|
|
|
|
Murder case of Badal’s kin cracked
SSP Ashish Chaudhary addressing a press conference in Bathinda on Tuesday. Also seen in the picture is SP(D) Ajay Maluja. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma
Centenary celebrations at Gidderbaha conclude
Gurdas Mann performing in Gidderbaha on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
500 shellers sit idle as decision on PAU-201 awaited
Paddy worth crores siphoned off
Vet dispensaries at 14 villages sans RVOs
Minor Dalit sexually abused
Ludhiana incident
Congress criticises Badals
Beopar Mandal office-bearers
|
|
Murder case of Badal’s kin cracked
Bathinda, December 9 Narinder, a cousin of Paramjit Singh alias Lally Badal, ex-member, Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC), used to live alone and was found killed at his house in Jeewan Singh Wala village of this district in the early hours of November 13. Producing the arrested accused, Avtar Singh alias Happy alias Tango, before the media, SSP Bathinda Ashish Chaudhary claimed that the murder was committed for money and weapons. The SSP said Rs 19,000 in cash and all three weapons (a revolver, 8.75 bore rifle and .12 bore rifle), which were stolen from Narinder’s house after his murder, had been recovered from the accused. About the modus operandi, the SSP said the accused had passion for carrying weapons. With this motive, he sneaked into Narinder’s house on the evening of November 12. Just after Narinder fell asleep, the accused started collecting money and weapons. Meanwhile, Narinder woke up and both engaged in a duel. The accused, Avtar Singh, assaulted him with a sword and kappa (a sharp-edged country-made weapon). He also hit him on his head with a rifle. After killing Narinder, the accused took the weapons to the roof of the house, from where he jumped and ran away. However, he forgot to take the sword along. “Following clues, we reached the accused and rounded him up for interrogation but he denied the allegation. We left him on a condition and started keeping a track on his activities. When we were sure of his role in the murder, we got production warrant of one of his friends, Om Parkash, who was lodged in the Central Jail, Bathinda. Om Parkash identified the sword as that of Avtar. Then, we arrested Avtar and extracted the truth,” said SSP Ashish Chaudhary. Meanwhile, SSP Chaudhary added, “Though the accused has admitted to the crime, we cannot rule out doubts in the case.” |
|
|
Centenary celebrations at Gidderbaha conclude
Gidderbaha, December 9 To make the celebrations an all-party event, finance and planning minister Manpreet Singh Badal, who is also the sitting MLA from Gidderbaha, visited his political rivals and invited them to participate in the celebrations. Following this, various leaders of the Opposition today marked their presence at a ‘yajna’ organised for the happiness of the town. Speaking on the occasion, Manpreet said, “Setting the ill-memories aside, I wish all of you (his political rivals like former MLA Raghubir Singh and former Punseed chairman, Ashok Dheer) to lend support in bringing people closer and strengthen the bonding.” During the celebrations, CM Parkash Singh Badal, accompanied by his wife Surinder Kaur Badal, thanked all by recalling the days when Gidderbaha sent him to Vidhan Sabha for the first time in 1957. Expressing gratitude, Badal gave a cheque of Rs 2 crore for the development of the town. Addressing the gathering Badal said, “Neither I nor my family can ever repay the love and affection we got from you in our tough days. I wanted to dedicate you the most loving thing to me, so I offered my nephew Manpreet at your service.” Besides celebrating the 100 years of the mandi with fervour and enthusiasm, people celebrated the 83rd birthday of the CM also by cutting a huge cake. The Punjab police jawans displayed an adventurous equestrian show. The main attraction of the celebration was the performance of renowned Punjabi singer Gurdas Mann, who is a product of Gidderbaha. Mann recalled his childhood memories. Besides paying regards to his friends and teachers, he called various kids on the stage and danced with them. Fascinated by his performance, the CM, his wife Surinder Kaur Badal and Manpreet requested for a number of songs, which Mann duly fulfilled by adding anecdotes. The evening concluded with a Sufi musical event and choreographies, which were followed by splendid display of fireworks held at Baba Ganga Ram stadium. |
|
|
500 shellers sit idle as decision on PAU-201 awaited
Bathinda, December 9 Hundreds of tonnes of poor quality rice was lying in the shellers while the owners were awaiting a green signal from government to go ahead with the milling process. Mohan Singh, a leader of the Rampura Rice Shellers Association, said about 70,000 quintals of rice worth about Rs 10 crore was dumped in his sheller. Similar was the condition in other shellers of the two districts. The Bathinda district has 250 shellers while Mansa has about 300. He said the stock was not in accordance with the specifications of the FCI as 35 to 40 per cent grain was broken. The FCI generally lifts stock with 25 per cent damaged grain. He said milling of rice had not yet started in any of the shellers although in the past seasons, by this time, 30 per cent stock was processed by each sheller. A delegation of rice millers met deputy commissioner Rahul Tiwari here today and urged him to take steps to solve the problem as the state government had given a commitment to them at the time of lifting of grain. It is worth mentioning that a hue and cry was raised by the farmers during the recent procurement season when the government agencies refused to lift their yield of damaged rice grain. However, the government finally succumbed to the pressure of the farmers who pleaded that the variety was certified by the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU). But the procurement agencies pointed out that the quantity of broken grain was far beyond specification. The millers cried that the PSEB has started seasonal billing of their establishments although the machines were idle. Labour force in strength was also sitting idle in the mills, they said. |
|
|
Paddy worth crores siphoned off
Ferozepur, December 9 Taking action, the district food and supply controller (DFSC), Sukhdev Singh, got a criminal case registered against Satwinder Singh, owner of the mill, Inderneel Singh, Devinder Kaur, his associates, labourers and a section of truck operators in the Sadar police station under sections 406, 407, 420 and 120-B of IPC today. Sources said that Satwinder managed to use up paddy allegedly with the active help of officials of district food and supply department and of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB). The authorities concerned first gave the permission to Satwinder for running the mill and subsequently allotted paddy to it by violating its policy despite the fact that no electricity power connection was given to it (mill). Inderneel has been handed over to the police for questioning by Sukhdev. When contacted, Sarbjit Singh, SHO, Sadar, police station, said that Inderneel was not arrested. "It is not necessary to arrest Inderneel as figuring of his name in the FIR does not mean that he (Inderneel Singh) is an accused in the case," said Sarbjit Singh adding that he was not aware of the fact that whether Inderneel was still in police station or not. Superintendent of police S.P.S. Parmar, when contacted, said Inderneel Singh was not required yet and whenever needed, he would be arrested. He added that accused had supplied the paddy at Jaitu, Zira and Dharamkot and three police parties along with the officials of district food and supply department were on job to seize the same. Sukhdev Singh said that about two lakh bags of paddy were stored on the premises of Noor Rice Mill in violation of the paddy allotment policy of the state government. As the capacity of mill was only one tonne and so only 75,000 bags must be allowed to store in its premises. He added that he had written to higher authorities for taking departmental action against three inspectors, who were negligent in performing their duties. He said that though the mill was not having power connection, the paddy was allotted to it by the officials concerned on the written assurance given by a senior functionary of the PSEB that power connection would be given to it within three to four days. |
|
Vet dispensaries at 14 villages sans RVOs
Bathinda, December 9 According to sources in the Zila Parishad (ZP) here, during a recent counselling for the appointment of RVOs, only three veterinary doctors appeared and of them, only one has joined. They also said the ZP authorities were keen to fill the vacancies soon but due to non-availability of veterinary doctors, the posts were lying vacant. The 14 rural veterinary dispensaries where posts of RVO are lying vacant are Aalike, Jethuke, Raiaya, Peerkot, Badi, Ghanda Banna, Selbara, Siri, Behman Jassa Singh, Kanakwal, Kesar Singh Wala, Dayalpura Bhaika and Jalal, Rajgarh. Interestingly, the contract of 17 RVOs has ended on October 13 last, which could not be renewed so far as the state government has reportedly not taken any decision on their contract. It is also learnt that negotiations are on with regard to fresh conditions of the contract, including hike in the contract amount. Sources said due to non-renewal of the contract, the authorities had given salary to these 17 RVOs till September last though they had sufficient funds for making payment to the RVOs. An official of the ZP told this reporter that they had not received budget for paying salaries to the pharmacists and the class IV employees of 14 rural veterinary dispensaries whose additional charge had been given to the RVOs. Due to this, their salaries could not be paid to them from October. |
|
SC Commission to reopen case
Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service
Moga, December 9 Although, the police had initially registered an FIR in this case in the Mehna police station but later the case was ‘closed’ following a statement given by the parents of the victim that they did not want to pursue it. The victim and her parents had also refused to identify the culprits. Talking to The Tribune, Dalip Singh Pandhi, Member of the SC Commission said that since the girl was minor the case could not be closed by the police or any other agency. "It is the duty of the district administration to pursue the case of the sexually abused minor girl and find out if there have been any political pressures or monetary deal to close the case,” he said. He said that the SC Commission had asked the DGP Paramdip Singh Gill to send the file of this case to them so that an independent investigation could be conducted as per the law. "The DGP has assured the Commission that the police will conduct DNA tests of the victim's baby and the suspects including the son of a local Congress leader whose names have figured during the initial inquiry and complaints of the victim's family,” he said. Pandhi said that the SC Commission would take this case to a logical conclusion. "We will also record the statement of the girl separately after psychological counselling to bring out the actual culprits behind this incident," he claimed.
|
|
One worker killed, 2 hurt
Our Correspondent
Abohar, December 9 As per information, a Chandigarh-based company had reportedly been engaged to supply huge sign boards that indicate distance of different towns from the RoB that had recently been completed within a budgeted cost of Rs 816 lakh to solve decades old problem of traffic hazards on the college road that makes a part of the Abohar-Hanumangarh road (state-highway). As the Punjab CM or his son were expected to inaugurate the RoB during next week, round the clock work had been going on to give the RoB a finishing touch. The authorities had virtually sealed entrance of public to the RoB by putting huge girders on both sides. Witnesses said that the RoB construction contractors, based at Panchkula, reportedly used a crane to lift two parts of the sign board that were to be connected after putting them on 20 feet high pipe-poles. Three daily wage earners who had been working for a long period were to connect the parts using bolts and nuts. As they were busy with the job sitting on the signboard, it broke and fell down along with the workers. This resulted in death of one Munna Lal while Parmod Kumar and Jai Kishan were injured seriously. They were rushed to the Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital and their condition continued to be critical till filing of this report. Intriguingly, a civil official arrived at the spot after an hour of the mishap and interacted with representative of the RoB construction contractors while the city police men were seen only in the civil hospital much later than that. The construction company has announced compensation amount Rs 2 lakh to the family of Munna Lal.
|
|
|
AISSF to hold insaaf march on Dec 14
Tribune News Service
Moga, December 9 Under the protest programme, a “march for justice” would be organised from Gurdwara Alamgir Sahib to Lohara, where the 'bhog' ceremony of Darshan Singh, who died in recent Ludhiana violence, would be held on December 14, AISSF President Peer Mohammad stated here. To chalk out agenda, a meeting of the Sant Samaj and the Damdami Taksaal had been convened on December 12 at Chowk Mehta, he revealed. He said that marches would also be organised all over Punjab in the coming months to raise voice against the “unjust attitude of the various political parties towards the various social, economic and political problems of the state.” Referring to history, he stated that starting in April 13, 1977 when 13 Sikhs were massacred by the Nirankaris with the support of the government headed by Parkash Singh Badal and this support to Anti-Sikh elements continued to Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim and now to Ashutosh. Adding that the support and protection to these anti-Sikh elements was a result of dirty politics of garnering votes from these deras while thousands of Sikhs were massacred under the cover of wiping out the militancy, he alleged.
|
|
|
Congress criticises Badals
Ferozepur, December 9 Talking to TNS on telephone, he alleged that Badals had been running the affairs of Punjab for their own vested interests and had been deliberating failing to maintain law and order situation. He said that the Congress party would play its positive role and would make all sacrifices to stop the state from plunging into the era of black days.
|
|
|
Beopar Mandal office-bearers
Bathinda, December 9 The vice-presidents are Ashok Mittal (Raman), Kharaiti Lal Garg (Rampura), Anil Bansal, Nachhattar Singh (Barnala), Shayam Sunder Chhindi (Gidderbaha) and Surinder Mukhi (Rajpura).
— TNS |
|
|
Over 400 examined at health camp
Bathinda, December 9 Specialists in heart, medicine, dental and orthopaedics examined the patients. |
|
|
LPG cylinders seized
Bathinda: A team of District Food and Supply Department led by assistant commissioner (UT), Joram Beda conducted a raid at eating joints in the city on Tuesday and seized 10 domestic LPG cylinders, which were being used for commercial purposes. Meanwhile, another team of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation sleuths removed encroachments on the Mall road.
— TNS |
|
|
Donated
BATHINDA: Under the General Samaj Party campaign to help Dalit dharamshalas, Shah Sarna Mal Nathu Ram’s family donated beds, daris and chairs to a dharamshala at Balluana village, founder of the party SK Goyal said.
— TNS |
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
With the arrest of a teenager of village Jeewan Singh Wala, the Bathinda police today claimed to have cracked the blind murder of Narinder Singh (76), a close relative of the ruling Badal family.
The concluding day of the centenary celebrations of Gidderbaha Mandi not only saw fervour among the residents of the town but also made the ruling and Opposition leaders set aside their political differences.
Distance indicator falls
