Third victim in the car-burning incident yet to be identified
Amritsar, January 24
Even as the police is yet to identify the third victim in the incident in which three persons were charred to death when the car in which they were travelling caught fire a couple of days ago. It has been learnt that the owner of the car, who got killed in the accident, had complained about the faulty inter-locking system to the agency from where he had procured the car a few months ago.

Amritsar, January 24
Aam Admi Party (AAP) leader and former DGP, Punjab, Shashikant, differed with the former Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, over the CBI probe into the drug racket in the border state.

The former Chief Minister created ripples by opposing the Punjab Congress' demand to initiate a CBI probe into the racket in view of the drug lord Jagdish Singh Bhola naming Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia in it.

Addressing mediapersons here today, Shahsikant said the drug cartel had international links and the CBI being the only Indian investigative agency with membership in the Interpol had wide global access. On Amarinder Singh’s reservation on time-consuming investigation, he said it could be addressed by holding a CBI inquiry under a limited time frame.

In response to a query, he said the name of Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia did not figure in the list of political leaders associated with drug cartels prepared by him while in job in 2007. He stated that it contained names of about 14 Akali leaders. Some of them were ministers in the current dispensation, he added.

However, he added, at that time Majithia did not hold any position and was simply related to the Badals. Now, the scenario was entirely different. “Majithia is the uncrowned king of Majha and not a single leave flutters without his nod,” he remarked.

He claimed that drug cartels joined hands with the party which was in power irrespective of its ideology. Leaders of all parties, including the SAD, the BJP and the Congress, readily extended support to these cartels.

He stated that in order to curb drug menace, it was necessary to initiate a five-pronged strategy and involvement of an equal number of departments. First, the police must be strict to identify drug cartels and prevent drug peddling. Secondly, the Health Department must be involved to de-addict the addicts. Thirdly, the Education Department must be made sensitive to educate children to keep away from drugs and lastly the Youth and Sports departments should keep youngsters engaged in constructive activities and the last is that Social Welfare Department should rehabilitate drug addicts.

Answering another query, he said on the line of the agitation initiated by his party under Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, he would replicate similar protests here against the involvement of political leaders in the illicit drug trade.

Answering another query, he said, if Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal felt that policies of the AAP were nothing but a replication of what Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal did in Punjab then he (Sukhbir) could merge the AAP in the Akali Dal or join his party. 

Amritsar, January 24
The district administration along with the Education and Police departments is gearing up for the Republic Day celebrations.

Children from various schools, policemen, including women of the Amritsar Police Commissionerate, are holding final rehearsals at Guru Nanak Stadium in the run-up to the programme. The Education Department has ensured participation of over 2,200 school students besides hundreds of police personnel in the parade. For the first time, students of a special children school, Pehal, will also participate in it. Various cultural events like bhangra, gidda, PT show and others will be presented. All these events have been allocated to different schools to ensure efficiency and adequate rehearsals before the final performance. 

Amritsar, January 24
The rift between the SAD, BJP alliance seems to have widened over the issue of inaction against two high rank officials of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation.

After MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, who had launched scathing attacks on the SAD leadership over the issue of reportedly scuttling his pet projects, it was the turn of Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi to give a blind eye to SAD councillors’ demand.

A group of SAD councillors submitted a memorandum to the MC authorities and the local bodies minister against two officials -- health officer Dr Yogesh Arora and estate officer Vishal Wadhawan.

While Anil Joshi had thrown his weight behind these officials, the SAD councillors were adamant on their demand of to transfer them alleging charges of corruption against them and questioning their credibility to hold such prominent positions.

Dejected by the minister’s casual attitude, the local SAD leadership has now decided to approach the office of the Chief Minister and hand over the documents supporting their demand to the Punjab Vigilance Cell.

High drama prevailed during the house meeting held yesterday, when the councillors of both sides almost came to blows after heated arguments over the same issue. Annoyed at this, the SAD councillors boycotted the meeting and staged a protest against Anil Joshi for shielding these officers.

SAD district president Upkar Singh Sandhu said the matter was well in the knowledge of the minister as SAD councillors had submitted a memorandum against the officials, about a month back, but no action was taken by him.

“It was quite unbecoming of minister’s stature to simply turndown the representation of our leaders. Instead of taking cognisance of it, the minister said he would honour them.

SAD councillor Surinder Singh Sultanwind said Anil Joshi had always emphasised on establishing corruption-free administration, but all these statements fell flat when it came to obliging certain sycophants, who were incidentally government officials.

“Our protest is against the local bodies minister who is shielding these corrupt employees. As the minister had asked for proofs to prove our allegations, we have procured them. But it has been decided to hand them over to the Vigilance Cell and not to the minister,” he said.

While the minister could not be contacted despite repeated attempts, BJP district president Naresh Sharma said it was just a difference of opinion between the alliance partners. “The matter will be sorted out on priority,” he said.

Allegations

SAD councillors objected to the appointment of Dr Arora as health officer because he was BAMS, whereas the stipulated qualification for the position is MBBS. They also questioned his alleged involvement to favour a BJP councillor (who happens to be close relative of Joshi) by engaging his fuel station for filling up MC vehicles. The protesting councillors demanded a probe against Vishal Wadhawan for his suspicious role in auctioning the 4,000 square yards of land near the municipal commissioner’s residence.

Amritsar, January 24
Even as the police is yet to identify the third victim in the incident in which three persons were charred to death when the car in which they were travelling caught fire a couple of days ago. It has been learnt that the owner of the car, who got killed in the accident, had complained about the faulty inter-locking system to the agency from where he had procured the car a few months ago.

Police officials claimed that the family members told them that Sawinder Singh, owner of the car, had repeatedly complained about the faulty inter-locking system to the car agency.

However, they added that the exact reason behind the fire incident would be ascertained after the forensic examination of the car. Jasdeep Singh, SP (D), said either they would have to send the car to Chandigarh for a forensic examination or a team of forensic experts would come here. He said the Police Department would urge the authorities concerned to send the forensic experts here for the examination.

Meanwhile, he said that the DNA of the victim had been preserved for his identification. He said so far nobody had approached the police for identification.

Three persons had died in the incident when their car accidentally caught fire on the National Highway No.I near Manawala when they were going to Chandigarh for some work a few days ago. While two victims including the owner of the car were identified later on, the third victim has not been identified till now. 

Amritsar, January 24
The city children’s long-pending demand for at least one public park complete with state-of-the-art recreational apparatus may be met as the Improvement Trust has called for designs from expert landscaping architects to revive the children’s park lying abandoned in the historical Ram Bagh gardens, popularly known as Company Bagh.

An abandoned mini-zoo premises of the Company Bagh in Amritsar. Photo: Vishal Kumar

Trust chairman Sandeep Rishi said following instructions from Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi, who regularly visits the park for morning walks, tenders calling for beautification of the park, a vacant mini zoo, which was closed years ago, and gardens around busts of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Mahatma Gandhi.

About permission from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Rishi said the Ram Bagh gardens, known as the summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, would be beautified only.

It has been years that two children's parks, situated in public gardens, have been lying unused. One is in Company Bagh and another is in Gol Bagh. Broken and rickety recreational apparatuses like swings, see-saw and others were removed from Company Bagh many years ago but in Gol Bagh these are still lying unused.

Earlier city-based Dalmia Charitable Trust had approached the authorities to permit it to install swings and other apparatuses for children’s recreation in the park. However, it did not receive a positive response. Kamal Dalmia of the charitable trust said that his non-profit organisation had already successfully revamped Dr Baldev Prakash Park spread on 2.5 acres in the posh Green Avenue. He said parks in residential colonies got installed recreational apparatuses for children but this joy was missing for the children of the rest of the city. 

Amritsar, January 24
Former DGP, Jails, Shashikant, today condemned the Punjab Government’s move to bring down the Value Added Tax (VAT) on cigarettes and other tobacco products.

During a programme organised by the Punjab Women Yoga Association (PWYA) to spread awareness against drug abuse, he said the government was going to decrease VAT on cigarettes from 55 per cent to 22 per cent. Incidentally, it was increased only last year.

"On one hand, the government makes tall claims on its fight against cancer that has gripped a large number of people in the state especially in the Malwa belt, on the other hand, by decreasing the VAT on tobacco products, it is inviting more people to fall prey to this disease," he said.

He added there was no doubt left in the minds of the people that the drug nexus could not operate without the involvement of political leaders.

Sandeep Sareen, president of PWYA, said drug addiction had assumed alarming proportions in Punjab while the state government had confined itself to issuing statements and doing nothing in practical to curb the menace.

Dr Vaneet Sareen of the All India Human Rights Welfare Association said it was astonishing but true that Punjab had maximum consumption of liquor and drugs in India. 

Amritsar, January 24
Radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa today said whoever ruled the Centre post-Lok Sabha elections, the constitutional and executive wrongs done to the Sikhs must be corrected.

Dal Khalsa activists in association with SAD (Panch Pardani) and Damdami Taksal staged a peaceful sit-in at Bhandari Bridge here to protest against what it called “constitutional wrongs”. Hundreds of activists, mostly youngsters, holding black flags and placards, distributed leaflets to passers-by. They protested against the denial of Sikh personal law and right to self-determination, besides "continued loot of rivers".

Dal Khalsa chief HS Dhami said Indian polity must understand and accept that Sikhs were a distinct people. Reasserting that Sikhs had their distinct identity, he said Sikh allegiance towards the Akal Takht and doctrine of Sikhism was total.

Dhami said, "While we talk of progress and development in Punjab, we also need to ask why Indian state, in flagrant violation of International Riparian principles, has taken full control of Punjab’s rivers."

Reflecting upon the years gone by, on the eve of the Republic Day, Damdami Taksal chief Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa said, “The state has ill-treated Sikhs, robbed them of their identity and forced Hindu laws on them". RP Singh, chief spokesperson of Akand Kirtani Jatha, blamed that constitutional provisions continued to haunt the Sikhs.

The recent threat of eviction of Sikh farmers in Gujarat was a classic example of discrimination and double-standards faced by Sikhs in this country, said Dal Khalsa leader Sarbjit Singh Ghuman.

Amritsar, January 24
The Radical Institute of Engineering organised a programme, "Techno Spark" here today. Inter-school competitions based on model-making, quiz and extempore speech events were conducted as part of the programme.

About 100 schools and 4,000 students participated in the competitions. A creatively prepared model on rain water harvesting was presented before the judges by Class IX students, Gursharan Singh and Akashdeep Singh.

The extempore speech event was dominated by the students of Revel Dale Public School. 

Amritsar, January 24
The city police have arrested three persons for allegedly possessing narcotic substances. Among those arrested include Gurpreet Singh of Pandori village, Satnam Singh of Dholi Mohalla and Mandip Sharma of Guru Nanak Colony, Chheharta. While Sharma was held with 5gm heroin, Gurpreet and Satnam were arrested with 80 and 50 capsules of drugs.

They have been booked under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. — TNS

Amritsar, January 24
With the arrest of a youth, the Amritsar rural police today claimed to have solved the murder case in which a teenage boy, Jagjit Singh, was found dead on January 13.

The accused has been identified as Sukhbir Singh (20), who was the neighbourer of the deceased. He had disappeared from the village after the murder. Majitha DSP Harsimrat Singh said Sukhbir killed the boy for Rs 2,500, which the victim had on that evening.

Jagjit Singh, a resident of Luddar village, falling under Majitha police station, had got his salary on the day when he was murdered.

Sukhbir said he and the victim had consumed liquor before the murder. He said Jagjit showed him his monthly salary. The deceased used to work as a peon in a private firm in the Mahan Singh gate area.

Sukhbir Singh tried to snatch the money from him. “During the scuffle, Sukhbir took out his belt and strangulated Jagjit. He then took his body to a secluded place in a field. He first hit a brick on Jagjit’s head and later threw his body in the bore-well.

Amritsar, January 24
Yet again, another jail inmate Amit, lodged at the Amritsar Central Jail under the NDPS Act, tried to commit suicide under desperation as he could not get his dosage of drugs. He is a resident of Anngarh and facing trial under Sections 21, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act.

Amit banged his head against the grill of the room. The jail authorities have lodged an FIR with the Cantonment police under Sections 309 and 506 of the IPC and 42 of the Prisoners Act-1894.

Anngarh area is notorious for drug smuggling and other forbidden activities. Amit’s father and mother have also been lodged in the same jail under the NDPS Act. The whole family and their acquaintances are into drug smuggling. Amit himself is a drug addict and a TB patient.

This was not the lone case, as earlier too, another inmate Chander Mohan, who has been awarded 20 year imprisonment under the NDPS Act, adopted the same tactics to get drugs on October 29. He tried to hang himself with the window grill by using his parna (small turban), but was saved by fellow inmates.

Chander Mohan indulged in smuggling drugs from across the border and allegedly used to supply heroin and smack in the Majha region during the late nineties. His brother identified as Inder Mohan and his son too have been languishing in Patti jail under the NDPS Act.

Jail’s Deputy Superintendent RK Sharma said such inmates always posed trouble and in majority of cases, the inmates were drug addicts and they became violent when they could not get their dosage of drugs.

At present, over 40 per cent of the jail inmates are addicted to drugs and they adopt all tactics to get drugs. There is hardly any day when narcotics or mobiles are not seized from the inmates.