Amritsar, March 24
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accompanied by his wife Gursharan Kaur, paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and the Durgiana Temple for offering thanksgiving prayers after his recent successful coronary bypass surgery amid unprecedented security here today morning.

Jathedar, Akal Takht, Giani Gurbachan Singh honoured the PM and his wife with siropa (robe of honour) when they reached the sanctum sanctorum of Harmandir Sahib at daybreak. The Hazoori Raagis were singing the hymn from the holy scriptures,“Jo mange thakur apne te, soi soi deve” when Dr Manmohan Singh entered the Golden Temple.

The Prime Minister sat with closed eyes and folded hands for nearly half an hour to listen to the Gurbani and ardas. He was wearing a kurta-pyjama with a half jacket and light blue turban and completed full Parikarma.

SGPC’s sewadars and security personnel walked with him as he went around the sarowar of the Golden Temple with brisk steps.

The Prime Minister was looking calm and composed and went through the daily rituals at Harmandir Sahib like any other devotee.

SGPC president Avtar Singh, Rajinder Singh Mehta, Dalmegh Singh and senior functionaries of the committee also joined the Prime Minister.

This was PM’s first visit outside the national Capital Delhi after he underwent a coronary bypass surgery on January 24 at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

The Prime Minister was offered a cup of tea in the Golden Temple’s Information Office where the SGPC president had an opportunity to take up burning issues of the Sikh community. He urged the PM to take up the racist attack on London’s most important gurdwara, where priceless religious books were gutted, with his UK counterpart.

He also asked the PM to take up the matter with his Pakistani counterpart for giving security to around 300 families of Hindus and Sikhs who were forced to take shelter in Sikh shrines in Pakistan due to growing influence of Taliban in that country.

The SGPC president said the Sikh jatha could be sent to Pakistan to celebrate Baisakhi next month if adequate security was provided by Pakistan during their proposed pilgrimage. He informed the PM that less than 800 devotees had deposited their passports with the SGPC due to growing tension in Pakistan.

Bathinda, March 24
Radical Sikh organisations today announced to gherao the residence Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at his native Badal village in Muktsar district on April 2. The organisations have been demanding the closure of deras of the Sacha Sauda sect in Punjab and an unconditional release of leaders of the Sant Samaj.

Mohkam Singh, chief of the Khalsa Action Committee (KAC), confirmed the development following a three-hour meeting of radical Sikh leaders at Gurdwara Haji Rattan here.

He said the march to Badal village would begin from here and his residence would be gheraoed peacefully. Supporters of the Sant Samaj and various other organisations from all over Punjab would participate in it.

Mohkam Singh said jathas of 11 Sikhs would continue to be dispatched every Sunday to the main Dera of the sect at Salabatpura and a second jatha would leave from Takht Damdama Sahib on March 29.

Before that, he said, leaders of the Sant Samaj would meet the five high priests of Akal Takht on March 27 in Amritsar to urge them not to erode the sanctity of the highest religious institution of Sikhs by issuing “politically motivated” hukamnamas.

The high priests would be invited to lead the jatha against the dera in fulfilment of the spirit of the hukamnama issued by the Takht on May 17, 2007.

Leaders of organisations, including the Khalistan Action Committee, Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pradhani), Sant Samaj, All-India Sikh Students Federation (Sant Bhindranwale), Sikh Youth Federation and Ek-Noor Khalsa Fauj, participated in 
the meeting.

Daljeet Singh Bittu, chairman of the SAD (Panch Pradhani), Baba Gurdip Singh of the Damdami Taksal, Baba Daler Singh, Paramjeet Singh Saholi, Maninder Singh and Harminder Singh Khalsa (Hanumangarh) were prominent among those present at the meeting.

Later, they marched to the bus stand and blocked the main road for about two hours.

Mohkam Singh said Giani Gurbachan Singh, Jathedar of Akal Takht, had hurt sentiments of Sikhs all over the world by issuing directive to postpone the jatha to Dera Sacha Sauda on March 22.

The committee chief accused Badal of having first instigated the Sikhs against the dera and then hobnobbing with dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim to seek votes of his supporters for the SAD candidate from Bathinda.

Badal should keep in mind that the SAD government was in power because of our support as the dera followers voted for the Congress and this time also they would do the same, he added.

Patiala, March 24
Veteran columnist Kuldip Nayar has said the Punjab government should constitute a Press commission to review the relations among mediapersons and the owners of newspapers and television channels besides redetermining issues like freedom of press and individual rights to privacy.

Nayar said the media scene had undergone a sea change since the early two Press commissions constituted by the central government submitted their reports in 1962 and later 1980s. “After that, the Centre has not set up any such commission. Last year we met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard. But, we have not got any response from the Centre till today,” he added.

“In the post-1975 era, the media owners began to dictate journalists and now corporate entities seek something different from presspersons,” said Nayar.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, Patiala, Dr Jaspal Singh, honoured Nayar as the “Founding Father” of the Department of Journalism and Mass Media in the university. Nayar was presented with a memento and a plaque. The department was set up 34 years ago.

Asserting that the media cannot be treated as a mere commodity and that it does not enjoy the liberty to dish out adulterated news, Editor-in-Chief of the Tribune Group of Newspapers HK Dua exhorted mediapersons to lay their focus on those parts of India which were “still not shining”.

“The media has to focus on the lot of the unprivileged. But, I am sorry to say that the media is projecting anything and everything about a few of those who are privileged ones. One has to give a great deal of thinking to the disturbing fact that 33 crore Indians are still illiterate.

“Politicians are just using this time for their personal gains. None of the politicians or even social thinkers is giving a serious thought to the looming spectre of caste. No other country is facing such a situation. Hence, we will have to put in more efforts to fight out such vices,” he said.

Dua was conferred with the title, “Doyen of India”, by the university. He was speaking at a three-day seminar on “Challenges and Opportunities before the Indian Media” organised on the university campus by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Dr Jaspal Singh, Kamaljeet Rattan, adviser, External Affairs, also spoke.

Chandigarh, March 24
It is youth over experience. The Congress high command has not only corroborated what party general-secretary Rahul Gandhi has been saying to the youth of Punjab, but also taken the advice of former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh well in announcing its candidates for 13 Punjab Lok Sabha seats.

Three youthful leaders in their early 30s and one in early 40s may give the party candidates a new look. Four first-timers, two sitting MPs, two sitting MLAs, one sitting MP, who defected from the SAD, and three of the party candidates who lost the 2004 elections by less than 25,000 votes make the list.

Naming of Raninder Singh, son of Capt Amarinder Singh, as candidate for the Bathinda seat may have sent jitters to the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janta Party alliance. In fact, insiders maintain that the SAD-BJP leadership was keen that the ticket should not go to Raninder. Since Badals have announced that a member of the family will contest from Bathinda, they are in a quandary over naming the 
candidate now.

While Manish Tewari (Ludhiana) and Jagmeet Singh Brar (Ferozepur) are back in the arena from where they lost narrowly in the last elections, Santosh Chaudhary has been made candidate from Hoshiarpur, a portion of which has been nursed by her family. Her husband, Ram Lubhaya, was MLA from Sham Chaurasi in the previous Vidhan Sabha. Her previous citadel, Phillaur, stands dissolved by the delimitation commission.

Now is the time for Capt Amarinder Singh to prove to the party high command that it is he who can feel the pulse of people of Punjab in general and the Malwa belt in particular better than any other party leader 
in the state.

Though the party high command must have taken into consideration various factors, including topography, caste, community and regional factors, besides the personal standing of the candidate before deciding candidates, the final list reveals stamp of authority of both Rahul and Amarinder on it.

Many, who had tried to blow Rahul skipping Moti Bagh Palace during his first visit to Patiala last year as denouncement of Amarinder, have been made to eat their words. Both Rahul and Amarinder had a big say in the selection of candidates needs no further corroboration.

The opposition camp with the Congress, however, has taken the announcement well. It is trying to console itself that the candidate it projected for Bathinda, Harminder Singh Jassi, may have antagonised Sikh vote as he is related to the Dera Sacha Sauda chief.

Similarly, the group has taken consolation that the party high command had to balance out between Sikh and non-Sikh candidates; Sangrur ticket went to former Punjab Youth Congress chief Vijay Inder Singla. Even in 2004 elections, the seat had gone to a Hindu candidate, Arvind Khanna, also a confidant of the Patiala family.

For Rahul Sidhu, son of CLP leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, they say he is just 25 and too young to be blooded in the Lok Sabha elections. For Ajaib Singh, who quit his membership of the Punjab Public Service Commission, denial of party ticket again, may have come as unpleasant news.

Another hopeful to lose chance of contesting may be a senior Punjab IAS officer, who had put in his papers in anticipating party ticket from Jalandhar.

In Ferozepur, Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Hans Raj Joshan and Sajjan Kumar Jakhar, too remained successful against veteran Jagmeet Singh Brar, once firebrand Congress leader who challenged Badals in their citadel in Faridkot-Ferozepur belt.

In fact, it was Amarinder who got Sukhdev Singh Libra from the Akali Dal into the Congress and got him the ticket by overlooking the claim of former PPCC chief Shamsher Singh Dullo.

Giving the youth almost 25 per cent of the seats in preference to several experienced applicants, including the Union Ministers of State Ashwani Kumar and Ambika Soni, is perhaps part of the Congress strategy to get the youth of this border state.

The Congress has also given two seats to women candidates, Preneet Kaur and Santosh Chaudhary. While it will be third time for Preneet Kaur, Santosh will be in the fray for the fifth time.

Ludhiana, March 24
This time ex-servicemen of North India are in no mood to surrender themselves to the political parties, which have failed to fulfil their demands.

They are going to support only ex-servicemen candidates in the northern states in the Lok Sabha elections.

Talking to The Tribune, the vice-chairman of the Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM), Major-Gen Satbir Singh (retd), who had come here from Delhi, said: “We have roughly decided candidates from all northern states whom more than 300 organisations of ex-servicemen will support. The body would field three candidates in Himachal Pradesh, 10 in Uttar Pradesh, six in Haryana, four in Rajasthan, two in Uttarakhand and four in Punjab. We still are considering more candidates for constituencies in others states”.

He said be it the UPA or the NDA, the defence forces had always been betrayed. The biggest examples are the 6th Pay Commission and our demand of one rank, one pension.

“We never wanted to enter politics but since we had no other alternative, we decided to approach public. Ex-servicemen are not fighting the polls for money, but against inequality and injustice,” the Major said, adding that defence personnel were the only one who have kept the country together. If you see bureaucrats and politicians, they always try to divide people. But, this has never been defence personnel’s policy.

Member of the movement Major-Gen APJ Jainia, who had also come from Delhi, said: “We are not a political party. It is just that 30 lakh ex-servicemen from defence for whom the IESM has been taking initiative. Around 98.8 per cent people in the Indian Army are personnel below officers’ rank and by having representatives from ex-servicemen we’ll be able to raise our voice.” 

Jalandhar, March 24
Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of Punjab Local Bodies Department AK Prabhakar has started an inquiry into the Saturday incident of collapse of the parapet of water tank located near Sadasukh Chopra SD Public School in the Santokhpura locality in which three persons were killed and one was wounded.

Prabhakar visited the spot yesterday and collected samples of the debris of the parapet of water tank for its close examination to know whether there was any negligence in the tank-collapse or not.

Talking to The Tribune, he said he had asked departments concerned of the Municipal Corporation Jalandhar (MCJ) and sewerage board to submit the record pertaining to the water tank.

To a query, he said it would take at least one month for completing the inquiry.

It may be recalled that Punjab Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia had issued directions to the CVO on phone on Saturday itself to look into the causes which led to the mishap.

Meanwhile, Jaswinder Singh and Sukhwinder Kaur of Santokhpua and Manohar Sharma of nearby Ambika Colony demanded that the MC should dismantle the remaining parts of the water tank to avoid any further mishap as it had developed some cracks.

MC Commissioner Vinay Bublani said Santokpura and all remaining 19 water tanks located in different parts of the city would be inspected and if required, the process of pulling some of them down would be started by inviting tenders from private companies.

Bublani further said barbed wires would also be fixed around the tanks.

Amritsar, March 24
The Election Commission today took notice of ‘provocative’ Nanakshahi calendar, carrying picture of Akal Takht damaged in Operation Bluestar in 1984, released by SGPC president Avtar Singh on March 19 after the election code of conduct coming into force.

The SGPC was told to reply by 3 pm on the complaint Dr PS Ranu, national president of the Sehajdhari Federation.

Dalmegh Singh secretary, SGPC in reply said in Nanakshahi calendar, new year starts from March 14 . The SGPC had been releasing Nanakshahi calendar in March for six years after it was approved by Akal Takht/ the SGPC. He also clarified resolution to publish picture of damaged Akal Takht was passed by the SGPC’s Dharm Parchar Committee, before the announcement of Lok Sabha elections. The SGPC also clarified picture of Akal Takht was published to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Operation Bluestar.

Caption of Akal Takht picture gives broad hint the Akali Dal wanted to take political mileage in elections. The calendar describes assassins of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Gen AS Vadiya, former Army chief, ?shaheeds? (martyrs). The caption has derogatory remarks against the Indian Army. The SGPC president in his message on the calendar also condemned the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.

The Nanakshahi calendar, prepared by Canada-based Sikh Paul Singh Purewal, is basically a solar calendar and makes complete departure from the Lunar calendar. The dates of the Hindu festivals have been based on the Lunar calendar.

Dr Ranu alleged such activities of the SGPC, ‘remotely controlled organisation of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal)’ are being done to wean voters off the Congress by reopening wounds of the Sikhs for petty political gain .He alleged actions needed exemplary action by the Election Commission. Dr Ranu alleged such activities of the Akalis could harm peaceful elections.

Chandigarh, March 24
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here has asked Punjab to “reconsider” its decision disallowing sanction to prosecute IAS officer KBS Sidhu. In a request to the state government the CBI reportedly cited “overwhelming evidence” against the officer.

Secretary Education Sidhu was alleged to be involved in Forest Hill Resort case of 2004. It was found that Lt Col BS Sandhu (retd) was building a resort on forest land at Karoran village allegedly in connivance with IAS and Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers who gave him required approvals.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed the CBI to investigate the matter. The CBI submitted the report to the high court last year recommending prosecution of Sandhu, JS Samundari, IFS, then divisional forest officer, Ropar; Harsh Kumar, IFS, then deputy conservator of forests, planning and investigation, Hoshiarpur; Sidhu, then Chief Administrator, PUDA, and Rajiv Bajaj, estate officer of the resort.

The state government refused sanction to prosecute Sidhu and Samundari giving go-ahead to prosecute Harsh Kumar. The CBI now has asked the state to reconsider refusal with regards to Sidhu . 

It got sanction from the government of India with regards to Samundari and Harsh Kumar. “He is an all-India Service officer and even if the state denies permission we can take it directly from the Centre,” said a senior CBI officer.

CBI sources added the denial of sanction by the state government for Sidhu is “vague and general.” CBI sources said a large portion of the state’s denial was the opinion of a “lawyer who is the state’s own man,” added the officer.

The CBI has moved against Sandhu, Bajaj, Harsh Kumar and Samundari in the case. “We have also written to the government of India regarding the state’s denial regarding Sidhu. We are yet to hear from the state government and the government of India,” said CBI sources.

Cheema Khurd (Jalandhar), March 24
In a unique gesture, writers, lyricists and singers from all over the state converged on a common platform here today to covey that “dhian bhaar nahin hundian” (daughters are no burden). The “Mela Cheemian Da”, aiming at creating awareness against female foeticide, dowry and drug addiction, marked the carrying forward of the ambitious project started last year to voice societal concerns needing immediate attention.

Artistes voiced strong opinions on female foeticide, dowry and drug addiction. The artistes who performed included Jasbir Jassi, R Maqbool, Vijay Dhami, Amrinder Gill, Nachattar Gill, Chacha Raunki, Deepa Cheema, Satwinder Bitti, Hardeep Cheema, Nirmal Jaura and Gurbhajan Gill. Also present was the man behind the project, which was staged for the second year in succession, Sarbjit Cheema.

Baba Kashmira Singh, known for his voice against female foeticide, and Jagdev Singh Jassowal, called the “Baba Bod” (Banyan Tree) of the state cultural bastion, too, gave many a word on degenerating culture, worth a thought.

Jasbir Jassi of the “Dil lai gayee kudi Gujarat di” fame said: “It’s a matter of great concern that the state, which topped in food production in the country, is also among toppers in female foeticide. We should be ashamed of ourselves. We are definitely moving to the dark ages in case we cannot recognise the fears of alcoholism, drug addiction or dowry deaths”.

Chacha Rounki said: “It’s a pity that the state earned more than Rs 600 crore on account of alcohol, which was eating into the vitals of society. The state police has more than 1,500 alcoholics in its own cadre”.

“Our Gurus have clearly asked us not to have any relations with those indulging in female foeticide. Punjab is on the way to extinction, at least culturally. The government claims to earn crores from the liquor. The figures of drug users, too, are frightening,” said Jassowal.

Vijay Dhami said: “I am very proud to be part of an endeavour of boys from two villages of Cheema Khurd and Cheema Kalan. This is a rare mela, which also has a purpose to safeguard our future”.

Sarbjit Cheema said: “We are getting a lot of response from abroad, particularly on the issue of female foeticide. In the changing world scenario where women are rising in diverse fields, it is time to wake up and make the necessary amends to our mindsets”.

The crowd looked thin during the earlier part of the programme because of heat. Cheema said next year onwards we would organise the mela on February 2. Interestingly, the clouds covered the ground a little later and soon all seats were occupied. Later, a brief spell of rain saw many onlookers rushing for covers.

Sangrur, March 24
Two persons today died after allegedly inhaling gas in a drum in a refinery at Dirba village, 26 km from here. Sunam DSP Pritpal Singh Thind told this reporter over the phone that the owners of Punjab Refinery, Dirba, sold oil in the market after refining the black oil in the refinery. 

Workers of the refinery cleaned the oil drum, having capacity of 10,000 litres, after some days in routine. But today when the foreman of the refinery did not come out of the drum, a worker entered the drum. He also did not come out of the drum as both died due to inhaling of gas, he added.

Thind said the deceased had been identified as foreman Madan Sharma (35) and worker Sikandar Ram (27), both residents of Bihar.

The DSP said the police had registered a case under Section 304-A, IPC, against the owners of the refinery, Baghirath and Bhagwan. 

Sangrur, Mach 24
Since January 2003 when the revised national TB control programme (RNTCP) was started in Sangrur district sputum of more than 70,000 persons suspected of having TB was examined free of cost. Besides this, 14,000 TB patients were given free directly observed treatment (DOT).

Sangrur Civil Surgeon Dalip Kumar stated this at a function organised on the occasion of World TB Day in government primary health centre (PHC), Sherpur, 35 km from here.

District TB officer Surinder Singla said the District TB Control Society would launch anti-smoking campaign as smoking complicated TB cases and increased death rate.

He stressed the practice of safe sex, safe injection process and safe blood transfusion to prevent spread of HIV and AIDS, which were linked with the spread of TB.

Senior medical officer (SMO), Sherpur PHC, Dr Makhan Singh appealed to the gathering to remove stigma attached to TB by generating awareness in rural areas, as this factor compelled many patients to conceal the disease.

Two private DOT providers Harmail Singh and Parkash Chand from Malerkotla were honoured by the District TB Control Society. Competition on TB and the RNTCP was also organised for accredited social health activists (ASHA workers) in which Kuldeep Kaur (Ruldu Singh Wala) stood first, Kamlesh Rani (Rajomajra) second and Gurdeep Kaur (Kaheru) third.

District family welfare officer Kuldeep Singh and district nodal officer for leprosy Pritpal Singh Binner also participated in the deliberations.

Chandigarh, March 24
Lek Raj Khera and nearly 920 other teachers in Punjab will get the benefit of Kothari commission’s recommendations 43 years after it suggested pay hike.

The Kothari commission, in 1966, had recommended revision of pay scales after five years. Adopting the recommendations, the state government revised the pay scales of the classical and vernacular teachers after five years, vide letter dated June 19, 1971.

But in case of Khera, and other teachers working in different schools across the state at the time of filing the petition in 1989, the revised pay scales were not granted. Rather, their pay scales were revised vide order dated July 6, 1975.

The court believes this action of the state government is discriminatory; and has directed the state of Punjab to extent the benefit of pay revision in their case with effect from November 1, 1971, instead of July 16, 1975.

Justice Permod Kohli has asserted: “The act of the respondents is discriminatory in nature and hostile against one class of employees, who have been deprived the benefit for a period of 45 years”.

Laying down the law, Justice Kohli has further asserted: The state has the discretion to accept the recommendations of a committee in toto, or partially or reject the same at all. In the present case, the state government in its wisdom accepted the recommendations of the Kothari commission and decided to implement the same.

“It is in implementation of the commission’s recommendations the pay scales of the classical and vernacular teachers were revised with effect from November 1, 1971.

“It is a case of implementation of the pay commission’s recommendations from different dates for different set of employees.

“After having accepted the recommendations and implementing the same in the case of classical and vernacular teachers, the state government cannot be permitted to say that it has the discretion to implement the said recommendations in case of other employees on a different date to their disadvantage and detriment”. 

Chandigarh, March 24
In yet another step towards popularising conservation agriculture among the farmers of the region, the Punjab Agro Foodgrains Corporation (PAFC) has demonstrated cultivation of wheat using minimalist tillage technology. The wheat has been grown on 120 acres of PAFC farmland in Ladhowal, Ludhiana.

“Conservation tillage has several benefits over the traditional plough and seed technology. Crops grown without tillage use water more efficiently, the water-holding capacity of the soil increases and water losses from runoff and evaporation is reduced. 

Organic matter in the soil is maintained and nutrients are less likely to be lost from the field. Plus less time and labour is required to prepare the field for planting,” said PAFC managing director SK Sandhu.

He added that conservation agriculture would also go a long way in discouraging farmers from burning paddy stubble that causes immense post harvest environmental harm.

Dr. Harminder Singh Sidhu, research engineer department of farm power and machinery, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana said conservation tillage has been possible only because of the happy seeder. “This machine has spinning flails for shredding the paddy stubble and drilling the fertiliser and seed together. This technology is different from the conventional sowing system,” he said.

“The stubble or plant residues are not completely incorporated and most or all remain on top of the soil rather than being ploughed into the soil. The new crop is planted into this stubble or small strips of tilled soil. Weeds are controlled with cover crops or herbicides rather than by cultivation,” said Sidhu.

Inderjit Singh Sekhon, senior manager PAFC, said, “Conservation tillage is being adopted across the state but is being done on small patches. We have undertaken it on a large area to show that it is possible and viable.” 

Chandigarh, March 24
Taking cognizance of a large number of deaths at the unmanned level crossing in the state, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has sought reports from the Punjab Chief Secretary and the Chairman of the Railway Board. 

Justice RS Mongia and Justice Baldev Singh, chairperson and member, respectively, have asked the Punjab government and the board to send reports and enumerate measures taken for the prevention of accidents at these intersections by April 20.

Earlier, an NGO Global Human Rights Council, in a complaint to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), had stated that avoidable accidents had taken place at the unmanned level crossing in Punjab due to negligence of the railways and the state authorities.

While referring the complaint to PSHRC, the NHRC had directed that the “grievance raised in the complaint relate to the matter, which is a subject matter of the state. Let the complaint be transferred to PSHRC for disposal in accordance with the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.” In fact, the February 2 accident involving a school bus of DAV School, Talwandi Bhai in Ferozepur district in which three children were killed, had goaded the NGO to conduct a random survey of the unmanned level crossing in the state. 

It was later found that in every district, there were about 10 to 20 unmanned level crossing endangering human lives. The complaint had urged the commission to seek detailed report from the state government regarding the number of unmanned crossing in the state and the action taken by the Punjab government.

Chandigarh, March 24
Tarsem Singh has not escaped the gallows, after all. The Punjab and Haryana High Court today upheld the death sentence awarded to him by the Jalandhar Special Judge for battering his wife and two minor children to death in September 2007.

Tarsem Singh, a resident of Khambra village in Jalandhar district, had tried to pass off the deaths as an accident by attributing the fatalities to the bursting of a gas cylinder. But the post-mortem report had revealed ante-mortem nature of injuries, clinching the case against him.

The action of mauling the children, along with the wife, apparently weighted on the court’s mind while sending him to the gallows. The Division Bench of Justice Mehtab Singh Gill and Justice Daya Chaudhary ruled: “The case of the appellant falls within the ambit of rarest of rare cases.

“He has not only brutally killed his wife, but also two helpless minor children, who had done no harm to him. If he had any differences with his wife — as usually there are in the households — the little children were not at fault…. Such like persons do not deserve any sympathy”.

The grimy affair had surfaced after Tarsem Singh’s father-in-law Piare Lal had expressed apprehensions of a foul play. In his statement, Lal had asserted his daughter Rajwinder Kaur had tied the knot with Tarsem Singh some 12 years ago.

On September 21, 2007, he was told telephonically that Rajwinder Kaur and his grandsons Harwinder Singh (8) and Gurvinder Singh (10) had died in a cylinder blast. He had added Tarsem Singh used to beat his wife and was demanding money.

After going through the evidence minutely, the Bench observed: The occurrence took place exactly four days after the appellant had threatened to kill everyone in house.

“It comes out clearly from the medical evidence that the ghotna (baton) blows were given on the head of the victims and the doctor has given his opinion that the probable time between the injury and the death was a few minutes.

“Further, the doctor was of the opinion that the burns were post-mortem in nature. It clearly spells out that first the victims were murdered with ‘ghotna’ and thereafter the appellant tried to build up a story by bursting a gas cylinder and showing that the deceased had been burnt”.