Chandigarh, August 25
Pratap Singh, a Faridabad resident, now has justice to look forward to.

He had lost all hopes to bring guilty policemen to book for the custodial death of his 21-year-old son Rohtash. But the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s has ordered the registration of a case in the matter, bringing justice within his sight.

Rohtash was allegedly beaten up by the police after the car he was driving collided with an auto-rickshaw. He was later taken to the police station and shown to have been found hanging in the police lock-up.

Acting on Bancheri village resident Pratap Singh’s petition in the matter, Justice Ajai Lamba today directed the station house officer of Hodal police station to lodge a first information report.

Pronouncing the orders in an open court, Justice Lamba also directed that the investigation in the case would be carried out by the crime branch, and that also by an officer not below the rank of an IPS.

Justice Lamba also directed the completion of the investigation within 90 days of case registration’s date. The Judge observed it was the duty of the state and other respondents to register a case and investigate the matter.

Allowing the petition, the Judge further observed the state DGP was asked to file a reply in the matter, but the same was not furnished.

Taking into consideration the delay already caused in the case, there was no occasion to adjourn the hearing, the Judge added.

In his petition, Pratap Singh had earlier sought directions to entrust the investigations in the case to the CBI. He had claimed that Rohtash succumbed to his injuries after he was mercilessly beaten up for over 10 hours at Hodal police station. Later, in an attempt to cover up the matter, the custodial death was projected by the police as suicide.

Going into the background of the matter, petitioner’s counsel Arun Bakshi had contended Rohtash was beaten up in full public view after an argument broke between him and the auto-rickshaw driver. He was then taken to an office, where he was again beaten up. In pain and almost unconscious, he was taken to Hodal police station and later on his death was projected as suicide.

Referring to the post-mortem report, the counsel added it contained “biased opinion”. In any case, the cause of death was hanging. But it had not been stated whether it was a suicide or a result of manual strangulation. The respondents, he further added, were duty bound to explain the circumstances leading to injuries.

He added the petitoner was “devastated and aggrieved by the inaction of the state government to conduct an inquiry into the custodial death matter”. 

Fatehabad, August 25
With a view to improving the image of the police in public and increase the efficiency of cops, the authorities concerned have decided to upgrade local police stations to international standards.

Initially, one police station of each district of Hisar police range will be upgraded. Later, other police stations may follow suit if the scheme succeeds.

The authorities have first chosen to upgrade the city police station in Fatehabad district as per international norms. An international standard organisation (ISO) certification will also be provided to the police station.

After bringing about necessary changes in the documentation and other aspects of day-to-day policing, ISO 9001:2000 certificate will be issued to the police station.

Dr Anupama Dalal, director of the Elite Force, a company that has been entrusted the task of training cops in accordance with the ISO manual, visited the Fatehabad city police station on Friday and held discussions with SHO Kapil Sihag.

Later, talking to The Tribune, Dalal said the ISO standards would bring about changes in the policing both in terms of behaviour as well as documentation.

She said this would bring about transparency in the working of the police and make cops people-friendly.

“The policemen will be told how to instill confidence in people about their working,” she said.

Fatehabad SP Saurabh Singh said one police station in each district in Hisar range had been selected for ISO certification. Besides, the SP office would also be changed as per international norms, he added.

“We will provide the Punjab Police Rules (PPR) to the team of the Elite Force, who in turn will frame working guidelines as per international standards. Once the working manual is made, the policing will be done strictly in accordance with those norms,” Saurabh Singh said.

He said the ISO certificate would be issued to the police station after observing their working for some time. The SP maintained that the ISO certification would make the police more people friendly and efficient.

Gurgaon, August 25
After two deaths due to dengue, a team of the health department from Chandigarh headquarters today visited Gurgaon to take stock of the situation that arose after the outbreak of dengue in the city.

The team consisted of senior regional director Dr Amarjit, technician Ratan Chandra and insect collector Jaina. It had a meeting with civil surgeon Dr S.S. Dalal and district malaria officer Dr Krishan Kumar.

Dr Amarjit said the team would stay in Gurgaon for two days and conduct survey in the dengue-affected areas to know the cause of the disease and steps taken by the health authorities to curb its further spread into new areas.

District malaria officer Dr Krishan Kumar said two had died of dengue.

One was from Sector 15, part II, and the other was from South City I, he said.

Kumar apprised the team that during this season 303 suspected cases of dengue were reported in Gurgaon, out of which 205 were found suffering from the disease and majority of them had been cured.

He said presently about 32 dengue patients were receiving treatment in various hospitals of the city.

According to Dr Krishan Kumar, a majority of dengue cases were reported from new Gurgaon and posh colonies.

Not a single case of dengue was traced in Jacubpura, which lies in the old Gurgaon town, though there was dirt and filth at various places in that area.

Similarly, no dengue case was reported from the slum areas.

He said the health department had deployed six teams in different areas to educate people about the causes of dengue.

He said the teams consisted of 40 employees and they would ask people to clean dry their coolers at least once a week and clean their overhead tanks regularly to avoid breeding of mosquitoes.

Biologist Shakuntala Malik said aedis mosquito could even breed in flowerpots so people should clean their potted plants regularly. — PTI

Chandigarh, August 25
The Haryana government has set up the Haryana Agriculture Development Agency (HADA) under the overall supervision and guidance of its board of patrons headed by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The agriculture minister, the power and irrigation minister and the chief secretary will be the members of the board of patrons.

Agriculture minister H.S. Chatha said the agency would be an autonomous body and it would have a governing body under the chairmanship of the financial commissioner and principal secretary, agriculture.

Giving details of the objectives of HADA, Chatha said the agency aimed at promoting effective implementation of the National Food Security Mission, the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna, the State Extension Programme and other central and state-sponsored schemes.

It would also promote diversification of crops, organic farming, resource-conserving technologies, gender equity in agriculture, use of certified/hybrid/transgenic seeds, besides demonstrating to farmers improved agronomic practices, including water-conserving technologies and energy-saving practices by way of extension network and use of mass media.

The agency would also work to improve the soil health and would identify specific needs of the farming community and set up priorities for sustainable agricultural development, besides executing plans through line departments and coordinating efforts being made by various line departments. — UNI

Chandigarh, August 25
A retired Uttri Haryana Bijli Nigam officer, reinstated in service after acquittal in a case, will get salary for almost nine years after the Punjab and Haryana High Court today held his suspension was “wholly unjustified”.

The petitioner, Mai Chand, in his petition placed before the Bench of Justice M.M. Kumar and Justice Jora Singh, had contended that his services were placed under suspension on November 28, 1980, after a complaint was forwarded to the police for the registration of a case against him. At that time, he was working as a meter reader. Subsequently, on the basis of a complaint a first information report for cheating and other offences was registered on April 2, 1981, at Mullana police station in Ambala district.

But, he was reinstated on September 12, 1989. Before he was acquitted in the matter, the petitioner retired upon attaining the age of superannuation on July 31, 2007.

Taking up the matter, the Bench observed: “The question arises how to treat the period of suspension from November 28, 1980, to September 11, 1989.”

The Bench added: “The acquittal of the petitioner in a criminal case would render his suspension wholly unjustified and no order could have been issued for forfeiting his pay during the suspension period.” “The order dated November 10, 2005, in this regard was declared illegal. The petitioner shall be entitled to salary for period from November 28, 1980, to September 11, 1989, by adjustment of salary paid to him.”

Fatehabad, August 25
Former Haryana minister Sampat Singh today alleged that an unholy nexus between criminals, some unscrupulous police officers and some political leaders in power had emerged, leading to a rise in the number of cases of organised crimes in the state.

Talking to mediapersons here today, Sampat Singh said traders had been particularly targeted for ransom by criminals in the recent past. This, he said, was a new trend.

“It is important to break this nexus before it is too late,” Sampat Singh maintained. The former minister was here for mobilising traders for the proposed meeting of former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala with traders on August 31.

He said the Indian National Lok Dal was the first party in the country to have introduced the value added tax (VAT) system.

The aim of introducing VAT, he maintained, was to have a uniform system of taxation throughout the country. However, the present government headed by Bhupinder Singh Hooda had failed to achieve that goal, he added.

Sampat Singh alleged that the CST and the entry tax were still in vogue though it was promised that no other tax would be charged once VAT was introduced.

“Rationalisation of taxation is still pending and traders of Haryana are being made to pay more taxes than their counterparts in other states,” he alleged. He alleged that the facilities required for the trade like power were hardly available to traders today.

Sampat Singh visited several traders’ organisations in the town and urged them to participate in the meeting with Chautala on August 31 on issues pertaining to traders. Sushil Indora and Gian Chand Odh, INLD MLAs, were present. 

Kurukshetra, August 25
The Dr B.R. Ambedkar Teachers Welfare Association (ATWA), Kurukshetra University, has expressed resentment over non-implementation of the reservation policy in Kurukshetra University.

President of the association Suresh Kumar, in a signed statement released to mediapersons here said all members expressed resentment to this effect at the ATWA’s meeting held here on Friday.

He alleged that in the recent advertisement for filling up various posts of teaching and non-teaching staff, Kurukshetra University did not follow the reservation policy and thus violated UGC guidelines for the implementation of the reservation policy sent to all central and state universities for strict implementation of the reservation policy for SC/ST at all levels of recruitment i.e. lecturer, reader and professor.

He further alleged that although other universities in the state, including GJU, Hisar, and MDU, Rohtak, had implemented this policy, Kurukshetra University had failed to implement it irrespective of its various meetings with the university administration and the education minister as well.

Chandigarh, August 25
The Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Welfare Department, Haryana, has invited applications from SC and BC students of classes XI and XII for scholarship during 2008-09 under the Dr Ambedkar Medhavi Chhatra Yojna.

Students who have passed class X in 2008 from the Haryana School Education Board or any other board with 60 per cent or more marks and have taken admission to class XI or the first year of polytechnic/ITI can apply for the scholarship. The department has invited applications from students who were given scholarship during 2007-08 for class XI. Students having Haryana domicile and studying in government, recognised, un-recognised schools in the state will get the scholarship. Eligible students should send their applications through the principals of their institutes or schools to the district welfare officer by October 15.

Kaithal, August 25
Government functionaries entrusted with the task of implementing the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme , it seems, are yet to learn the basics of the scheme. Though the scheme was launched on April 1, it has hardly made any headway.

The fact that officials lack knowledge about the scheme came to light during a workshop held at the mini- secretariat here recently. It was attended by key functionaries associated with the scheme.

According to reports, some officials had to cut a sorry figure when they were unable to answer the queries put up by deputy commissioner Vikas Gupta.

He reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over the slow implementation of the scheme and said this attitude of the officers could jeopardise the proper implementation of the scheme.

To test the knowledge of the officers concerned , the deputy commissioner announced to hold a written test regarding the scheme on August 31.

Gurgaon, August 25
Chief election officer of Haryana Sajjan Singh said here that the final electoral lists in the state would be published by September 15.

The election commission of India had earlier fixed August 31 as the final date for the purpose.

At a meeting held here with the election officers of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Palwal and Mewat, he expressed satisfaction with the process of preparing 10 per cent electoral photo I-cards (EPICs) as well as the electoral lists with photos of voters on them

He directed the officers to ensure proper checking of the lists of voters.

At a separate meeting with the representatives of various residents welfare associations, he invited their suggestions for the purpose.

On being told that senior citizens were facing problems in getting photographed as they had to make repeated visits for the purpose, he said such voters could get 
themselves photographed on their own and get them pasted on form 6, 
attested by a competent government officer, and submit the same to the office concerned in their areas.

Sirsa, August 25
Irked over exclusion of their names from the list of below poverty line (BPL) people, a large number of residents held a demonstration in Dabwali here today.

The demonstration was led by Asha Balmiki, president of the municipal committee, Sita Devi, senior vice-president of the INLD, and party’s other local leaders.

Alleging discrimination, the demonstrators said poor and deserving people had not been included in the BPL list, while many rich and prosperous persons had managed their inclusion in the list. Demanding a fresh survey, the agitators said their names should be included in the BPL list.

Later, INLD leaders gave a memorandum to SDM Subhash Gaba demanding a fresh survey and action against the officials responsible for the incorrect survey within 15 days. The INLD threatened to launch an agitation if the authorities failed to take action in this regard.

Jind, August 25
The house of Kashmir Singh was allegedly set afire by four persons in Chhatar village today. According to information, Kashmir Singh not only lost all household items, but Rs 35,000 kept in the house was also charred.

The police has registered a case but no arrests have been made so far.

According to the complaint lodged with the police, four residents of the village identified as Surender, Dalhar, Sunil and Baljit came to the house of Kashmir Singh around 10.30 am and started an argument after allegedly hurling abuses on him and his family.

The victim also tried to pacify the four. Neighbours, who intervened into the matter, turned away the accused.

However, after about half an hour, the accused came back with a can of kerosene and allegedly set the house on fire. No one was inside the house at the time of incident, but the fire charred the house, before anyone could rush to douse the flames. The accused managed to escape before the police arrived.

Rewari, August 25
A man reportedly barged into his neighbour’s house and allegedly raped his wife after thrashing her in Dahina village, 24 km from here, yesterday.

The accused identified as Satpal Yadav (40) entered his neighbour’s house and allegedly started misbehaving with the neighbour’s wife, who was alone at home.

When she objected to it, he allegedly thrashed and raped her. The accused also threatened the victim with dire consequences, if she told anyone about the incident.

However, when her husband, who was out of town, returned home, she disclosed the matter to him.

The police has registered a case of rape, atrocious trespass, causing hurt and criminal intimidation under Sections 376, 450, 323 and 506 of the IPC against the accused.

Simultaneously, the woman was also medically examined at the Civil Hospital here. Meanwhile, the police also arrested the accused, who was today produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Saurabh Gosain, who remanded him in judicial custody for 14 days.

Rewari, August 25
Two armed miscreants reportedly looted over Rs 40 lakh in Akeda village near Dharuhera here today.

The cash belonging to Ajanta Soya Limited of Bhiwadi, which was kept in two tins, was being taken to the factory headquarters in Delhi.

SP Ram Singh Bishnoi said the miscreants intercepted the car, in which the cash was being taken to Delhi, at Akeda, thrashed the driver of the car and left him there. They then took the cashier along with them and also left him on the Bilaspur-Pataudi road.

Subsequently, when the car went out of order, the miscreants abandoned the vehicle near Ghoshgarh village and fled into the fields along with the booty.

The district police chief said the police force of Rewari and Gurgaon districts had been sent to trace and arrest the culprits.

Bahadurgarh (Jhajjar), August 25
A youth was allegedly shot dead in Mandothi village here last night. The deceased has been identified as Ram Chander (28), a resident of Bupania village in Jhajjar district. Old enmity is believed to be behind the murder.

The police has registered a murder case against three persons, Gyanender, Harichand and Kartar Singh, of Mandothi village in this connection and started investigation.

The incident came to light when villagers saw Chander’s body lying in a pool of blood near a government school last night. They informed the police about the incident.

Deputy superintendent of police Rajeev Deswal along with station house officer of the Sadar police station rushed to the spot and took the body to the Civil Hospital here for postmortem.

Sources said Chander had been staying with his relative Himmat Singh in Mandothi village for a long time.

In another incident, a motorcycle-borne youth was allegedly shot at by his neighbour near Vatsa Colony, when he was returning home last night. He was rushed to a private hospital by his family members, where his condition was stated to be out of danger.

The police has registered a case against the alleged accused, Balraj.

Rewari, August 25
The mortal remains of Navin Kumar (24), a jawan of 45 Rashtriya Rifles, were consigned to the flames with state honours at his native village Katopuri, near Jatusana, yesterday.

Lt-Col J.J. Joseph, commanding officer of 45 Rashtriya Rifles, and two jawans - Navin Kumar of Rewari district and Lacchman Singh of Sikar district in Rajasthan - were killed in a fierce encounter with infiltrators in Macchal sector in Kupwara in north Kashmir on Friday. The Army also managed to gun down five militants.

The body of Navin Kumar, which was flown to Delhi on Saturday evening, reached Katopuri yesterday.

Among others, his funeral was attended by SDM Yogesh Bhardwaj, officiating DSP of Kosli Risal Singh, Satya Prakash of the Zila Sainik Board and former minister and district INLD chief Jagdish Yadav.

Navin is survived by wife Sheela, son Aditya, who is two and a half years old, and his old parents.