Gurdaspur, December 7
Manjot Singh, an inmate of the local central jail, was hospitalised after he was allegedly beaten up by staff members of the jail, yesterday.

The inmate, who has been facing trial in a case of attempt to murder, alleged he was beaten up by members of jail staff when he raised his voice against the sale of intoxicants on the jail premises but staff denied the allegations.

Jail superintendent Surinder Singh said during the search, a mobile phone was recovered from the possession of Manjot Singh.

When the staff members tried to take away the mobile, Manjot started using force against them, he added.

The superintendent said he was asked how he brought the mobile inside the jail premises, Manjot Singh again started using force against the jail staff. He said the police was informed and mobile phone was handed over to them.

He said after some time Manjot Singh started levelling allegations that he had been beaten up by the jail staff members, he was sent to civil hospital for medical examination.

Manjot was not beaten up by any official of the staff, added the jail superintendent.

Sukhjinder Singh, SHO, city police station, said medical examination of Manjot Singh had been done and added that preliminary inquiry revealed that Manjot had inflicted some injuries on his body himself.

Though no statement of Manjot was yet recorded.

He said a report in connection with recovery of the mobile from Manjot Singh had also been recorded in the daily dairy report (DDR).

The further action in this connection would be taken after taking legal opinion from the district attorney. He said it was being investigated that how did he get the mobile phone in the local central jail.

Meanwhile, civil hospital sources, where Manjot Singh has been admitted, said he had suffered few injuries out of which one injury appeared to have been caused by a sharp-edged weapon.

Amritsar, December 7
Congress MLA, OP Soni, received a major shot in the arm here today with the district Youth Congress supporting his candidature for the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

Addressing the media here today, the former general secretary of the Punjab Youth Congress Bobby Mahajan said they have also written to the AICC president Sonia Gandhi to consider Soni for the next parliamentary elections from here as he has led the district in various capacities in the last 15 years as MLA, besides serving the city as its mayor.

However, certain leaders in the party, including former MLA Dr Raj Kumar, had earlier raised objection over the way Capt Amarinder Singh, chairman of the campaign committee, had leaked the name of Soni to a section of the media, which showed that there was a division in the party over this issue. There were even clashes between the supporters of Dr Kumar and Soni during a meeting convened by PPCC president Mohinder Singh Kaypee over this issue.

Mahajan said they had also urged AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, besides Kaypee and Capt Singh, to field a local candidate for the Lok Sabha elections. He said all of them had assured that they would keep in mind the aspirations of the local people regarding this issue.

Jalandhar, December 7
A dismissed Punjab police personnel was arrested while smuggling 5 kg opium, worth over Rs 6 lakh, at a naka in the Suranassi area, late last night.

According to Surinder Pal Singh, SHO, Maqsudan, Palwinder Singh, a dismissed head constable, was arrested while he was smuggling the contraband from Sirsa to Jalandhar.

Acting on a tip off, the police laid a trap and arrested Palwinder, a resident of Khalchian village.

The police also impounded a motorcycle used in smuggling. Palwinder Singh was dismissed for his involvement in certain criminal cases lodged against him a couple of years ago. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against him at the Maqsudan police station. 

Nawanshahr, December 7
Victims of the fraudulent dealing by Patti-based travel agents, a large number of people gathered at the Judicial Courts complex here yesterday as one of the accused, Prince Pal Singh of Patti in Tarn Taran, was brought here to appear before the court.

People belonging to the different districts of the state as well as the adjoining state of Himachal Pradesh, expressed resentment over the alleged dilly-dallying attitude of the Tarn Taran police in nabbing the other accused and demanded immediate action against the errant travel agents so that they could get back their money.

Kulwinder Singh of Mehatpur Ulladhani village in Nawanshahr filed a complaint after which the police here registered a case against Prince Pal Singh, his father Hardeep Singh, his brothers Rachhpal Singh, Harpal Singh and his accomplices Baljit Singh and Surinder Singh for allegedly duping as many as 24 youths of their money on the pretext of sending them to Dubai.

The police arrested Prince Pal Singh from Patti on September 20. The other accused are still at large. The victims - Kulwinder Singh, Balbir Singh, Shiv Ram, Sandeep Kumar Jethumazara, Jaswinder Kumar Gorakhpur, Jaswinder Pal Rattewal, Baljinder Kumar, Parvinder Kumar, Kashmir Singh, Jaswinder Singh ( Nawanshahr), Jeet Ram Talwara, Kulwinder Kittna (Hoshiarpur), Balbir singh,Gurdev Singh, Rajinder Singh, Baldev Singh, Janak Raj( Ludhiana), Jasbir of Nalagarh ( Himachal Pardesh), said Prince took Rs 1.5 lakh each from drivers, Rs 75,000 each from steel binders and Rs 65,000 each from others.

He also gave an employment contract with a Dubai Metro RTA company.

He took Rs 10,000 in advance along with passports, half of the money along with the VISA and the remaining balance along with the ticket and employment contract.

After taking the whole money, Prince Pal Singh called them at Amritsar airport on August 30, but they remained stunned after reaching there as he did not turn up there and was not available on the telephone. They filed a complaint at Nawanshahr police station.

Besides, Kulwant Singh resident of Khadoor Sahib (Tarn Taran) was also present there with a list of 27 youths who had also been a victim of the same travel agents.

Kulwant Singh said the accused travel agents had taken a sum of Rs 18 lakh from them. The victims had to return from Delhi Airport instead of taking a flight to Dubai.

Cases had already been registered against the errant travel agents at different districts also, he added.

Amritsar, December 7
DC Kahan Singh Pannu held a meeting with traders and travel agents here yesterday in connection with the curtailment of national and international flights from Amritsar International Airport and its impact on trade.

Pannu is expected to apprise the Central Advisory Committee, which has been constituted by the parliamentary panel to save the Amritsar International Airport from becoming defunct, about the details of meeting with the traders.

The traders put forward their opinions urging to make elaborate arrangements of cargo besides expansion of cargo terminal and setting up of Electronic Data Interface (EDI) on priority basis.

He said this would compensate various private airways operating from Amritsar in case they incurred any loss from decrease in passenger traffic. They also suggested for completion of the extension work of international airport by March 31.

They pointed out aero travel fuel rates have come down globally due to which the expenditures on the airline operations have decreased by 20 to 25 per cent. They said the government should talk with major airlines operating in the area to continue their flights. Pannu assured them they suggestions would be conveyed to central advisory committee.