Moga, March 3
Reacting to secret information that some followers of the controversial Dera Sacha Sauda had planned to self-immolate themselves in protest against the registration of a murder case by the CBI against their head, the police fortified Baghapurana town of the Moga district on Wednesday morning.

The extra police force along with BSF jawans and fire tenders were positioned at the main square of the town.

Although the police claim that this was just a precautionary step, sources in the police and the intelligence revealed that the Dera followers had secretly planned the self-immolation by some of their followers.

Jagjit Singh Saroa the DSP of Baghapurana told media persons that this was just a precautionary exercise because the Saturday’s protests surprised them. The police did not want the same to happen again this time. “We have deployed our men on duty”, he added.

In the Saturday’s incidents, Baghapurana was one of the worst affected areas in the Moga district where the police had to open fire in the air to disperse the mob in certain areas.

On the other hand, there were reports that hundreds of followers of the Dera had today gone to Sirsa to express solidarity with the Dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh who would be appearing in a CBI court.

Meanwhile, the presence of heavy forces at Baghapurana since morning shocked the residents. The markets places wore a deserted look as the local residents preferred to keep themselves indoors as a preventive measure. 

Sriganganagar/Abohar, March 3
Even when the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Rajasthan state unit of the SAD had denounced the formation of the Rajasthan Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (RSGPC) last year and refused to accord it recognition, the latter has now earned support from some Sikh intellectual and Muslim organisations. 

Those who addressed the maiden seminar organised by the RSGPC at Sriganganagar last evening included Ateeq Ahmad, chief executive officer of the Marwar Muslim Education and Welfare Society Jodhpur, prolific writer, Gurtej Singh Chandigarh, Desh Punjab editor, Sahab Singh Sandhu, Prof Devinder Saifi Goniana, Prof Kulbir Singh from Guru Gobind Singh College Chandigarh and advocate Harshinder Singh from Punjab Human Rights Organisation. Members of the Muslim community led by chief of the Sriganganagar-based Jama Masjid made part of the gathering.

The scholars were of the view that minorities had suffered much mostly because of poor rate of literacy so stress should be laid upon spreading education at the grass-root level. RSGPC president Hardip Singh while honouring the distinguished speakers said such seminars would be organised in other districts also to bring awareness and acquaint the minorities of the programme of the RSGPC. Dr Tej Partap Singh, Balwinder Singh Gill, Mangal Singh advocate and Sajjan Singh advocate also participated in the discussions.

Bathinda, March 3
Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, IAS, here today assumed the charge as new deputy commissioner of Bathinda district while Nirmal Singh Dhillon, IPS, took over as the new DIG of the Faridkot Range.

Gurkirat was earlier DC Nawan Shehar and has replaced Rahul Tewari, who has been shifted to Ludhiana. Dhillon was earlier posted in teh chief minister’s security wing at Chandigarh. He has replaced Dr Jitendera Jain, who has gone to Ludhiana as the DIG, Ludhiana Range.

Both the officials held meeting with their respective subordinates. Besides, they also heard the grievances of people. — TNS

Bathinda, March 3
During the remodelling and upgradation of the Bathinda railway station from March 8 to 20, the PRTC will ply four buses a day to transport railway passengers to and fro between local railway station and Katar Singh Wala railway station. The arrangement has been made in the light of a change in the routes of some trains by the Railways.

According to information available, the 5609 Guwahati-Lalgarh, 5610 Lalgarh – Guwahati, 4887 Kalka-Haridwar-Barmer and 4888 Barmer–Kalka-Haridwar trains will run from Katar Singh Wala railway station instead of Bathinda railway station during the period.

The PRTC buses will leave Bathinda for Katar Singh Wala railway station in accordance with the departure timings of the trains from there. The passengers will have to pay Rs 10 as bus fare for one side.

Guru Har Sahai (Ferozepur), March 3
In a shocking incident, a young girl of village Mara Khurd of this assembly segment was axed to death by her father this afternoon.

Swarna Rani was killed by her father Lakhwant Singh when she along with her mother Kushiya Bai was stepping out of their house to visit a nearby doctor.

Police sources said Lakhwant Singh, who worked as labourer, came to his house this afternoon and asked his wife to cook for him.

When his wife told him that she along with her daughter was going to the doctor for medical check-up, he became angry and in a fit of anger he picked up an axe and attacked his daughter with it.

As Kushiya Bai started crying and came out in the street to seek help of the residents of the village, Lakhwant Singh also attacked her with the axe in her back. The villagers gathered at the spot after Kushiya Bai raised an alarm and managed to overpower him and handed him over to police.

Police sources said it was yet to be verified whether Lakhwant Singh was under the influence of liquor or not, at the time of committing the crime. Sources said Swarna Rani died on the spot while her mother was stable.

The body of Swarna Rani had been sent to the civil hospital for postmortem. A case under section 302 of the IPC had been registered against Lakhwant Singh. 

Moga, March 3
An employee of a cement shop was brutally murdered under mysterious circumstances allegedly by a migrant couple in the office of a property dealer at Moga, late last night.

The police today sent the body for a post-mortem to the district hospital, in which, multiple injuries caused by sharp-edged weapons had been examined. Police had launched a hunt to nab the couple after registering a criminal case under sections 302 and 34 of the IPC on the complaint of the deceased’s brother.

The DSP also did not rule out the possibility of illicit relations. “The illicit relations with the woman can be one of the reasons for the crime,” he said.

A video film in possession with The Tribune also leads to doubt over illicit relations of the woman with the deceased. 

Fazilka, March 3
To commit suicide, a married woman (42) along with her 27 years old alleged paramour jumped into the Gang canal near village Fattanwala. However, the woman drowned while her paramour was saved by the villagers.

As per details, Baljit Singh, a resident of village Fattanwala had allegedly illicit relations with a woman of the same village since long. Their family members tried to desist them from maintaining it.

According to sources, they tied their hands with a cloth and jumped into the canal. A farmers working near the canal raised an alarm.

Resultantly, the villagers gathered there. The woman was found dead. However, Baljit Singh was saved by the villagers.

The police have taken Baljit Singh in custody and registered a case under section 309, 306 of the IPC against him. — OC