Baghapurana (Moga), November 10
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was to attend a series of programmes in the Moga district on Wednesday, was delayed by 
more than three hours after the state government’s chopper developed a technical snag at Chandigarh, this morning.

A senior official of the state government while confirming this to The Tribune, revealed that an alternative chopper was called from New Delhi, which was further delayed as restrictions were imposed on the air control due to the movement of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh at that time. Sukhbir reached Baghapurana at about 5.45 pm and again had to struggle for landing due to heavy smog in the area. After making four rounds over this township, the chopper finally landed but Badal had to shift his mode of transportation from air to road to reach Moga and Dharamkot due to poor visibility.

He appeared to be upset due to this and finally decided to go home at his parental house in Badal village by road.

Meanwhile, addressing a gathering here, he said Punjab police was in for a major image makeover with a massive recruitment drive planned by the state government to provide more force for general policing.

Badal said the government would soon induct 5000 fresh recruits including women police to provide more force at the police station levels. He said 2000 more police personnel were being recruited exclusively for community policing to improve police interaction with the public. Reiterating his stand to continue subsidies for the poor people, Badal said despite vicious propaganda of certain individuals at the instance of the Congress party, the SAD-BJP government was committed to fulfill all pro-people promises made in the party manifesto at the time of elections.

He blamed the Congress for financial ills of the state. He said Congress did nothing to improve financial position of the state. He said during the President’s rule in the state, it was a ‘jungle raj’ in the state.

He added that as Punjab fought the nation’s battle to curb militancy. It was the duty of the union government to foot the bill of expenditure incurred during those ten years of turmoil. He said Punjabis should not be punished for fighting the nation’s battle and the union government should take the responsibility of neutralising the pending loans.

He also lashed out at his cousin Manpreet Badal for publicly expressing his views contrary to the party lines, which were not in the interest of the people of this state. “No matter he is a good person but is not above the party,” he added.

Sukhbir laid the foundation stones of development projects worth Rs 45.73 crore related to sewerage and water supply systems for Baghapurana and Dharamkot townships besides inaugurating veterinary polyclinic and a tehsil complex, here.

He also laid the foundation stone of water purifying RO plant at Baghapurana. Prominent amongst those who were present on the occasion included Paramjit Kaur Gulshan, local MP, Tota Singh, former minister, Dr VN Zade, district magistrate, and local party leaders.

Bathinda, November 10
This afternoon at about 4.20 pm the attendant of the ‘Panghura’ (cradle) of the District Red Cross Society (DRCS), installed for accepting unwanted abandoned babies at the Mahant Gurbanta Dass Deaf and Dumb School on Goniana road here, heard the bell rung by someone after putting a baby girl in the cradle. The attendant Sonia ran towards the Panghura but found no one there. However, she found about two-three days old baby girl lying there.

This is the third baby girl, left in the cradle by unidentified persons during past three months and four days. The cradle had received first baby (male) on May 22 last, about 15 months after its installation in February 2009.

After the baby girl was found, the Panghura staff and the Principal of the school Maninder Bhalla informed the secretary of the DRCS J.R. Goyal about the arrival of a new “guest” in the cradle. On getting information, he immediately rushed along with his staff to take the baby girl to the hospital in a van for getting her examined.

Dr Satish Jindal, a child specialist at the Women and Children’s Hospital here, who examined the baby girl this afternoon, said the infant seemed to be three days old and was healthy and charming. He said she was taking good feed and crying normally. She had also no symptoms of jaundice.

Due to these reasons, he handed over the baby girl to the authorities of the DRCS and the Panghura to protect the baby from infection in the hospital, he added.

Dr Jindal said he would now re-examine the baby girl tomorrow morning. Besides the re-examination of the girl, a BCG injection and anti-polio drops would also be administered to the baby girl as part of vaccination of the child.

Bathinda, November 10
The tall claim by the district police of maintaining law and order in the district has been falling flat with thieves having a field day in the city of late.

Recent trends indicate that besides breaking into houses, theives are now targeting computer and sanitary ware showrooms. In just one year, a large number of thefts in computer and laptop showrooms were reported to the city police but it could hardly achieve any breakthrough.

While people blame the lackadaisical attitude of the police for this, it is also felt that the frequent visits of top state leaders has led to laxity as a large number of cops have to be being deployed on VIP duty, leaving the city vulnerable.

In a latest incident, thieves targeted Satyam Computers, a computer store on the Amrik Singh road here, last night.

Breaking open the showroom, thieves allegedly decamped with about 20 LCD screens, over 40 hard disks and three dozen laptops. A team of forensic science experts today reached the spot and took fingerprints. Acting upon the statement of the owner, the Kotwali police registered a theft case.

A PPCC delegate KK Aggarwal, flayed the district police saying, “Either the senior officials are not competent or are hand-in-glove with such elements.” People assembled at the burgled shop said, “To please the Badals, the police accompany them throughout their route, lessening their efficiency.” Bathinda SSP SS Gill said the police always does its best to nab the miscreants and assured increased surveillance.

Bathinda, November 10
Protesting against the suspension of assistant project officer (APO) of the Bathinda District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) Sadhu Ram Kusla, members of self-help groups of this district, local Beti Bachao Manch, several youth clubs and NGOs carried out a rally on the Zila Parishad complex here today. A protest march was also held up to the Mini-secretariat here with slogans in favour of Kusla and against the government renting the air.

The APO was suspended recently by the government in connection with a report of the Vigilance Bureau (VB). The report stated that in a case of computer centres, which were then running under the DRDA, the APO-cum-nodal officer, DRDA, Bathinda, had not performed his duty properly and also did not check the centres well in time. So, departmental proceeding should be initiated against him, the report recommended.

The APO said he had been targeted as he had exposed several persons, who were allegedly involved in cases related to female foeticide.

The protesters today demanded that cases should be registered against the persons belonging to some computer centres, who were allegedly involved in a “scam of lakhs of rupees” that was unearthed by Kusla.

The protesters submitted a memorandum to the district administration to forward the same to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. It sought a CBI inquiry into all aspects in the case to bring out truth on record.

Bathinda, November 10
Protesting against the Congress party and its leader Rahul Gandhi for allegedly issuing statements against the Rashtriya Sweyamsewak Sangh (RSS) and other Hindu organisations, a large number of persons under the banner of RSS held a rally here today. They also took out a protest march through the bazaar from Gol Diggi area that culminated at the Arya Samaj Chowk here. A deputation of the protesters also submitted a memorandum to the district administration here.

In this protest besides the RSS, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad (ABVP) and the BJP leaders and workers also participated. The gathering was addressed among others by a Parcharak of the RSS Satish, a leader of the Arya Samaj P.D. Goyal, a representative of Mahavir Dal Chiranji Lal Garg and Swami Surya Dev Ji (Maharishi Yog Ashram).

Ferozepur, November 10
In a series of the nationwide protests against the alleged terming of certain Hindu organisations and workers as ‘saffron extremism’ by ministers in the Congress-led UPA government, the RSS leaders and workers today held a two-hour protest demonstration in front of the DC office here.

Senior RSS and BJP leaders including Sukhpal Singh Nannu, Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Revenue), Kamal Sharma, general secretary, BJP Punjab, DP Chandan, vice-chairman, Small Industries Board, principal, Raj Kumar Phul, Surinder Singh Baggeke, Manjit S. Rai also participated. Davinder Kapoor, president (MC) and Narinder Mukhija, president, district unit of the BJP also spoke at protest rally.

Barnala, November 10
The sports policy announced by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal is a mere eyewash and a major setback for the youth of Punjab, said Member of Parliament from Anandpur Saahib and president, Punjab Youth Congress, Ravneet Singh Bittu, on the 10th day of the Nav Inquilab Yatra here.

“After completion of three-and-half years of rule, why is the Deputy CM coming out with a new sports policy that too when Punjab had performed so badly in the recenCommonwealth Games,” he asked.

“Our neighbouring state Haryana won more than 30 medals in the Games whereas Punjab could not even open its tally. Where is the youth of Punjab going? Who will take care of the sportsmen of Punjab?” he asked.

On the tenth day of the yatra after entering Barnala, Bittu said the motto of the yatra was to save the farmers and youth of the state.

Bittu also demanded another Rs 100 as bonus on the minimum support price of paddy from the union agriculture ministry for the farmers of Punjab who were affected by bad weather and increase in cost of input prices so that they could be compensated.

The Youth Congress leader assured the farmers that he would personally take up the matter with Rahul Gandhi.

He said that the yatra was here to create a mass movement in the state to create awareness among people.

Ferozepur, November 10
In a bizarre incident, Gurdev Singh, a resident of Kot Karor village of this district today shot Manjeet Kaur (wife of his deceased brother) dead and caused gunshot injuries to four other close kin to pave his way to get possession of a small piece of land measuring about a few yards.

Others who have suffered gunshot injuries on different parts of their bodies, included Gurdeep Kaur (wife of another deceased brother of assailant), his niece Harbhajan Kaur, Balwant Singh (husband of Balwant Singh) and another kin Balwinder Singh.

All the injured were first taken to the civil hospital Moga and then they were shifted to a hospital at Ludhiana as their condition started deteriorating.

Manjeet Kaur died on her way to a Moga hospital.

The dispute in connection with a small piece of land, which was being used to dump the animal waste, was going on between Gurdev Singh and his deceased brother Joginder Singh when he was alive.

District police chief, Kaustab Sharma said, “Investigation was on and the accused would be arrested shortly.” He said preliminary investigation revealed that murder had taken place due to property dispute.

Jaswinder Pal Singh, SHO, police station, Ghal Khurd, said a case in this connection had been registered under sections 302 and 307 of the IPC and section 27 of the Arms Act had been registered against Gurdev Singh.

Bathinda, November 10
The Punjabi science drama ‘Qatil Kaun’ was staged by the student artists of Dasmesh Public School, Faridkot. The drama won first position in the competition where nine northern states of India represented.

The theme depicted an honest scientific effort to generate nuclear energy to solve acute electricity shortage that gets misused by vested interests to make nuclear weapon. The drama is tipped to be presented at the National Science Drama Fair to be held in Kolkata. The school has represented Punjab and north India at the event third consecutive time. The school’s director-principal S. Gurcharan Singh and senior co-ordinator S. Shavinder Singh congratulated the students. — TNS

Ferozepur, November 10
Three residents of Gujarat, who were on pilgrimage died on the spot while nineteen others sustained injuries when the bus in which they were travelling collided head-on with a speeding truck, coming from the opposite direction near Sande Hashm village, located on the Ferozepur-Zira road, today in the morning.

Information gathered by the TNS revealed that the accident took place when the driver of truck, which was loaded with paddy bags, tried to overtake another vehicle at high speed and lost the control, which resulted in a head-on collision with the bus.

About 43 residents of Gujarat were on their way to Amritsar to pay their obeisance at Durgiana temple and Golden Temple besides visiting other historical places. The bus was going towards Zira while the truck was coming towards Ferozepur from Zira side. Official sources said only one deceased out of the total three had been identified as Dinesh Bhai so far. The identity of two other deceased was yet to be established. Their bodies were lying in the mortuary of the local civil hospital.

Sources said those who had suffered multiple injuries had been identified as Harinder Patel, Ashok Bhai, Suresh Bhai, Dinesh Bhai, Assu Bhai, Mohinder, Parbat, Bika, Anand Bhai, Rawat Mohan, Yasheen Patel, Meenakashi, Kailash, Mata Bhai, Renu Bhai, Surdha and Raksha Behn.

Baljinder Singh Goldi, driver of truck, also suffered injuries. Rawat Mohan, Kailash and Parbat, whose condition was serious, were undergoing treatment at a private hospital.

The other injured were getting treatment at the local civil hospital.

Senior civil and police officials including district police chief Kaustab Sharma shifted the injured to hospitals. A case in this connection had been registered against Baljinder Singh Goldi, driver of the truck, under section 304-A of the IPC at the police station, Kulgadi on the statement of Thika Bhai, manager of the bus.

Sahib Chand (Muktsar)
As many as 12 girls of the Everest Girls’ College of Kotbhai village sustained multiple injuries when their bus (PB30C7077), carrying about 30 students from Kotli Ablu and Bhalaiana villages, rammed into a house at Sahib Chand village in Muktsar district on Wednesday.

The injured were rushed to private hospitals at Gidderbaha and Civil Hospital, Bathinda. Kotbhai village SHO Hukam Chand said a case had been registered against bus driver Kaku Singh of Kotli Ablu village under Sections 279, 337, 338 and 427 of the IPC. “Though the driver managed to flee, we are trying to nab him soon,” claimed the SHO.

Moga, November 10
Moga police has claimed to have busted a gang of robbers and arrested five youths after a brief encounter on Tuesday. One of their associates fled from the spot firing in the air but later surrendered before a local court on Wednesday.

A woman, who was taken into custody along with them, has been let off after preliminary investigation. Three pistols, a few sharp-edged weapons, a car and a motorcycle have been recovered from their possession.

Two separate cases under sections 399, 402 of the IPC, 25, 54, 59 of the Arms Act and sections 307, 148, 149 of the IPC, 25, 54, 59 of the IPC have been registered against them at the police station (City-1) of the town. Those arrested have been identified as Kirpal Singh, Gagandip Singh, both residents of Talwandi Bhangerian village, Iqbal Singh, a resident of Badhni Kalan, Prabhjot Singh, a resident of Alam Wala and Jaskirat Singh, a resident of Dala village.

Inspector Satpal Singh of the CIA-Staff, who arrested these alleged criminals, has stated in the FIRs that during the patrolling, secret information was received about these youths.

Further, investigations about their involvement in other crimes were in progress, claimed Jagmohan Singh SP (H) of the Moga district.

Ferozepur, November 10
Jatts have decided to intensify their stir in support of their demand for inclusion of their community in the OBC reservation quota list. Karnail Singh Bhawra, state president, All India Jatt Reservation Samiti, today said the union government was dilly-dallying this issue on one pretext or another. He added that earlier after intervention of Indian players and some senior politicians including Congress leader Janardhan Dwivedi, they had dropped the decision to oppose Commonwealth games. However, now we would agitate till our demands are met, he said. Cautioning government of facing ire of the Jatt community, Bhawra said now we would not relent and get lured by hollow promises until the government initiates some meaningful steps towards granting reservation to Jatts.

About getting support from any political party, Bhawra said, "We have no alignment to any particular party. However, we would support the one who looks into our demand and help us get reservation." Bhawra said they have planned a massive rally at Jantar Mantar (New Delhi) on November 25, where the members of their community from all over India, would converge to raise voice in support of their demands.