The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Finally, justice for sister of Shaheed Bhagat Singh
HC dismisses plea against prosecution by cops who killed her son-in-law 22 yrs ago
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 25
It’s justice at last for 95-year-old Parkash Kaur, the younger sister of Shaheed Bhagat Singh.

Nearly 22 years after her son-in-law Kuljeet Singh Dhatt was allegedly killed by five Punjab Police personnel in Hoshiarpur district, Justice Sabina of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today dismissed a petition filed by accused Jaspal Singh and others against the State of Punjab. Detailed judgement was not yet available.

The case was pending in the High Court for more than 14 years. The judgement in the case was reserved, but just after about 14 days it was again listed for hearing after the filing of an application for placing certain documents on record.

The State of Punjab had earlier granted permission for the prosecution of the cops. But they moved the High Court on the ground that as the state then was under the Punjab Disturbed Area Act, 1983, only the Centre could have granted sanction for their prosecution.

Canada-based Parkash Kaur had moved the Supreme Court, which on January 3 had asked the High Court to render its judgement by March-end.

Justice HS Bedi and Justice Chandramauli KR Prasad of the Supreme Court had, in fact, directed the High Court that the copies of the petition and the apex court’s order be placed before the High Court Chief Justice so that the judgment could be pronounced within the stipulated time.

The Case File

Kuljeet Singh Dhatt, son-in-law of Parkash Kaur, allegedly killed by five Punjab Police personnel in Hoshiarpur district in 1989

Though the State of Punjab granted permission for their prosecution, the accused moved the High Court

They contended that only the Centre can have granted sanction for their prosecution as the state then was under the Punjab Disturbed Area Act

Canada-based Parkash Kaur moved the Supreme Court, which on January 3 asked the HC to render its judgement by March-end

2 school students held for theft, snatchings
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 25
Addiction to liquor and the desire to buy luxury items landed two students of St Soldier Divine Public School, Wadala Chowk, behind bars this afternoon.

With the arrest of these two students and their accomplices, the city police claims to have solved a case of theft at the office of a property dealer and money exchanger in Abadpura. The thieves had decamped with cash, electronic goods and other important documents on Sunday night.

Talking to The Tribune, ACP Ravinder Pal Singh Sandhu revealed that the two students, residents of Khurla Kinger village and Boota Pind, were studying in 10+2 and Class X.

Tracing the case, following a CCTV footage, the police nabbed the duo. After questioning, they admitted to have committed the theft for depositing their school fee of Rs 5,000, which they had spent on liquor instead, the ACP informed.

The duo had sold some stolen items to Amandeep Kumar, alias Omi, a painter by profession, the ACP added. Sandhu revealed that both the students were also involved in three cases of mobile phone snatching.

Earlier, Ramesh Lal Bali, had lodged a complaint with the Bhargo Camp police station. A case under Section 457 and 380 of the IPC was registered by the police. The accused are juvenile and would be produced before a local court tomorrow.

Protest by Punjab Christian Association reaches Day 4
Aparna Banerji /TNS

Jalandhar, August 25
As the protest dharna and hunger strike by the Punjab Christian Movement (PCM) in front of the DC complex, Jalandhar, reached its fourth day today, the leaders of the Punjab Christian Movement today met the Deputy Commissioner, stating that their demands, as mentioned in a letter submitted to him earlier, be met. They threatened that the agitation will be intensified across the state and the government and respective administrations would be responsible for it.

Speaking on the occasion, the PCM president Hamid Masih (who also happens to be a member of the State Commission for Minorities), said the reason for the unrest has been the administration’s growing apathy and the unrest brewing among Christians as a consequence.

“Across the state, the religious gatherings of Christians are stopped by the administration quoting law-and-order problems while the rules for other religious groups are different. We have regularly been voicing concerns about this with the administrations. Lately we have been meeting government officials every two to three months about our demands,” he said.

He quoted examples of Christian gatherings at Bhargo Camp and Basti Danishmandan, where both large scale and small-level Christian functions were stopped because the police said law-and-order problems could be created.

While official figures put the number of Christians in the state at five lakh, Masih said there are at least 20 lakh Christians in the state “but many are scared about getting themselves listed as Christians, because they fear they will be denied facilities.”

Talking about the formulation of PCM, he said, “The PCM was formed in 1989 with the very purpose in mind that Christians are made aware about their rights. People in the community have been scared to voice their concerns fearing administration,” he said.

The present demands of PCM are as follows:

Religious freedom for Christians in the state and putting a stop to attacks on Christian gatherings; constitution of a development board for Christians; a minority financial corporation for Christians to ensure lesser loans with lesser interest rates for Christians; the fulfilment of the promise made by CM Parkash Singh Badal (on December 18, 2008), of establishing a Masih Bhawan on a 2-acre plotof land in Jalandhar and 5 marla plots and grants to build homes on them for homeless Christians. While the hunger strike would end on August 27, there would also be a road march on the same day for which permission has been sought. Protests at many district headquarters will continue till September 2.

Fact file

Presently, there are 39 small Christian bodies in Punjab. There are only two to three state-level Christian bodies in the state, PCM being a prominent one among them. There are more than 400 mainline (affiliated with some organisation) churches and 2,000 independent ones.

One held in murder case
Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, August 25
With the arrest of Sarbjit Singh of Ema Jattan village, the district police today claimed to have solved the blind murder case of Jarnail Singh of Ajnoha. SSP Rakesh Aggarwal said the decomposed body of Jarnail Singh was found at his house at Ajnoha village on July 18.

Deceased Jarnail Singh's daughter Jaswinder Kaur said the divorce case of her sister Devinder Kaur, who had been living with Jarnail Singh for about last two years, was pending in the court. Devinder Kaur's daughter Chamanpreet Kaur had love marriage with Sarbjit Singh of Ema Jattan about two months ago. She alleged that Devinder Kaur left her father's house and started living with one person Shama of Ajnoha.

On July 18, she went to Ajnoha to meet her father and after reaching there she found that the house was locked. She noticed that some putrefied smell was emitting from the house. She broke open the lock and went inside the house where she found the decomposed body of her father. She reported the matter to the police and suspected that her sister Devinder Kaur and Shama of Ajnoha had killed her father. On her statement, a case under Section 302 and 34 of the IPC was registered against them.

During investigation it was emerged that Sarbjit Singh along with his two accomplices, identified as Jaswinder Singh of Shekupura and Dhir Singh strangled Jarnail Singh with a kerchief and decamped with Rs 20,000 cash, one camera, ration card of deceased Jarnail Singh and a mobile phone. His aforesaid accomplices were still at large.

Sarbjit Singh studied up to Class XI and was married to Baljit Kaur of Chack Khera and had two children. He did second love marriage with the maternal grand daughter of deceased Jarnail Singh on March 22, 2011 in the high court and was living with his second wife at Banga.

Rally in support of Anna held
Tribune Reporters

Jalandhar, August 25
Senior Deputy Mayor Kamaljit Bhatia today held a massive rally in support of Anna Hazare.

Hundreds of residents held a march from the 120-Feet road, falling in Bhatia’s ward, to Nehru Garden. The residents came out in trolleys, bikes and even horses. The event, titled “Jazba”, was carried out under the banner of the Jan Jagran Bhartiya Association. Various social and political bodies supported the march.

Phagwara: The Rotary Club (South East) organised a detailed discussion on the Lokpal Bill at a hotel here today. Ex-Lokayukta, Haryana, and former high court Justice Narinder Sood was the chief guest. He stressed the need for strong and powerful Lokpal to check corruption.

Awareness drive on eye donation flagged off
Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, August 25
Hoshiarpur Deputy Commissioner Dipinder Singh today flagged off Pedestrian Awareness Yatra from the Civil Hospital. The awareness campaign is part of 26th National Eye Donation Fortnight, being celebrated by the Eye Donation Association and District Blindness Prevention Society to control blindness.

Addressing on the occasion, Dipinder Singh said about 13 lakh persons were suffering from corneal blindness in the country for which about one lakh eyes were required annually for transplantation. Only 45,000 eyes were being donated by persons after their death number of which was less as compared to their demand. People should donated their eyes after their death to provide light to corneal blinds.

He appreciated the role of the District Eye Donation Society, Hoshiarpur, for motivating more than 70,000 people to donate their eyes for which they had signed pledge forms. As many as 100 eyes were being donated in the district annually and were kept in eye banks.

Civil Surgeon Dr Yash Mitra said awareness rallies, seminars, camps would jointly be organised by the District Health Department, Eye Donation Association and Blindness Prevention Society during fortnight celebration in the district.

Pedestrian Awareness Yatra passed through the main bazaars of the city and was received by SSP Rakesh Aggarwal at Municipal Fire Bridge office on the Railway Road.

NoBlE cause

The awareness campaign is part of 26th National Eye Donation Fortnight, being celebrated by the Eye Donation Association and District Blindness Prevention Society to control blindness.

Water recedes in flood-hit villages
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 25
Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner Dr Harkesh Singh Sidhu said the water level in flood-affected villages has started receding.

Dr Sidhu said the senior officials were directly supervising the supply of essential commodities to the affected villages. Supply of ration, LPG cylinders, tarpaulin sheets to affected families and cattle feed for the livestock has been expedited, added Dr Sidhu.

He said Lakhmir Singh and Anupama Kaler, SDM of Sultanpur Lodhi and Kapurthala sub-divisions, respectively, were overseeing rescue and supply operations in the area.

He said villages that fall in Sultanpur Lodhi sub-division and Baghuwal, Kammewal, Mand Dasel, Mundi Chhana, Boih, Butala, Chachoki and Dhilwaan villages of Kapurthala sub-division are worst affected with the floods.