Sirsa, June 12
Gopal Kanda, Haryana Minister of State for Home and Urban Local Bodies, has returned his official vehicle and the security guards provided to him by the state government.

The minister, who was here in his Assembly constituency for the past three days for Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s visit, left for Gurgaon in his official vehicle in the morning, but later told his security guards and driver of the official car at Hisar that he no more needed them, according to reliable sources close to the minister.

Intelligence sources have also confirmed the development, who said the minister’s security guards contacted their superiors to seek guidelines.

The security guards, the sources said, had been asked to stay back there till further orders. The minister, the sources said, went to former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal’s residence at Hisar to mourn his death and after leaving his official car, pilot vehicle and 10 security personnel at a government rest house there, left for his Gurgaon residence by a private vehicle.

The sources said the minister was closeted with Chief Parliamentary Secretary Prahlad Singh Gillankhera for a few minutes shortly before he left for Gurgaon.

Gillankhera said he had gone to mourn Bhajan Lal’s death with his family members, when he had a chance meeting with Kanda in a Hisar rest house for a few seconds.

He said he soon left for Dobhi village for a social programme and he had no idea about Kanda’s decision.

Gopal Kanda was not taking any calls on his mobile, but the sources said the minister was “piqued” at yesterday’s developments, when Hooda reportedly “admonished” him for ignoring MP Ashok Tanwar and some other local leaders for a function organised by him.

Hooda, who had come here yesterday on Kanda’s invitation to start some new development projects, had reprimanded him when he learnt that MP Ashok Tanwar had boycotted a programme, as he was not formally invited.

Hooda had reportedly told Kanda in no uncertain terms that he would not attend the function, till Kanda persuaded Tanwar to come.

Though the Chief Minister had come to the venue after sitting in car for over 10 minutes, he did not accept any garland or bouquets until Gopal Kanda arrived at the venue with Tanwar, almost half an hour after Hooda’s arrival at the venue.

Both Gopal Kanda as well as Gobind Kanda were seen explaining their position to the Chief Minister throughout the public meeting.

Interestingly, Ashok Tanwar had visited Kanda’s residence here last night where the two leaders had their dinner together.

Faridabad, June 12
Residents of Panhera Kalan village, about 20 km from here, today blocked the Delhi-Mathura national highway and indulged in violence in protest against the police’s alleged failure to nab the culprits in the double murder case.

Two youths of Panhera Kalan, Rajinder, son of village sarpanch Om Prakash, and Kapil, were shot dead by six persons in broad daylight while they were serving sweetened water on the occasion of “Ekadashi” today.

The villagers, led by relatives of the deceased, took to the streets here in protest against the police failure to nab the culprits and reach Badshah Khan Civil Hospital in time, delaying the victims’ post-mortem examination.

As the police failed to reach the hospital even after more than one hour of the arrival of the bodies, the villagers took the bodies in a procession to nearby Ajronda Chowk on the national highway. They blocked the highway for about an hour, keeping the bodies at the chowk. The agitatiors pelted stones on passing vehicles

The villagers lifted the blockade only after senior police officers, including Raj Kumar Vashisht, DCP, Ballabgarh, and Pradeep Godara, SDM, Faridabad, reached the spot and assured them of speedy action in the case. The bodies were taken back to the hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Earlier, six armed persons wearing masks reached the spot on two motorcycles where Rajinder and Kapil were serving water to people and opened fire. They pumped seven bullets into Rajinder, killing him on the spot. Kapil, who received four bullets, died on the way to Escorts Hospital here.

Ajit Singh, brother of Rajinder, attributed the attack to old rivalry. It is learnt that Rajinder was fired upon last year by Krishan, one of the accused in today’s attack. The accused was out on bail.

The police has registered a case against four persons, including three from the village. DCP Raj Kumar Vashisht said two persons had been rounded up in the case.

Fatehabad, June 12
A recent move of the Haryana School Education Department to seek an online request for transfer has brought unforeseen problems for some teachers.

Before they could submit their requests for seeking transfers to the school of their choice, some others have submitted it on their behalf without them being aware of this.

Vijay Kumar, a lecturer in physics in Government Senior Secondary School at Fatehabad, is one of the many victims whose online request for transfer has been submitted by others without his knowledge.

He said when he tried to submit his details like employee ID, date of birth and mobile number, and tried to create his password, a message, “You are already registered with us”, was flashed on the screen.

Similarly, Krishan Kumar, a lecturer in chemistry, and Ram Singh and Roshan Lal, both lecturers in mathematics in Government Senior Secondary School, Fatehabad, Dilbar Ali, a lecturer in physics in the GSSS, Tohana, Paramjit Kundu, a lecturer in geography in the GSSS, Bhuna, and Sureena, District Science Specialist in the District Education Office, have also faced the same problem.

Many more teachers have been successfully creating their passwords and submitting online requests for their transfers. “Some of our fellow teachers working in other districts of Haryana have also complained that someone else submitted a transfer request on their behalf without their knowledge,” alleged Vijay Kumar and said they were fearing transfers to unwanted stations as people inimical to them might have done this.

The Haryana School Education Department had invited online requests for transfers from the teachers working in the department on June 6.

The department had said that the employees who wanted to be transferred and had stayed at their place of posting for three years or more, could make online requests for their transfers.

The employees were asked to submit their request on www.schooleducationharyana.gov.in by 5 pm on June 15.

“For creating a password and making an online request, all one needs is one’s employee ID and date of birth, which are easily assessable to all on the seniority list on the website and also in the records of the schools,” maintained Vijay Kumar.

He maintained that it was very easy for some mischievous elements in the department to settle an old score with others. The teachers have demanded that the department should devise some foolproof method wherein the teachers should submit their duly signed requests through the education offices at the district level.

Rohtak, June 12
The State Information Commission has pulled up the authorities of the state Tourism Department for failing to provide information to an RTI activist within the stipulated time period. It has directed the officials concerned to release the information within 30 days and has also asked them to be present before the commission on August 19 to submit their reply in this connection.

The applicant, Subhash, convener of the Haryana Soochna Jan Adhikar Manch, had submitted an application under the Act to seek information about the functioning of hotels and motels of the department. The information had been sought on seven points, including repair costs, expenses on the stay of government officials in these hotels, the earnings and the posts lying vacant in the department.

He said the application dated August 8, 2010, had been submitted to the office of the Principal Secretary-cum-Financial Commissioner and the state-level information officer (protocol section) of the Tourism Department. While the protocol section forwarded the application to the Joint Secretary, Tourism, for the supply of information to the applicant on August 15, the latter dispatched two separate communications to the applicant that he was required to pay a fee (Rs 29 and Rs 48) before the information could be released to him.

Though the applicant protested over the manner in which the department kept delaying the information by sending him letters for more fees, he received a “jolt” when the information officer of the department sent another communication on September 14, 2010, demanding a fee of Rs 1,048 from the applicant.

Annoyed with the response and the alleged delay, the applicant took up the matter with the First Appeal Officer, who reportedly directed the department to provide information on only two points. Dissatisfied with this, the RTI activist submitted a complaint with the State Information Commissioner, who issued a notice to the Information Officer-cum First Appeal Officer to present before the Commission on May 26.

The commission, after hearing the appeal and the arguments, directed the authorities to supply the information sought by the applicant within a month period (upto June 26) and ordered the First Appeal officer of the department to be present before the commission again on August 19 in this regard and to submit detailed reply for the delay caused.

Chandigarh, June 12
The state government has decided to fix speed governors in all transport vehicles to limit the speed of vehicles to the maximum speed as specified by the authorities from time to time.

A spokesman of the Haryana Transport Department said all transport vehicle owners had been asked to install speed governors of AIS:018 standard approved by any authorised agency of the Government of India. The vehicle owner must ensure having received a bill of the speed governor as well as a certificate regarding AIS:018 standard.

He said the permit-granting authority concerned in the state shall ensure that the speed governor were fitted and fixed in all transport vehicles and the official seal of the permit-granting authority concerned shall be put on the speed governor in such a manner that the seal could not be removed or tampered with, without the seal being broken.

The Secretary of the Regional Transport Authority concerned shall seal the points with the official seal after satisfying himself that the speed governor is capable of limiting the speed of the vehicle as specified by the government. No vehicle required to be fitted with a speed governor shall be used at any public place unless it bears the official seal.

No person shall open, tamper or otherwise interfere with the official seal on a speed governor. In case, the official seal is broken, damaged or opened due to any reason whatsoever, the vehicle shall not be used in any public place unless a new official seal is affixed by the authority concerned.

It shall be the duty of the vehicle owner to train or educate the driver about the necessity and importance of the speed governor and the official seal therein. If, at any time, it is observed by the driver or the owner that the speed governor is not functioning properly, the vehicle will be plied only after necessary rectification.

In such an event, it shall be necessary to obtain a fresh official seal of the Secretary of the Regional Transport Authority on the speed governor.

Jind, June 12
Local businessman Vikas was kidnapped at gunpoint allegedly by three armed youths last night. Later, the miscreants dumped the victim near a village and fled away in his car. The district police chief has suspended two cops, including an ASI, in this regard.

The incident took place when Vikas was on the way to his house last night. Three miscreants intercepted his car and one of the youths took out a pistol and forced Vikas to sit on the backseat.

The kidnappers after escaping the barricades set up by the local police managed to reach Bambhewa village, where they asked the victim to get down and sped away in his car.

Vikas, who reached his home later, lodged a complaint with the police in this regard.

Two cops posted at a barricade near Ludhana village were found absent from duty by the SP. While two cops were placed under suspension, two others were transferred to the Police Lines.

The police officials admitted that the car was looted at gunpoint and lack of alertness on part of cops helped the criminals flee.

The police has registered a case.

Yamunanagar, June 12
The Yamunanagar police arrested six members of a gang involved in flesh trade last night.

On a tipoff, the police raided a house in Laxmi Garden here. Bimla of Laxmi Garden, Golu and Puja of Delhi, Priya of Karnal were found with with Paramjit Singh and Rajesh Kumar of Yamunanagar in objectionable condition.

The police has booked them under the Immoral Traffic and Prevention Act.

They were today remanded in judicial custody.