J A L A N D H A R    E D I T I O N

‘Boy’ electrocuted at factory
Jalandhar, September 16
A labourer was reportedly electrocuted to death in a factory in the Gadaipur area. The police has initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC. The Purvanchal Vikas Mahasabha, however, has objected to the inquest proceedings alleging that the victim was a 14-year-old boy. By employing the child in a factory, its owner had violated the Child Labour Act.

Inter-caste marriage: Teacher couple shifted to another school
Tarn Taran, September 15
A teacher couple, who went in for an inter-caste marriage, has been shifted to another school by the education department.

NRI donated land, now wants it back: Dalit families
Jalandhar, September 16
Several Dalit families of Mehrampur village near Nawanshahr have alleged that an NRI, who had donated them residential plots in the village seven years ago, had been pressurising them to return his land.

SSA staff accuse DEO of harassment
Amritsar, September 16
The contractual staff employed under the Sarv Sikhsha Abhiyan has accused the District Education Officer (Elementary) of harassing them. In a press conference held today, 15 of these employees accused the DEO of misbehaviour and using a foul language.

Gang of cable thieves busted
Phagwara, September 16
The police busted a gang of cable thieves with the arrest of four of its members, including two employees engaged by BSNL contractors. The arrested were identified as Ravi, Munna, Rinki and Ajay. 

Prabhat Pheri taken out
Nawanshahr, September 16
The district-level NGOs Coordination Society— UPKAR — in collaboration with the gram panchayat and the gurdwara parbhandhak committee took out 40th ‘Prabhat Pheri’ at Bharta Kalan village on Sunday to mobilise people against social evils like female foeticide and drug addiction.

‘Come back with flying colours’

Jagmohan Kanojia displays his kites to wish the Indian cricket team best of luck ahead of the T20 World Cup to be held in Sri Lanka, in Amritsar on Sunday. Photo: Vishal Kumar

‘Boy’ electrocuted at factory
Nikhil Bhardwaj

Jalandhar, September 16
A labourer was reportedly electrocuted to death in a factory in the Gadaipur area. The police has initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC. The Purvanchal Vikas Mahasabha, however, has objected to the inquest proceedings alleging that the victim was a 14-year-old boy. By employing the child in a factory, its owner had violated the Child Labour Act.

Activists demanded registration of a case under Section 304 A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC against the factory owner.

The deceased was identified as Anil Rail, a native of Bihar. He was working as helper in the Sham Sunder Enterprises.

Parmod Yadav, president of district Purvanchal Vikas Mahasabha, said soon after the death of the boy, factory owner even did not inform the police and was planning to cremate the child.

“It was only after the intervention of the mahasabha and other labourers that the factory owner was ready to get the postmortem of the deceased done,” Parmod alleged that the factory owner had also tried to suppress the issue by pressurising the deceased’s family for a compromise.

The factory owner, Sham, contradicted the claims of the mahasabha. He said Anil was 20 years old. He said Anil accidentally got electrocuted after coming in contact with the electric fan.

Gurjesh Singh, Investigating Officer, Maqsoodan police station, said as per the statement of the deceased’s co-worker, inquest proceedings under Section 174 of CrPC has been initiated. Asked about the objections raised by mahasabha activists about the age of the deceased, he said the police would also inquire into the allegations and if the owner is found guilty, action would be taken against him accordingly.

 Inter-caste marriage: Teacher couple shifted to another school
Gurbaxpuri

Tarn Taran, September 15
A teacher couple, who went in for an inter-caste marriage, has been shifted to another school by the education department.

Though the department claimed that it was done on the request of the couple, the panchayat of Tharu village, where the teachers were earlier posted, had written to the District Education Officer (Secondary) to transfer the couple.

Sarpanch Tejinder Singh and village elders had contended that this act of the couple (inter-caste marriage) would leave a bad influence on students, especially girls, of the school.

The teachers have been moved from Government Secondary School in Tharu to Government Secondary School at Sakhira.

DK Mahia, District Education Officer (Secondary Education), said the teachers were adjusted at Sakhira school for a few days and that too on the request of the couple.

 NRI donated land, now wants it back: Dalit families
Our Correspondent

Jalandhar, September 16
Several Dalit families of Mehrampur village near Nawanshahr have alleged that an NRI, who had donated them residential plots in the village seven years ago, had been pressurising them to return his land.

The said villagers have also filed a written complaint with the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Nawanshahr, and the National Commission for Schedule Caste to seek justice.

Sohan Singh, a driver by profession, alleged that in 2004 before contesting the panchayat elections, the NRI had asked certain Dalit families to cast vote in his favour and in lieu, he promised to donate them residential plots in the village. Though the NRI lost the election, he kept his promise and distributed plots of five marlas each to 34 Dalit families in the village.

The ceremonial distribution of plots was done on the occasion of ‘Sandali Darwaja’ celebration in 2005 in the presence of then Chief Minister and other political bigwigs, claimed Joga Singh, a daily-wager. He had also transferred the possession of plots in the name of families.

“Now after seven years, the said NRI has been threatening us of dire consequences if we do not vacate his donated plots. He has even uprooted plants, trees and other vegetables planted in the land. Even water taps installed in the land have also been uprooted by the supporters of the NRI.” Joga alleged that many beneficiaries, who had constructed their houses on the donated land after bearing a huge cost, were also being threatened.

Gurdev Kaur, who also got a residential plot, alleged that the NRI had been issuing threats to vacate plots to those beneficiaries who had not acceded to his personal demands. “Soon after the donation of plots, the NRI pressurised the beneficiaries to get his personal household works done. Till we acceded to his demands, he never asked us to vacate the land. The day, we refused to do his personal work, he turned furious and started conspiring to get the possession of the land,” she asserted.

“If he (NRI) wants to take back his land, he should hold a public function of the kind he organised in 2005 to donate his residential plots. We will not resist his (NRI) demand of vacating plots, if he will plead in the public that he wants his land back,” the villagers said, adding that they wanted to show real face of the NRI to the public.

 SSA staff accuse DEO of harassment
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 16
The contractual staff employed under the Sarv Sikhsha Abhiyan has accused the District Education Officer (Elementary) of harassing them. In a press conference held today, 15 of these employees accused the DEO of misbehaviour and using a foul language.

Employees under the Sarv Siksha Abhiyan address mediapersons in Amritsar on Sunday. Photo: Sameer Sehgal

They also accused the DEO of pushing Deputy DEO Jaspal Singh Jass towards suicide. The employees alleged that Jass died of a heart attack as he was being harassed by the DEO.

They said DEO Sunita Kiran has not signed annual confidential reports of many employees despite repeated requests from them. An employee Rupinder Singh said that contractual employees were forced to pay money for tea and snacks brought to her office for various visitors.

They alleged that the DEO had threatened a peon, Parvej, of termination if he did not lodge a complaint against Rupinder Singh. Pervej said, “Earlier another peon was sacked as she failed to toe the DEO’s line.”

The employees said they were forcibly taken to meetings at Chandigarh even though the department has clearly issued instructions against bringing staff to the meeting.

“At the meetings we are made to sit outside the venue. The motive is just to harass employees. Being contractual staff, we are not in a position to refuse her,” said Jeet Singh, another employee.

The employees have threatened to initiate a protest if the DEO is not transferred. The employees have sent a list of 20 different complaints to the higher authorities through a letter.

Sunita Kiran said all the accusations made against her are frivolous and baseless. “I have not harassed any employee,” she said.

She said she had congenial relations with Jass. “Even Jass was not satisfied with the working style of the employees who held a press conference today,” she said.

 Gang of cable thieves busted
Our Correspondent

Phagwara, September 16
The police busted a gang of cable thieves with the arrest of four of its members, including two employees engaged by BSNL contractors. The arrested were identified as Ravi, Munna, Rinki and Ajay. 

Superintendent of Police HPS Khakh said the arrested have confessed to their involvement in the theft of BSNL cables in local Khalwara Gate, Palahai Gate, Hoshiarpur Road, Mehli Gate and Daddal Mohalla. The SP said the thieves had disclosed that they took out copper from the BSNL cables after melting them and sold the copper in the market. They would be produced before the Judicial Magistrate on Monday said SP. 

 Prabhat Pheri taken out
Our Correspondent

Nawanshahr, September 16
The district-level NGOs Coordination Society --- UPKAR --- in collaboration with the gram panchayat and the gurdwara parbhandhak committee took out 40th ‘Prabhat Pheri’ at Bharta Kalan village on Sunday to mobilise people against social evils like female foeticide and drug addiction.

The activists holding placards in their hands, raised slogans and recited songs for making the people aware about the ill-effects of female foeticide and drug addiction.