B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Manpreet’s U-turn on holding political rally at religious fairs
Bathinda, January 4
Taking a U-turn on his commitment of not politicising the religious fairs in Punjab, the PPP chief Manpreet Badal is this time leaving no stone unturned to show his strength by holding a political conference during the Maghi Mela at Muktsar on January 13.
PPP chief Manpreet Singh Badal

Two killed in brawl at party
Ferozepur, January 4
Two young siblings were killed after a tiff over the choice of songs being played by the DJ during a party took an ugly turn.

Rama women held for false rape allegations
Bathinda, January 4
In-depth investigation into the rape allegations levelled by a Rama Mandi-based woman today landed her behind the bars. The woman had levelled false allegations to extract money after blackmailing an arhtiya.

Moga police cancels rape case after probe
Faridkot, January 4
The Nihal Singh Wala police in Moga cancelled a rape case, 24 hours after it was registered.

Two held for making obscene MMS
Fazilka, January 4
The police has booked two youths and a woman for making an obscene MMS of a girl belonging to Kamrewala village of the district. The two youths have been arrested.

Manpreet’s U-turn on holding political rally at religious fairs
Says cannot remain absent from the scene when SAD, Cong are holding their rallies
SP Sharma
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 4
Taking a U-turn on his commitment of not politicising the religious fairs in Punjab, the PPP chief Manpreet Badal is this time leaving no stone unturned to show his strength by holding a political conference during the Maghi Mela at Muktsar on January 13.

Manpreet is busy addressing a series of meetings of the cadres of the "Sanjha Morcha" that includes the PPP, the CPI, the CPM and the SAD (Longowal) in the Malwa region to mobilise people for his conference.

During his visit here this morning, Manpreet told TNS that he had decided to hold the political conference at the Maghi Mela because "we cannot remain absent from the scene when the ruling SAD and the Congress were holding their respective rallies".

"Moreover, being the home district of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the rally in Muktsar has separate political connotation.” he said.

The PPP did not organise rallies during the Baisakhi Mela at Talwandi Sabo and at Chamkur Sahib, but Muktsar has its political significance, he said.

Manpreet said now that a year has passed after voting for the Assembly elections in Punjab, the PPP had to make a fresh beginning somewhere and the Maghi Mela was the most suited place to raise a voice against the "misrule" of the SAD-BJP government.

He challenged that the PPP-led Sanjha Morcha would put up a better show of strength than the SAD and the Congress as it has acquired three acres for its political rally whereas the SAD and the Congress have got 2.5 acres and 1.5 acres, respectively. The number of buses for carrying the supporters to Muktsar would not be a problem, he added.

Later, addressing activists of the Sanjha Morcha, Manpreet criticised the Punjab Government for its "failure" to maintain law and order in the state. The police force was demoralised due to the killing of an officer at Amritsar and manhandling of another top police officer at Ludhiana allegedly by workers of the SAD. The DGP Sumedh Saini should lead the police force from the front so as to boost the morale of his men, Manpreet said.

He said the Sanjha Morcha was in a position to fill the vacuum that has been created in the state as the Congress has failed to play the role of Opposition.

He would announce the future strategy of the Sanjha Morcha in the rally of Maghi Mela, but the third front would surely contest the by-election for the Moga Assembly seat where the party's nominee had secured about 10,000 votes in the general elections.

The sitting MLA of the Congress Joginderpal Jain had caused embarrassment to the electorate of Moga by switching his loyalty to the SAD, Manpreet added.

Two killed in brawl at party

Ferozepur, January 4
Two young siblings were killed after a tiff over the choice of songs being played by the DJ during a party took an ugly turn.

The deceased belonged to a poor family and have been identified as Pradeep Singh alias Prety (21) and Navdeep Singh alias Lovely (17). They succumbed to the serious head injuries they had sustained in the brawl. It is learnt that the incident took place on the New Year eve in Dhindsa village. However, the matter was reported to the police yesterday, following which a case under Sections 302, 148 and 149 of the IPC was registered against five persons at Ghal Khurd police station.

DSP Jasbir Singh said five persons, identified as Jeevan, Sewak, Golu, Keepa and Jeetu, all residents of Dhindsa village, were booked on the basis of a complaint lodged by one Jarnail Singh, uncle of the deceased. All the accused were reportedly at large.

The DSP said one Gurbhej Singh alias Bheja had organised a party in the village to celebrate the birth of his son during which both the groups entered into an altercation over the choice of songs being played by the DJ. He said the boys were thrashed by the rival group. Even as they sustained serious head injuries, they could not be taken to a hospital immediately as the family they belonged to was very poor. They were taken to the Civil Hospital at night but were declared brought dead by the doctors there.

Ironically, the matter did not come to the fore for almost three days as no one came forward to report it to the police.

The DSP said ultimately, the mother of the deceased boys reported the incident following which the case was lodged. — OC

Rama women held for false rape allegations

Bathinda, January 4
In-depth investigation into the rape allegations levelled by a Rama Mandi-based woman today landed her behind the bars. The woman had levelled false allegations to extract money after blackmailing an arhtiya.

The woman, Rano and her sister-in-law Preeti have been arrested and a case under Sections 380, 389 of the IPC and Sections 66, 67 of the IT Act has been registered at the Rama Mandi police station.

Rano, the wife of a taxi driver is the neighbour of the arhtiya, Bachan Dev, while Preeti lives in Jalandhar. The women had made an MMS of the arhtiya with Preeti and threatened to show it to his wife.

IG Nirmal Singh Dhillon said investigations made it clear that the arhtiya was enticed by his neighbour Rano to have physical relationship with Preeti. Rano asked the arhtiya to celebrate New Year alone with Preeti. Rano, meanwhile, clandestinely made a video using a mobile phone.

The women also took away Rs 17,000 and some jewellery from the house the same night. Later, they extracted Rs 60,000 from the arhtiya after blackmailing him on the pretext of showing the video to his wife.

Later, Rano and Preeti demanded more money from the arhtiya which he refused. The arhtiya's wife also raised a hue and cry over the missing jewellery and cash. The arhtiya then confessed to his family about his relationship with Preeti and the family then lodged a complaint of theft with the police. Afterwards, the accused women also retaliated and lodged a complaint of rape and demanded registration of a case against the arhtiya.

A case has now been registered against the two women. — TNS

Moga police cancels rape case after probe
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, January 4
The Nihal Singh Wala police in Moga cancelled a rape case, 24 hours after it was registered.

On Thursday, a 22-year-old woman made a complaint to the police stating that her tenant, a famous kabaddi player, allegedly raped her for the last eight months. Taking prompt action, the police registered a case under Section 376 of the IPC but a SP-level officer was deputed to conduct an inquiry into the allegation, said Moga SSP Surjit Singh Grewal, adding that the inquiry revealed that the complaint was false.

It was learnt that Harpal Singh, the accused, was a tenant in the complainant's house and the latter wanted to go abroad after marrying him.

But some days ago, she came to know that Harpal got married with some other woman. Following this, she made a complaint to the police accusing him of physically exploiting her, said SSP.

The complainant woman could not provide any evidence in support of her allegation, said the SSP.

After finding the allegation false, the police cancelled the case as per the law, he said.

"The woman was pressurising and blackmailing Harpal. A case would be registered against the woman under Section 182," he added.

Two held for making obscene MMS
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, January 4
The police has booked two youths and a woman for making an obscene MMS of a girl belonging to Kamrewala village of the district. The two youths have been arrested.

A case under Sections 354, 451, 506 and 509 of the IPC has been registered.

As per the FIR registered with the city police, Jalalabad, the girl has stated that on December 27, the accused, Jarnail Singh and Malkeet Singh, allegedly entered her residence forcibly while she was alone. They made an obscene MMS on a mobile phone and threatened her against speaking about it lest they should upload the MMS on the internet.

She stated that their accomplice Krishana Rani guarded the main gate of her residence when the youths committed the crime.