The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Son plotted Ferozepur trader’s murder, held Anirudh Gupta Ferozepur, October 31 Within 48 hours of the crime, the Ferozepur Police has unearthed the mystery behind the blind murder of the leading businessman, Pramod Mittal, after arresting his son Manuj Mittal alias Montu, who, the police claimed, had himself plotted his father’s elimination with help of four contract killers. While giving details, SSP Surjit Singh said the police had constituted two special investigation teams to crack the case. He said as the investigations begun, the police was soon able to zero in on the deceased’s son Manuj as one of suspects, who had himself reported the matter to the police to evade suspicion. The SSP said Manuj probably harboured a grudge against his father for not giving him sufficient cash to meet his routine expenses, adding that he had eventually fallen in bad company. The SSP further said during past few months, Manuj had started playing snooker in a local club where he met one Shalu, who further introduced him to Deepak Chopra alias Deepu, Rakesh Saluja alias Mony and Sonu Bhatti, all residents of Ferozepur. Manuj told the police that to fulfill his needs, he used to borrow money from Shalu and other friends on interest. His friends even allegedly lured him into drugs as they were themselves habitual of taking smack. The SSP said Manuj confessed before the police that few days back, his newly-found companions called him over at Deepak’s residence, where they incited him to get his father eliminated if he wanted to get rid of the hassle of borrowing money as his father had huge property and assets. “Initially, Manuj did not approve the sinister idea. However, he later agreed to get his father killed so that he could have easy access to all his money,” said the SSP, adding that the killers had demanded Rs 25 lakh but the deal was struck at Rs 5 lakh. “The contract killers even gave Manuj a new SIM card for passing them information about his father’s movement and got an affidavit signed from him that he will neither repudiate the deal nor shall he divulge the details about them to anyone,” said the SSP. On the day of murder, the contract killers met Manuj in the morning at a liquor vend near Shimla Talkies in the city where all of them had a drink together. Later, Manuj went to his father’s office. He signalled the killers to come and complete the job while he himself went to the grain market. The SSP said four persons went to Pramod Mittal’s office inside the grain market in cantonment and finding him alone, they strangulated him to death. Later, they called Manuj to another liquor shop opposite the BSF headquarters on the Moga road and took back the SIM from him. The accused also took away his father’s mobile and Rs 80,000 in cash and told Manuj that they were going to Delhi and he should keep the amount ready as per the deal, said the SSP. Meanwhile, the police has arrested Manuj Mittal and teams have been dispatched to nab the contract killers involved in the murder. The incident has send shock waves amongst local residents.
	The Iron Man’s Birth Anniversary Patel Park in Abohar paints a picture of neglect Raj Sadosh Abohar, October 31 While the region remembered Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary today, the park developed in the iron man’s memory continues to lie in a state of neglect. On an initiative taken by former councillor Prem Nath Vij, a pond in Sukhera Basti was converted into the Patel Park about 25 years ago. Funds for the purpose were allocated by the then Deputy Commissioner Sarvesh Kaushal. The park was used to organise religious and social functions but it lost its sheen as its poorly-designed disposal water channel failed to function. Rather, sewerage water was repelled by the channel. The administration has so far not been able to resolve the problem. The successive ruling parties in the Municipal Council did little to drain out rainwater that got accumulated after showers. While some steps were taken to renovate the Nehru Park and the Jaiparkash Narayan Park, none showed interest for the Patel Park, which reminds the residents of the first home minister of the independent India. The council has now thought it fit to use it as a garbage dumping centre. Last month, the officials had said separate sewerage pipeline would be laid to ensure disposal of waste water from the park but the proposal is yet to see the light of the day. Madan Lal Bhalothia, chief of Guru Kripa Ashram here, regretted that thousands of residents in the Sukhera Basti had to fight mosquito menace, as the fogging exercise taken up by the local council proved farce.
	Dengue Bathinda city reports 459 cases this season Sushil Goyal Tribune News Service Bathinda, October 31 An increase in the number of dengue positive cases in the Bathinda district, especially the Bathinda city, is still continuing though the first case was reported from Bathinda city around July 15 this season. According to information, the total number of dengue confirmed cases has risen to 537 in the district till today. Of these, 459 cases have been reported from Bathinda city so far while remaining cases have been reported from other parts of the district. After the Bathinda city, 45 dengue positive cases have been reported this season from Talwandi Sabo block (especially Raman Mandi area), 15 cases from Goniana block, eight cases from Sangat block, five cases from Bhagta block, three cases from Nathana block and two cases from Ballianwali block. The Blood Bank at the Civil Hospital, Bathinda, has tested 383 patients positive for dengue fever so far while the Civil Hospital, Ludhiana has reported 127 confirmed dengue cases to the district health authorities. The DMC Hospital, Ludhiana has conveyed reports about 23 dengue positive cases to the authorities here. Two cases each have been reported by the Apollo Hospital, Ludhiana, and the Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. Meanwhile, the joint survey teams of the Health Department and the Bathinda Municipal Corporation conducted a survey in the city today. The teams surveyed 1347 houses and found 17 fever cases. However, larva of the mosquito causing dengue was found from one house and it was destroyed on the spot. Since October 10 the survey teams have surveyed 26,501 houses in the city so far. These teams have detected 499 fever cases and also found dengue larva from 141 houses. Dr Iqbal Singh, Civil Surgeon, said the teams had also been educating people about the breeding of dengue mosquitoes, causes of fever, and preventive measures. He also appealed to the people not to worry from the fever as every type of fever was not dengue fever. So the patients should get their blood samples tested at the Civil Hospital to rule out the possibility of dengue fever, he added.
	Abohar-Fazilka Rail Link Punjab does its part, onus now on Rlys Raj Sadosh Abohar, October 31 With the inauguration of the last railway over bridge (RoB) by Punjab Chief Parliamentary Secretary Gurtej Singh Ghuriana this evening, the state government has finally put the onus on the Railways to make a long-awaited Abohar-Fazilka rail link operational. The 12-metre wide and 868-m long RoB was constructed outside Dangarkhera village on the Abohar-Fazilka section of the NH-10 at the cost of Rs 13 crore. The Punjab PWD completed the project in about 34 months. The RoB would facilitate about 180 km road drive from Ferozepur up to Hanumangarh (Rajasthan) and Dabwali (Haryana) as there would be no railway crossing. Ghuriana urged the Railways to clear the decks to make the Abohar-Fazilka rail link operational as it would connect Udhampur (Jammu) with Jaisalmer (Rajasthan) and boost the economy in the border belt. The Railways had already listed the Bathinda-Abohar-Fazilka passenger train in its time-table for July but no word came in after that. Former MP Virendra Kataria said over the phone that the Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi would be urged to dispatch a team of engineers from Lucknow-based railways safety wing to Abohar. It will be the last technical task to be completed. Fazilka Deputy Commissioner Dr Basant Garg attended the pooja ceremony performed on the occasion.
	Rotten wheat supplied under Atta-Dal Scheme Fair price shop licensees say no to distribution of inedible grain among BPL card holders Raj Sadosh Abohar, October 31 Having been under fire for couple of months for distributing flour obtained from the wheat processed at a local mill under its much-hyped Atta Dal Scheme, the state government has now supplied sub-standard wheat that had been purchased and packed last year. Since the stock is stinking, most of the fair price shop licensees have expressed their inability to distribute it to BPL card holders. The consumers too have rejected the lot. While taking up the issue, NGOs, including the Consumer Movement and Akhil Bhartiya Grahak Panchayat, said the government had been getting wheat processed at private flour mills located on the Abohar-Sriganganagar road, without getting the date of manufacturing printed on the polythene bags. As the loopholes in the PDS system were exposed by local legislator Sunil Jakhar on the floor of the house in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, the government is now in a hurry to dispose off the wheat stock that had rotten owing to poor storage. It was alleged that the government had paid exorbitant charges to the private players for milling the wheat not only in Abohar but also in other regions. Besides, there were reports that polythene sheets had been removed last month from the open wheat plinths. The sheets were distributed as a part of relief measures to villagers, who had lost their houses to drain water fury. A fair price shop licensee in Nai Abadi locality said he almost fell unconscious on opening a wheat bag. He informed the officials concerned about it but they allegedly cautioned him that he might lose his licence if he failed to distribute the wheat. A former councillor Anil Arya said the authorities were contacted and they did not deny having supplied wheat under the Atta Dal Scheme to depot holders. The in-charge of the Food and Supplies Department did not respond to the calls made on his phone.
	Kharbanda adjudged ‘Glory of India’ Our Correspondent Ferozepur, October 31 In recognition of his outstanding services by way of various development work undertaken during his tenure as the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Amritsar (MCA), DPS Kharbanda, presently posted as an Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) here, has been selected for the coveted ‘Glory of India’ award which would be conferred on him on November 18 at a function in Dubai, UAE. Kharbanda had initiated several ground-breaking measures to decongest the town and at the same time launched projects concerning the beautification, cleanliness and development of the holy city. Diplomats from various countries besides celebrities are likely to attend the awards function being organised by the India International Friendship Society (IIFS) in Dubai, said Gurmeet Singh, the secretary of the society.