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Arya Samajis, ashram men clash in Rohtak village
Quality higher education a challenge, says President
Father held for raping 2 minor girls
MDU team probes victim, institute staff
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Health authorities give clean chit to staff
Migrant Hindus from Pak facing hard times
Owners want pubs to be open till 2 am
3 killed in mishap
Revert to scriptures, literature to know life’s essence: Pranab
Two booked in dowry death case
Power slab system introduced to bail out farmers
One gunned down in Fatehabad, 3 booked
Ad hoc service before regularisation to be counted, rules HC
One dies in road mishap
Seven cable thieves arrested
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Arya Samajis, ashram men clash in Rohtak village
Rohtak, April 9 A heavy police force was posted and two persons were reportedly injured in the stone-pelting and mild cane charge by the police. Hundreds of protesters staged a dharna on the main road, leading to a traffic blockade since 4 pm today. The ashram has been lying vacant since July 2006 when a violent clash between villagers and ashram followers resulted in the death of a youth. Trouble erupted again today after the members of the Haryana Arya Pratinidhi Sabha and residents of Karontha village reached the ashram around 3.30 pm, demanding evacuation of the premises. The ashram was handed over formally to the dera on Sunday in compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court. But the Arya Samajis and villagers had at a meeting recently announced that they would oppose the functioning of the dera at the present spot and not let it operate till Sant Rampal, the controversial godman of the ashram, was not cleared of the criminal case pending in the court. As hundreds of protesters seeking the closure of the ashram gathered, a clash erupted in the evening when stone-pelting started between the two groups. Several youths were injured in the stone-pelting and a mild cane-charge by the police, which attempted to disperse the mob. Sarvamitra, a member of the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha, claimed they were staging a peaceful protest under the leadership of Acharya Baldev, but the followers of the ashram lodged inside started pelting stones on them, resulting in the clash. He said at least two persons were injured in the lathi charge. The clash resulted in traffic disruption on the highway and the police had to divert vehicles to alternative routes. The blockade was on till last reports came. Though the state government had attached the ashram and got it vacated after the violence in 2006, the dera followers won its possession again this year after a legal battle and the authorities had handed it over to them recently. Rampal had earned the wrath of the people of this area because of his controversial views on Arya Samaj. The IG, Anil Kumar Rao, said the police had been deputed to ensure peace in the village and the highway. He said the authorities were holding a dialogue with the affected parties. The traffic movement would be restored as soon as possible, he added.
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Quality higher education a challenge, says President
Kurukshetra, April 9 “Such an initiative will enable the transmission of ideas and new methods of teaching and research which is necessary to strengthen academia-industry linkages to derive market benefits from innovations,” he said while addressing the 10th convocation of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) here. Observing that quality higher education continued to be a challenge, the President underlined the need for “drastic action” to reform the way education is imparted in our universities and institutes. He said that “quality, affordability and accessibility” should be the mainstay of our higher education system and wide regional variations should not be allowed. “We must take higher education, including technical education, to the doorstep of our people by innovations in the delivery system”, he added. Quoting William Yeats, he said education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of fire and asked the students to utilise their knowledge for the welfare of the nation. None of the Indian universities figured among the top 200 in the world and this was unacceptable, he added. As per a recent Forbes’ survey, only three Indian companies have been listed amongst the world's most innovative companies and this number could increase if innovation is made a feature in our institutions of learning, he said. Visualising that in the evolving demographic profile of India, two-thirds of the population would be in the working age group by 2025, the President said the youth must be qualified and trained for high economic growth and prosperity. “We have created a vast network of universities and institutes and, as a result, enrolment in higher education has increased from 1.39 crore in 2006-07 to 2.18 crore in 2011-12 and the engineering section which comprised 13 per cent of the total enrolment in 2006-07 has increased to 25 per cent," he said. Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia emphasised the importance of exhibiting a clean moral character to reflect the true worth of a student's degree. Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda commended the NIT for playing a vital role in imparting technical education and urged the students to exhibit commitment in the paths they chose. Out of the 1,001 degrees conferred, 741 students were present to receive degrees in various doctorate, masters and bachelors courses. The NIT conferred honorary degrees on three of its alumni -- Inderjet Singh Lamba, Prof Suresh Rai and Dr Rohit Sharma.
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Father held for raping 2 minor girls
Karnal, April 9 A minor girl, 15, complained at the Gharaunda police station yesterday that her father Jaipal (40) had been sexually assaulting her for the past three or four years. She alleged that her father also sexually assaulted her nine-year-old sister and threatened to kill them if they talked about it to anyone. The police registered a case on under various Sections of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012. The victims were medically examined at Kalpana Chawla Medical College and Hospital and their statements recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC in the presence of an advocate, Reena, and a woman constable. The accused, Jaipal, was arrested from Bal Ragdan village in Karnal. The minor victims were sent to Bal Bhawan, the police said. Rape attempt
Fatehabad: The police has booked four persons, including two women, after the father of a minor girl alleged that an attempt was made to rape his daughter when she was alone in the house. The victim’s father, a resident of Tohana, alleged that he and his wife had gone to see his mother in the town last evening, when his neighbour Kaka and his brother Jagga entered the house and Jagga allegedly tried to violate his daughter. He alleged that when a neighbour Suresh rushed to the rescue of his daughter after hearing her cries, Kaka, Jagga, Kaka’s wife and his sister beat him up. Rape victim booked for suicide bid
Jhajjar: A rape victim, who had consumed some poisonous substances here yesterday, was booked by the local police under Section 309 (attempt to commit suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on the complaint of ASI Narender Kumar. A case was also registered against the mother and the father of the victim. The victim was still undergoing treatment at PGIMS, Rohtak, where her condition was stated to be out of danger. Her statement could not be recorded till the filling of the report as the doctors had not declared her fit enough to make a statement. The victim, along with her parents belonging to Vikas Nagar in Bahadurgarh town, had come here yesterday to appear before a court in the rape case. She had reportedly engaged in an verbal duel with the accused, Neeraj Sharma, on the court premises after the hearing. Later, she allegedly consumed some poisonous substance. Minor enticed
Rewari: A teenaged girl (17), student of a local college, was enticed away from the Madhu Vihar Colony here, allegedly by a village youth Yagya Dutt on April 6. The abduction was carried out by the accused in alleged collusion with three others. The accused runs a bicycle repair shop in the colony and had an easy access to the girl's residence. Following a complaint filed by the victim's family last evening, the city police has registered a case. Ex-sarpanch jailed in molestation case
Meanwhile, Rajesh Kumar Bhankher, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, has sentenced Purshottam, a former sarpanch of Bhalkhi village, to one-year rigorous imprisonment for a woman's molestation at Bhalkhi village of the district on May 18, 2009. The Judge has also imposed a fine of Rs 500 on the convict. The prosecution said Purshottam intruded into his neighbour’s house and tried to outrage the woman's modesty. When the woman raised the alarm, her husband, who was in an adjoining room, came to her rescue, making Purshottam flee the house. |
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MDU team probes victim, institute staff
Gurgaon, April 9 The victim, staff and other employees of the University Institute of Law and Management Studies (UILMS) were questioned by the two-member team, which recorded their statements. The committee members confirmed that the girl had approached Vice-Chancellor's office on April 5 but the inquiry took time due to holidays. “ We are conducting a detailed inquiry and all those found guilty of either harassing a student or shielding the accused will not be spared,” said a committee member. This, however, made the institute environs tense as students hit the roads once again raising slogans with several student groups like the NSUI joining in. While one group protested against the accused, the other raised slogans in his favour, claiming that he had been framed in the case. The college authorities called in the police suspecting trouble. The students threatened that they Dr Virender Sindhu , an assistant professor at the University Institute of Law and Management Studies (UILMS), was arrested yesterday and sent in judicial custody for allegedly molesting a third- year student. The victim alleged the incident had taken place almost four months ago and the accused had been threatening her to stay quiet.
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Health authorities give clean chit to staff
Fatehabad, April 9 Though the outcome of a detailed inquiry entrusted to the three-member team comprising senior medical officer OP Dahmiwal, resident medical officer Subhash Chander and medical officer Renu Bala will be submitted later, a preliminary probe conducted by the medical superintendent (MS), Dr Mukta Kumar, does not find any health official negligent of duty. "I have spoken to the woman, her attendant, the auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) at the Sub-Centre, Sarvarpur, who referred the woman to Fatehabad and Dr Veena Batra, medical officer who examined her and referred her to Medical College, Ahroha, for delivery and I have not found anyone lacking in duty," said Dr Mukta Kumar. She said the woman, Kavita, had a very low haemoglobin count of 4 gm/dl and she had been bleeding when she was brought to the General Hospital in an ambulance yesterday. "The woman disclosed that this was her fourth pregnancy and that she had not taken antenatal care, except for a tetanus injection and a few tablets of iron and folic acid. In such a situation, the doctor thought it fit to refer her to a better hospital," she said. Dr Mukta Kumar said when the doctor referred the woman to Agroha, her dilation was merely two fingers and in normal circumstances, it was expected that it would take about two hours to reach full dilation -- an indication of the time of delivery. However, the woman delivered her baby outside the hospital within minutes while she was waiting for a rickshaw to go to the bus stand. The MS said it was also due to the woman and her attendant's lack of awareness that they did not ask for the ambulance and tried to leave the hospital in a rickshaw. Earlier, the Fatehabad Deputy Commissioner, Dr Saket Kumar, said that a stern action would be taken if anyone was found wanting in duty. He said he had ordered an inquiry into the incident by the Civil Surgeon, Dr SB Kamboj. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Cell of the Bharatiya Janata Party has taken up the matter with the National Human Rights Commission.
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Migrant Hindus from Pak facing hard times
Ambala, April 9 The migrant Hindus submitted a memorandum to the city magistrate addressed to the union home minister led by a senior leader of the Shiv Sena, Surender Billa, here today, demanding citizenship for them. The government has granted them long-term visa (LTV) which does not tender them any monetary benefits. Since technically they are still citizens of Pakistan, the administration has not prepared their ration cards or Aadhaar cards. Their children do not get admission in the schools as they do not posses birth certificates. The other members are also deprived of various government schemes meant for poor families. Two migrants -- Chunni Lal and Babu Ram who are around 85 years old -- say that after the division of the country in 1947, their families did not migrate to India. After a few years, the Muslim fundamentalists and fanatics started terrorising the Hindu families in Pakistan. A number of Hindu girls were kidnapped, raped and forcibly converted to Islam in Sialkot. Some of them were sold to brothels. They say that in some areas Hindus were not allowed to get proper jobs till they converted to Islam. Hindu girls did not move out from their houses even then, they were not safe. In such circumstances, no option was left with them but to cross over from Pakistan. Around 12 children who were born in India after migration automatically became Indian citizens, but they are also treated as refugees. The migrant families work as farm labourers and live in jhuggis and rented rooms. Billa, who is struggling for the rights of migrant Hindus, said around 1,000 such persons were residing in various parts of Haryana.
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Owners want pubs to be open till 2 am
Gurgaon, April 9 Haryana excise and taxation commissioner Anil Malik had, on April 4, issued a directive refusing to grant two-hour extension to bar owners for serving liquor. Only 21 bars operating from 4 and 5-star hotels have been allowed to serve liquor till 2 am after paying Rs 5 lakh per year in addition to the Rs 6 lakh regular annual charges. Officials say that the directive comes in the wake of frequent reports of drunken brawls at pubs in malls. The department has decided not to renew the licence of the three pubs in Sahara Mall as the majority of the brawls happened there. While both the police and excise department are implementing the directive, pub owners claim that they are yet to get the promised written orders. Aruna Singh, deputy excise and taxation commissioner (Gurgaon), however, rubbishes the claims saying, “What orders do they want? Their licenses have been put up for renewal and will be dealt with according to the new policy and that will be the order. Extension is not their right but a privilege that we gave them for a year. But they could not utilise it properly, leading to nuisance and brawls, so the party is over.” The pub owners allege that the police had failed to manage the law and order situation and they were bearing the brunt. “The 2013-14 excise policy clearly allows a two-hour extension for sale of liquor till 2 am and there is no formal order banning it. Even after paying the extra money for the renewal of the excise licence to serve liquor till 2 am, they are asking us to shut down. Brawls are frequent in one mall so why is everybody being pulled up? We have and will cooperate will the police, but shutting our business is not the solution,” said their representative, Vikram Rana, owner of Vapour. Meanwhile, the advantage given to five-star owners has left many like Lalit Ahlawat, owner of Striker Pub and Brewery, wondering about the reason behind the directive. |
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3 killed in mishap
Gurgaon, April 9 The bodies of the conductor and two passengers--Chand and Sant Das-- could be retrieved only after cutting the bus chassis. Among those injured was a family of five who were headed to Haridwar for a relative's last rites. The bus belonging to Nehra Travels was on its way from Bhilwara in Rajasthan to Haridwar. The police said the acccident occurred as the sleepy bus driver failed to notice the loaded truck parked without reflectors. The police rushed the victims to hospitals, The truck driver has been booked.
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Revert to scriptures, literature to know life’s essence: Pranab
Kurukshetra, April 9 While inaugurating a two-day National Seminar on, “Challenges of Modern World: Solutions through Indology”, organised by the Institute of Indological Studies, Kurukshetra University, he said “We must bear in mind that in the long-standing Indian tradition, Artha (wealth) has never been an end but a means and it should only be a medium to fulfil the basic needs rather than a goal. The pursuit of wealth should not deviate the seeker from righteous path”. Addressing the scholars and academicians in the land of Bhagwat Gita, Mukherjee said “Dharma (duty) and artha (wealth) are important goals for leading a meaningful life and anything that sustains social order and accentuates moral development of an individual is dharma and its observance guarantees peace and harmony to all.” “At the international level, the world appears to be caught in real-politic but it cannot bring lasting peace. As such, international brotherhood or Vishwa Bandhutva, embedded in Indian culture and tradition, can provide impetus to a world where nations are threatening each other with nuclear annihilation.” Governor of Haryana Jagannath Pahadia said there was a need to balance development with environmental concerns so that sustainability can be maintained. He stressed on the need to have harmony among humans, animals, nature, plants and mother earth. Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said man should not be reduced to a machine. He should have human values so that the society can progress in a better way. Need was to go back to the ancient texts to find solutions to modern day problems, he added.
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Two booked in dowry death case
Kurukshetra, April 9 Her husband and mother-in-law Bala Devi had been harassing and demanding a car in dowry since her
marriage. They thrashed her following which she had died. |
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Power slab system introduced to bail out farmers
Chandigarh, April 9 Power Minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav said today that with the implementation of the slab system, the long-standing demand of agricultural tubewell consumers had been met. He said under the system, electricity rate had been decided at 25 paise per unit for motor with capacity of less than 12.5 bhp, 20 paise per unit for motor with capacity of 12.5 bhp and 15 paise per unit for motor with capacity of 15 bhp or more. Also, the minimum annual rate had been decided for agricultural tubewell consumers. The tubewell consumers would have to pay a minimum of Rs 200 as annual charges. He said relaxation had also been provided in minimum monthly flat rate of these three slabs which was Rs 35 for motor with capacity less than 12.5 bhp, Rs 30 for motor with capacity of 12.5 bhp and Rs 20 for motor with capacity of 15 bhp or more. The concessional supply to these agriculture feeders would only be given during night hours from October to March, Yadav added. He said the decision would prove more beneficial for farmers who depend largely on tubewells for irrigation of their fields and where the level of water was very low. Such farmers would have to install motors with capacity of 15 bhp which increase the expenditure on irrigation, but the implementation of the slab system would provide a big relief to them, he added. FIR for power theft to be online
For prompt registration of FIRs against cases of theft of electricity, the Vigilance Directorate of the Haryana Power Utilities has started an online system for submitting complaints. The UHBVN and DHBVN Chairman and Managing Director has directed all the field officials to lodge FIRs on account of theft of electricity through this web-based online system within 24 hours of the detection of theft. |
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One gunned down in Fatehabad, 3 booked
Fatehabad, April 9 Three assailants knocked at the door of 51-year-old Jagdish Singh in Azad Nagar here around 11 pm last night. The victim’s son, Amritpal Singh Virk, said when his mother opened the door, three youths, who had come on a motorcycle told her that they wanted to meet Jagdish. Jagdish went out and kept discussing some issue for long with the accused before they shot him dead and escaped. The police has registered a case against the youths.
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Ad hoc service before regularisation to be counted, rules HC
Chandigarh, April 9 He was appointed lecturer in Hindi on an ad hoc basis by the state vide an order dated October 29, 1976. Posted at Narnaul Government College, he continued on an ad hoc basis till August 29, 1982, when his services were regularised . His counsel told the court that the respondent has since retired but wants the period of ad hoc service from 1976 to 1982 be counted for grant of seniority and other retirement benefits. The Bench observed that the single Judge had allowed the writ petition vide an order dated January 23, 2012, following another judgment by a single Judge in the case of “Dr. Surindra Kumar Mishra and others versus the state of Haryana and another”. As many as five writ petitions were decided vide that judgment holding that such ad hoc service had to be counted when it is followed by regularisation without any break. “The state had filed an appeal against the judgment and the same was also dismissed by a Division Bench on October 13, 2011, and even a special leave petition filed was also dismissed." “There is, thus, no reason not to follow the aforesaid judgment of the coordinate Bench affirming the judgment of the single Bench in Dr Surindra Kumar Mishra’s case, more so when the SLPs have also been dismissed. We do not find any merit in this appeal which is hereby dismissed,” The Bench concluded |
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One dies in road mishap
Kurukshetra, April 9 He stated that his father succumbed to his injuries at the LNJP Hospital here last evening. A case has been registered.
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Seven cable thieves arrested
Sonepat, April 9 The police also seized two trucks being used in looting and thefts by the arrested persons identified as Santosh Kumar, Mehtab, Rashid, Inayat and Abdul Salim from UP, Alam from Uttrakhand and Rajinder from Orrisa, temporarily residing in Delhi. A police spokesman said the gangsters had looted the electricity wires stored at Mahra village for laying HT power lines connecting Bhiwani in Haryana with Meerut in UP at gunpoint on February 19. Santosh who used to work as a labourer in the company laying the power lines allegedly planned the loot with his brother, Kuldeep, who was at large.
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The handing over of the controversial Satlok Ashram (dera) at the nearby Karontha village to the followers of the dera here yesterday resulted in a clash between Arya Samajis and ashram followers this evening.
expressed concern over brain drain and called for flexibility in the system to discourage loss of intellectual capital and at the same time wooed overseas scholars, including NRIs and persons of Indian origin, to return to the country.
Ambala, April 9
