Amritsar, October 22
Taking cognizance of the alleged manhandling of agriculture officials by an Ajnala-based pesticide dealer, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has instructed Amritsar Deputy Commissioner K.S. Pannu to initiate action against the dealer.

The CM has also recommended booking of the dealer under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

This development was the result of a mass delegation, comprising various organisations associated with the Agriculture Department and farmers’ union, approaching the CM to intervene in the matter. The raiding party of the Agriculture Department was allegedly manhandled and detained by the dealer and his henchmen when it went to inspect his records.

The dealer had come to light on September 4 when the officials, while inspecting all the dealers in the two blocks of Harsha Chhina and Ajnala found Ajnala Kheti Store concealing records pertaining to selling of pesticides and failing to produce the licence.

The assailants also tried to snatch the official records and samples taken.

The officials assaulted included Joint Director Dr Gurdev Singh Gill and Dr Paramjit Singh Sandhu, Dr Baldev Singh Kahlon and Dr Manohar Singh, Chief Agriculture Officers (CAO) of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran districts, respectively, on September 4.

Though the officials managed to get the godown sealed, they were taken aback on finding the rear wall of the sealed godown broken during re-inspection on September 23. The store was sealed alleged for unauthorisedly dealing in pesticides.

Ironically, the Ajnala police had reportedly lodged an FIR against the dealer but no further action was taken in the matter.

Following this, the Agriculture Department officials protested and threatened to go on mass leave against the failure of the authorities in taking the necessary action.

However, Davinder Singh, vice-president of the Deputy Director Khetibari Association, said following the assurance of the CM, they had decided to defer the agitation.

“If no action is taken against the erring dealers, all the associations associated with agriculture would stage a mass rally,” he said. 

Jalandhar, October 22
A student of Class IX of Sai Dass A.S. Senior Secondary School was slapped by his teacher leaving him partially deaf and his ear bleeding profusely here today.

Akashdeep was slapped twice by his mathematics teacher, Mandeep Sethi, on his left ear which led to bleeding. The boy was admitted to the local Civil Hospital after his younger brother also studying in the same school spoke to his parents over the phone and reported the matter.

The incident took place in the afternoon when the teacher slapped the boy for not completing his mathematics homework. “He gave a tight slap on my left ear and before I could have said anything he slapped me again leading to bleeding from the ear,” said Akashdeep.

Narinder Kumar, father of the student, said, “We brought the matter to the notice of the school principal and sought a strict disciplinary action against the teacher.”

Agitated at the attitude of the teacher, the parents registered a case at police division no 1. ASI Deepak Kumar said they had taken the medical report of the boy and would initiate an action soon. “We have recorded the statement of the boy and investigate the matter after meeting the teacher,” he added. 

Nawanshahr, October 22
In a rare gesture, a poor and uneducated family donated the body of their three-year-old daughter to the DMC, Ludhiana, here on Thursday.

Harmandeep, the three-year-old daughter of Dara Ram, a rickshaw-puller, died after a minor illness at the local Nai Abadi, Musapur Road. Coincidently, the mother of the deceased kid, Saroj Rani, is blind by birth and it was her earnest desire to donate the eyes of her daughter.

All the members of the family have already pledged their eyes to the District Eye Donation Society.

After the death of their daughter, Dara Ram and Saroj contacted Ratan Kumar Jain, a social worker associated with the District Eye Donation Society, for eye donation.

But due to illness, the eyes of the deceased girl were found unfit for transplantation, hence members of the District Eye Donation Society expressed their helplessness in fulfilling the wish of the family.

“But much to their surprise, the parents of the deceased girl came forward with the proposal to donating her body. To fulfil the desire of the family, the officials concerned at the DMC, Ludhiana, were contacted telephonically,” said Jain, adding that a team of doctors led by Dr Ajay Kumar from DMC, reached the residence of Dara Ram and took away the body of Harmandeep with full honours.

Amritsar, October 22
Commuters had to face hardship when drivers and conductors of Punjab Roadways today blocked the main gate of bus stand by parking their buses protesting against alleged thrashing of their colleagues by drivers of a private bus service belonging to a senior Akali leader.

The matter was settled only after a case was registered against four persons of the transport company at A-division police station here. Those booked were Harpreet Singh, Harjit Singh, Kanwal Singh and Bhola. The police authorities said that no arrest has been made so far and investigations were on.

A large posse of police was deputed at the site to control the situation. The activists of the Punjab Roadways Union raised slogans against the Akali leader and the authorities for their failure to take necessary action. They alleged that a Punjab Roadways driver, Kuldeep Singh, was brutally beaten up by the private transport drivers after an altercation over lifting of passengers. 

Amritsar, October 22
Barkat Singh, an accomplice of Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) chief Ranjit Singh Neeta, was today remanded in police custody for four days by the local court. He will be produced in the court on October 25. He was arrested by state special operation cell yesterday.

SSP P.K. Rai pointed out that his arrest was a major breakthrough as Neeta was trying to reorganise the banned outfit in Punjab.

Meanwhile, sources in the department, preferring anonymity, revealed that Barkat had been hiding in Punjab for the past one and half years and was using religious shrines under fake identity for taking shelter and carrying out his activities. He was entrusted with the task of reviving the KZF by recruiting fresh blood for which he was regularly receiving funds from Neeta.

Barkat, a resident of the Gadhigarh area in Jammu, was wanted by the Jammu police in a high-profile murder case in which he had killed another terrorist Harvinder Singh Pindi in 2008. He was residing in Jammu after his release in 2003 from Jammu jail in connection with various terrorist activities.

Meanwhile, many agencies in Jammu were seeking his remand after his arrest by the SSOC, said the sources who added that Barkat was in constant touch with Neeta. During preliminary investigations it was found that Neeta was trying to push in a huge consignment of arms, ammunition and explosives from Pakistan, which was to be received by Barkat Singh through an accomplice in the RS Pura sector, Jammu. Investigations are being conducted on different lines to unearth the nexus and network of the group and there was the possibility of more arrests.

He was arrested after a tip-off in Amritsar and one revolver (.32-bore) along with five cartridges was seized from him. A case under the Arms Act, the Explosives Act, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the IPC has been registered in this regard. 

Hoshiarpur, October 22
Head constable Gurdev Singh of Hoshiarpur posted at Sadar police station was crushed to death under a Tata Sumo vehicle near toll plaza, Lachowal, while he was on duty today.

According to police sources, a special checkpost was erected near toll plaza, Lachowal, by the police to nab unscrupulous elements. During checking, the police signalled a Tata Sumo vehicle (HR-01-F-3487) to stop. Instead of stopping his vehicle, the driver crushed head constable Gurdev Singh due to which the latter died on the spot.