Bathinda, February 22
An unidentified man stole Rs 7.80 lakh from Punjab National Bank’s Automated Teller Machine (ATM) on the Bibiwala road on Wednesday morning.

The accused used the password, which he had hacked, of the digital lock of the machine to open it and commit the crime.

The incident came to light in the morning today when the machine did not dispense money to an ATM card holder though it showed that the transaction has been completed.

Senior police functionaries, including DSP Ranjit Singh, DSP Avneet Kaur and Civil Lines SHO U. Cee Chawla, besides finger- print experts and other officials reached the bank to enquire about the incident.

The police officials went through the recorded closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to get some clue about the accused.

"We could not identify the man stealing the money as he was wearing a monkey cap and black goggles while committing the crime. He spent a few minutes at the ATM and escaped with the money that he stuffed into a carry bag," said the bank manager, Tarsem Bansal. He said the bank was closed for the past two days on account of nationwide strike and the police was informed about the incident immediately after the theft came to their notice.

DSP Ranjit Singh said in October last year, the Sriganganagar police in Rajasthan had cracked the case of Rs 50 lakh that was stolen from three ATMs in Bikaner, Jaipur and Sriganganagar. The accused belonged to Deep Singh Nagar, Rama Mandi and Nachhattar Nagar areas of Bathinda district.

The police said it was not aware if the Rajasthan police had arrested the accused or not. The accused were reportedly working as custodian to feed cash in bank ATMs in Bathinda.

The Bathinda police said it would interrogate the persons involved in maintaining and manufacturing ATMs. The cops noted down the contact numbers and addresses of all the persons involved in feeding cash in the machine and those responsible for its maintenance.

The police suspects the involvement of a systems engineer and software lecturer working at an engineering institute in Bathinda, who had reportedly helped in the theft committed in Rajasthan.

Sources said some of the ATMs hacked in Rajasthan have similar passwords, which proved instrumental in the theft here.

Miscreants also install spy cameras in ATMs to know passwords to hack the machines, the police said.

A case was being registered by the police at the Civil Lines police station.

Bathinda, February 22
The operation clean-up launched by the Bathinda Police is giving sleepless nights to policemen deployed at various police stations and other offices in the district who have been indulging in corrupt practices.

With two station house officers (SHOs) and a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) already nabbed on corruption charge, the cops deployed at various police stations are treading cautiously these days to avoid detection by the senior officials.

Police officials of the rank of assistant sub-inspector, sub-inspector and DSP, while talking to TNS, said the cops now 'think twice' before asking for bribe or using illegal means to get 'sifarshi' work done at the level of police stations. They said that senior police functionaries have issued stringent warnings to those involved in maligning the image of the force by accepting bribe.

"We try our best to carry out an impartial inquiry by keeping the senior functionaries in the loop. We keep them informed about the minute details of different cases," said a policeman while speaking on the condition of anonymity.

It is pertinent to mention here that DSP (Rural) Manjit Singh, former Kotfatta SHO Rajvir Singh and former Maur SHO Paramjit Singh have been booked under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act at Maur and Kotfatta police stations.

They have been accused of minting money from the oil mafia and manipulating the investigations.

While the police has already arrested the former Maur SHO, it is learnt that the DSP and the former Kotfatta SHO too may land behind the bars in the coming days.

Police officials said senior officials in the department have issued warnings, both verbal and in writing, to all the policemen deployed in the district. They have been asked not to fish in troubled waters and take up the cases on merit basis only.

Reliable sources in the police department said there are a few policemen who are on the watch list of senior officials and are likely to be caught for indulging in corrupt practices soon.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ravcharan Brar, while talking to TNS, said the operation clean-up is an effort to streamline the system and lift the morale of honest policemen working hard to bring down the crime graph and to make the public think positive about the force.

"The recent arrests and registration of cases does not mean that the entire police force is corrupt. It is only a few policemen who in their bid to make a fast buck, malign the image of the police department," Brar said.

Regarding the transfers of five policemen on the charge of extortion and harassment, Brar said the transfers were done on the orders of the high court.

Five policemen, including the CIA in-charge Rajinder Kumar, were transferred following the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Bathinda, February 22
It took merely seven minutes for an unidentified man to escape with Rs 7.80 lakh from an unguarded bank ATM on the Bibiwala Road.

The CCTV installed at the ATM captured the footage of a man, seemingly over 35 years of age, wearing a monkey cap and goggles, entering the ATM at 7.44 am and leaving at 7.51 am.

The accused squatted on the floor of the cabin lest his image was captured by the CCTV camera. He stole the money from one of the many trays of the ATM. One tray can carry up to Rs 10 lakh. The accused could not open the rest of the trays.

It appeared that the accused was accompanied by more than one person as people queuing up outside the ATM cabin were being stopped by someone.

The CCTV captured an image of the accused from behind which showed two persons standing outside the ATM cabin, but it was not certain if they were his accomplices.

The footage revealed that the accused failed to take out more money from the ATM as customers had started entering the cabin to withdraw money.

The bank officials said the ATM had Rs 17 lakh in the denominations of Rs 1,000, Rs 500 and Rs 100 and the money was placed in different trays.

The accused took away the cash lying in the second tray.

The hacker did not damage any part of the machine as some people used the machine afterwards and withdrew money to the tune of a few lakhs.

The manager of the Punjab National Bank, Tarsem Bansal, said the money stolen would be entered under the head 'Loss of Cash' following the instructions of the head office of the bank.

Bathinda, February 22
Selling sweets laced with black ants proved costly for a sweet seller adjoining the bus stand here this evening.

A team of the health department destroyed the entire lot of sweets at the shop after lawyers gave a written complaint that sweets sold by the shopkeeper had ants in it.

"We noticed black ants coming out of a piece of gulab jamun. By then, some lawyers had eaten five or six pieces and were nauseating," said the Bar Association secretary Gurwinder Mann.

He said sweets were purchased from the Bengal Sweets, adjoining the bus stand. "On noticing ants in sweets, we sent someone to purchase a second lot of sweets from the same shop. This time, we asked him to procure the bill also. Since the second pack of the sweets also had black ants in it, we took up the matter with the District Health Officer," said the secretary of the association.

He said the sweet shop owner has been warned by the health authorities to maintain hygiene at his shop or else action would be initiated against him. — TNS

Bathinda, February 22
As part of the Fourth Foundation Day celebrations, a blood donation camp was organised at the Central University here today. Inaugurated by Dr Ajay Sahni, Civil Surgeon, Bathinda, the camp registered the names of more than 100 donors, which included students and the faculty members.

Describing the event as the university's commitment towards society, Dr VJ Varghese said, "The university needs society more than society needs the university. Our aim is not limited only to producing graduates or postgraduates, but to inculcate human values, which are needed more by society."

Inaugurating the camp, Dr Ajay Sahni said, "Blood is not manufactured, it is donated to save precious lives." He advised that any one above 18 years of age, having more than 48 kg weight, can donate blood.

Speaking on the occasion, the vice-chancellor of the university, Dr Jai Rup Singh said, "Blood donation is the best that one can make. Ignorance attached to blood donation that it reduces one's strength needs to be dispelled." The VC said 450 ml of blood can save as many as three lives and one can donate blood every three months without any effect on the body.

It is pertinent to mention here that Kovid Kumar and Rajbir Singh, the sports officer of the university, made their 27th and 16th blood donation respectively at the camp today.

While Kovid made the first donation at the age of 18 years and is continuously doing so after about every three months, Rajbir Singh, who has a rare blood group, O negative, donates blood voluntarily as and when it is required by anyone. 

Bathinda, February 22
A mare belonging to a resident of Bathinda has won the first prize at the prestigious Bhatner Horse Fair in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan. The fair was held from February 15 to 21. The mare belongs to Sandeep Singh Dhillon, a resident of Janta Nagar.

Dhillon said the mare was of Marwari breed. It had also won the district level racing competition and stood second in the National Cattle Championship held in Muktsar in November last year. Dhillon was awarded a cash prize of Rs 51,000 along with a citation for his white teeth horse at the closing ceremony of the fair on Thursday. — TNS

Bathinda, February 22
Guru Kashi University (GKU), Talwandi Sabo, is organizing an agriculture fair at the university campus. Vice-chancellor SK Ahluwalia said the fair, to be held on February 26 and 27, will be a big attraction for the Malwa region.

He said the main attraction of the fair will be high-tech agricultural tools, tractor exhibition, talk by experts in agriculture, tractor stunts, seed exhibition and agricultural products in business, among others.

Dean, Agriculture, Dr DR Godhara, informed that entry will be free at the agriculture fair.

On the first day of the fair, Amarjeet Singh Sidhu, retired IAS, will be the chief guest and on the closing day of the fair, Minster for Panchayat and Rural Development, Punjab, Surjit Singh Rakhra will be the chief guest.

Bathinda, February 22
Harbhajan Institute of Competitions declared the result of the scholarship test held on February 10. Managing director of the institute Harbhajan Singh said 100 per cent scholarship would be given to Gaurav Singla of Bhiki who got the first rank. Seventy-five per cent scholarship would be given to Gopal Vir of Bathinda who came second while 50 per cent scholarship would be given to Arshpreet Kaur who stood third.

The institute is providing scholarship to first 20 rank holders in medical and non-medical courses. — TNS

Bathinda, February 22
An industrial visit was organized for the students of fourth semester of the department of electrical engineering, Baba Farid College of Engineering and Technology (BFCET). The students were taken to Jindal Electric and Machinery Corporation (JEMC) in Ludhiana.

Started in the year 1967, JEMC manufactures automatic voltage controllers and rectifier equipment for the purpose of electroplating and hydrogenation. It also makes special purpose transformers for industrial applications.

The trip proved to be informative for the students. Head, department of electrical engineering, Harsimran Singh, said the visit was organized with the aim of providing exposure to the students and to keep them abreast with the latest trends in industry. — TNS

Bathinda, February 22
Police has registered a case against five residents of Bibiwala village for injuring and threatening a woman and her brother over a case of marital discord.

The incident occurred on Wednesday night when the accused entered the house of Darshan Singh of Shergarh village. In a complaint to the police, Darshan Singh stated that the accused, including his son-in-law and others threatened his daughter and son with dire consequences and then start beating them up. The complainant said the accused Jaspal is married to his daughter and does not wish to continue his relationship with her. Police