B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Valmikis clash with police
20 protesters sent to judicial custody
Moga, February 19
The local court of Rakesh Gupta has sent 20 activists of a section of the Dalit community to judicial custody for 14 days on Saturday. They were arrested by the police late last night. The Dalit activists clashed with the police at Mehna railway station in the Moga district on Friday night when the cops tried to resume the rail traffic, which was blocked by them in protest against the state government’s decision to cancel their reservation in jobs as per the directions of the High Court.

Ferozepur athletes make their mark at National Games
Win three gold medals for Punjab
Ferozepur, February 19
The border district of Ferozepur has again created a history of sorts in the ongoing 34th National Games in Jharkhand as out of the five gold medals, which have come into kitty of Punjab, three medals have been fetched by its residents.

Ronjan Sodhi who won gold in the shotgun double trap event at the National Games. A Tribune photograph

1971 war War veterans recount their tales of valour
Fazilka, February 19 Octogenarian Lieutenant Colonel SG Thatte (retd), who was the commanding officer of 15 Rajput Regiment during the 1971 Indo-Pak war in the Fazilka sector, had come to Fazilka from Mumbai along with his family members to participate in the solemn programme of unveiling ceremony of the bust of Lance Naik Drigpal Singh by Lieutenant General Sanjiv Chachra on Friday.	Lt Col GS Thatte (retd) at the Asafwala War Memorial in Fazilka. Photo by writer

20-yr-old from Bathinda village killed in Singapore
Bathinda, February 19
Mystery shrouds the death of 20-year-old Rajwant Singh of village Nasibpura in Bathinda district, who was reportedly killed in Singapore on Thursday. Sources in the village informed that Rajwant, belonging to an agricultural family, had gone to Malaysia nearly three years ago, with a wish to earn better livelihood and provide his parents with better facilities.

Trans India Territorial Army Cycle Expedition
Expedition accorded warm welcome
Abohar, February 19
The Trans India Territorial Army Cycle Expedition (Pradeshik Bhraman) phase-III, organised by 126th Infantry Battalion (TA), Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, was welcomed on reaching here today. The expedition had been flagged off on February 12 at Madhopur to cover a distance of about 1016 kilometres crossing the entire state of Punjab.

Students participate in a sack race during the athletic meet of the SSD Girls College in Bathinda on Saturday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma	Punjabi singer Daljeet Singh at the Harchand Cinema during his visit to Bathinda to promote his movie ‘Lion of Punjab’ on Saturday. A Tribune photograph

Valmikis clash with police
20 protesters sent to judicial custody
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Moga, February 19
The local court of Rakesh Gupta has sent 20 activists of a section of the Dalit community to judicial custody for 14 days on Saturday. They were arrested by the police late last night.

The Dalit activists clashed with the police at Mehna railway station in the Moga district on Friday night when the cops tried to resume the rail traffic, which was blocked by them in protest against the state government’s decision to cancel their reservation in jobs as per the directions of the High Court.

As many as six cops and a few protesters were also injured in the clash.

In a late night exercise, the Mehna police registered a criminal case under sections 307, 332, 353, 186, 148 and 149 of the IPC against 40 activists by name and an equal number of unidentified persons, said Pushpinder Singh, SHO of the police station concerned.

As many as 20 activists were produced in the court of Rakesh Gupta this afternoon. The court has sent them to judicial custody till March 3 while one of them was still admitted to the hospital.

The injured six cops were discharged from the hospital by the doctors after giving them the first aid.

The SHO said the police had also taken into custody six more activists today who would be produced before the duty magistrate by tomorrow morning after completing the legal formalities.

It may be mentioned that the police was forced to open fire in the air and use tear gas to disperse the agitators when they started pelting stones on the cops. The cops managed to disperse the agitators, after which, the rail traffic was restored late in the night.

They were demanding restoration of reservation in jobs, waiving of electricity bills for their community and reservation in fixing of seniority and promotion in the education department.

Ferozepur athletes make their mark at National Games
Win three gold medals for Punjab
Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service

Ferozepur, February 19
The border district of Ferozepur has again created a history of sorts in the ongoing 34th National Games in Jharkhand as out of the five gold medals, which have come into kitty of Punjab, three medals have been fetched by its residents.

Ferozepur, which shares one of the longest borders with Pakistan in Punjab, created a history last year when it became the only district of the country, whose all sportspersons, who participated in the Asian Games, Guangzhou (China) — 2010, succeeded in fetching medals for the country.

About eight medals were brought home by the players of this border district, where a large section of the populace has been living below poverty line (BPL).

Two of the gold medals have been won by Birendeep Sodhi and one gold medal has been won by his brother Ronjan Sodhi in the shooting events.

Birendeep has secured gold medals in shotgun trap in the individual event and another gold medal in the same event in team category.

Ronjan Sodhi has secured a gold medal in the shotgun double trap (individual event). Ronjan Sodhi, who has won gold medals in the world championships, Asian Games and other international events in shooting and his brother Birendeep Sodhi have created new national records in their respective categories in the current National Games as well. Ronjan Sodhi, whose world ranking is at three, has created a new national record by scoring 187 points out of total 200 points.

He has beaten the record of RVS Rathore, who has scored 184 points out of total 200 points in shotgun double trap event in the national games in the past.

Ronjan was recently honoured by the Punjab government with the highest cash prize of nearly Rs one crore.

Birendeep Sodhi, whose international ranking is at 27, also created a new national games record in the current edition by scoring 138 points out of total 150 points in the shotgun trap shooting event.

The previous record was held by Zorawar Singh Sandhu, who had scored 123 points out of a total of 150 points in the same event at the National Games.

Another shooter belonging to Ratta Khera village of this district, Manav Jit Sandhu, also brought laurels to Punjab as he along with Birendeep Sodhi was the member of the team, which won a gold medal in shotgun trap in the current National Games. Besides, he also managed to fetch a silver medal in the same event in individual category.

Birendeep, wtold TNS on phone that the two other gold medals, which had come into the Punjab kitty, had been won by the cycling team in 1500 metres and another player in karate in individual category.

1971 war
War veterans recount their tales of valour
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, February 19
Octogenarian Lieutenant Colonel SG Thatte (retd), who was the commanding officer of 15 Rajput Regiment during the 1971 Indo-Pak war in the Fazilka sector, had come to Fazilka from Mumbai along with his family members to participate in the solemn programme of unveiling ceremony of the bust of Lance Naik Drigpal Singh by Lieutenant General Sanjiv Chachra on Friday.

Yet another honorary Captain Mohammad Akram of the same battalion, who had fought in the 1971 war in Fazilka sector as havildar, had come from Malerkotla to attend the function. Both these officers narrated tales of bravery displayed by their colleagues in the war.

They said their battalion had been assigned the task of capturing Gazi post located at a distance of six kilometres in the Pakistan area. They disclosed that in one of the fiercest man-to-man combat, their battalion suffered heavy causalities in which 37 Armymen including officers and jawans laid down their lives at the Beriwala Bridge and Gazi post. About 64 companions sustained serious injuries.

The officers who sacrificed their lives fighting the enemy, included Major Kulbeer Singh Rana, Major Ashok Kumar Ghosh, Captain B Swami, two JCOs including Subedar BM Boss and Subedar Fauzdar Khan, Lance Naik Drigpal Singh, Captain Lalit Mohan Bhatia, Captain BK Singh and others.

Colonel Thatte said 25 Pakistan Armymen including two officers were taken as prisoners of the war (PoW) and their battalion captured one Shermen Tank, six pounder guns, two BMG, three LMG, 13 sten guns, 51 rifles, one jeep and radio equipment from the Pakistan Army during the battle in Fazilka sector.

They said the jawans of their determined battalion had captured the Gazi post and pushed back the enemy from the Beriwala Bridge.

20-yr-old from Bathinda village killed in Singapore
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 19
Mystery shrouds the death of 20-year-old Rajwant Singh of village Nasibpura in Bathinda district, who was reportedly killed in Singapore on Thursday. Sources in the village informed that Rajwant, belonging to an agricultural family, had gone to Malaysia nearly three years ago, with a wish to earn better livelihood and provide his parents with better facilities.

Rajwant was scheduled to come to his village on February 22 and his family was planning to get him married. Unfortunately, the news of his death arrived prior to his coming.

A pall of gloom descended on the village as the news came even as his father Jeet Singh and other family members were busy in preparations to welcome him on his return to the village.

The bereaved kin informed that they received the sad news over the telephone, on Friday.

Except for the brief information about his death, nothing more was told to them. When asked about the reason, they feigned ignorance stating that they were not aware of it. However, some of his kin, said it was an accidental death, but had not been confirmed yet.

His family members appealed to the state as well as the Central government to help them in bringing the body back home and appealed that the reasons behind his mysterious death should be found out and disclosed to them.

When contacted, the cops deputed at the Talwandi Sabo police station expressed ignorance about the incident but maintained that they would visit the village to get the details.

Trans India Territorial Army Cycle Expedition
Expedition accorded warm welcome
Our Correspondent

Abohar, February 19
The Trans India Territorial Army Cycle Expedition (Pradeshik Bhraman) phase-III, organised by 126th Infantry Battalion (TA), Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, was welcomed on reaching here today. The expedition had been flagged off on February 12 at Madhopur to cover a distance of about 1016 kilometres crossing the entire state of Punjab.

The expedition has been conceived with the aim of spreading the message of camaraderie, brotherhood and peace besides motivating the youth to make a viable contribution for the progress of the country by joining the Territorial Army.

The cycle expedition team comprising Naresh Kumar, Satish Kumar, Gulzar Singh, Vishal Kumar, Lucky Kumar, Ajay Kumar and Varinder Singh interacted with the students during a halt in some schools and also addressed the villagers while on their way.