Moga, May 7
Twenty-two-year-old Sandip Kaur left her paternal home at Charik village a year ago with dreams of a lifelong companionship with Lakhwinder Singh, a resident of Chuhar Chak village whom she promised to take along with her to Australia but the ill-fated woman failed to fulfill the mandatory educational requirements eventually leading to refusal of visa, thus shattering their dreams.

Due to this, within one year of her marriage, she was allegedly physically and mentally tortured by her husband and mother-in-law who burnt the young woman to death on Thursday night.

She was rushed to a private hospital at Talwandi Bhai in Ferozepur district but she succumbed to her burn injuries.

Her father Harnek Singh, told The Tribune, “I got a phone call from her in-laws at about 9 pm last night that my daughter is not feeling well and is admitted to a private hospital but when we reached there, she was lying dead with burn injuries in the hospital ward.”

He informed about the incident to the police at the nearest Balkhandi police post. ASI Baldev Singh reached the hospital immediately and took her body into custody. Later, she was brought here in the district hospital for post-mortem.

The post-mortem was conducted on Friday by a special medical board comprising three medical experts, the report of which was still awaited by the police.

However, the police had registered a criminal case under sections 304-A (dowry death of a woman caused by burns or bodily injury or which does not occur under normal circumstances within seven years of her marriage) and 120-B of the IPC in the Kot-ise-Khan police station against the deceased woman's husband and mother-in-law Paramjit Kaur alias Gejo who were still eluding arrest at the time of writing the news report.

As per the statement of her father Harnek Singh recorded to the police, it has come to light that she was subjected to cruelty and harassment by her husband and mother-in-law in connection with demand for dowry after she failed to fulfil their dreams of taking her husband to Australia.

Harnek said that he married his daughter to Lakhwinder after she cleared the IELTS exam by getting 5.5 mandatory points to go to Australia for studies but she was refused a visa by the Australian High Commission. “I again spent Rs 20, 000 for her to re-appear in the IELTS examination but she secured only 5 points ruining her hopes of going abroad,” he added.

The problem in marital life started just after she was refused a visa to Australia. 

Bathinda, May 7
In a bizarre incident, a woman of village Mehta in this district set her father-in-law ablaze after she became suspicious over his gestures hinting at outraging her modesty for the past several months.

However, acting upon the statement of the eldest among the three sons of the deceased, police booked the woman under section 302 of the IPC (for murder).

According to the FIR lodged with the Sangat police, Gurmukh Singh, the eldest son of the deceased, alleged that he witnessed Ranjeet Kaur alias Rani, wife of his younger brother, fleeing after setting his father Meva Singh on fire.

The family members rushed him to Civil Hospital in Bathinda and informed the Sarpanch of the village about the incident. Meanwhile, observing his critical condition, the doctors referred him to a private hospital, located near Bhucho Mandi.

As the accused woman managed to escape, police registered a case of attempt to murder under section 307 of the IPC. However, the man succumbed to burn injuries, late last night, and the police today registered the case as of murder.

On the other hand, sources in the village informed that Meva Singh, who was in his late fifties, had a wife and three sons but still used to remain at the cremation ground in the village as a Sevadar. He used to visit the house only to have meals.

The villagers disclosed that Meva Singh had ill designs on Ranjeet Kaur, the wife of his second son Sukhpal Singh. She was blessed with a son and a couple of months back, had conceived again but due to some physical problem, suffered miscarriage.

Finding it as an opportunity to bring her closer, Meva Singh asked her to visit him at the cremation ground claiming that he had the cure for her problems. One day, he gave her some intoxicants (tablets) and asked her to rush towards him after consuming the tablets.

Seeing his gestures, Ranjeet Kaur became suspicious, so she checked the tablets and found them to be intoxicants.

Irked, Ranjeet administered the tablets in the food served to her father-in-law. After consuming the adulterated food, he went to the cremation ground and fell on his bed unconscious¸ the villagers said.

Speaking further, the villagers said, “Meanwhile, Ranjeet Kaur took a container of kerosene and poured it on him. Before he could come back to his senses, she set him on fire and fled. But while running away from the cremation ground, her brother-in-law saw her and lodged a complaint with the police.

When contacted, the SHO Sangat police station, Sandeep Singh said, “Acting upon the statement of the son of the deceased¸ we have booked the woman. But we too have received information about the bad intention of the deceased towards his daughter-in-law, so we have launched a detailed investigation into the matter.”

Barnala, May 7
Being physically challenged doesn't stop a person from dreaming big and taking steps to fulfill it. A person from Barnala with 90 per cent disability has fulfilled his dream of cracking the Civil Services examination, the result of which was declared days earlier.

Balwinder Singh, son of Darshan Singh of Daraaj village in Barnala, has brought laurels to his small village in Barnala by securing 627 rank in the Civil Services examination and by doing so has inspired so many with such disabilities.

Balwinder, who was born on September 1, 1981 in village Daraaj, was afflicted by polio when he was just 10. He even had to drop out from school in class VI. He said he did lose courage and despite suffering pain, joined a middle school in the village. "Since I have a physical deformity, my parents inspired me a lot and I achieved this feat mainly because of them," said Balwinder.

"Before this, I appeared for the exam thrice. Varinder Kumar, inspired me, guided me and I was able to qualify the examination with Punjabi as an optional subject."

Balwinder said the state health department had certified him of being 90 per cent physically disabled while in medical test conducted by the UPSC, he was declared as 63 per cent handicapped. He added that despite facing problems because of being handicapped he never lost courage. He averred that appearing in the exam with mother language as a subject helped a lot.

Kotkapura, May 7
Dr Kanwar Vishal Singh, a 27-year-old anaesthetist, posted in Baba Dayal Singh Government Civil Hospital at Kotkapura has come in the merit list of the Indian Police Service (IPS) clearing the Civil Services examination conducted by the UPSC, the results of which were declared yesterday.

Kanwar was born in 1982 to JS Shauri and Veena Rani at Ajnala in Amritsar district. He did his MBBS winning a gold medal from Government Medical College, Amritsar and specialisation in anaesthesia from a Mumbai medical college. In 2008 PCMS test, he got the first position.

Kanwar made it to the IPS in the first attempt. He said his wife Preeti Sharma, an eye specialist working with him in the same hospital, contributed and supported a lot in his success.

Sriganganagar/Abohar, May 7
Eminent Hindi and Rajasthani poet Jitender Kumar Soni ‘Prayas’, who had topped in the OBC (Male) category in the Rajasthan Administrative Services early this year, has now got 29th rank in the IAS exam. Interestingly, the four successful IAS candidates, identified so far from the twin districts of Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh, have their roots in rural areas.

Born in village Dhannasar of Rawatsar tehsil, Jitender is serving as a lecturer in Political Science at a village-based government senior secondary school. Having participated in the SAARC conference held at New Delhi, Jitender had recently received an invitation to attend the World Literacy Conference to be held in Pakistan.

Ghanshyam Thori of Raisinghnagar, who has secured the 25th rank, is son of a farmer and had got an MBA degree from Mumbai after his education at Raisinghnagar and Sriganganagar.

Manish Bansal of Bhadra remembers using kerosene to light the lantern for primary education in his native village. He did his MBBS from Bikaner Medical College but his father Sant Lal Bansal always inspired him to compete for the IAS.

Rajveer Singh Barala hails from the family of a small farmer of village Sonadi of Nohar tehsil. He too had primary education in a rural government school and later graduated from Nohar College before joining the government service as a teacher in New Delhi where he got coaching for the IAS.

Bathinda, May 7
After Sandeep Singh Jeeda opted to sit out quietly, the much-hyped election of the president of the District Bar Association (DBA), slated for May 8, has become a one-to-one fight between Jasvir Singh and Jatinder Roy Khattar.

Both had been in the chair at different times. On the eve of the elections, both were observed campaigning door-to-door to convince the voters by recounting their achievements and promises. Wherever required, both used reconciliation as tactics.

Speaking to TNS in the evening, both expressed the hope of winning the election. JR Khattar said, “I am sure of winning the elections as voters have not forgotten the incidents that took place during the tenure of my rival (2009-10). He put their dignity at stake and ruled according to his wishes. In contrast, people know me for having kept on struggling to give everybody his due respect.”

On the other hand, Jasvir Singh said, “The inauguration of the judicial complex, which took place during my tenure, is my biggest achievement. Moreover, by making efforts I made the government release a grant of Rs 1 crore for the construction of Bar chambers.” “If they give me chance to serve them again, I will make my best for the welfare of colleagues,” said Jasvir.

Other candidates

Vice-president: Deepak Kumar Gupta, Gurpreet Singh Sidhu and Yashpreet Singh Sidhu. Secretary: Gurpreet Singh Bhasin and Ranjeet Singh Jalal. Joint secretary: Rajesh Kumar, Ravi Kant Bhardwaj and Satinder Pal Singh Saini

Bathinda, May 7
The pensioners of the PRTC’s Bathinda depot, under the banner of the PRTC Pensioners’ Association, staged a dharna on the premises of main bus stand here today to protest against non-implementation of their already accepted demands. They said as the PRTC management was not implementing these demands, they had been compelled to protest.

The pensioners said the state government had already implemented report of the fifth pay commission on its employees and pensioners whereas the PRTC was adopting dilly-dallying tactics in this direction. They said despite an agreement with the Punjab government and passing of the same by the PRTC management board in a meeting, the PRTC management was not implementing new pay-scales. — TNS

Fazilka, May 7
The local municipal council (MC) authorities today opened tenders of bids made by different civil works contractors to execute the development works, here today despite the fact that an inquiry was being conducted into the allegations that a section of development works, for which the tenders were opened today, had already been executed by certain 'favourite' contractors.

A formal complaint was lodged against local MC authorities by one Mahesh Gupta that MC authorities had invited tenders of certain development works on February 11 this year which had already been executed.

The tenders were opened in the presence of senior civil officials.

Jaskiran Singh, deputy director, local bodies, Ferozepur, who has been conducting the inquiry into the case on the orders of principal secretary, local bodies, Punjab, C. Roul, when contacted, said that tenders would be cancelled if it was found that those works, for which the tenders were opened today, had already been executed.

He added that he had sent a two-member team comprising the SDO and JE of Jalalabad MC to make on the spot verification of those points where certain development works were said to have been executed by certain contractor before the tenders for the same works were invited by the MC authorities. He said that the record of MC pertaining to the execution of development works had been taken into custoday.

Anil Sethi, president, MC, said that development of the town could not be halted on the pretext that an inquiry was going on to probe the allegations. He added that action would be taken against those contractors, who were found guilty of indulging in such malpractices.

A section of citizens, SAD (B) leaders and former vice-chairman of MC, Satinder Singh Savi were demanding that the opening of tenders must have been cancelled.

Savi said that how two officials of Jalalabad MC sent for an on the spot verification of those works, which were said to have been executed without inviting tenders, could do justice to their job when they were subordinate to Tilak Raj Verma, Executive Officer (EO), local MC, who was involved in the opening of tenders today and was also holding additional charge of Jalalabad MC.

Meanwhile, Sethi claimed that MC authorities made an achievement today by generating revenue of Rs 61 lakhs from the auction of its 245 acres of land on lease for one year for agricultural purposes. 

Fazilka, May 7
In a surprise move, local MLA Surjit Kumar Jyani, launched a scathing attack on Fazilka police regarding the deteriorating law and order situation in the town. He has also threatened to launch an agitation if police officials do not change their attitude and bring the law and order situation under control immediately.

While addressing a press conference at the local Civil Hospital where his father is under treatment for some ailment, Jyani said he had repeatedly warned the police authorities to check the hooliganism in the town but all his efforts fell upon deaf ears.

"I am now fed up with the situation and would meet Deputy Chief Minister cum Home Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday and would apprise him of the law and order situation," Jyani asserted.

An enraged Jyani also threatened to resign from his post if his demand for bringing the law and order situation under control was not met.

He also expressed his anguish before the SSP Ferozepur.

It is pertinent to mention here that there was a dispute between two persons over petty issue who indulge in inflicting injuries upon each other. This clash took ugly turn and become a clash between two communities on Thursday night near Grain Market. Both the community members pelted stones at each other, brandishing swords and sharp-edged weapons with impunity.

But police could not nab the culprits and control the situation. Moreover, they failed in restoring normalcy. Tension continued to persist and is prevailing till now. The mob also thrashed the two passersby without any reason and provocation.

On the other hand, DSP Fazilka Karamjit Singh said that police is making all efforts of over come the problem of law and order.

Fazilka, May 7
Fazilka police today busted a gang of motorcycle thieves and recovered 17 motorcycles from different places.

At a press conference here today, DSP Karmajit Singh said that a police team led by special staff sub-inspector Sanjiv Setia laid a naka at the local Malout Chowk. During the checking, the police personnel nabbed Satpal Singh, a resident of village Sohana Sandhar of Jalalabad and Om Parkash, a resident of Fazilka along with a stolen motorcycle.

He said that on the basis of the investigation from the vehicle lifters, the police raided different locations in the town and recovered 17 motorcycles which they had stolen from different places in Fazilka, Ferozepur, Jalalabad and Guruharsahai areas.

The DSP said that it was a three-member gang and their third companion, identified as Rajinder Singh, is still at large.

City police Fazilka have registered an FIR under section 379, 411 of the IPC against Satpal Singh and Om Parkash. — OC

Abohar, May 7
Nearly 6,000 students of Dalit communities who are studying in the recognised schools affiliated with the Punjab School Education Board are being deprived of free syllabi books.

A deputation of the Recognised and Affiliated School Association (RASA) on Thursday met local legislator Sunil Jakhar and submitted a memorandum. RASA functionaries including SPS Kataria, Rakesh Bharati, Chetan Parkash Bulandi, Vikas Madaan and Jawaharlal Aggarwal said by depriving the Dalit students of private schools, the state was working against the spirit of the Right to Education Act.

It is understood that facility to provide free books to Dalit students in private schools is being discontinued to force them join the government schools. — OC