Chandigarh, December 15
In less than 24 hours of slamming the Haryana government for inaction in the alleged Madhuban scandal, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) sang a different tune today -guarded, muted and very cautious.

Unlike yesterday, the tone and tenor of allegations seemed changed as party supremo Om Prakash Chautala painted an altogether new picture of the “scandal” while giving a near-clean chit to one of the senior police officials and maintaining that the INLD had received no written complaint in the matter.

This came as a contradiction to what his son, party secretary-general and Dabwali MLA, Ajay Chautala, had stated at yesterday’s press conference where he had maintained that the party had a written complaint. He had, in response to a query, even mentioned names of two senior officers “involved” in the scandal.

However, today, the senior Chautala undid the damage by claiming that one of the officers named yesterday was a “good man” while keeping mum on the name of the other officer in question. Speaking to mediapersons after submitting a representation to Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia, along with party MLAs, Chautala said the party had demanded a CBI inquiry to arrive at the truth in the matter.

“We have based our demand for an inquiry on the newspaper reports that have been published over the past few days. Let all those in the circle of suspicion be made party and the case be investigated by an independent agency. We are not saying it is true or fabricated. We only want an investigation since the allegations are serious. Also, we highlighted the rising cases of atrocities against women while recounting cases that made headlines, including the Sarita suicide case,” Chautala stated.

He clarified that no officers had been named in their complaint which also mentioned that the law and order situation in Haryana was deteriorating due to an “insensitive and incapable government”.

In its memorandum, the INLD has mentioned that there is a rape in every 12 hours, a murder in every eight hours, a kidnapping in every 10 hours and 17 incidents of theft, dacoity and loot every one hour. “The Governor expressed surprise on the goings-on and assured action,” Chautala said.

He was accompanied by state unit president of the party Ashok Arora and other party MLAs. However, Ajay Chautala, who had addressed a press conference yesterday and lambasted the state government of inaction while categorically stating that police high-ups were involved, was conspicuous by his absence.

Sources in the INLD said Chautala junior could not be present since he had 18 functions slated in Dabwali for the day that he could not skip.

Safidon (Jind), December 15
The head of a retired teacher was tonsured on the orders of a social panchayat here today after the accused was found guilty of molesting a minor girl at a locality last evening. However, the police have no information of the incident.

The incident took place at about 7pm when a girl aged seven had come to pay obeisance at the ‘mazaar’ of Pir Baba near ward number 11. The accused, aged 65, took the girl to a secluded spot near on pretext of offering her ‘prasad’ and tried to molest her. However, the girl revealed the incident to her parents.

A panchayat was called this morning in the ward and it was decided that the head of the accused teacher be tonsured, instead of taking the matter to the local police.

While this order of the panchayat was carried out immediately, no one from the other side, including the accused, protested against the judgement.

The police officials said they had received no complaint in this regard. 

Rewari, December 15
The mortal remains of Subedar Kailash Chand Tanwar (49) were consigned to the flames with military and state honours at his native village Bhojawas, 45 km from here, yesterday.

Tanwar, JCO in the 269 Bombay Engineers Army, was killed in a blast that took place during his recent CET training camp at Surtagarh in Bikaner region of Rajasthan on December 12.

While contingents of the Bombay Engineers Army and the 18 Mechanics Infantry, Hisar, saluted the martyr by reversing their arms, Sandeep Singh, SDM of Mahendragarh, placed a wreath on the pyre on behalf of the district administration.

Tanwar’s elder son Mukesh Kumar, who is also a serving jawan of the Bombay Engineers Army, lit the pyre. He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. — OC

Rohtak, December 15
The allegations into the alleged Madhuban scandal will be probed and the guilty will be brought to book. This was stated by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who was speaking to mediapersons after listening to public grievances at the local Canal Rest House here today.

He said the matter would be inquired thoroughly and no one would be spared.

However, it could not be cleared whether the inquiry would include some of the senior officials whose names were figured in the reports published by a vernacular daily. While a case has been registered against printers, publishers and reporters of a local daily for allegedly making derogatory and defamatory references against some senior officials, the INLD has demanded a CBI inquiry into the case. 

Sirsa, December 15
A portion of the railway overbridge (ROB) being constructed across the railway line on the Sirsa-Dabwali road caved in and a large portion of about 24 metres fell on the ground causing serious doubts about the quality of material being used in the construction.

No one was injured, although two two-wheelers and a generator set got buried under the bridge.

“A portion of the bridge between pillar numbers 9 and 10 started showing cracks and fell down at 12 pm today,” said an eyewitness.

He added that the portion of the bridge fell so soon after the nearby shopkeepers noticed the portion hanging that they could not remove their scooters from the site.

NKG Infrastructure Limited, a civil construction company, that has been carrying out the construction work, however, sought to play down the accident.

“It is a small accident that occurs due to overturning effect,” said Mani Garg, an engineer of the company. He estimated a loss of Rs 5 to 7 lakh.

Karnal, December 15
Eminent agro-scientist Dr Gurbachan Singh, presently posted as director, Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI), has been appointed the new Agriculture Commissioner in the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation in the union government.

A communication received from Union Agriculture Minister in this regard said the name of Dr Gurbachan Singh was recommended by the UPSC for the top post and he would be on deputation for a period of five years.

Born on September 16, 1954, in Bhaini Maraj village of Punjab, Dr Gurbachan Singh (55) obtained his BSc (agriculture), MSc (agronomy) and PhD (agronomy) from the PAU, Ludhiana. Dr Singh started his career as scientist at the CSSRI, Karnal, in 1978 and rose to the position of principal scientist in 1998; head, crop production division, Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI), Jhansi, in 2000, Assistant Director General (ADG) at ICAR, New Delhi, in 2001 and director, CSSRI, Karnal, in 2005. He is a recipient of several national awards, including Hari Om Ashram Trust Award of ICAR; Dr KA Shankarnarayan Memorial Award of CAZRI, Jodhpur, and Tenth Sukumar Basu Memorial Award of IARI, New Delhi, 

Karnal, December 15
National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) bagged the overall trophy in the four-day ICAR inter-zonal sports meet that concluded here today. NDRI bagged six golds, while Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttak, remained runners up with four golds.Indian Veterinary Research Institute bagged the ‘fair play award’ while ICAR Institute North Eastern Hill Region, Barapani, stood first in the march past. 

Brig Kishore Yadav of NDRI and Mohan Singh of Central Arid Zone research Institute (CAZRI) received lifetime achievement award for their contribution in the field of sports. The award has been instituted from this year only.

Pradeep Paridha (CRRI), who bagged three golds in 100m, 200m and 400m, was adjudged as best athlete (men) while Preethi of Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod (CPCRI), who also clinched three golds in long jump, high jump and 200 m and a silver in 100 m, was declared the best athlete (women). CAZRI, Jodhpur, bagged gold in football while IARI, New Delhi, finished runners up. In Kabbadi, CRRI won the gold while NDRI, Karnal, bagged the silver. In Volleyball (men) NBAGR, Karnal, were the winners while, ICAR, Goa finished runners up. Director NDRI AK Srivastav was the chief guest.

Sirsa, December 15
In an intriguing move, Chaudhary Devi Lal University yesterday withdrew its earlier move to name a multipurpose hall being constructed in the university after the late Chaudhary Ranbir Singh Hooda, father of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Vice-Chancellor KC Bhardwaj made this proposal for the withdrawal of the earlier proposal at a meeting of the executive council (EC) held in the conference hall of the university yesterday.

Surprisingly, Bhardwaj had himself moved a proposal to name the hall after the Chief Minister’s father, a member of the Constituent Assembly of India, at a meeting of the EC held on November 21.

Members of the EC duly approved the proposal moved by the Vice-Chancellor unanimously.

No reason has been assigned by the university for withdrawing its proposal in less than a month after it was approved by the EC.

“I have withdrawn the proposal that was made by me in the previous meeting of the EC,” confirmed Bhardwaj without going into the reasons for the move.

Among other decisions taken by it, the EC approved one-year deputation of Prof Anu Shukla, chairperson of the English Department, to the Central University of Haryana, Jant Palli (Mahendragarh), where she recently got appointment.

The EC also accorded its approval to re-designate incumbent lecturers as on January 1, 2006, as assistant professors and incumbent readers as on January 1, 2006, as associate professors as per the new guidelines of the University Grants Commission.

The EC also nominated two members - Dr RP Hooda, Vice-Chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, and Dr Pankaj Mittal, Vice-Chancellor of Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Vishwavidyalaya, to the search committee for the new Vice-Chancellor for this university.

The term of the university’s present incumbent, Dr KC Bhardwaj, expires on December 31 this year.

Meanwhile, some local eminent residents have launched a move to lobby for another term for Bhardwaj.

Some prominent persons of the district, including some ruling party politicians, today met Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at Rohtak, seeking extension of Bhardwaj’s term.

Bhardwaj has already completed the age of 65, the maximum age limit for a VC in Haryana.

However, the UGC, according to members of the deputation, who met the CM, has already enhanced the maximum age limit to 70 years.

Panipat, December 15
A 60-year-old man had to pay with his life for having asked a truck driver to move his vehicle that had been blocking the road in New Baholi village of the district, yesterday.

According to the police, Krishan Kumar, a resident of Dera Baholi, was on his way to meet the sarpanch of the village along with his son Pawan and wife Roshani Devi.

As they reached near the refinery drain bridge, they found that the road had been completely blocked by a truck that was being used for lifting sand from the drain bed.

But when Krishan asked the truck driver to move his vehicle off the road, the two got into an argument. Later, the truck driver called some of his accomplices and attacked Krishan with a sharp-edged weapon, which led to his death. He then fled from the place.

Later, villagers assembled at the crime scene and informed the police and a team was rushed the spot. A case has been registered against five persons — Mahinder, Tara Chand, Bhura, Lal Singh and Om Prakash. — TNS