B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Thefts at ATMs in Sriganganagar
Bathinda-based gang behind the crime: Police
Abohar, October 8
The Sriganganagar police claims to have cracked the mystery behind theft of Rs 50 lakh from three ATMs of the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur at Sriganganagar after it arrested one Richhpal Singh of Deep Singh Nagar, Bathinda.

Air Force Day celebrated at Bhisiana station
Bathinda, October 8
The 81st Air Force Day was celebrated at the Air Force Station, Bhisiana, today. Numerous events were held for IAF personnel and their families during the week which include the static display of aircraft witnessed by students from the nearby schools, Station Mela, musical night, painting competition for children, high tea and Bara Khana for the air warriors.

Air Commodore Vishwas Gaur, the Air Officer Commanding, Bhisiana Air Force Station, addresses the personnel during the Air Force Day celebrations on Monday. A Tribune photograph

Firing outside SDM’s office
Truckers block road to protest police inaction
Ferozepur, October 8
Traffic on the busy Jhoke road that connects the city and the cantonment areas remained stranded for hours together after members of the local truck union blocked the road near Baba Shershahwali chowk this morning.

12 booked for foiling cops’ bid to nab bootlegger
Abohar, October 8
About a dozen persons foiled an attempt by the local police to nab an illicit liquor distiller in the Government Seed Farm Colony located on the outskirts of this sub-divisional town.

Held under NDPS Act
Muktsar, October 8
The Malout police today arrested a drug smuggler after two kg of opium was recovered from his possession.

Thefts at ATMs in Sriganganagar
Bathinda-based gang behind the crime: Police
Our Correspondent

Abohar, October 8
The Sriganganagar police claims to have cracked the mystery behind theft of Rs 50 lakh from three ATMs of the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur at Sriganganagar after it arrested one Richhpal Singh of Deep Singh Nagar, Bathinda.

The Bathinda resident was paid Rs 3.80 lakh from the booty, an investigation conducted by the police indicated. He had been working as a custodian to feed cash in the ATMs of some banks at Bathinda.

It is learnt that members of the gang involved in thefts at ATMs had also been working as vendors with the NCR, the D-Volt and the Wincore, the companies that manufacture and maintain ATMs.

The police has, however, ruled out the involvement of the bank staff even as many of them had been interrogated in the past.

The Sriganganagar police said late last evening that the gang responsible for the hi-tech thefts was allegedly headed by Ravinder Singh Maan, who had been serving as a system engineer and software lecturer in an institute of engineering and technology at Bathinda.

Interestingly, the students immediately recognised Maan's photo prepared from the CCTV images, when the police team in mufti visited the institute at Bathinda.

Maan had quit the job recently to mint money through such means. He was assisted by Bhupinder Singh of Bhukkianwali (Rama Mandi) and Vikramjit Singh of Nachhattar Nagar (Bathinda) in committing thefts.

A look out notice has been flashed to all the airports to prevent them from fleeing abroad, SP Santosh Chalke said.

The SP wondered that the bank authorities had developed a common password for 11 out of 13 ATMs to open cash bins. The gang had installed Spice cameras only on the key boards of two ATMs. The bank ATMs in Sriganganagar were sans security guards.

The investigation team, led by inspector Narinder Poonia of Sriganganagar, had procured images of only two suspects from the secret cameras installed at the ATMs. The culprits had reportedly snapped the wires of CCTV cameras installed at the ATMs on August 27 morning and fixed Spice cameras on two key boards to hack the passwords. They used these passwords at other ATMs on hit and trial basis and succeeded in committing the crime.

The three accused were at large, the police said.

Air Force Day celebrated at Bhisiana station
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 8
The 81st Air Force Day was celebrated at the Air Force Station, Bhisiana, today. Numerous events were held for IAF personnel and their families during the week which include the static display of aircraft witnessed by students from the nearby schools, Station Mela, musical night, painting competition for children, high tea and Bara Khana for the air warriors.

Today, a wreath laying ceremony was held to remember the valiant officers like Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja and Flight Lieutenant Manu Akhori who made the supreme sacrifice in flying operations.

Air Commodore Vishwas Gaur, VM, the Air Officer Commanding, then administered the oath to all station personnel. In his address, the Air Officer conveyed his greetings to the personnel and their families. "I am confident that in the years to come, the Indian Air Force would continue to combat any challenge to the nation's security," he said in his address.

Firing outside SDM’s office
Truckers block road to protest police inaction
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, October 8
Traffic on the busy Jhoke road that connects the city and the cantonment areas remained stranded for hours together after members of the local truck union blocked the road near Baba Shershahwali chowk this morning.

The union blocked the road in protest against the alleged inaction of the police in arresting the culprits of the firing incident that took place outside the SDM office on September 10.

While addressing the protesters, Charandeep Singh Sarpanch said even as the case was registered one month ago, the police had not arrested the culprits, ostensibly due to some political pressure.

Demanding immediate arrest of the culprits, the members of the truck union alleged that the police had marked an enquiry into the matter purportedly to shield the accused.

When contacted, SSP Varinder Pal Singh said one of the co-accused had claimed that he was not present on the spot at the time of the firing. On the basis of his claim, the higher officials had marked an enquiry into the case.

The SSP said he met and pacified the protesters. He said that he apprised them about the action being taken in the case.

He denied any pressure was being exerted on the police.

Sources said an ongoing land dispute between two parties had triggered off the firing incident wherein the president of the truck union Iqbal Singh Mallah and Charandeep Singh Sarpanch sustained serious injuries.

The police had booked eight persons, namely Paramjit Singh, Lakhwinder Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Kuldeep Singh, Amarjeet Kaur, Vikramjit Singh, Rupinderjit Singh and Parkash Singh under Sections 307, 148, 149 and120B of the IPC and Sections 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act.

12 booked for foiling cops’ bid to nab bootlegger

Abohar, October 8
About a dozen persons foiled an attempt by the local police to nab an illicit liquor distiller in the Government Seed Farm Colony located on the outskirts of this sub-divisional town.

The police has arrested Palo Bai, Gurwinder Kaur, Satnam Singh (son of Kundan Singh) and Satnam Singh (son of Inder Singh) under Sections 353, 186, 341, 148 and 149 of the IPC. A court here remanded them to judicial custody today.

Eight others had also been identified in the FIR and efforts were being made to arrest them, the police officials said. — OC

Held under NDPS Act

Muktsar, October 8
The Malout police today arrested a drug smuggler after two kg of opium was recovered from his possession.

The police said one Bangel Singh of Khanna in Ludhiana district was intercepted near Danewala Chowk and was found carrying the contraband. — TNS