The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

DSP among 4 cops indicted for torturing a minor
Board filed a criminal complaint under Section 181, 191, 330, 348 IPC and 23 Juveniles Act
Dharmendra Joshi
Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, September 22
Juvenile Justice Board has found guilty four police officials, including a DSP for torturing a minor after allegedly taking him in illegal custody.

The Board comprising principal magistrate Justice AS Shergil and two of its members Captain (retd) Vipan Sharma and Shanta Kapoor had indicted the then Bholath DSP Balbir Singh who is posted as the DSP (Security), Kapurthala, Begowal SHO Tejbir Singh, ASI Jaswant Singh and Head constable Parveen Singh in the inquiry.

Following their induction, the Board filed a criminal complaint under Section 181, 191, 330, 348 IPC and 23 juveniles Act in the court of the CJM against the four police officials for the alleged illegal detention and torture of a minor boy Gurpreet Singh in the Begowal police station for two days.

Gurpreet’s counsel Harcharan Singh Ahluwalia said, “The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) has summoned all the police officers in his court for their trial in the case on the next date of hearing on November three."

In its report, the Board members stated that Gurpreet Singh (17) was kept in illegal detention for two days on June 10 and 11and was tortured in the police station in a theft case. The Board held that the DSP had asked his subordinates to arrest the boy. No information of his arrest was sent to the parents or guardians and not even a general diary was maintained, the report adds.

Further the police failed to keep the child safe in its custody as he had injury marks on his body as confirmed by the medical examination report after his release from the illegal detention, the board stated.

The police had registered a case of theft against three boys Gurpreet Singh (17), Moti Sagar (17) and Sharanjit Singh (15) on June 9 for their alleged involvement in stealing 15 tolas of gold ornaments from the house of Sumanjit Kaur of Raipur Ballan village in June. One of the accused Sharanjit Singh is the real brother of Sumanjit kaur and was staying in the house of his sister. The police claimed, “The three accused are friends and they decided to steal gold ornaments to buy a Zen car.”

Death of a 12-yr-old: Parents allege police inaction
Dharmendra Joshi
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 22
Parents of Bharat Pradhan alias Makki (12) have accused Kapurthala police of not arresting the two accused booked for allegedly murdering their son was registered. The deceased is renowned comedian Bharti Singh’s cousin.

Bharat’s body was found in the swimming pool in Railway Coach Factory (RCF) premises on September 10. His parents had alleged that Bharat was murdered by two of his friends. Sultanpur Lodhi police has registered a case of murder against them under Section 302 of the IPC a few days later but neither of the accused has been registered so far.

Bharat's father Ravi Shankar Pradhan said his son used to go at 4.30 pm everyday to the RCF stadium from his house in RCF Colony to practice for wrestling. Two of his friends Jagmeet and Aman accompanied him, he said. Bharat returned from his practice session at 7 pm. He had gone there with his friends on September 10 too but never came back, he added.

An employee with the RCF, Pradhan said when his son did not return on September 10, he tried to contact him on Jagdeep and Amit's mobile mobiles which were switched off. They kept searching for Bharat but to no avail.

Later, his body was recovered from the swimming pool located near the RCF stadium 20 hours after his disappearance.

Pradhan said, "Amit was scared of taking a bath in the swimming pool and had never even tried to do so. Had he drowned there, he would have shouted for help and several persons present in and near the stadium would have saved him."

Alleging foul play, Ravi Shankar said, "Had he drowned, his friends Jagmeet and Aman (17-18 years old) would have informed us."

Pradhan said though the Sultanpur Lodhi police had registered an FIR of murder under Section 302 of the IPC against them a few days later but no arrests have been made so far.

Sultanpur Lodhi SHO Sub Inspector Baljinder Singh admitted that no one has been arrested in the case so far. He said the matter was being investigated. He said investigation was likely to be completed within next two-three days.

Bare facts

n Body of Bharat Singh, cousin of known comedian Bharti Singh, was found from the swimming pool of RCF stadium.
n Parents allege his two companions did not answer their calls when they were looking for Bharat
n Bharat was afraid of swimming and called no one for help, parents allege
n No arrests have been made so far despite registration of a case

Two teenagers killed in accident
Our Correspondent

Nakodar September 22
Two motorcycle-borne teens today evening died in a road accident here at Geeran village. The deceased were identified as Karan Kumar son of Parsuram, Yusuf son of Narender Kumar, both residents of Abadpur in Jalandhar.

The police said both were returning home after paying obeisance at Baba Murad Shah Darbar here and had a head-on collision with a private bus. Both the teens were under 18 years and were taken to a private hospital where they were declared brought dead.

Couple commits suicide
Our Correspondent

Nakodar, September 22
A couple of Angakidi of Mehtpur village allegedly committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance. The couple is said to be mentally upset.

Ranjit Kaur succumbed died yesterday evening while her husband Sukhwinder died in the wee hours today.

According to the police, after sending their children to school on Wednesday, the couple locked the door from inside and consumed some poisonous substance.

The couple’s relatives forced their way into the room when the couple did not answer the door. They broke the doors to enter the room when tghe police arrived.

They found Sukhwinder crying for help while his wife whose face was covered with a cloth dead. Sukhwinder was rushed to the Civil Hospital in Mehatpur from where he was referred to Nakodar, where he breathed his last today.

According to the police, relatives of the deceased in a statement to the police stated that the couple was mentally upset. They didn't lodge any complaint with the police. A case was registered under Section 174 of the IPC.

Two run over by bus
Our Correspondent

Batala, September 22
Two persons were killed on the spot when a school bus ran over them here on Thursday.

Pritam Singh of Dabbanwali village and Baldev Singh of Jangla village, who worked at a factory, were on their way to Batala on their bicycles when a bus number PAB-6245 driven by Balraj Singh of Dabbanwali village ran over them killing them on the spot. The driver tried to run away from the spot but was apprehended by the people. The bus number PAB-6245 belonging to Marygold Academy, Aliwal, was more than 20-years old.

SSP Batala Gurkirpal Singh said a criminal case under Section 304 A, 279, 427 of the IPC has been registered against the accused who has been arrested.

No celebrations in Jalandhar post-SGPC election results
Deepkamal Kaur
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 22
Even as it has been a major triumph for the winners of the SAD candidates in the SGPC elections, winning eight of the nine seats, there were no celebrations in the city today even after the official declaration of results.

With Assembly polls around the corner, some drum-beating was expected from the candidates but it all remained a silent affair. Sources in the party said that the members were still morose after the death of the son of Senior Deputy Mayor Kamaljit Bhatia on last Sunday, which also coincided with the polling day.

Kulvir Singh Barapind of the SAD (1920) is the only candidate other than that of the SAD to have won the polls in the district. He has won by a thin margin of 213 votes from the SAD candidate Nirmal Kaur from Phillaur constituency. He polled 10,360 votes.

The veteran Akali leader from Nakodar Kuldip Singh Wadala, however, has managed to get a thumping victory.

He got 15,571 votes with the SAD (1920) candidate lagging far behind at 6,096 votes. He was the only losing candidate of the party from the district in the 2007 Assembly polls.

Baldev Singh and Shingara Singh Lohian were declared winners from reserved and non-reserved seats, respectively, from Shahkot.

Among the candidates from the general woman seat from Adampur, Davinder Kaur has won with a margin of 627 votes from an Independent candidate Sukhwinder Kaur.

For the general seat from the same constituency, Paramjit Singh Raipur emerged the winner. Kulwant Singh Manan from Jalandhar city won by a huge margin, drawing 13,113 votes out of a total of 15653 seats.

Gurmit Kaur won from the women reserved seat of Kartarpur, while Ranjit Singh was declared a winner from the non-reserved seat.

Dumping of bio-medical waste; show-cause notice to pharmaceutical firm
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 22
The district health authorities today issued a show cause notice to the owner of Pharma Cure Laboratories at Garha for allegedly dumping bio-medial waste in open.

The District Drug Inspector, Naresh Suri, has asked the laboratory owners to explain their position on the issue in the next 10 days. The notice has been served to the industrialists for violating the Drugs and Cosmetic Act, said Suri.

Yesterday, the city police had arrested a local industrialist, Sahib Singh for allegedly disposing off bio-medical waste in open. He was later released on bail.

According to the police, a case under Section 284 of the IPC was registered by the police at police station division No 7.

Health workers to boycott work

Jalandhar, September 22
Members of the ANM and LHV Union (Punjab), Jalandhar, have declared that they would boycott the upcoming pulse polio campaign, if the government does not pay heed to their demands.

Holding a dharna on the second day of their pen-down strike held outside the office of the Civil Surgeon here today, they said they would boycott work for the campaign which will be held in the state from September 25 to 27.— TNS

Farmer electrocuted

Tarn Taran, September 22
Dildar Singh (32), a farmer belonging to Theh Sarhali village, 40 kilometers from here, was electrocuted while working in the fields last late evening.

The deceased had touched the switch when he was touched a live wire. Dildar Singh got badly burnt and died on the spot. Valtoha police has lodged a report under Section 174 of the CrPC. — OC

2 held with poppy husk

Jalandhar, September 22
Two persons were arrested today after 18 kg of poppy husk was seized from their possession in two separate cases.

The CIA staff of the Jalandhar (Rural) police nabbed Paramjit Singh alias Pamma of Alampur near Kartarpur, and seized 10 kg of poppy husk that he was carrying in his scooter.

In another incident, Sukhdev Singh of Udey Nagar, was arrested after 8kh of poppy husk was seized from his possession. —TNS