinder Kumar Vakil.

He also told the police that cartridges were lying with his acquaintance at Jaipur.

The police has so far ruled out the role of Harneev Kaur and Sandeep Bhau in the case. Teams will be dispatched to various places to conduct raids.

Meanwhile, Rocky was handed over to the crime branch of the Chandigarh, which was already probing the case.

Sources in the police said the only scientific evidence that could establish Rocky’s involvement in the case was the recovery of the .45 bore US army pistol from his possession.

IG S.K. Jain said brain mapping and narco-tests of Rocky would be conducted on him to corroborate the evidences gathered so far in the case.

Rocky had expressed his willingness to undergo the tests in the past, but remained elusive to the police after he was booked in an attempted murder case, in which he was later declared a proclaimed offender.

Sources in the police said the CID wing has apprised senior officials of the possibility of shooting of the suspects by members of another gang, citing an instance in Uttar Pradesh wherein members of Ansari gang were killed while being produced in court.

As relatives of Dimpy were in the city and also visited the courts, the CID wing expressed apprehension of shooting.

On the role of forensics, sources said every gun left behind its unique print on the shell - where the trigger hits the bullet and on the sides of the shell when it automatically comes out of the weapon on being fired.

Besides, spirals in the barrel of the firearm also leave their distinct impression on the shell. Moreover, lead of five bullets recovered from Dimpy’s body during autopsy can help identify the weapon used in the crime.

The weapon will be sent for examination to experts in the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory (CFSL).