Moga, March 1
The local police today booked two owners and four employees of an unauthorised drug de-addiction centre, being run by a local society at Khosa Pando village in the Moga district, on the allegations of torturing and illegally confining a youth, who was presently admitted to the hospital.

Gurlal Singh, 21-year-old, a resident of Moga, in a statement recorded to the police has alleged that the two owners of the drug de-addiction centre Parminder Singh Gill, Jaswant Singh Brar alias Raju and four employees Nitin Kanda, Shaminder Singh, Vipin Kumar and Kulpreet Singh tortured him.

“Following his statement, the police had registered a criminal case under sections 323, 342, 148 and 149 of the IPC against all of them. The police had begun investigation into the incident,” said head constable Sukhmander Singh, who is investigating the case.

Talking to The Tribune, he said no arrest has been made so far. Efforts are on to nab all the alleged accused, he added.

It may be mentioned that the two owners of the drug de-addiction centre were earlier running the unauthorised centre at Ghal Kalan village in the Moga district where as many as 25 youths were illegally confined in the lock-ups. The Tribune highlighted the plight of the youths illegally confined in the centre in June-July, last year, after which, the State Human Rights Commission took a suo motu notice of the news reports directing the SSP and the District Magistrate to conduct an inquiry and release the youths.

A five-member panel was also constituted by the then DM Satwant Singh Johal under the chairmanship of the local SDM. However, the details of the inquiry were not given to the media under the political pressure of the ruling party leaders. Neither the civil surgeon had responded to the plight of the poor youths, nor police registered any case.

After that controversy, the owners of the centre quietly shifted it to the nearby Khosa Pando village where Gurlal was tortured by them. Gurlal has also revealed to a section of the media that after he came to the centre in October last year, one youth died in the centre under illegal confinement. It was also learnt that at least five youths had died under illegal confinement in the centers Ghal Kalan and Khosa Pando during the past three years.

It was learnt that the youths confined in the center were being kept under the 24-hour CCTV camera observation in total violation of human rights and breach of privacy.

Bhucho Kalan, March 1
Sukhmander Singh (32) of this village shivers to recall the harrowing experience he underwent in Libya. He is among the first 500 Indians who returned on February 27 in flights charted by the Indian government to evacuate its citizens from Libya.

Sukhmander, who had left for Libya in August 2009, said he along with his colleagues was in his room when the news about a revolt against the decades-long rule of Muammar Gaddafi flashed on television. “Initially, we took it lightly but in the morning, the scene at the capital city Tripoli was disturbing. A number of people lost their lives in the riots,” he recalled. “Officials of the company in which we worked as daily wagers cautioned us not to go out of the company camp. Sensing the tense situation, we bought grocery stock for almost one month and confined ourselves to the camp as the Army had shoot-at-sight orders,” he said.

“Thank God! Our cell phones kept working. Cellular service providers there kept recharging our accounts with 10-20 Dinars everyday. They apparently did so as they knew that we could be making calls to seek help from the Indian Embassy,” said Sukhmander.

“Loot and killings were rampant there. Not only the miscreants but the police and the Army also harassed those leaving Libya,” he alleged and added, “before we boarded the plane for India, the Army snatched our mobile phones, laptops and currency notes. Till the flight took off, we were not sure if we would reach home.” Recalling a bloody scene, Sukhmander said, “While going to the Indian Embassy for receiving a document to return to India, we saw three persons being shot dead without any reason.”

“Thousands of Indians are still stranded there. As there was a heavy rush of people willing to leave Libya, the airport was jam-packed. Though we were among the first who thronged the airport, it took us one full day and night to get air tickets,” he said.

Asked if he would go back if situation in Libya turns normal, Sukhmander refused with folded hands. He said, “Even in normal days, there are groups who loot and dupe immigrants.” 

Bathinda, March 1
A fortnight after holding an impressive rally ‘Jago-Nashe Tyago’ at his native village Natheha in Bathinda where among various dignitaries, Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal was also present, Harinder Singh Chahal, who retired as the DIG (Ferozepur range) on Monday, leading a motorcade visited various towns and cities of Punjab today.

The rally in form of a procession started from Ferozepur and after having brief halts at Bajakhana and various towns en-route, reached Bathinda this afternoon. The rally is being considered as Chahal's show of strength to get an entry in state politics.

The caravan stopped at the Bathinda Fort where a number of SAD-BJP activists, including senior deputy mayor Tarsem Goyal, welcomed Chahal with garlands and petals. The retd DIG paid obeisance at the Gurdwara Qila Mubarik Sahib. He was accompanied by Kotkapura SHO Gurjeet Singh Romana among others.

Speaking to The Tribune, Chahal said post-retirement, he had decided to work for social causes like eradicating evils of drugs and illiteracy.

About the rumours that he was keen to contest the Bathinda Assembly seat, Chahal said, “I have not planned so but if I am assigned such a task, I will put my best to it.”

Denying any inclination to the SAD (B), he said, “I enjoy good terms with people from all parties.”

Abohar, March 1
The census of blackbuck and blue bull in the open blackbuck sanctuary here will be carried out tomorrow by the district wildlife department authorities with the help of private persons.

The last census in the open blackbuck sanctuary, dominated by the Bishnoi community, was carried out in 1998.

Though the next census was due in the year 2003 and 2008, it could not be carried out due to various reasons including paucity of funds coupled with acute shortage of manpower.

Around 3000 blackbucks were counted in the sanctuary during the last census. The open blackbuck sanctuary is the only area in India where blackbucks are found in large numbers.

“We have set up seven teams and each team will have seven members. The teams will carry out census on March 2 from 10 am to 5 pm,” disclosed Sanjeev Tiwari, district forest officer (Wildlife), Ferozepur. He added that he along with three range officials of the department would also participate in the exercise.

The recce of the area had been conducted. The route plans had been prepared. The places, where the blackbucks and blue bulls were found in concentration, had been identified. He said earlier the census was planned in last December with the active participation of school-children. However, it could not be done due to weather condition.

Tiwari said after the census of blackbucks and blue bulls was completed on March 2, the census for peacocks, penguin, hare and sambar would be carried out on March 3 as the concentration of these wild and protected animals was also considerable in some pockets of Abohar sub-division.

Sanjeev Godara, member, Punjab State Wildlife Board, said the Centre government must give enough funds to develop the sanctuary area for tourism besides making arrangements to protect the animals. 

Ferozepur, March 1
The railway budget presented by the Union Railway minister Mamata Banerjee in the parliament on February 25 has disappointed the residents of the Malwa region.

Barring sanctioning of new train on the Abohar-Fazilka rail track, which is expected to be completed this year and introduction of Shatabadi train service between Ludhiana and Delhi, entire Malwa region, which is backward in many aspects, failed to get any new project of the trains.

“The maltreatment has been given to the Malwa region despite the fact that it has been making unparallel and huge contribution in the food grain production of the country, housing a number of defence establishments and the fifth Takht of Sikhism at Talwandi Sabo,” pointed out a cross-section of residents, who demanded that the Congress MPs from Punjab must fight against the injustice.

Ravikant Gupta, chairman, Ferozepur Industrial Chamber of Commerce, said the economy of this region was already reeling due to lack of industry and infrastructure. The injustice done to the area in the railway budget would add to the woes of entrepreneurs of this region. More rail links and express train service was the need of this region, he added.

“An industry connected with the Indian Railway could have been sanctioned for the Malwa region, particularly, for Ferozepur district, which shares border with Pakistan and is economically backward, to give a boost to its development,” pointed out Ashwani Mehta, president, Beopar Mandal.

“Should they go to the Pakistan government for seeking any project for the development of their area,” he questioned.

The people of this region pointed out that a special package was needed for Punjab for expanding the rail network, introduction of new trains, upgradation of the railway stations and generating employment for the local population. They added that Punjab was never given fair share in the development of railway projects as compared to other states due to fact that MPs from this state rarely handled the Railway Ministry.

“We have been constantly demanding for a new train from Ferozepur to Haridwar and the railway authorities have assured us to look into it. However, it did not happen so,” said KC Sharma, who along with other senior citizens had submitted a charter of demands to the Railway authorities much before the presentation of the budget.

A cross-section of the Punjab government officials pleading anonymity said denial of new trains to this region would also adversely affect the promotion of tourism. 

Bathinda, March 1
Congress MLA from Bathinda Harminder Singh Jassi today lashed out at former minister Bikramjit Singh Majithia for his recent statement to “behead” PPCC president Capt Amarinder Singh.

Jassi, in a statement issued here today, said, “Using such a language against a senior leader, who is also a former chief minister, only shows how frustrated Majithia is.”

Jassi added that such provocative statements against the leader of a party could vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in the state that had already seen the dark days of militancy. — TNS

Ferozepur, March 1
Vardev Mann, member, Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and senior leader of the SAD (B) today urged the Congressmen of Punjab to burn the effigies of those leaders involved in the Sikh massacre carried out in Delhi and other parts of the country in 1984.

Instead of burning the effigies of former minister and patron Youth Akali Dal (YAD), the Congressmen of Punjab must burn the effigies of those party leaders, who had played an active role in the Sikh genocide, which was a big blot on the civil society and Indian democracy, he added.

Mann, while talking to the media here, said Majithia had made certain comments to give a befitting reply to the repeated statements being made by the Punjab Pradesh Congress chief and former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his wife Surinder Kaur Badal. No one, who believed in principled politics, could have imagined that Captain Amarinder would start making personal attacks on Badal and his family members.

This was a strong indication of the fact that the Congress in Punjab had left no other agenda but to criticise the SAD-BJP alliance government of Punjab because of the overall development carried out in the past four years.

“The railway budget and general budget, presented in the Parliament recently, has further sealed the mouths of Congressmen of Punjab as in both the budgets, the interests of Punjab and its peasantry has been ignored,” he claimed.

Ferozepur, March 1
Hargopal, an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), posted in the city police station here, was allegedly attacked by four persons including two women.

He along with two other cops went for making investigation into the complaint lodged against Michal, a resident of Bharat Nagar locality of this town, yesterday.

Hargopal had a rude shock when Michal along with his wife Sonia, Danny and one more woman Pammi snatched the complaint and torn it to pieces. When he tried to resist, he was attacked and his turban got removed. The accused fled from the spot. Notably, about 33 cases pertaining to attack on policemen by civilians have been registered in the district from 2007-10.

Besides, in many such instances no legal action was initiated by the authorities concerned. A complaint against Michal was lodged by a resident Asha Rani in connection with the grabbing of her land by him. The two policemen, who accompanied Hargopal, could not stop the accused from manhandling him.

On the complaint of Hargapol, a case in this connection had been registered against four accused under the IPC at the city police station on the complaint of Hargopal. However, no arrest had been made so far, police sources said. 

Ferozepur, March 1
A school teacher identified as Amandeep Kaur was killed on the spot in a road mishap today as the car by which she was going to her school was hit by a mini-bus coming from the opposite side near village Sandhe Hasham on the Ferozepur-Zira road, around 15 kilometres from district headquarters.

As per the details available, Amandeep Kaur was posted at the Government Senior Secondary School at Village Bhaggo.

At around 8.30 am today, when she was on her way to school in the Maruti car, a mini-bus allegedly trying to overtake another vehicle hit the car head-on resulting ih her death. The car was badly damaged.

The driver of the mini-bus fled from the spot after the incident.

Sarabjit Singh, Station House Officer, Kulgarhi police station, said a case was registered against the driver of the bus Avtar Singh.

Both the vehicles have been taken into custody. Meanwhile, Amandeep’s body was handed over to her family members after postmortem.

Family sources mentioned that Amandeep Kaur had recently got married in January, this year.

Ferozepur, March 1
The teams of Tiger Division and Golden Arrow Division propelled themselves in the semi-final orbit of the VIIth day of the ongoing Western Command Football Championship, being organised by the Golden Arrow Division, at the local cantonment, today.

In the quarter-final match played between the Tiger Division and the Golden Key Division, the former defeated the latter by scoring only one goal.

Though Golden Key Division gave a tough resistance to the Tiger Division and made some excellent attempts, it could not succeed in scoring the goal.

John Chougloi of the Tiger Division scored the lone goal in the 20th minute of the match. In another quarter-final match played between the Golden Arrow Division and the Panther Division, the former defeated the latter 2-1. Both the teams showed some good moves on the field and kept the interest of spectators in the match intact till the last.

Mahinder Topo and Kamal Singh of the Golden Arrow Division scored one goal each in the IIIrd and 21st minutes of the match, respectively.

PC Lal Fakzula scored the lone goal for the Panther Division in the 38th minute of the match. Rising Star Corps and Pine Division teams have already entered the semi-finals of the tournament. 

Abohar, March 1
The VIth annual athletic meet of Maharishi Dayanand College of Education (Abohar) was held at the college campus. Ex-MLA Dr Mohinder Rinwa was the chief guest while Prof. OP Sharma, former HoD, Department of Commerce, DAV College (Abohar) presided over the opening ceremony.

Vimal Satyarthi, DIG, BSF, gave away the prizes to the winners during the closing ceremony. Gurwinder Singh and Ritu Maal were declared the best athlete among boys and girls, respectively. Principal Dr RP Asija declared Lala Lajpat Rai Sadan as the best house for the overall performance. — OC