B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Mill owner among four booked in Ferozepur paddy scam
Ferozepur, April 14
The Ferozepur police has booked four persons, including a mill owner and a former manager of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation (PSWC), for alleged embezzlement of paddy worth crores.

Shootout at Barnala, two held
Barnala, April 14
The police here on Friday arrested two persons with arms and ammunition after a shootout that continued for over an hour. Four weapons have been recovered from the arrested persons.

Remaining two victims of Moga blast identified
Moga, April 14
The two unidentified bodies of the youths recovered from the debris after powerful blast in an illegal cracker manufacturing unit in Preet Nagar locality of this town on Friday have been recognised as that of Veer Pal and Iqbal Singh, both residents of Preet Nagar.

Contaminated water
Singer-actor Babbu Mann making documentary on victims
Fazilka, April 14
Noted Punjabi singer and actor Babbu Mann is making a documentary on the border area residents suffering from ailments caused due to use of contaminated water. The documentary team filmed young victims in the affected villages of Dona Nanka and Teja Rohela yesterday.

Mill owner among four booked in Ferozepur paddy scam
Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, April 14
The Ferozepur police has booked four persons, including a mill owner and a former manager of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation (PSWC), for alleged embezzlement of paddy worth crores.

According to information available, the police had received a complaint from the PSWC regarding misappropriation of paddy by the mill owner allegedly in connivance with the officials of the department. Acting on the compliant, the police conducted an investigation following which the case was registered.

Sources in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the police revealed that during 2010-11, the PSWC had stored a large amount of paddy for milling the same in one of the rice mills situated in Guruharsahai.

The rice sheller was supposed to release around 9,800 quintals of rice worth Rs 1.9 crore to the agency.

However, when the agency did not receive the said consignment of rice within the stipulated period, it undertook physical verification of the stock at the mill. The verification led to the alleged scam coming to the fore.

Officials of the agency — a retired district manager, godown inspector and accountant — were also found to be allegedly involved in the scam.

Shootout at Barnala, two held
Tribune News Service

Barnala, April 14
The police here on Friday arrested two persons with arms and ammunition after a shootout that continued for over an hour. Four weapons have been recovered from the arrested persons.

The accused are said to be members of a notorious Kala Mann group.

According to Barnala SSP Surjit Singh, they received information about five members of the Kala Mann group hiding near Dhanaula late on Friday

Fearing the police dragnet, the members of the gang fled in a car leaving the vehicle near Kheeva Kalan village under Bhikhi police station.

When the police narrowed down on them, the gang members fired at the police inviting retaliatory fire.

After the exchange of fire, the police succeeded in arresting Dalwinder Singh and Chamkaur of Longowal and Dialpura Bhaika. A .315 bore pistol, three cartridges and a .12 bore gun with 12 cartridges were recovered from their possession. Their three accomplices managed to flee.

A member of the gang is allegedly involved in the killing of a Congress leader, Gurwinder Singh Lakhi Kalabula, the then Sherpur truck union president, in February.

Remaining two victims of Moga blast identified
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Moga, April 14
The two unidentified bodies of the youths recovered from the debris after powerful blast in an illegal cracker manufacturing unit in Preet Nagar locality of this town on Friday have been recognised as that of Veer Pal and Iqbal Singh, both residents of Preet Nagar.

In a statement recorded with the police, Veer Pal’s father Beant Ram said he identified his son from his legs, as he was suffering from polio.

Another deceased Iqbal Singh was a teenager and resided in the same locality where the blast took place. He was playing with his pet dog in the street outside Liaqat Ali’s house.

It may be mentioned that the blast took place in the house of Liaqat Ali, who was running the illegal cracker manufacturing unit. Besides Liaqat, those died in the incident were his wife Hoor Bano, daughter Aamreen, Iqbal and Veer Pal.

A team of forensic experts visited the site on Saturday and collected few samples for chemical examination. The police had registered a criminal case under the Explosives Act against Liaqat Ali.

It is learnt that the state government had so far not announced any monetary compensation to the immediate family members of the deceased and those whose property was damaged in the blast.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Jathedar Tota Singh along with District Magistrate Arshdeep Singh Thind and other senior officials of the administration visited the site and expressed shock over the mishap.

Contaminated water
Singer-actor Babbu Mann making documentary on victims

Fazilka, April 14
Noted Punjabi singer and actor Babbu Mann is making a documentary on the border area residents suffering from ailments caused due to use of contaminated water. The documentary team filmed young victims in the affected villages of Dona Nanka and Teja Rohela yesterday.

In an informal chat, Mann disclosed that the plight of the border area residents would be raised during his tours within the country and abroad in the month of May. The aim is to bring in help for the victims. — OC