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TOP STORIES

Faridkot Abduction Case
Sukhbir promises action against erring officers

Chandigarh, October 19
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the government would take stern action against police officers who had shown laxity in the Shruti abduction case even as he accused the Congress of giving a political hue to the abduction case.

Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal addresses a press conference in Chandigarh on Friday. Seated on his right is DGP Sumedh Singh Saini. Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal addresses a press conference in Chandigarh on Friday. Seated on his right is DGP Sumedh Singh Saini. Tribune photo: Parvesh Chauhan



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EARLIER STORIES



Fund-starved govt has enough to construct heliport for Badals
Muktsar, October 19
 The fund-starved Punjab Government, which has been finding it difficult to pay salaries to its employees, is all set to construct a heliport at Mann village, adjoining Badal village, in the district. The heliport, to come up over 20-25 acres, will facilitate easy landing and flying of helicopters of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal. Sukhbir, who holds the portfolio of civil aviation, has already given a go-ahead to the project and desired an immediate action in this regard. There is already a helipad for the Badals at Kaljharani village, 5 km from Badal village, in Bathinda district. Sources said the Defence Ministry and Air Force authorities have also given no-objection certificates (NOCs) for the proposed heliport, but with some conditions.

Chawla attacks govt for refusing to build Dhingra memorial
Amritsar, October 19
The state government has drawn the ire of social organisations by refusing to raise a memorial at the site of martyr Madan Lal Dhingra's house in Amritsar. Criticising the SAD-BJP Government, these organisations have now decided to hold peaceful protests.

No separate benefits for parents, children under rehab plans: HC
Chandigarh, October 19
In a significant judgment, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that as a general principle, parents and their children do not have a right to separate allotment under rehabilitation schemes.






COMMUNITY

Probe against officers misusing govt property
Patiala, October 19
Punjab government has decided to initiate disciplinary action against officers misusing government accommodations. Punjab Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Sharanjit Singh Dhillon promised a high-level probe into the violations. Dhillon said, guilty officers would be asked to “vacate and pay penal rent”.

Moga boy’s kidnapper surrenders in court
Moga, October 19
Ashwani Kumar alias Ashu who allegedly kidnapped a 12-year-old boy from the city on October 8 today surrendered before a local court. The boy was recovered from a hotel in Jalandhar a day after he was kidnapped. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Surjit Singh Grewal said Ashu surrendered before the court of CJM Rakesh Beri this afternoon. He has been sent to judicial custody.

Deputy CM demands drought relief package
Chandigarh, October 19
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said if Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi really loved Punjab, he should "force" the Prime Minister and the Agriculture Minister to release the central package promised to the state.

HC notice to Punjab on appointment of Lokpal
Chandigarh, October 19
Acting on a petition filed in public interest for appointing Punjab Lokpal, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued a notice of motion to the State of Punjab and other respondents.

Buy power meters from 7 listed firms
Patiala, October 19
Under fire for not releasing new electricity connections, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has allowed power consumers to purchase their own meters. The corporation had a shortage of meters. The circular released by PSPCL has listed seven private firms which can provide the consumers with meters. Till June 30, the total number of new electricity connections pending was 27,233.

Sufi fest in Amritsar from today
Amritsar, October 19 A two-day international Sufi festival will be held at Khalsa College from October 20. The event is being organised by the Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature in collaboration with Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board and the Ministry of Tourism.

Photo exhibition of anti-Sikh riots at Jallianwala Bagh
New Delhi, October 19
Several organisations working for the betterment of the Sikh community in Delhi today said a mobile photo exhibition of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots would be inaugurated at Jallianwala Bagh on November 1. It would reach Sultanpur Lodhi on October 24, Jalandhar on October 25, Ludhiana on October 26, Anandpur Sahib on October 27 and Chandigarh on October 28.

Facing staff crunch, villagers lock govt school’s gate
Sangrur, October 19
Perturbed over staff crunch, the residents of Gobindgarh Khokhar village near Lehragagga today locked the main gate of a government senior secondary school.

CM backs Army Institute’s plea
Mohali, October 19
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today assured the management of the Army Institute of Law (AIL) here of all possible support to make the institute a deemed university at the earliest.

CRIME

3 drug peddlers arrested in Patiala
Patiala, October 19
Almost a week after three drug peddlers escaped from the custody of Patran Crime Investigations Agency (CIA) police station after cutting through the prison bars in the jail barracks, the city police claimed to have arrested them today.

Gang of vehicle thieves busted
Fatehgarh Sahib, October 19
The recovered vehicles. The Central Investigation Agency (CIA) staff of the local police busted a four-member gang of interstate vehicle thieves active in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi here today. The arrested accused have been identified as Randhir Singh alias Dheera, resident of Dera Singh Cheeka, Haryana, Harbhajan Singh alias Bhajan, resident of Jind, Rosha, resident of Kaithal, Mohinder Ram, resident of Khanna (Punjab).

The recovered vehicles. A Tribune photograph



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TOP STORIES
 

Faridkot Abduction Case
Sukhbir promises action against erring officers
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 19
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the government would take stern action against police officers who had shown laxity in the Shruti abduction case even as he accused the Congress of giving a political hue to the abduction case.

The Deputy CM was talking to mediapersons here. He was accompanied by state police chief Sumedh Singh Saini. He claimed that he was closely monitoring the case and that the main accused, Nishan Singh, would be arrested “at any cost”.

He said the Home Department was examining the conduct of officers involved in the investigation and that action would be taken against anyone found to have committed lapses.

Saini admitted that there had been laxity in the investigation in the initial stage. He said two police officers (then Deputy Inspector-General Paramraj Singh Umranangal and Senior Superintendent of Police Gurinder Singh Dhillon) had been transferred for their lack of sensitivity in handling the case involving a minor.

“We have received directions from the government to be sympathetic to the girl and her parents”, he said, indicating there was no pressure on the police to help the accused as claimed by the Congress.

Sukhbir said his government was fighting a war against drugs and had put peddlers on the backfoot with record seizures in the last six months. He said the survey quoted by Rahul was conducted in 2006 when Capt Amarinder Singh was Chief Minister. Moreover, it was a sample survey of drug addicts and 70 per cent were young boys and girls.

The Deputy CM said for the first time, he had appointed an Inspector-General of Police (IGP) as head of the anti-narcotics cell. Similarly, a special operations cell had been opened in Amritsar which had the authority to check narcotic activities all over the state.

He said drugs, including heroin and smack, had been seized in large quantities and his government had urged the Congress-led Rajasthan Government to stop the open sale of poppy husk.

Reward for info on key accused

Chandigarh: Sukhbir Badal has announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh to anyone facilitating the arrest of Nishan Singh, the main accused in the Shruti abduction case. Nishan Singh,19, is at large. Search teams have been sent to Rajasthan and Nepal to track him down.

The Deputy Chief Minister has also directed the authorities to attach the properties of Nishan Singh's family. — TNS

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Fund-starved govt has enough to construct heliport for Badals
On a fast track, the project, planned near Badal village, has already got all clearances
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, October 19
The fund-starved Punjab Government, which has been finding it difficult to pay salaries to its employees, is all set to construct a heliport at Mann village, adjoining Badal village, in the district. The heliport, to come up over 20-25 acres, will facilitate easy landing and flying of helicopters of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal.

Sukhbir, who holds the portfolio of civil aviation, has already given a go-ahead to the project and desired an immediate action in this regard. There is already a helipad for the Badals at Kaljharani village, 5 km from Badal village, in Bathinda district. After landing at Kaljharani, the VVIPs have to travel by road to reach Badal village.

Sources said the Defence Ministry and Air Force authorities have also given no-objection certificates (NOCs) for the proposed heliport, but with some conditions.

These include: Only visual flight rules shall be undertaken, vertical extent shall not exceed 650 m above the sea level, all flights will operate in coordination with the Bhisiana Air Force station and no separate airspace shall be earmarked for the heliport.

Going through the departmental communiqués, it has been learnt that the project, moved by Capt Abhey Chandra, Adviser, Civil Aviation, Punjab, was issued the NOC on August 28 for the next five years by AS Chaudhary, Under Secretary, Ministry of Defence. Similarly, Ankur Moudgil, Wing Commodore, issued an NOC on behalf of the Air Force.

Even the state departments like Town and Country Planning, Forest, Water Supply and Sanitation, Power, Canal, PWD (B&R), Agriculture, Mandi Board and District Development, all have issued NOCs for the proposed heliport.

The Revenue Department has also prepared satellite maps of suitable locations of nearly 125 acres along with land records so that it could be acquired at the earliest. Recently, a meeting of senior officials of the departments concerned was held where the project was discussed at length.

Muktsar Deputy Commissioner Paramjit Singh said: “The heliport is proposed to be built at Mann village. But I am not aware of its purpose”. Talking over the phone, Capt Abhey Chandra said: “We have been told to obtain NOCs from all the departments concerned and the process has started. The heliport will facilitate VVIPs, but the public can also avail of the facility after getting permission from the Deputy Commissioner”.

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Chawla attacks govt for refusing to build Dhingra memorial
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 19
The state government has drawn the ire of social organisations by refusing to raise a memorial at the site of martyr Madan Lal Dhingra's house in Amritsar. Criticising the SAD-BJP Government, these organisations have now decided to hold peaceful protests.

Former Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla, who is the founder of Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra Smarak Samiti, said the martyr was perhaps the first Indian to have been executed in London during the freedom struggle.

Dhingra was put to death on August 17, 1909, at the age of 26. He had gunned down Sir William Curzon Wyllie on July 1, 1909.

"Yet, it is intriguing that the state government is dithering from acknowledging the Dhingra’s sacrifice," she quipped.

Urging Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to review the decision, Chawla said the Samiti would wait for the state government's response till October-end. "If the decision remains unchanged, we will take to protest path from next month," she said.

Members of several youth organisations active in the area, including Sarb Bharat Naujawan Sabha, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Naujawan Sabha, Naujawan Bharat Sabha and Janwadi Naujawan Sabha, have also decried the state government's decision.

Earlier, these organisations had joined hands to seek a halt on construction at the site where the ancestral house of the martyr once stood.

Sarb Bharat Naujawan Sabha president Prithipal Singh said about two years ago, the government had announced that the plot where the house stood would be bought for the construction of a museum in Dhingra's memory. He said now the government was claiming that the plot was owned by an individual and could not be converted into a museum. He claimed that if the government was serious, it could have procured the plot at market value from the owner and raised a memorial there.

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No separate benefits for parents, children under rehab plans: HC
Saurabh Malik/TNS

Chandigarh, October 19
In a significant judgment, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that as a general principle, parents and their children do not have a right to separate allotment under rehabilitation schemes.

A Division Bench of the High Court also held that the 1991 scheme for rehabilitation of hawkers was only for "rehabilitation" and not for windfall gain. The ruling came on a petition filed by Angoori Devi against the Union Territory of Chandigarh and other respondents. She had challenged an order rejecting her claim for separate allotment of a booth earmarked under the scheme for rehabilitation of hawkers.

The claim was made by Angoori Devi after her husband, holding a hawker's licence, died in 1996.

In her review application, the 70-year-old claimed that the UT Administration "ought not to have clubbed her case with that of her son Rajeev Kumar and made allotment of a single booth in their favour. The mother and son ought to have been allotted two booths instead of one". Her counsel said the request for separate allotment was rejected by the Estate Officer principally on the ground that "since the widow was in advanced age and resided with her son, it would not be possible for her to run business independently".

Taking up the issue, a Single Judge of the High Court also held that the 1991 scheme was for rehabilitation and could not be used as a tool for unjust enrichment of a close family unit such as mother and son. The purpose of rehabilitation was achieved by allotment of a single booth to both mother and son. In her review application, Angoori Devi reasserted that she and her son were doing independent business in two separate, but adjoining sites.

Dismissing the petition, the Division Bench of Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Rajiv Narain Raina asserted: "There may be a case where a mother and son could deserve allotment separately depending on the facts and circumstances of the case. However, as a general principle, we are unable to hold that all mothers and sons have a right to separate allotment.”

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COMMUNITY
 

Probe against officers misusing govt property
PWD Minister promises strict action against the guilty
Tribune News Service

Patiala, October 19
Punjab government has decided to initiate disciplinary action against officers misusing government accommodations. Punjab Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Sharanjit Singh Dhillon promised a high-level probe into the violations. Dhillon said, guilty officers would be asked to “vacate and pay penal rent”.

Sources confirmed that senior police officers and administrative officers posted in the state had kept more than one official accommodation available for themselves.

Enquiries revealed that two senior IPS officers had retained prime government properties in Patiala for the past many years while another IAS officer had kept a property in the city to himself despite being posted outside Patiala. Another politician had been getting extensions against vacating a property, despite losing the Assembly elections. Estate officers are scared of evicting these officers.

On the other hand, many government employees are running from pillar to post for the past many months to get accommodation.

“As per my entitlement, I had applied for an E type house long time ago but my application is still pending,” claimed one such applicant.

Investigations by The Tribune revealed that many government houses had been wrongly allotted to officers and bureaucrats against government rules.

Dhillon said he would mark a probe by a senior officer into the scam. “The entire list of allotted houses will be scanned and the guilty will have to pay penal rent and will be asked to vacate,” he said, warning officials from his department of meting out favourable treatment to anyone.

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Moga boy’s kidnapper surrenders in court
Tribune News Service

Moga, October 19
Ashwani Kumar alias Ashu who allegedly kidnapped a 12-year-old boy from the city on October 8 today surrendered before a local court. The boy was recovered from a hotel in Jalandhar a day after he was kidnapped. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Surjit Singh Grewal said Ashu surrendered before the court of CJM Rakesh Beri this afternoon. He has been sent to judicial custody.

Grewal said the investigating officer would file an application in the court to get his custody for interrogation. It is learnt that Ashu had also tried to kidnap a child from Ludhiana a couple of days ago. An FIR was also registered against him following which he came to Moga. The Ludhiana police had also raided a few locations here to arrest him.

Ashu later kidnapped Sukhdev Muni, a student of Arya Public Model School, when the latter was on his way to home after school hours on October 8.

Ashu took the boy on his motorcycle and the two roamed around in the city for a couple of hours. They later went to the local bus stand where Sukhdev was served a Chinese dish. He fell unconscious after eating it. The next morning, he found himself in a hotel room in Jalandhar.

The boy told the police that when he got up, Ashu tried to strangulate him and he again fell unconscious. Some waiters got suspicious and informed the police. The police recovered the boy, but the kidnapper managed to flee.

Sukhdev is son of Varinder Jaidka, the head of a local dera. Ashu was known to the family. The motive behind the act could be personal enmity between Ashu and the boy’s father, the police said.

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Deputy CM demands drought relief package
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 19
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said if Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi really loved Punjab, he should "force" the Prime Minister and the Agriculture Minister to release the central package promised to the state.

He was apparently referring to the assurance given by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar that the Centre would sympathetically consider giving relief to Punjab farmers for the extra cost borne by them to raise their paddy in near-drought conditions.

Addressing a press conference here, along with ministers Bikram Majithia, Sikander Singh Maluka and Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Sukhbir said a high-powered team led by Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar had visited the state and promised a package for the loss suffered by the farmers which had been calculated at Rs 5,112 crore.

Sukhbir said the SAD would raise the issue in the winter session of Parliament and urged Punjab Congress MPs to express their feelings on the issue to the party high command "if they have the guts."

Asked whether the Agriculture Minister had told the state that it would no longer need its paddy, he said this might be the case but the Centre should not be a fair weather friend. " "Only two years back the Centre had expressed its gratitude to Punjab for filling the national coffers in time of drought."

Sukhbir said the Punjab farmer needed money for diversification which could only happen gradually. He said the Centre could support the state farmers by giving them minimum support price (MSP) for alternative crops.

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HC notice to Punjab on appointment of Lokpal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 19
Acting on a petition filed in public interest for appointing Punjab Lokpal, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued a notice of motion to the State of Punjab and other respondents.

The notice for November 7 to the State and Punjab Lokpal Registrar by the Division Bench of Chief Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain came during the hearing of the PIL filed by advocate HC Arora seeking directions to the state government to initiate the process of appointing Lokpal in the state. Arora said the post had fallen vacant on April 1, 2012, after demission of office by Justice DS Dhaliwal. But, the Punjab Government was yet to initiate steps for appointing a Lokpal. He claimed that approximately 100 complaints against ministers, legislators, and former ministers and MLAs were pending before the Lokpal.

Arora also alleged that the government, instead of appointing a new Lokpal, had relieved the Registrar, Joint Registrar, reader and personal assistant. As a result, the Lokpal's judicial wing, responsible for scrutinising and recommending investigation into complaints, had also stopped functioning.

Issuing the notice to the respondents, the High Court took note of the petitioner's contention that the Chief Justice should send the name of a retired Judge to the Chief Minister for consideration, instead of the state government proposing the name of a retired Judge.

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Buy power meters from 7 listed firms
Tribune News Service

Patiala, October 19
Under fire for not releasing new electricity connections, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has allowed power consumers to purchase their own meters. The corporation had a shortage of meters. The circular released by PSPCL has listed seven private firms which can provide the consumers with meters. Till June 30, the total number of new electricity connections pending was 27,233.

The corporation would only install the connections according to the seniority list. For instance, consumer figuring at number 58 in the seniority list would have to wait for the first 57 connections to be installed before getting his connection.

Most new connection seekers are of the view that PSPCL had done this to save its skin. “If even a single consumer in the seniority list is unwilling to purchase the meter, the rest won’t be able to avail the facility,” said a PSPCL official, preferring anonymity.

Furthermore, only consumers seeking a new connection can purchase their own electricity meters and not those with defective/burnt meters. Despite repeated attempts, senior PSPCL officials were not available for comment.

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Sufi fest in Amritsar from today

Amritsar, October 19
A two-day international Sufi festival will be held at Khalsa College from October 20. The event is being organised by the Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature in collaboration with Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board and the Ministry of Tourism.

Geetika Kalha, Principal Secretary, Culture and Tourism, said 30 academicians from eight countries would explore and analyse the fundamentals and ideology of Sufism while 50 musicians, singers and dancing ‘darveshs’ would perform on the first day. There would be a poetry session on the concluding day in which 30 poets from different countries will take part, she added. She said ‘malangs’ from Pakistan, singers from Bangladesh and Afghanistan, dancers from Uzbekistan and an instrumental group from Turkey would be the highlights of a cultural performances. Adding to this international mix would be the folk orchestra of students from the college, she said. — TNS

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Photo exhibition of anti-Sikh riots at Jallianwala Bagh

New Delhi, October 19
Several organisations working for the betterment of the Sikh community in Delhi today said a mobile photo exhibition of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots would be inaugurated at Jallianwala Bagh on November 1. It would reach Sultanpur Lodhi on October 24, Jalandhar on October 25, Ludhiana on October 26, Anandpur Sahib on October 27 and Chandigarh on October 28.

A seminar on “Effective legislation against communal and sectarian violence" would be held on November 4, said senior advocate of the Supreme Court HS Phoolka.

He said the photo exhibition and the seminar were being organised to pressurise the government into punishing the guilty as not one accused in the anti-Sikh riots had been convicted. He said there were only five cases being heard by courts, the rest having been dismissed for want of evidence or witnesses. — TNS

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Facing staff crunch, villagers lock govt school’s gate

Sangrur, October 19
Perturbed over staff crunch, the residents of Gobindgarh Khokhar village near Lehragagga today locked the main gate of a government senior secondary school.

After this, the villagers along with students reached the Lehra-Sunam main road and blocked traffic by staging a dharna there. There are about 550 students in the school. But, half of the sanctioned posts of teacher, including that of principal, were lying vacant, a villager claimed.

Traffic on the road remained suspended for more than two hours from 1 pm to 3 pm.

Mohinder Singh, a member of a sangharsh committee constituted by villagers for taking the issue to a logical conclusion, said 20 posts of teaching staff were lying vacant at present.

Deputy District Education Officer (Secondary) Balwinder Singh said the department would try to address the issue at the earliest. — TNS

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CM backs Army Institute’s plea
Our Correspondent

Mohali, October 19
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today assured the management of the Army Institute of Law (AIL) here of all possible support to make the institute a deemed university at the earliest.

Addressing the fourth convocation of the institute, Badal said giving AIL a deemed university status would go a long way in making it one of the best institutions in the field of legal education. He exhorted the students to play a pro-active role as upholders of law and justice in society and reminded them of their foremost duty to bring justice to the downtrodden, the underprivileged and the poor sections.

Conceding the request of the AIL for starting LLM classes from the next academic session, the Chief Minister asked the management to send a proposal to him in this regard so that he could take up the matter with the Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, Patiala.

Over 100 students from three different batches were awarded degrees.

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CRIME
 

3 drug peddlers arrested in Patiala
They had escaped from jail a week ago
Tribune News Service

Patiala, October 19
Almost a week after three drug peddlers escaped from the custody of Patran Crime Investigations Agency (CIA) police station after cutting through the prison bars in the jail barracks, the city police claimed to have arrested them today.

Three police officials including incharge, Patran CIA, was suspended following the incident, wherein the accused had taken away their criminal records along with them.

Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Gurpreet Singh Gill said the accused Karnail Singh, Joga Singh and Naresh were arrested from near Patran. The three accused were earlier arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and were being questioned by Patran CIA. Police failed to elaborate how suspended Patran CIA incharge Karnail Singh was a member of the team that arrested the accused. “We had reinstated Karnail Singh a couple of days back though he still faces a departmental probe for negligence,” Gill said.

Three police officers deputed with the CIA Patran were suspended for dereliction of duty after three drug peddlers had escaped from their jail cell and taken away their criminal records from the police station.

Gill said the relatives of the accused managed to provide them with a blade hidden in their home-cooked food, which they used to cut the iron grills of the jail.

Sub Inspector Jarnail Singh, CIA incharge, Patran, Assistant Sub Inspector Ajaib Singh and CIA staff member Gian Singh were suspended and an FIR was registered against the accused, who fled from the barracks.

The accused cut a six-inch gap in the iron grill of their jail cell and escaped through it. The family members of the accused rubbished the theory, claiming that the police was hiding facts.

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Gang of vehicle thieves busted
Tribune News Service

Fatehgarh Sahib, October 19
The Central Investigation Agency (CIA) staff of the local police busted a four-member gang of interstate vehicle thieves active in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi here today.

The arrested accused have been identified as Randhir Singh alias Dheera, resident of Dera Singh Cheeka, Haryana, Harbhajan Singh alias Bhajan, resident of Jind, Rosha, resident of Kaithal, Mohinder Ram, resident of Khanna (Punjab). One of their accomplices Sant Singh, a resident of Model Town, Khanna, managed to escape.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hardial Singh Mann said Gobindgarh CIA staff incharge Gurpinderpal Singh had received information that the gang was seen in the area. Members of the gang took away the vehicles at gun point and sold its parts after dismantling the vehicles.

The police team raided the place and arrested the accused. Mann said three stolen vehicles including two Tata 407 mini-trucks and a Qualis van had been recovered from the accused. He said the police had also recovered a country-made pistol along with 3 live cartridges, one knife and few iron rods from their possession.

Mann said during the investigation the accused told the police that a stolen trailer was parked in the godown, rented by Sant Singh in Mandi Gobindgarh. The police has recovered the vehicle which had been dismantled after cutting its body.

The SSP said the accused had revealed that they had stolen these vehicles from Kundli barrier, Azad Nagar, Delhi and a barrier near Gurdwara Sahib Majnu ka Tilla. He said the interrogation of theaccused was on.

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