The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Five Pak nationals under watch
Raju William
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 12
Five Pakistanis are among seven foreign nationals of non-Indian origin who have purchased immovable property in Uttarakhand.

The information based on intelligence inputs has sent the state administration into a tizzy due to prevailing security threat in the wake of Mumbai terrorist attack.

The matter cropped up in a meeting of the Regional Economic Intelligence Committee (REIC) recently held here. These foreign nationals purchased residential and commercial properties without the mandatory permission of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) some years ago.

A Dutch national, who is also under the watch of the intelligence agencies, purchased property in Nainital but with the RBI permission, said sources.

As per the minutes of the meeting, a copy of which is with The Tribune, four Pakistani nationals purchased houses and shops in Dehradun and while another one in Rishikesh.

A US and a British national have also purchased properties in Mussoorie and Uttarakashi.

The minutes did not mention the names of these foreign nationals and other details. Intelligence officials also refused to divulge the same.

LM Pant, secretary, Finance, Uttarakhand, confirmed that an inquiry has been marked into the matter on the basis of the information provided by the intelligence agencies.

The district registrars of Dehradun, Uttarakashi and Nainital districts have been asked to find out when these properties were registered.

Notably, under Rule 241 of the registration manual, the registering officers are not concerned with the legal validity of a document. The deed documents also do not require information on the nationality of a buyer.

But sources said that the matter was very sensitive since it involved Pakistani nationals. The inquiry will reveal whether the properties in question are “benami” or actually owned by them.

Intelligence agencies had been monitoring their visits to their relatives here for quite some time.

Their officials refused to comment whether the revelation had any espionage angle at this stage.

“All we can say is that they are under watch,” they said.

Bus overturns, 24 injured
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, February 12
A bus carrying forty employees of a factory turned turtle before hitting a tree, here this morning. As many as 24 people were injured in the accident and have been rushed to the district hospital.

According to the injured and eye-witnesses, the bus numbered UK08 PA-0018, belonging to Phoenix lamps company situated in SIDCUL, was going from Rishikesh to Haridwar on NH-72. At around 6:30 am, near Har-ki-Pauri area a maruti car that was overtaking another vehicle came right in front of the bus and the driver in an attempt to avoid a collision swerved off the road. The vehicle fell into a nearby trench.

Meanwhile, locals gathered at the spot and along with the police helped out the injured. A grievously injured Kirti has been referred to the Doon Hospital.

18 school kids hurt
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, February 12
As many as 18 children were hurt when a bus ferrying them fell into a gorge, around one-km from Mussoorie, here today. However, the children had a lucky escape as the bus got stuck between some trees, which stopped it from falling further.

The bus, carrying students of Tilakdhari Vishwavidhalaya Purvanchal, skidded-off the road near Hotel Padmini Niwas on the Mussoorie-Dehradun road. Upon hearing the news, ITBP jawans rushed to the spot and safely evacuated the children and the driver.

The injured were later taken to the Civil hospital. The children were returning after a trip to Mussoorie.

Death of college student
Students burn effigy of sports minister Bhandari
Vishal Thakur

Dehradun, February 12
In protest against the sluggish pace of inquiry into the death of Bhagwan Singh, students of Maharana Pratap Sports College burnt an effigy of state sports minister Rajender Bhandari at the Clock Tower, here this afternoon. Students also demanded immediate resignation of Bhandari.

Bhagwan Singh, a class XI student of the Sports College, had died of a sudden kidney failure on February 1, 2009. The inquiry into the incident was ordered just two days back and the college students were asked to give their statement to Additional District Magistrate VK Suman.

However, students alleged that the authorities have not recorded their statements yet. They were also irked by the fact that dependents of the deceased were not offered any compensation by the government.

Earlier in the day, a large number of students gathered at the Parade Ground under the banner of Uttarakhand Khiladi Sangharsh Morcha and took out a procession from there to the Clock Tower.

After burning the effigy of the sports minister, the angry protesters under the leadership of Morcha president Jasvinder Pal Singh headed for the ADM VK Suman’s office and submitted a memorandum.

“We are just demanding compensation for the family members of the deceased. Besides, those responsible for negligence that led to the death of Bhagwan Singh should be brought to book,” said a visibly angry Jasvinder.

General secretary of the morcha Anant Prakash Mishra said, “The sports ministry should take cognizance of the day-to-day condition of college students, including lack of proper water supply and sanitation.”

They also took up the matter of poor condition of the college mess.

In the memorandum, Morcha leaders have demanded compensation for the family of the deceased.

They have also asked for an insurance cover for each and every student of the college.

Case against college, resort for trekkers’ death
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 12
The Nainital police has registered a case under Section 304-A of the IPC against the management of IMS Engineering College, Ghaziabad, a travel agency and a private resort in connection with the death of two girls who had come to Nainital for trekking.

The FIR has been lodged on the basis of a complaint lodged by the parents of the deceased at the Tallitaal police station.

Two girl students from Ghaziabad, who had come to Nainital for trekking, died of chill on Wednesday.

They have been identified as Priyanka Goyal of Dadri, Ghaziabad, and Kanika of Chiranjeev Vihar, Ghaziabad.

Priyanka and Kanika were first-year students of Biotechnology at IMS Engineering College, Ghaziabad.

They were part of a 100-member team that had come to Khurpatal area of Nainital for trekking on Tuesday evening.

The cops said that on Wednesday morning, the students went on a trek without wearing adequate woollen clothes.

While the students were out, they were caught in the rain and hail that was followed by snowfall.

The two girls had complained of headache and nausea.

They were first taken to a health centre at Kaladoongi from where they were referred to the base hospital at Haldwani. They died on way to the hospital.

ASP Nainital Mukesh Chauhan said that Vinod Kumar, father of Priyanka, and Naval Kishore, father of Kanika, had lodged a complaint in Tallitaal police station.

“Acting on the complaint, a case had been registered and investigations are on,” he added.

Backed by Gujjars, Verma rejoins Cong
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 12
In what comes as a major boost to the state Congress, Shrikant Verma, who held a post equivalent to that of a state minister during the Tiwari regime, rejoined the party along with hundreds of his Gujjar supporters, here today.

After being denied a ticket during the state assembly elections in 2007, Shrikant had quit the Congress and contested as an independent. His return to the party is being considered a significant development, as Shrikant has a good hold over the Gujjar community. In presence of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) chief Yashpal Arya, Shrikant rejoined the Congress in a function organised at the party’s Dehradun office.

Shrikant accused the ruling BJP of committing atrocities on minorities, Dalits and people from backward classes. Yashpal Arya also said the Gujjars are suffering a lot. UPCC media incharge Suryakant Dhasmana also opined the same.

ONGC, Contender Club triumph
Our Correspondent

Dehradun, February 12
The ONGC and the Contender Club won their respective matches at the 57th District Cricket League underway at Survey Stadium, here today. In the first match played between the ONGC and the LIC team, the latter could not adjust themselves to the morning conditions and the team was all-out for 97 runs.

Ravinder and Ashish were the only two batsmen for the LIC team who could reach double figures. Ravinder scored 23 runs and Ashish made 11 runs. For the ONGC team Balwant and Nadim were the most successful bowlers claiming three wickets each.

In reply, the ONGC reached the target with seven wickets in hand. Its opening batsman Pankaj laid the foundation for their team’s victory as he smashed 31 runs off 35 balls and another openers Ajit made 17 runs off 20 balls.

The team reached the target with seven wickets in hand.

Meanwhile, in another match played between Challenger’s and Contender Club, Contender Club won by 66 runs.

Batting first, the Contender Club made a huge score 213 runs.

For the team Deepak was the star performance as he smashed 83 runs off 61 balls.

For Challenger’s team Sanjay and Arun picked up three wickets each.

Chasing the huge target of 213 runs, Challenger’s team was all-out for 147 runs but fell short by 66 runs. For the Contender Club Deepak picked three wickets and Abhishek took two wickets.