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Attack on Tehsildar Revenue officials go on pen-down strike Bathinda, June 23 On a call given by their state bodies, all officials of the Revenue Department, Bathinda, including kanungos and patwaris, went on an indefinite pen-down strike today. They are protesting against the alleged assault on a tehsildar at Ludhiana, Major G.S. Benipal (retd), on June 19.
In a protest against the assault on a tehsildar at Ludhiana, officials of the Revenue Department staging a demonstration in Bathinda on Tuesday. A Tribune photograph

Death of Dalit farm labourer
Landlords booked
Moga, June 23
The death of a Dalit farm labourer, who was allegedly poisoned by his landlords at Badhni Kalan village in this district on June 7, has taken a new twist. On the interference of the Punjab State Commission for the Scheduled Castes, the police has now booked the landlord Bant Singh, son of Lakha Singh and his two sons Gurpreet Singh and Jaspreet Singh, on the charges of murdering their servant.

Acid thrown on medical girl student
Sriganganagar/Abohar, June 23
A student of a private medical college in Sriganganagar was allegedly assaulted by an old classmate, who managed to sneak into her bedroom during the wee hours today and threw acid on her. While referring her to a multi-specialty hospital at Bikaner, the doctors feared that she might have lost vision.

Annual NCC camp underway
Bathinda, June 23
An NCC camp is being organised at the Giani Zail Singh College of Engineering and Technology, Bathinda. The Annual Training Camp (ATC) began on June 19 and would continue till June 29.
NCC cadets undergo firing exercise during the Annual Training Camp organised by 28 Battalion, NCC, at the GZSCET in Bathinda on Tuesday.
A Tribune photograph

Security reviewed
Bathinda, June 23
The officiating SSP Naunihal Singh today reviewed the security arrangement and traffic regulations in the city. Talking to TNS, Naunihal said that taking steps against crimes, he had issued some instructions in the past. He expressed satisfaction that nearly 90 per cent of the directions were being implemented.

SAARC meet on ecology begins
Sriganganagar/Abohar, June 23
About 400 delegates including 60 women from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and 22 states of India are attending the SAARC conference on Nature Human Centric People Movement which began at the DAV Senior Secondary School in Sriganganagar today.

Noted comedian Mehar Mittal interacting with the participants of the National Integration Camp at the SSD Senior Secondary School in Bathinda on Tuesday. A Tribune photograph

3 injured in Muktsar shootout
Land dispute turns bloody
Bathinda, June 23
Three persons reportedly sustained bullet injuries in a shootout between two groups over a piece of land in Bharu village of Gidderbaha in Muktsar district this afternoon.

Attack on engineer condemned
Bathinda, June 23
The Punjab State Electricity Board Engineers' Association, Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant, Lehra Mohabbat region has strongly condemned the attack on engineer Amrik Singh, additional senior engineer, Amritsar.

	Drugs recovered from Central Jail inmates ‘Chapatti box’ used to smuggle in the intoxicants Anil Jerath Tribune News Service Bathinda, June 23 Two consignments of intoxicating drugs were recovered from two prisoners of the Bathinda Central Jail today. Speaking to the media here today, jail superintendent J.K. Garg said around 5,400 intoxicating tablets and capsules were recovered from them. Narrating their modus operandi, Garg informed that a ‘chapatti box’ was used to smuggle in the drugs for jail inmates. He said the intoxicating tablets and capsules were hidden under the internal base of the ‘chapatti box’. According to the police sources, Bhajan Kaur, mother of Yadwinder Singh, a resident of Maluka, had brought ‘khichri’ in a ‘chapatti box’ for him on Saturday on the pretext that her son had a severe toothache and could not eat ‘chapattis’. After checking the ‘chapatti box’, the police staff on duty sent it to Yadwinder, who had been imprisoned under the NDPS Act. But on a tip-off, a team of police officers, led by assistant jail superintendent Kaur Singh, searched the ‘chapatti box’ again and recovered around 4,300 Lomotil tablets, 1,000 Alprax and 400 capsules from the base of the ‘chapatti box’. In another case, the police recovered about 140 Alprax tablets and six pouches of Lomotil tablets from Gurmit Singh, a resident of Lohgarh, who had been undergoing life imprisonment under section 302 of the IPC. Gurmit had been working as a gardener in the jail since his imprisonment. The jail superintendent said a departmental enquiry had been ordered against the police officials who had shown laxity in performing their duty. The SSP, Bathinda, and the SHO of Civil Lines police station have been asked to initiate further action in the case, Garg informed.
	Attack on Tehsildar Revenue officials go on pen-down strike Tribune News Service Bathinda, June 23 On a call given by their state bodies, all officials of the Revenue Department, Bathinda, including kanungos and patwaris, went on an indefinite pen-down strike today. They are protesting against the alleged assault on a tehsildar at Ludhiana, Major G.S. Benipal (retd), on June 19. The activists of the District Revenue Association staged a dharna in the Tehsil complex and demonstrated against the assailants. They condemned the incident and demanded a strict action against the assailants. The protesters were led by their district chairman Sham Lal Grover besides district president of the District Patwar Association Kaur Singh and the president, District Kanungo Association. The strike paralysed the day-to-day work of the revenue department as no registration deed or mutation of any immovable property was done. Criticising the SAD government for total breakdown of law and order, Darshan Singh, vice-president, District Revenue Association, said, “Things have come to such a pass that even government officials are not safe. Even the DC and the SSP of Ludhiana are unable to ensure law and order in the city.” The association leaders demanded suspension of Ludhiana DC Vikas Garg and SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill. They also demanded a stern action against the accused as well as the officials who were allegedly providing VIP treatment to the accused. Apart from that, they sought a CBI inquiry into the issue of fake stamp paper scam that was raised by Benipal. They also sought forgiveness from public for the inconvenience caused saying that they had no option. “We want people to bear with us. This seems to be the only way to press for our demands. Otherwise, we feel unsafe,” the leaders said.
	Death of Dalit farm labourer Landlords booked Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service Moga, June 23 The death of a Dalit farm labourer, who was allegedly poisoned by his landlords at Badhni Kalan village in this district on June 7, has taken a new twist. On the interference of the Punjab State Commission for the Scheduled Castes, the police has now booked the landlord Bant Singh, son of Lakha Singh and his two sons Gurpreet Singh and Jaspreet Singh, on the charges of murdering their servant, a farm labourer, under section 302 of the IPC, besides, imposing section 4 and 5 of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act-1989 on them. Confirming this, ASI Sarabhjit Singh in-charge of the police station, said that he had launched a hunt to nab the culprits. He was hopeful that the police would soon arrest the culprits. Earlier, the police registered a case under section 306 of the IPC on the charges of 'abetment to commit suicide' and section 34 of the IPC in the Badhni Kalan police station against them. The Dalit farm labourer Gurpreet Singh, son of Mangat Singh, was allegedly abducted by the landlords. The landlords had tied him with a tree and beaten up mercilessly. Later, some poisonous substance was forcibly injected in his mouth, alleged the deceased farm labourer's wife. The labourer was abducted because he did not go to work for three days, which irked the landlords. The family members and some local Dalit organisations met Dalip Singh Pandhi member of the SC Commission at Chandigarh, who issued notices to the senior officials of the police and civil administration. In preliminary inquiries made by the commission, Pandhi raised doubts on the previous investigations conducted by the police. He said that it had come to his notice that Gurpreet was forcibly kept by the landlord with him for the past many months as a bonded labourer and when Gurpreet tried to escape from his landlord's clutches, the landlord allegedly abducted Gurpreet, beat him mercilessly and later poisoned him to death. The family members had also alleged that the landlord used political influence of the ruling party and did not allow them to take Gurpreet to the Government Health Care Centre when he was battling with life soon after the incident. The family members pressurised to take him to the district hospital, but he died on the way. However, before he breathed his last, he revealed to his wife and family members that he was forcibly given poison while his hands were tied with a rope, the family members stated before the SC Commission. Meanwhile, Bant Singh and his sons Gurpreet Singh and Jaspreet Singh, filed bail applications before the Sessions' Court but the Additional Sessions' judge, Amarjot Kaur Bhatti, rejected their bail applications here, today.
	Acid thrown on medical girl student Our Correspondent Sriganganagar/Abohar, June 23 A student of a private medical college in Sriganganagar was allegedly assaulted by an old classmate, who managed to sneak into her bedroom during the wee hours today and threw acid on her. While referring her to a multi-specialty hospital at Bikaner, the doctors feared that she might have lost vision. Victim's mother Baljit Kaur, reportedly told the police that she woke up as her daughter Khushdeep Kaur cried at about 2 am today and noticed a person running out. No male member of the family was present in their house located at Vinoba Basti. The daughter told Baljit Kaur that one Balraj Singh of village 52GB had emptied a bottle full of acid on her. He had long back studied with her at the Gyan Jyoti College in Srikaranpur. The victim reportedly fell unconscious after revealing this. As Baljit Kaur tried to clean the acid from Khushdeep Kaur's clothes, she too sustained some burn injuries. The police post of the ward was informed immediately by the neighbours, who too woke up responding to shrieks but only a constable Balkaran Singh turned up, locals rued. The incident sent shock waves not only in the locality but also in educational institutions. The students of the medical college reportedly run by Tantia group, boycotted classes and thronged the District Civil Hospital, where Khushdeep had been shifted. The visiting police officers had to face wrath of the relatives and colleagues of the victim for non-performance.

SAARC meet on ecology begins

Sriganganagar/Abohar, June 23
About 400 delegates including 60 women from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and 22 states of India are attending the SAARC conference on Nature Human Centric People Movement which began at the DAV Senior Secondary School in Sriganganagar today.

The delegation from Pakistan was unable to come, as they did not get visa, coordinator Mani Ram Poonia advocate said. The delegates from Sri Lanka had to cancel their visit due to the situation prevailing there.

The morning session was presided jointly by Faiz Hossain from Bangladesh, Pavitra Rana from Nepal, S Chandra from New Delhi, RS Yadav from Bihar, Mona Soor from UP, Rajinder Kumar from Haryana, RK Sharma from MP, and Gurdial Singh Seetal from Punjab. Sukhdev Singh conducted the proceedings.

The speakers said there is strong evidence to suggest that human being might be directly responsible for climate change. Any change in climate would lead to destabilisation of environmental and social conditions all around the globe. — OC

3 injured in Muktsar shootout
Land dispute turns bloody
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 23
Three persons reportedly sustained bullet injuries in a shootout between two groups over a piece of land in Bharu village of Gidderbaha in Muktsar district this afternoon.

As per sources, Jugraj Singh and his other four brothers had a common piece of land measuring 27 kanals on the G.T. Road near Dana Mandi. Jugraj's brothers today reportedly forcibly took control of the land shown in his name and raised a room on it.

Meanwhile, Jugraj and his supporters assembled on the spot and resisted the move of his brothers.

During the course of arguments between the two groups, his brothers along with a wine contractor, allegedly opened fire on Jugraj and his supporters, injuring three of them. Jugraj's supporters returned the fire.

All the injured have been admitted to a private hospital there.

It was reported that the police has detained four persons in this connection. Till the filing of the report no case had been registered.

Attack on engineer condemned
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 23
The Punjab State Electricity Board Engineers' Association, Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant, Lehra Mohabbat region has strongly condemned the attack on engineer Amrik Singh, additional senior engineer, Amritsar. The association urged the government to take strict action against culprits immediately and also to ensure security of public servants, this was stated by Gurbir Singh, regional secretary of the association.

Members of the association also demanded that the Punjab government and the and PSEB should frame strict laws against power thefts.

Engineers also appealed to the chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to hold a discussion with the association over issues like capacity addition and internal reforms for improving the functioning of the PSEB.