Ferozepur, November 7
Nazeer Singh, who was working as special police officer (SPO), at Mamdot police station, was allegedly murdered by Kashmir Singh and his son Sukhwinder Singh at village Sethan Wala of this district.

Police sources said though it appeared that Nazeer had not been murdered and had died a natural death.

A case against Kashmir and his son Sukhwinder was registered on the complaint of Rano, wife of the deceased Nazeer, who had alleged that her husband had been murdered.

Sources further added that Rano had alleged that her husband Nazeer was taken away from his house by Kashmir and Sukhwinder yesterday on some pretext and after some time, she was informed by father-son duo that Nazeer had died and his body had been brought to the hospital concerned.

She alleged that her husband had been murdered by Kashmir and Sukhwinder.

A case in this connection had been registered at the Mamdot police station under sections 302 and 43 of the IPC. The postmortem would be conducted today. No arrest has been made in the case so far.

Fazilka, November 7
The first Fazilka Youth Conclave was organised by the Graduate Welfare Association Fazilka (GWAF) on Saturday in this town. The gathering consisted of those who are still studying and are yet to decide their goals, the youths who have been serving in different fields after getting education from this town and those who have made a mark in their respective fields. Interestingly, the participation of girls in the conclave was also encouraging.

The aim of the conclave was to bring all the youths together on a common platform to make them interact and share ideas with those who have become achievers in various fields and also to decided future course of action for changing their own life and paving the way towards a better life for future generation.

While Umesh Kukkar, president, GWAF, gave a call that all the members, who participated in the conclave, should become active flag-bearers to carry the legacy of Fazilka, Navdeep Asija, secretary, GWAF, on ‘Fazilka-1844, A Love Story’ informed about the architectural heritage of the city and how active participation of Fazilka youths can carry forward the legacy of this India's important town. Karan Gilhotra, who has been mentioned in the Limca Book of Records as the youngest sarpanch of the country, stressed upon the role of educated youth in active politics. Paramjit Warar, a social activist, working in the rural areas of the border belt with youth, Sanjeev Nagpal, an entrepreneur, Vikram Ahuja, a leading environmentalist, Vinod Jiyani, a pioneer in rural tourism, Anju Aneja, an entrepreneur, CP Kamboj also presented their views on the occasion. A quiz related to Fazilka was also conducted for the audience.

“The non-political young entrepreneurs have already made an investment of about Rs 500 crore and employment for over 2000 youngsters in this border belt possible. Now, political leaders have to prove their worth,” said Rajneesh Kamra, who pioneered IT business in this border town.

Fazilka, November 7
A bakery shop was gutted at the local wool market as fire broke out in the shop on Saturday. The loss is estimated to the tune of more than Rs 2 lakh.

As per the information available, fire broke out at around midnight at Bharat Cake House in the wool market here.

The eatables lying in the shop were reduced to ashes. The reason behind fire was stated to be due to sparking in the electric wiring system.

The employees of the shop living on the first floor of the building immediately informed the fire brigade officials.

Fire brigade officer Suraj Parkash said with sustained efforts of nearly an hour, they were able to douse the flames.

Moga, November 7
Crime against women has considerably increased in the Moga district during the past couple of years. This week’s incident of sex predators taking advantage of the technology to make porn CDs of a teenage girl of the town for blackmailing to rape her has sent shocking waves among the local residents. Her lover prepared a porn CD of his 17-year-old girl friend and passed on the same to his five friends, who blackmailed and raped her.

The official records of the police reveal that as many as 15 women including minors, mostly belonging to the poor and lower middle class, have been sexually abused, six murdered, 10 women forced to commit suicide, two killed by in-laws for dowry and one case of female feticide reported during the current years, as on date.

SSP Sneh Deep Sharma, talking to The Tribune, said social factors too account for rise in crime against women and in most instances of sexual abuse, the offenders have usually been persons, who moved in the close social circle of the victim’s family, he said,

A minor Dalit girl was abducted and sexually abused by two youths of the same village at Ammiwala village near Dharamkot in the Moga district on September 17, this year. Another 20-year old Dalit woman was sexually abused by a man on the pretext of marrying her in the first week of September, this year. A 16-year old Dalit girl was allegedly raped by a youth living in her neighbour at the district headquarters here in Moga. On September 26, a drug-addict husband brutally killed his wife with a sharp-edged weapon over a dispute on extra-marital relations at Saide Shah Wala village in the Moga district. On October 19, a 16-year old Dalit girl was allegedly raped by a youth living in her neighbour at Moga.

Expressing concern over the rising crime against Dalit women, Dalip Singh Pandhi, Member of the State Commission for Scheduled Castes said police is not sensitised to the crimes against women because there have been many instances in the recent past when the district magistrates and senior authorities of the police department have chosen to ignore the orders of the commission related to the crimes against Dalits. Dr Malti Thapar, a woman activist and a former minister, said that the rise in crime against women calls for not only exemplary investigation and efficient prosecution of the accused but also for an in-depth inquiry into the nature and quality of handling of these cases by the police and prosecution authorities.

Abohar, November 7
The students of the DAV College of Education had won 18 medals in the PU Athletic Meet of Zone C colleges, principal Dr Venita Singh informed. The team led by Simple Kamboj in-charge of the sports wing, got overall second position among 35 colleges. Chet Ram won gold in 100 meters (boys) race, silver in 200 meter and bronze in relay race. Manjit and Mangi Lal won silver and bronze medals in 400 meter and relay and long jump and relay race, respectively.

Among the girls, Maya Devi bagged silver medals in 100 meter, relay race and long jump while Deepa won silver in 400 meter, 800 meter and relay race. Bindu Kamboj got silver in relay and bronze in 100 meter race while Radha won silver in high jump and bronze in relay race.

Sriganganagar, November 7
After winning ten gold medals during the national championship and scores of titles at state-level in martial art, Poonam Verma has emerged as a leading trainer in Sriganganagar region.

Even on Sunday, kids were found in a private school taking tips during the exercise session from this little girl. She has been assigned by the institution as marshal art trainer to prepare the team for the national championship that is slated for this month end.

“In today’s era, one should lern self-defence considering the rate of crime,” she pointed out.

Abohar, November 7
The district-level conference of the Usari Mistri (masons) Mazdoor Union has criticised the state government for not enforcing the Act that had been enacted in 1996 to improve their working conditions.

While addressing the conference in Vishavkarma Mandir complex here on Sunday, Raj Singh, general secretary of the Indian Federation of Trade Unions, pointed out that the state government had miserably failed in improving the general working conditions of construction workers.

A survey indicated that Ferozepur district had got about 30,000 workers covered by 35 categories.

Barnala, November 7
Grappling with the drug addiction problems across Punjab, the state government set up a drug addiction ward in the district hospital at Barnala, which is getting a good response.

The de-addiction ward, which started functioning in August this year, has come as a blessing for the addicts, who want to get rid of drugs.

Dr Parvesh Kumar, psychiatrist and head of the drug de-addiction ward, said, “The number of those seeking advice has considerably increased since 2006, when I joined the district hospital as a psychiatrist.”

He further added that of the large percentage of addicts, who come to seek advice, about 40 per cent of them are alcoholics, 20 per cent are hooked to opium or its derivatives including bhukki and 20 per cent are medical drugs including pain killers and tranquilizers.

The doctor added that alcoholics mostly comprise the middle-aged and the elderly. The youth are attracted more to medical drugs while there are cases wherein girls also use sleeping pills (6-10 tablets on a daily basis) for addiction.

“In Punjab, addiction is a huge problem and it is increasing every day. Keeping this in view, the government decided to open an eight-bed de-addiction ward in Barnala Civil Hospital to help the addicts overcome this problem,” said Dr Kumar.

“People in large numbers from areas like Tapa, Dhanaula and Handyaya are coming to seek help. Besides helping addicts at the de-addiction ward, we are also organising camps in collaboration with the Art of Living within a month in Barnala town to help them,” he informed.

Harmanpreet Kaur, whose husband, 28-year-old Gurbakshish Singh, a petty farmer of village Daraaj, used to drink three bottles of liquor, of 750 ml each, on a daily basis, is happy now as her husband did not consume alcohol after being admitted to the de-addiction ward here.

“The doctors here are doing a great service to the poor by helping the addicts get rid of drugs. My husband used to spend his whole salary on it due to which my seven-year-old son Karamveer Singh and I suffered a lot. I hope after being discharged from the hospital, he would not take to alcohol again,” she said.

Barnala police that has launched a special campaign against drugs smuggling and addiction, too has decided to open a de-addiction centre by November this year

SSP, Barnala, Gurpreet Singh Toor, said the police is leaving no stone unturned to launch a special campaign against drugs and the opening of the de-addiction centre would also be helpful in checking this menace.

Bathinda, November 7
In broad daylight, miscreants targeted a posh locality here and stole cash, jewellery and gold worth rupees lakhs from a doctor's house, located at Model Town Phase-I, on Sunday.

As per police sources, the incident took place when Dr GS Sethi along with his family members went to attend a function at Goniana. The doctor and his family members left the house around 11 am, sources said, adding that when they came back around 3.30 pm, they found the lock of their house broken.

Sources said that the doctor claimed that cash, jewellery and gold were stolen from the house.

Following information, senior police officials reached the incident site and started investigation.

A case under sections 380 and 454 has been registered against unidentified persons with the Civil Lines police.

Moga, November 7
On the one hand, the health department is claiming to be highly vigilant to check adulterated milk products and on the other, informed sources said they do not make 'khoya' or ‘mava’ in their shops. They import it from Saharanpur (UP) at cheaper rates through trains, which is vulnerable to adulteration.

It comes at the rate of Rs 70 to Rs 90 per kg but if it is made here, it costs more than Rs 140 to Rs 175 per kg depending upon the quality of milk. Packed in the bags under unhygienic conditions, it started flooding the state about four weeks back in private bogeys of the trains and was kept in the cold storages from where it was taken as per requirement. Large consignments came to Ludhiana, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Ferozepur and Bathinda from where it was either loaded in the local trains for distribution in smaller towns or individually picked up by confectioners.

Surinder Singh, who shut down the sweets shop a few years back and diversified his business revealed to The Tribune that the ‘khoya’ coming from Saharanpur is not tested for adulteration and is commonly used by ‘halwais’during the festival season of Diwali in all towns of the state.

Adding that keeping in view of the high rates of milk khoya costs more than Rs. 140 per kg, he questioned how it comes at Rs 70 to Rs 90 per kg? It is clear that something is mixed in it to reduce the cost.

A few years back, the ‘khoya’ makers in Saharanpur used to mix powder of ‘sanghara’ that was not rich in protein and good for health but now the prices of ‘sanghara’ has also shot up and is economically not viable to mix it in 'khoya'. “I do not know what is being now mixed in it to reduce the cost,” he said.

It was learnt that cornflour, potato powder and even chemicals are mixed in the condensed milk to increase the quantity of ‘khoya.’

Moreover, the entry tax and VAT is not applicable on goods imported by ‘halwais’, which makes it easier for this trade to flourish in Punjab and impossible for the enforcement agencies to keep a check on it.

“The ‘halwais’ are not registered with the sales tax department and as such we cannot take any action against them for non-payment of tax,” said SJS Beesla, assistant excise and taxation commissioner of Moga.

Though the health department has initiated a drive to check food adulteration in milk and milk products for the past couple of years but it is mostly confined to only the festival season of Diwali. No steps have ever been taken to check the cold stores where the imported 'khoya' is stored. Instead, the health authorities collect samples from the shops where sweets are sold to the consumers.

As per the details from the health department, as many as 1170 out of 3865 samples of milk and its products taken between January 1, 2007 and August 15, 2010 in Punjab were found adulterated and action was taken into it by the respective district health officials.