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Brain-mapping of Kanda not needed: Cops
Proving tough nut to crack
Family holds prayers for ‘innocent’ Kanda
Did Sirsa police shield him?
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Haryana scores high on student enrolment, colleges & varsities
Rain brings respite
Waterlogging in Faridabad
Kin of convicts to get jobs under MNREGS, HC informed
Pension stopped, old people run from pillar to post
Tampering with documents by State Sports Minister
Gurgaon DC identifies 162 illegal borewells
Selection of postgraduate teachers
Lovers jump into canal; girl dies
Woman, son found murdered
Polytechnic student among 3 held for theft
6 pilgrims killed in road mishap
Labourer electrocuted in shoe factory
Girl commits suicide
Held for rape
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Brain-mapping of Kanda not needed: Cops
Chandigarh, August 21 The Delhi police has, however, now gone on record to say that it would not require to put him through “brain-mapping” or a “lie detector” test as it had gathered enough evidence to nail Kanda in the Geetika suicide case. Highly placed sources said the police never intended to put Kanda through “brain-mapping” but had said this to scare him into opening up. There are half a dozen questions on which Kanda has refused to divulge any details. Even in custody, Kanda enjoys enough clout that is forcing the Delhi police to “behave in a civil manner” with him. He has told the police that he spent the 11 days during which he evaded arrest shuttling between Sirsa, Jaipur and Gurgaon before finally surrendering on August 18. Sources said the Delhi police was not trying to ascertain whether the Superintendent of Police (SP) and an IG at Sirsa were facilitating his hiding. Kanda hid in the Shalimar Bagh area of Delhi till August 7. After he was declared an absconder on August 8 when he failed to appear before the police, he moved to Sirsa and stayed there for three days. On August 11, he is believed to have moved to Jaipur, where he stayed at a friend’s farmhouse till August 15. He moved back to Gurgaon on August 16 where he stayed at a friend’s house for one night and then moved to Delhi the next day. While Kanda was in the vicinity of Delhi, the Delhi police was looking for him in Goa and Siliguri in West Bengal. The Delhi police conducted 60 raids, but finally Kanda surrendered on his own. While Geetika’s family has accused Kanda of using his influence to prevent a fair investigation, the National Commission for Women has come to Geetika’s aid and ordered an investigation into the leak of Geetika’s post-mortem report to the media by the Delhi police. Sources in Delhi said the report describing Geetika as “sexually active” was leaked deliberately to discredit her as a woman of loose morals to take the heat off Kanda. The Delhi police is trying to locate Ankita, who according to Geetika’s suicide note has mothered Kanda’s child and works for the former minister at his casino in Goa. Sources in the police have said that the investigations have revealed that Aruna Chadha, another employee of Kanda, who was arrested, has been trying to mislead the police by saying that she had joined Kanda’s defunct MDLR Airlines a month before Geetika, but her appointment letter shows that she was employed in 2004. Meanwhile, highly placed sources have abandoned the theory that Geetika may have committed suicide because of Kanada’s refusal to marry her. “We are trying to investigate the matter based on some property documents that have been recovered and bear the name of Geetika.” Chandigarh, August 21 |
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Proving tough nut to crack
Gurgaon, August 21 “He is not being very supportive and is silent on all important questions. We have tried our best, but have not been able to get him to spill the beans on vital aspects of the case and that is what is making us think about his brain mapping,” said a senior official. While Kanda has maintained that Geetika was just another employee for him, he has reportedly failed to throw light on the content and need of sending 400 SMSes to her. The police has also so far failed to get Kanda’s justification on getting the fake email sent to Dubai Emirates to allegedly get Geetika thrown out. He has also maintained a ‘stubborn’ silence on having any knowledge of the reported termination of Geetika’s pregnancies with the help of Chadha. He has also refused to say anything about the extent of Chadha’s efforts in his professional and personal endeavours. “He is neither agreeing nor disagreeing with vital aspects of the case but being silent and that is why we have failed to make any headway. Even today when we slapped a fresh charge under an IT Section on him, he had nothing to say,” added the official. Questions that beg for answers
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Family holds prayers for ‘innocent’ Kanda
Gurgaon, August 21 Claiming that her husband is innocent, Gopal Kanda’s wife,
Saras, said she was like a daughter to him and the Sharmas had even asked Kanda to be her maternal uncle when she got married. “It was a shock and he started weeping when he got a call about the suicide. We were getting ready to leave for their house when the TV flashed news about my husband’s name being in the suicide note. Geetika was special to us because she was of the same age as our children and attended their birthday parties. He is innocent and I trust god to do justice,” said
Saras. |
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Did Sirsa police shield him?
Sirsa, August 21 Haryana Janhit Congress supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi has demanded action against two senior police officers for their alleged role in shielding Kanda, while INLD supremo Om Parkash Chautala had accused the police of protecting him at the instance of the state government. Kanda was Minister of State for Home before he resigned in the wake of his alleged involvement in the suicide case. Kanda is reported to have spent three days in his hometown when he was on the run from the Delhi Police to avoid his arrest in the case of abetment to suicide and criminal intimidation after his former staffer Geetika Sharma committed suicide at her Ashok Vihar residence in Delhi. Sirsa Superintendent of Police Devender Singh Yadav, however, rubbished the allegations of protecting Kanda during his hiding. |
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Haryana scores high on student enrolment, colleges & varsities
Chandigarh, August 21 With 22 universities, Haryana is heads and shoulders above its neighbours Punjab (17), Himachal Pradesh (18) and Uttarakhand (18) and other similarly situated states such as Chhattisgarh (15), Jharkhand (15) and Jammu and Kashmir (15). And despite having a larger area than Haryana, these states fared poorly when it came to student enrolment. Haryana tops with 902 colleges while Punjab has 852, Himachal 344, Jammu and Kashmir 328, Chhattisgarh 641, Jharkhand 231 and Uttarakhand 360, states the UGC report, “Higher education in India at a glance”, which was released recently. A senior official claimed that the spurt in quality educational institutions had not only helped Haryana retain its students, who would earlier move to other states in pursuit of higher education, but also attracted students from other parts of the country. In fact, Haryana’s proximity to the national capital is proving to be a boon for the state with a large number of private players setting up universities and colleges in the National Capital
Region (NCR) bordering New Delhi. Haryana, covering just 1.34 per cent of the total geographical area of the country, accounts for only 2.09 per cent of its
population. Haryana is ranked 20th as far as area (44,212 sq km) is concerned while it is 16th in terms of population (2.53 crore), as per the 2011
Census. However, when it comes to student enrolment in colleges and universities, Haryana with 4,52,565 students is far ahead of Himachal Pradesh (1,33,564), Jammu and Kashmir (1,84,394), Chhattisgarh (3,04,381), Uttarakhand (2,94,485) and Jharkhand
(2,74,450). Advantage Haryana
Students’ quality a matter of concern
Haryana may have scored high on students enrollment and setting up of the educational infrastructure, but the quality of students leaves much to be desired. With the school infrastructure and education failing to keep pace with the times, below average students study in institutions of higher education. The poor placements from the private colleges offering engineering, management, computer and B.Ed degrees is proof of the poor quality students desperate to get degrees from private colleges and
universities — Dinesh Sharma, Educationist |
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Downpour floods Hisar areas
Hisar, August 21 The downpour began with a severe thunderstorm around 3 am. It was followed by heavy rain for more than two hours. Later, the heavy downpour was reduced to a steady drizzle which lasted for another three hours. The areas that were flooded included Mahavir Colony, Sainian Mohalla, Sant Nagar, Nirankari Road, Urban Estate II and Badhwali Dhani. Following complaints of waterlogging, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Amardeep Jain inspected the affected areas as well as various stormwater drains and disposal points. Jain said officials responsible for delay in clearing stormwater would face disciplinary action. He said officials had been directed to ensure draining out of floodwater from the affected colonies. He said officials of the municipal corporation and Haryana Urban Development Authority had been directed to send proposals for connecting the disposal points to hotline power connections so that the pumps could be operational at all times. Hisar has had 144 mm of rain since July 1. Today’s downpour was the heaviest this season. Farm scientists of Haryana Agricultural University said today’s rain would be beneficial for the standing crops. Cotton crop would be benefited the most. Till July-end, Hisar district had 70 per cent less rain than the normal average rainfall figure. This had adversely affected the sowing of guar, bajra and cereals. The deficient rainfall had also stunted the growth of standing cotton crop. The weak monsoon had threatened paddy the most. |
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Rain brings respite
Rohtak, August 21 The showers, which started around 3.30 pm on Monday and lasted for an hour, left several low lying areas flooded in the city. “Though the storm water accumulated at some places, but it got cleared within two hours,’’ claimed an official of the civic department. He said showers, which brought the maximum temperature down by about 10 degrees, also lashed the city this morning, resulting in waterlogging at several places in the city. |
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Waterlogging in Faridabad
Faridabad, August 21 Pools of water were witnessed at various points on National Highway 2(Mathura-Agra) and through the city and the adjoining Ballabgarh. The plight of the city has exposed the authorities’ claims of having taken measures for the drainage of stormwater like desilting the nullahs and strengthening the sewerage before the monsoon. A number of corporators questioned the city’s preparedness with regard to the drainage of water at a meeting of the House of the MCF today. The heavy shower lasted for just about an hour and residents wonder at the scenario had there been a longer spell of the shower. Although an umpteen number of points and stretches on roads were submerged in water, knee-deep waterlogging in the Sector 12 road connecting mini-secretariat and the district court stood out. Jawahar Colony, Parvatia Colony, Oriya Colony, Janata Colony, Dabua Colony, SJM Nagar and the posh Sectors 15, 16 and 21 were also affected. Approach roads to BK Chowk, Neelam Chowk, Ajronda Chowk, Bata Chowk were also waterlogged. Consequently, vehicular movement on almost all inner roads in the city was badly affected. The situation was abysmal in the nearby Ballabgarh, which is also under the jurisdiction ofthe MCF. Pockets of a number of residential areas of Adarsh Nagar, Chawla Colony and Tigaon Road were hit and business activity came to a virtual halt in some markets as the roads were unnavigable. The General Bus Stand in Ballabgarh was reminiscent of a village pond. |
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Kin of convicts to get jobs under MNREGS, HC informed
Chandigarh, August 21 The government will also be ensuring livelihood for their kin by offering employment to them under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS). Education facilities too are being
provided. This is not all. The convicts are being remunerated “as per the norms” after the enhancement of wages. “Skilled” convicts are getting Rs 40, “semi-skilled” Rs 25 and “unskilled” Rs 20 a day for working within the jails. The development is significant as it is likely to go a long way in rehabilitating the convicts upon their release from jail. It is believed that the convicts, free from pressing and urgent need to support their families, will be in a better position to look out for opportunities to earn a livelihood. Haryana’s Additional Inspector General of Prisons Jagjit Singh also told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that the state has come out with a multi-pronged strategy to rehabilitate the convicts in the state prisons. “Many schools under the National Institute of Open Schooling have been opened and six centres up to 10+2 level have been established by the Indira Gandhi National Open University. Under a scheme of the state, 3,734 inmates have already benefited,” Jagjit Singh told the Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Jasbir Singh and Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa. The assertion came during the hearing of a bunch of petitions, including a “Court on its own motion” case against the States of Punjab and Haryana, along with the Union Territory of Chandigarh. The case was “suo motu” initiated in public interest by the high court, after it took note of an application filed by a convict for formulating a scheme for the rehabilitation of the convicts upon their release from jail. Disposing of as infructuous the petitions “in view of stand taken by the respective states”, the Bench asserted: “We are hopeful that necessary action will be taken in the near future also”. |
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Pension stopped, old people run from pillar to post
Sirsa, August 21 Most of these persons are in the twilight years of their lives and had been getting old-age pension for years, when they were suddenly told that their pension was stopped. “We have knocked every possible door to ask the reason for the action and have requested for the revival of our pension, but no one has given any satisfactory answer to us,” say elderly women Nasib Kaur, Baljit Kaur, Angrez Kaur and others. “We have been rendered dependent on children for our small needs like buying eyeglasses or a walking stick,” they said. These women, along with nearly 50 other elderly villagers had come to the secretariat to meet Deputy Commissioner J Ganesan to tell their tale of woes. Suratia is not an isolated example of a village where the social security pension of eligible persons has been discontinued without any valid reason. Complaints of this nature have been coming from several villages, where senior citizens have become victims of the alleged callous attitude of officials who visit the villages for the survey of beneficiaries. When contacted, Ganesan said that the pension of these persons were stopped after a survey was conducted by the authorities. “I have been informed that these elderly persons were not traceable by the survey parties, when they visited their village,” the DC said. He added that he had asked the department concerned to conduct another survey. |
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Tampering with documents by State Sports Minister
Chandigarh, August 21 The orders by Justice MS Sullar came while disposing of a petition filed by a Gurgaon-based NGO, Matdata Jagrook Manch.The petitioner sought directions to the Gurgaon Police Commissioner to take action on his complaint on the issue. According to the NGO, an RTI reply had revealed that Kataria and others were involved in preparing fake ration cards. It was further alleged that around 32,000 bogus votes were prepared for the 2009 Assembly elections. The RTI reply also revealed that five fake votes had been prepared at the address of Kataria’s sister, without following the proper procedure. The bogus cards enabled Kataria to win as an Independent candidate. Kataria later extended support to the Congress and was inducted as a Minister of State into the Haryana Cabinet. The petitioner submitted that after obtaining the requisite information under the RTI Act, he had approached the Police commissioner, Gurgaon, and submitted a complaint on July 11, requesting him to initiate action in this connection. |
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Gurgaon DC identifies 162 illegal borewells
Chandigarh, August 21 As the issue came up for resumed hearing, the court was informed by the Haryana law officer that the Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner has taken instant action against builders who had dug up borewells without authorisation. Taking note of the assertion, the Bench reiterated that construction on sites illegally using underground water should be immediately stopped. The Bench also directed the sealing of such constructions sites. The Haryana government also undertook to initiate effective steps against the violators. An alternative plan by the Haryana government to provide water for construction purposes in Gurgaon was also placed before the court. The court asked the Deputy Commissioner to carry on with his drive. The Bench also made it clear that the DC would be held responsible if groundwater was found to be utilised by builders for any kind of construction. |
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Murder of polio-stricken girl
Ambala, August 21 Having been hacked to death with the sword that Neelpal carried during his marriage, Rajni was the same girl whom he had taken to several places to get her treated for polio and even got her operated several times with whatever meager resources he had while working as a labourer at a wood saw mill. “It was 10:30 in the morning when Rajni pulled herself close to her father and held his hand to reassure him of a better future, but Neelpal got hold of the sword, took her out of the house and hit her several times,” said Harjit Kaur, 40-year-old mother of the victim, who along with other four siblings watched in horror. A neighbour said Neelpal, a father of five girls, was a dotting father, who had sent all his daughters to school in the hope of a better future. Neelpal’s mother, Savitri Devi, said he had been upset for the past eight months as his eldest daughter, Sunita (15), who was also afflicted with polio in her left leg, started suffering from epileptic attacks. Savitri said Neelpal could no longer see his daughter suffer just because he could not arrange money to get her treated. A resident of Kalawar village in the district, Neelpal got married to Harjit in 1996 and after that they shifted to Ambala and had five daughters — Sunita (15), Geeta (12), Rajni (8), Satwinder (6) and Akki (2). Savitri said their family was undergoing financial crisis as Neelpal used to remain without work for several months in a year. This time also, he had been without work for the past few months, which added to his frustrations, she said. However, Neelpal, who did escape after killing his daughter, was sent to judicial custody by a local court. With their father in jail, the other four siblings now have no one to look up to.
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Selection of postgraduate teachers
Chandigarh, August 21 The development is significant as the selection process of around 14000 PGTs would be affected by the order . Taking up the matter, the high court also made it clear that the selection board could continue with the selection process and the stay orders would remain applicable only on the declaration of the result. These directions came after hearing a petition filed by Shivani Gupta of Ambala and other petitioners. The case will now come up for hearing on September 10. |
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Lovers jump into canal; girl dies
Hisar, August 21 The girl, Neelam, was residing as a paying guest here. She was a student of the local Government College. The boy, Vikas, was a student of the same college last year. They were seen together sitting at the bank of the canal last evening. They kept talking to each other for a long time after which they suddenly jumped into the canal. Villagers rushed to rescue them. The boy was brought out of the canal . However, the girl was drowned . Her body could not be recovered till late night. The boy has been booked for attempting suicide and inducing the girl to
commit suicide. |
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Woman, son found murdered
Jind, August 21 The incident came to light when Ramdhari, a kin, came to the house but found no response from inside after a knock. The police said Sumitra and her husband, Kewal Singh, who is working with the BSF, had adopted Vijay, son of Kewal’s younger brother, as they had no issue of their own. Kewal, who has been posted in Delhi, had come to his house on leave and left for his place of posting on Monday only. Services of the dog squad and fingerprint experts were requisitioned to get some clue about the perpetrators of the crime, said the police. |
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Polytechnic student among 3 held for theft
Rohtak, August 21 The accused will be produced in court on Wednesday, said a spokesperson of the district police. The accused - Ravi, Deepak and Sandeep - were allegedly nabbed with a bag containing stolen coils when they were going on a two-wheeler near Sunkhpura Chowk here this morning following a tip-off. The police said Deepak, son of Jai Singh of the Bhiwani Chungi locality, was a second-year student of the polytechnic located at Kiloi. “He is the mastermind of the gang stealing copper coils from power transformers in Indira Colony, Sukhpura Chowk and Kalanaur town in the district,” claimed
the police. In another incident, the police has arrested Navin, a youth of Shri Ram Colony, here, on a charge of possessing an illicit revolver. He has been sent to judicial custody by the local court. |
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6 pilgrims killed in road mishap
Gurgaon, August 21 The deceased were pilgrims travelling by a Bolero jeep. They were returning to Delhi’s Sultanpuri area from Rajasthan’s Balaji temple. When their vehicle reached Bilaspur Chowk, it collided with a canter. The police added seven others were injured in the accident, some of them critically. They were admitted to various private hospitals. |
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Labourer electrocuted in shoe factory
Jhajjar, August 21 He accidentally touched a high-tension wire while working in the factory. Raja Ram reportedly died on the spot. The police rushed to the spot and sent the body to the Civil Hospital for a postmortem examination. |
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Girl commits suicide
Kurukshetra, August 21 The police reached the spot and seized the suicide note and sent the body for a postmortem.
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Held for rape
Rewari, August 21 The girl was recovered and medically examined yesterday. Sources said Raj Bir kept the girl at an isolated place near Dhakia village and allegedly raped her.
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Gopal Goyal Kanda, the flamboyant former Haryana Minister of State for Home, has reportedly complained of rising blood pressure and restlessness to avoid interrogation. Kanda’s interrogation had to be interrupted after he complained of uneasiness last night, only to be resumed in the morning.
