Chandigarh, July 8
Even as the crime graph is soaring in the state, the Haryana Police is struggling with acute staff shortage taking a toll on routine policing and investigation.

In fact, the staff shortage seems to be more acute at the lower and the middle levels as over 1,700 posts of Inspector, Sub-Inspector (SI) and Assistant Sub-Inspector(ASI) are lying vacant for quite some time, information sought under RTI by advocate Rajesh Sharma has revealed.

There are 695 inspectors with the Haryana Police, a shortfall of 105 than the sanctioned strength of 800. Similarly, there were 1,416 officers working as SIs a shortage of 590. However, the maximum shortage was in the case of the ASIs with 4,595 posts filled leaving a shortfall of 1,036 police personnel.

What is more, the total police personnel working with the police force are not fully utilised for crime prevention and investigation as 3,144 police personnel cutting across all ranks, are deputed to protect the 1,127 VIPs in the state. Nearly, 1,455 police personnel are spared for traffic management.

This is despite senior state functionaries reiterating time and again that the state police would soon be strengthened with the recruitment of 11,000 constables. In fact, even yesterday, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, during the passing-out parade at the Recruitment Training Centre (RTC), Bhondsi, again reiterated his government's resolve to recruit 11,000 constables.

The staff shortage in the police is reflected in the rising crime graph across the state with Haryana reporting three murders, two rapes, four abductions and one dowry death daily in 2012.

Official sources conceded that the staff shortage was affecting normal policing in the state particularly with a substantial number of police personnel enaged in non-policing duties. However, residents can expect better policing with the recruitment 11,000 police personnel, they added.

StafF CRUNCH hits Haryana Police Shortage of over 1,700 Inspectors, SIs and ASIs Staff shortage leads to less effective routine policing and investigation Overburdening of the existing staff 3,144 policemen are diverted to protect VIPs; 1,455 to manage traffic

Gurgaon, July 8
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has said the Haryana Police would be strengthened with the recruitment of 11,000 constables. The number of women police personnel will also be increased to 10 per cent with the recruitment of nearly 1,500 more women police constables.

Hooda was speaking at the passing-out parade at the Recruitment Training Centre (RTC), Bhondsi, Gurgaon, last evening.

Hooda pointed out that the state government had given Rs 38 crore for modernisation of the Haryana Police in this year’s budget.

Hisar, July 8
The All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) has announced resumption of their stir for their demand of quota in central government jobs and educational institutes, if the Centre failed to adopt a resolution in this regard in the monsoon session of Parliament.

The samiti leaders decided at a meeting today to hold a rally at Mayyar village in the district on September 13 to observe the death anniversary of Sunil Sheoran who had died in police firing in 2010. “The agitation will start from the rally spot in case the Centre and state government failed to fulfill their demands," said Yashpal Malik, the samiti’s national president.

He said the Haryana Government had just passed an ordinance to include jats in the special backward class (SBC) as they had demanded for inclusion in the OBC category. A delegation of the samiti had submitted nine objections to the state government on June 25, which included raising the bar of quota above 50 per cent, limiting the reservation in first-class jobs to four per cent, issuing a notification instead of ordinance etc.

The jat leader said they had been lobbying for fulfilment of their demands by meeting all the 130 Jat MPs. He said the Jats were awaiting the next elections and would teach a lesson to the incumbent government for not heeding to their demands across the country.

Jind, July 8
The Thua khap 'sarvajatiya' panchayat has announced a ban on sex determination tests and female foeticide in 24 villages in the 'tapa' (cluster) under its jurisdiction in the district.

It will punish violators with a penalty. This decision was taken at a meeting of the Thua 'tapa' at Thua village yesterday. A total of 1,200 representatives attended the meeting.

Youth leader Jitender Chhattar said the decision was remarkable. He said 'tapa' president Om Prakash Thua headed the meeting.

He said the minimum penalty would be Rs 1,100 and could be increased in case of repetition. He said the panchayat was willing to adopt tough measures like social boycott if violations continued. He said an awareness campaign would be carried out. He said other decisions include a ban on playing DJ music during functions, a platform for resolving disputes at the local level and reducing wedding expenditure.

Gurgaon, July 8
The three-day national executive meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kisan Morcha, which concluded here yesterday, prepared a 'kisan adhikar patra', which sought to address various concerns of farmers.

Morcha president Om Prakash Dhankhar said the document sought to ensure that agriculture was made a profitable venture by providing adequate price for produce, making provisions for definite income and old-age pension and ensuring the availability of seed, manure and other inputs at reasonable prices.

It also demanded a direct bonus along with case subsidy, apart from saving agricultural land from the land mafia and making provisions for disaster management with the focus on agriculture.

No concrete move was initiated at the national convention of the morcha despite the presence of top party leaders, including BJP president Rajnath Singh.

Dhankhar admitted that merely passing a resolution and preparing the document would not be able to give farmers their due rights. He said a national movement was required for the purpose.

Disclosing the outline of the proposed movement, he said members would march to residences of all Governors and Lieut-Governors to convey their concerns in the first phase.

He said a protest march would be staged from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi in the second phase, with the top brass of the party leading the agitation.

Dhankhar added that the 'kisan adhikar patra' would be an integral part of the BJP poll manifesto and the party would implement it if it came to power at the Centre.

Ambala, July 8
Despite strong opposition from various quarters, the state is all set to go ahead with private distribution franchise for its most profitable Gurgaon circle.

The move, which is being viewed as a step towards privatisation of the power sector in Haryana by the state power engineers, is going to start soon as Essar Projects has applied to the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) for a licence for supply of power in the municipal areas of Gurgaon for 25 years.

The HERC has already issued a public notice inviting objections from public within one month.

Highly placed sources said Essar had pegged the cost of power at Rs 5.19 per unit which was subject to an annual hike of 3-4 per cent.

The All-India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) said the move was aimed at privatisation of the power distribution companies in the name of a bailout package for their financial restructuring plan by the Government of India.

VK Gupta, a spokesperson of the federation, said Haryana was among the eight states that had signed the bailout package offered under the Centre's financial restructuring plan. The mandatory conditions linked with the financial restructuring plan include involvement of the private sector in power distribution through franchisee arrangements or any other mode of private participation to be prepared within one year.

The federation said Gurgaon was the highest revenue-earning area of Haryana which contributed a monthly revenue of Rs 260 crore to the DHBVN’s total monthly revenue of Rs 600 crore. 

Hisar, July 8
The Guru Jambheshwar University (GJU) of Science and Technology (GJUST) has served eviction notices on five scholars to vacate their flats within 15 days.The varsity threatened to charge 50 times the normal rent if they failed to vacate the flats.

The varsity has 60 flats for married teachers/ research scholars.The varsity allotted 20 flats to non-teaching employees and set up a guest house for the academic staff college there. The VC has clearly told the scholars to vacate the flats so that the newly recruited teaching staff could be accommodated”, informed a source.

Rajesh Lochahab, president of the varsity teachers’ association, said: “If the varsity wants to accommodate more teaching staff, then the non-teaching employees should be asked to leave the flats," he said.

Palwal, July 8
Wrangling between the police of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh has delayed the investigation into the case of a girl's suicide.

A resident of Kanwar village in Kosi, bordering Palwal, she was a student of class XI. She committed suicide here on May 7.

According to the complaint lodged by the victim's uncle, she ended her life as she was being mentally tortured by Rohtas, a teacher at the school in her village.

The victim's uncle had reported that the girl had a tiff with her teacher, who owned the school, and Rohtas threatened her of dire consequences.

Her parents had sent her to her maternal uncle's house at Palwal. The teacher had allegedly pursued her and threatened her of dire consequences, after which she committed suicide.

The Palwal police referred the case to the Kosi police, but the latter refused to investigate the case and returned it a couple of days ago.

The Kosi police reasoned that the Palwal police should register the first information report (FIR) and investigate the case as as the suicide had been committed in Palwal.

The Palwal police registered an FIR two months after the incident. The victim's teacher was accused of abetting the suicide. Palwal Superintendent of Police Jagat Singh Hooda was not available for comment.

Karnal, July 8
Residents of Sitamai village, especially women, are up in arms against the alleged illegal activities of the caretaker of Sita Ji temple on the Pehowa road, 24 km from here.

They said the person appointed by the district administration to look after temple affairs was indulging in anti-social and objectionable activities.

Mukesh Kumari, who had come to lodge a complaint with the Deputy Commissioner (DC), alleged that the caretaker was indulging in anti-social activities.

She alleged that liquor consumption, smoking and moving around half-naked on the premises was routine. “We are scared of going to the temple,” she said.

Another complainant, Darshan Devi, alleged that caretaker Vinay Swaroop was the suspended sarpanch of Katghar village in Bilaspur subdivision of Yamunanagar district.

He was suspended for misappropriating a grant of Rs 52 lakh under the MGNREGA and the case was pending in the high court, she alleged.

He had also taken subsidy of Rs 6,000 from the horticulture department by allegedly furnishing false information that he was the owner of five acres and an FIR had been registered against him, she alleged.

The villagers asked why the Deputy Commissioner, who was appointed the temple chairman by the court as there was a dispute over the temple management, had appointed such a person to look after temple affairs.

“The conduct and activities of Vinay and his group are spoiling the atmosphere in the temple and hurting the religious sentiments of the devotees,” alleged a villager.

Vinay Swaroop refuted the allegations. He claimed that some persons with vested interests were spreading canards due to the dispute over the temple management as 600 acres were attached to it.

“I have come here for an 'anushthaan' (religious mega ritual) for three months with the permission of the Deputy Commissioner and will leave on September 17,” he said.

He alleged that some local residents were maligning him and tarnishing his image. Asked about allegations of misappropriation of the MGNREGA grant, he said it was a personal matter.

He rubbished the allegation that he and his associates were indulging in immoral activities. He said nine CCTV cameras had been installed on the temple premises and everyone was free to see the recordings.

Deputy Commissioner Renu S Phulia denied that she had appointed the caretaker and said the villagers had entrusted the responsibility to the person in question.

She said a complaint against him had been received from villagers and the allegations would be probed, adding that prompt action would be taken in case the charges were found to be true.

Kurukshetra, July 8
Kurukshetra University today declared the result of BBA (6th semester) held in May.

Dr Hukam Singh, Controller of Examinations, KU, said 1,836 students had appeared in the examination, of which 1,034 students had passed. The result had been uploaded on the website www.result.kuk.ac.in. 

Chandigarh, July 8
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the victory of the Congress in the recent civic body elections had proved that the people were satisfied with the policies of the government.

The Chief Minister was addressing mediapersons after a meeting with the newly elected Mayors of the municipal corporations recently. Presidents and vice-presidents of the two municipal committees that went to the poll recently were also present at the meeting.

Hooda said out of the total 144 seats of the Municipal Corporation in Yamunanagar, Ambala, Rohtak, Hisar, Panipat, Karnal and Panchkula, only 25 seats were won by the BJP and only 16 seats went to the INLD. All remaining seats were won by the Congress workers, he added.

Hooda said as five women had succeeded in becoming the Mayors of the five municipal corporations, this showed strengthening of the democratic system.

In reply to the question concerning the food security ordinance, he said it would realise the dream of the Father of the Nation, who had said nobody should go hungry.

Asked about the preparedness of the state government in implementing the Ordinance, he said the state government was ready for its implementation. He added that opposition parties were opposing it just for the sake of opposition.

He said Mahendragarh and Bhiwani districts had been included in the NCR while the decision regarding Jind and Karnal had been taken, but some formalities needed to be completed.

Kurukshetra, July 8
Five persons, including a woman, have been arrested in a murder case.

District police chief Rakesh Kumar Arya said Jagdish of Gandhi Nagar lodged a complaint with the police, alleging that Surja, Sompal, Gulla, Neta and Paasi, all residents of Gandhi Nagar, had assaulted the complainant, Ajay and his brother Vijay with sharp-edged weapons following which Vijay succumbed to his injuries the same day while the others were injured seriously. Arya said later, the police had arrested Surajbhan, Sunil Kumar, Sompal and Paasi, wife of Surajbhan.

During the interrogation, they confessed to their crime following which they were produced in a court today, which remanded them in judicial custody.

Kaithal, July 8
An inspector posted at the Police Lines here was killed in a road accident near here last evening. Raj Kumar (40) was going in his private car to Kurukshetra to visit his ailing father when the mishap took place.

Some passersby noticed the car near Solu Majra village and the injured inspector in it. A call on the last number dialled by the victim helped in his
identification.

On receiving the information, Dhand Station House Officer Ashok Kumar rushed to the spot. The victim was taken to the Civil Hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

Kaithal, July 8
Some armed persons committed a dacoity at a retired Army captain's house in Kharakpandva near Kalayat last night. They took away cash and jewellery worth lakhs of rupees and shot at a house inmate and injured him seriously. The injured was first rushed to Kaithal and then referred to the PGI.

Suresh said last night, when he got up to answer nature's call, he noticed a person standing near a tractor. He alerted his uncle Dharam Pal sleeping nearby who picked up a lathi and went towards the person who shot at him with a gun. The bullet pierced through Dharam Pal's left shoulder. The neighbours on hearing gunshot rushed to the spot, but the miscreants had fled by then. It is reported that they took away cash and jewellery worth over Rs 2 lakh.

A case has been registered.

Sonepat, July 8
The police arrested five persons in connection with the murder of a labourer of Uttar Pradesh from the Murthal road yesterday. The five accused have been identified as Bijender, Kuldeep, Ajit, Manoj and Pintoo.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ajit Singh said Sompal’s body was found lying near a water tank on the Murthal road on July 3. On the complaint of victim’s mother, a case was registered at the Sadar police station. She said Sompal was working as a labourer at Delhi airport and on July 2 morning, he left the house with Rs 20,000 saying that he would return same day.

However, he did not return and his body was found in a water tank and a piece of cloth was tied around his neck.

The DSP said the accused were nabbed when SHO Dalbir Singh received a tip-off that some anti-social elements were present near the Peer Baba compound on the Murthal road and he raided the place and nabbed them.

During interrogation, the accused confessed that they strangulated him and dumped his body in the water tank. They also confessed that old enmity was the reason behind the murder.

Rewari, July 8
A woman Geeta Devi of Bawal was seriously injured and her one-year-old son was killed when they were hit by a goods train, while crossing a rail track, near Bawal station, yesterday.

The woman has been admitted to a private hospital at Bawal for the treatment.