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Tension in Karontha as kin refuse to cremate body
Haryana mc poll |
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Cash-for-judge Scam
REMOVAL OF SISTERS FROM FATEHABAD SCHOOL
Residents attend free legal aid clinic
Labour Department okays 15 schemes for workers' welfare
Release withheld amount of
Rs 9,050 cr soon, Centre urged
Activists to launch fresh stir against Gorakhpur N-plant
Start girls' college or face stir, Khap to CM
58.33 lakh tonnes of wheat procured
Arya Samajis urged to maintain peace
26 schools to be opened for disabled
22 cars recovered from vehicle thief
5 gangsters arrested for dacoity
Nine farmers booked for burning wheat straw in Kaithal
13 booked for tempo driver's murder
Man held for rape bid
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Tension in Karontha as kin refuse to cremate body
Rohtak, May 13 Though one of the deceased hailing from Panipat was cremated after the authorities agreed to their demands, the body of the third victim was still at the PGIMS awaiting postmortem. The state government has rushed more companies of paramilitary forces and the police to maintain law and order in the region. All attempts made by the authorities failed as Promila's relatives decided to keep the body at the venue of the protest after getting its custody from the hospital around 12 noon. They announced that they would not cremate it until the ashram was evacuated and cases were withdrawn against the protesters, who clashed with the police on Sunday. Though the officials, who had detained Acharya Baldev, a senior Arya Samaj leader after the violence, were produced before the protesters today, the latter could not be persuaded to get the body cremated and remove the dharna staged near the Ashram. Over 2,000 persons, including residents of nearby villages, assembled in support of the protest and the demand put by the Arya Samajis. With the body lying on the road, the protest was on till the filing of the report. The IG, Rohtak Range, Anil Rao, said the situation was under control as more policemen and companies of paramilitary forces, including the CRPF and the BSF, had been deployed at the sensitive points. He, however, claimed that Acharya Baldev had not been arrested as claimed by the Arya Samajis. The body of Udaiveer (28) hailing from Baliyana village of the district, who was also among the deceased, has been kept at the PGIMS. The post-mortem examination was delayed as no relative of his was present, claimed a police official. He said the body would be handed over to the family on Tuesday after autopsy. The authorities, however, heaved a sigh of relief after the kin of Sandeep (26), the third victim, was cremated at his native village Shahpur in Panipat after the authorities agreed to accept the demands which include the status of martyr, compensation of Rs 10 lakh and a government job to the next of his kin, it is revealed. Though the police has booked around 400 persons for arson and violence on Sunday, no arrest has been made so far. Traffic movement remained disrupted for the second day on the Rohtak-Jhajjar highway due to tension. Charging the district administration of adopting a biased approach, the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha has claimed that the authorities had failed to take action against the assembling of over 5,000 dera followers in the ashram, while it took action against the Arya Samajis for violation of Section 144 imposed on the village. Dera supporters booked
The police registered a case under Section 302 and 120- B of the IPC against dera supporters this evening for the death of Promila. Though no one has been named in the FIR lodged on a complaint of villagers, it is claimed that 12 suspects have been booked by the police as it is suspected that firing was opened by some dera supporters during the violence. A spokesman of the police department said this might help to get the body of the victim cremated soon and the dharna staged by the local residents might be lifted any time now. Meanwhile, Baba Ramdev reached Rohtak this evening. He met Acharya Baldev, a leader of Arya Samajis, who clashed with the police yesterday. Ramdev enquired about Acharya Baldev's health. The police detained Acharya Baldev yesterday as he had been leading the group of Arya Samajis, who clashed with the police. |
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Haryana mc poll
Chandigarh, May 13 While the INLD has formed an 11-member election committee, the BJP constituted the 16-member state election committee to select the candidates. The filing of nominations for the June 2 elections starts on May 16. The Congress’ reluctance to fight elections on the party symbol is understandable against the backdrop of anti-incumbency against the Hooda government and the allegations of a regional bias against Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda by his detractors within the party and the Opposition. Three of the seven MCs-Panchkula,Ambala and Yamunanagar--going to the polls are representated by Hooda’s known detractor and union minister Kumari Selja. If Kumari Selja’s onslaught against the Hooda government in the presence of party vice-president Rahul Gandhi at Panchkula recently is any indication, the Dalit leader is not taking the things lying down and has the capacity to make life difficult for the Hooda Government ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha and state assembly poll. Similarly, Hisar is considered to be a pocketborough of HJC chief Kuldeep Bishnoi though his party is not contesting the elections on the party symbol. Keeping these facts in mind, the Congress leadership feels that if the party contested the elections on the party symbol and did not fare too well, it would send out wrong signals to the electorate ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha and state assembly elections. In fact, poor showing by the party in the civic body poll would prove a major morale booster for the Opposition, besides being a personal embarrassment for Hooda fighting with his back to the wall on several fronts. Regional bias on the agenda
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Cash-for-judge Scam
Justice Paramjeet Singh passed the orders while dismissing an appeal filed by Justice Yadav for photocopies of the documents pertaining to her prosecution sanction. He also ordered that Justice Yadav would be at liberty to inspect the record within 15 days, Her counsel had earlier claimed that the Code of Criminal Procedure came into force in 1973, when technology was not so advanced. In the case of voluminous record, inspection, rather than supply of copies, was a solution. Those were the days of manual typewriters. But over the years, technology has progressed and providing copies of documents was now a matter of minutes due to efficient photocopiers. He had claimed the very fact that inspection of documents had been allowed indicated that the papers did not fall in the category of privileged or classified. As such, the copies could be supplied at the petitioner’s cost. It was added that the non-supply of documents was against the principles of natural justice as these would be relied upon by the prosecution during the trial. Supplying the documents would only assist Justice Yadav to properly assist the court in the matter, he added. A special CBI court in Chandigarh on February 2 had dismissed her earlier application while fixing February 22 as the date for arguments on framing of charges. The court made it clear that the documents could be inspected by Justice Nirmal Yadav or any accused anytime in person or through their counsel. The demand for supply of documents was opposed by the CBI on grounds that CrPc did not permit it but added that the prosecution had no objection if the accused wanted to inspect the documents in person. |
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REMOVAL OF SISTERS FROM FATEHABAD SCHOOL
Fatehabad, May 13 Disbelieving their reports, the NHRC had asked Fatehabad Deputy Commissioner to record the statement of the rape victim’s father after confronting him with a report published in The Tribune as well as the inquiry reports submitted by the DEO and the SDM. The statement of the rape victim’s father is now under consideration of the NHRC. The NHRC had taken suo motu cognisance of a report “Rape victim’s father wants all 3 girls back in school” published in The Tribune on October 16, 2012, and sent notice to the Chief Secretary, Haryana, District Magistrate, Haryana, and Director of Education, Haryana, seeking their response. The Tribune had highlighted how after a 13-year-old girl was raped by a sexagenarian, who sold fruits outside her school, for over six months and also how after discovering this, the school authorities had shown the victim as well as her two sisters the door. The school authorities, as well as the village sarpanch, who heads the school management committee, who feared adverse effect of the incident on other girls, pressurised the victim’s father to compromise on the crime for Rs 35,000 and forced him to sign applications seeking removal of all three of his daughters from the school. A criminal case was, however, finally registered and now, the accused, Sohan Lal, has already been convicted for the offence. Upon notice from the NHRC, DEO Manju Gupta, who conducted an inquiry on the directions of her higher authorities, found that “the school-leaving certificates were issued against a request signed by father of the victim.” The NHRC observed that pursuant to directions of the commission, reports dated November 16, 2012, and November 20, 2012, from the DEO and the Deputy Commissioner had been received which said that the victim’s father wanted all three of his daughters to leave the school, as he was unable to bear the bus fare from his village to the school. “The commission has carefully gone through the material on record. The three daughters of ------------ (father’s name withheld to protect the victim’s identity) were attending Government Middle School at Khai for quite some time and suddenly they wished to leave the school and school-leaving certificates were issued to them on October 6, 2012,” is what the commission observed in the reports while asking the Fatehabad Deputy Commissioner to record the statement of the victim’s father after confronting him The Tribune report and the reports of inquiries by the DEO and the
SDM. |
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Body of Rabbi Shergill’s nephew found
Sirsa, May 13 Rabbi Shergill, who identified Chetan’s body along with his sister, Mohini Singh (Chetan’s mother), said the victim was missing for the past eight days. Chetan was doing his masters in Mass Communication from the distance education programme of Punjabi University, Patiala. He had left for Patiala from his residence in Rohini, Delhi, on May 4. Family sources said Chetan was to get down from the bus near the university, but he went up to the Patiala bus stand by mistake. When he took another bus for Punjabi University, he forgot his bag and wallet in the first bus. As he did not have the money to buy ticket, the conductor of the private bus he had taken dropped him near the Bhakra Main Branch. Chetan called Rabbi to narrate the incident to him, but after that he did not respond his mobile phone. Rabbi reached Patiala in search of his nephew and approached the police. Based on the location of Chetan’s mobile phone, the police found Chetan's clothes and mobile phone lying on the banks of the canal. Divers were pressed into service, but failed to find Chetan in the canal. Yesterday, an attendant at Kusla Head (Bhakra Canal) told the Chetan's family that he had seen a youth’s body flowing downstream towards Sirsa. Later, the police recovered his body near Jhiri village in Sirsa. The police has sent Chetan’s body to the PGIMS, Rohtak, for the postmortem. |
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Residents attend free legal aid clinic
Kaithal, May 13 About 200 persons interacted with the legal aid team out of which 56 persons discussed their legal matters on the spot. The team also made residents aware of processing of pension forms, driving licence forms and ration card applications. Arvind Khuranai, who was the coordinator, said at present 18 legal aid clinics were working in Kaithal sub-division where panel advocates and trained paralegal volunteers were facilitating the public by providing free legal aid and legal advice in sorting out their legal issues Later, Chandershekhar, Deputy Commissioner, Kaithal, Dinesh Yadav, ADC, Kaithal, along with other officers, visited the camp and took note of the working of the legal aid team. |
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Fasting cow activist whisked away
Karnal, May 13 The supporters of Sant Gopal Dass, led by Mahant Sunder Dass of the Cow Protection Samiti, staged a dharna and held demonstration at Committee Chowk and marched to the Mini Secretariat to meet the Deputy Commissioner. The supporters of Sant Gopal Dass who was reportedly taken to a trauma centre last night and then sent to the PGI, Chandigarh, urged the administration to release him immediately or arrest them. The mahant alleged that the Deputy Commissioner was non-responsive towards their demands and had even refused to meet the protesters. After raising slogans for some time, the protesters returned to Committee Chowk and announced to sit on indefinite dharna till Sant Gopal Dass was released. He had been on a fast for the past three days and threatened to take “Bhumi Samadhi”. He had also declared that his fast would continue till the entire pastureland was restored for grazing and Gochar Vikas Board was constituted. |
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Labour Department okays 15 schemes for workers' welfare
Chandigarh, May 13 Sources in the Labour Department maintain that this cess fund, as directed by the Supreme Court also, can only be used for the class of workers it is meant for. They add department officials were not consulted on the utilisation of this fund and the Finance Department decided to allocate it for building infrastructure. Chatha had said in his budget speech that the “Cess Fund is not being used optimally in Haryana. We have now decided to utilise these funds to build infrastructure, including dispensaries, polyclinics, anganwaris, primary schools, sewerage, public health facilities including drains, public toilets.” He added this infrastructure could be used by the “other poor people also”. However, with the department clear that this fund cannot be utilised for a purpose other than it is meant for, it has decided to initiate various welfare schemes for the construction workers who come during agriculture’s “off-season”. Sources said the board of the department approved nearly 15 schemes for construction workers. It had decided to subsequently enhance and double
Rs 500 being given away as pension. Officials said among the major initiates taken for workers, night shelters would be opened at the subdivisional level. “The land for night shelters will be given by urban local bodies while construction and facilities would be provided from the cess. A committee under the Deputy Commissioner concerned will co-ordinate the projects. "The department has already received over 10 proposals. In Faridabad and Gurgaon disticts where the worker concentration is high, we will open more night shelters,” officials said. The department has approved the construction of sheds, seating arrangements and public convenience at “labour chowks” . This, too, will be handled by the committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner concerned and funds will be transferred to the Urban Local Bodies Department for the execution of these projects. To augment medical facilities at all places of labourconcentration, funds for opening dispensaries would be borne out of this fund. The department has also decided to provide loans at practically no interest to those eligible for a plot under the Rajiv Gandhi Awas Yojna . Sources said given the number of schemes, the department plans to utilise Rs 260 crores only . Haryan has nearly 2 lakh registered workers. |
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Release withheld amount of
Rs 9,050 cr soon, Centre urged
Chandigarh, May 13 Choudhry was speaking at the Empowered Committee meeting of state Finance Ministers at Mussoorie on Friday. She pointed out that Haryana had been losing about Rs 3,000-3,500 crore every year on account of the reduction in the rate of CST. Though the new financial year has commenced, the roll-out of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) system might take more time. The Centre should take a decision on granting CST compensation for the current year. Since huge deductions have been made during the two previous financial years, 100 per cent compensation should be granted for 2013-14. "Prompt action in releasing the withheld amount of CST compensation will create an atmosphere of mutual trust and understanding between the states and the Central Government", she said. Choudhry also urged for early release of the legitimate claim of about Rs 1,950 crore on account of the 1 per cent CST concession granted to Maruti Udyog Limited which had been principally
agreed upon. On VAT, she said the total collections on account of VAT in 2011-12 aggregated Rs 12,401 crore while the collection in 2012-13 totalled Rs 14,385 crore, representing an increase of 16 per cent. |
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Activists to launch fresh stir against Gorakhpur N-plant
Fatehabad, May 13 Satpal Manaktala, president of the Anna Hazare Sangharsh Samiti, presided over the meeting that was attended by members of several local organisations. The activists decided to launch a fresh agitation against the proposed nuclear power project. No date for the launch of the agitation was, however, announced in the meeting. Subhash Punia, president of the Parmanu Virodhi Morcha, said when Sirsa, Hisar and Fatehabad districts had come under the dark zone due to scarcity of water, it was not advisable to set up a nuclear power project at Gorakhpur. He said neither the authorities nor Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) had any answer to the question as to where from they would get enough water to cool their systems, when the canals were running dry due to shortage of water. Earlier, farmers whose lands were acquired for the project had launched an agitation in August 2010 that continued for over 26 months. The farmers had called off their agitation in November 2012, after a majority of the farmers had accepted compensation given by the government for their acquired land. Though the activists of Parmanu Virodhi Morcha were also active at that time, they had largely taken the back seat and rather continued lending their support to the farmers. This time, the morcha activists have announced to launch an agitation on their own. |
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Start girls' college or face stir, Khap to CM
Bhiwani, May 13 A panchayat of Sheoran Khap that met in Badhra in Bhiwani yesterday has served an ultimatum on the Haryana government to open a women’s college there from the coming academic session or face agitation. Members of the Sarva Jatiye Sheoran Khap 25 decided to meet Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in this connection. Bijender Singh Barela presided over the meeting of Khap Panchayat. “Ours is a longstanding demand for a girls college in Badhra. Our daughters have to face hardships to continue their education after school. Many of them have to leave their studies midway. The panchayat has already passed a resolution to give land for the college, but the state government is not taking any action on it,” alleged Barela, while addressing members of the Khap Panchayat. The Khap Panchayat resolved that if the government failed to start the college by June 30, they would launch an agitation in Badhra from July 1. |
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58.33 lakh tonnes of wheat procured
Chandigarh, May 13 HAFED had procured over 22.59 lakh metric tonnes, Food and Supplies Department over 14.46 lakh metric tonnes, the FCI over 7.23 lakh metric tonnes, the Haryana Agro Industries Corporation over 5.65 lakh metric tonnes, the Haryana Warehousing Corporation over 5.25 lakh metric tonnes and CONFED 3.03 lakh metric tonnes. Sirsa distict was leading in wheat arrival where over 8.17 lakh metric tonnes of wheat had so far arrived in the mandis, followed by Karnal (over 6.50 lakh metric tonnes) and Fatehabad (over six lakh metric
tonnes). |
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Arya Samajis urged to maintain peace
Jhajjar, May 13 Krishan Murti said Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had already ordered a magisterial probe into the matter and guilty would not be spared. |
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26 schools to be opened for disabled
Chandigarh, May 13 Officers of the Social Justice and Empowerment Department said this during a meeting with the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Prasanna Kumar Pincha, held here. |
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Ex-sarpanch, 2 others hurt in attack
Bhiwani, May 13 Old enmity is stated to be the reason for the attack. They were immediately shifted to Choudhry Bansi Lal General Hospital, Bhiwani. Doctors of Choudhry Bansi Lal General Hospital referred the victims to the PGIMS, Rohtak. The condition of Sukhchain and Surinder is said to be precarious. The police said that the attack was the result of
old animosity. |
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22 cars recovered from vehicle thief
Faridabad, May 13 The arrested member has been identified as Sayed. Two of his accomplices, including lynchpin of the gang Nadeem, are still absconding. They hail from the Mewat area. The gang member was nabbed last week. He revealed about its operation and the whereabouts of the stolen vehicles. The police said the recovered vehicles included a Honda City, a WagonR, a Versa and a Swift. The leader of the gang runs a workshop in Sector 4 here. He and his accomplices used to lift vehicles and tamper with their engine and chassis numbers. Subsequently, they used to dispose these of at a cheap price. They were active in Faridabad, Delhi and Gaziabad and Noida. Meanwhile, the police produced the accused before a local court which sent him in 14-day judicial custody. |
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5 gangsters arrested for dacoity
Rewari, May 13 All five gangsters were arrested when they were making preparations to sell the looted goods in Delhi yesterday. They were produced in a local court today, which remanded them to two-day police custody. The police said 20 gangsters had looted
the electrical goods from the factory after holding the company's security guards hostage. |
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Nine farmers booked for burning wheat straw in Kaithal
Kaithal, May 13 Reports said the Pundri Block Agricultural Development Officer, during his visit to villages, found that nine farmers had burnt wheat straw in fields. In a complaint to the police, the officials stated that these farmers had caused a damage to the environment. |
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13 booked for tempo driver's murder
Kurukshetra, May 13 The deceased’s younger brother, Vijay Kumar, said they got a call on Sunday morning from a driver who told them that Ajay was lying injured near the tempo stand. On reaching the spot, Vijay found his brother lying in a pool of blood. He was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. Distict police chief Rakesh Kumar Arya directed that a three-member doctors team would conduct the postmortem under
videography. A forensic team from Karnal inspected the site of incident minutely. Old rivalry is said to be the cause of murder. |
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Man held for rape bid
Hisar, May 13 She said Mani Ram entered the toilet and tried to rape her. The woman's family members came to her rescue when she raised the alarm. However, Mani Ram managed to escape. Later, the police arrested the accused. |
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Chandigarh, May 13