Gohana/Rohtak, February 6
The family of Kamal Mukhija, who tried to slap Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at Panipat a few days ago, had gone missing shortly after the episode but his family members are too terrified to speak up or lodge a complaint.

Former Haryana Home Minister Subhash Batra has alleged that the matter pertained to a cash-for-job racket and the police were behind the youth's disappearance while the police authorities have denied any role in the case.

A visit to Gohana by this correspondent today revealed that Kamal's house, located in a street adjoining the main bazaar of the township, was surrounded by armed plainclothesmen.

His father, Mahesh Chander and brother Rahul, who were present at the house stamped "Below Poverty Line (BPL) parivar", maintained that Kamal and his mother had gone on a pilgrimage.

They, however, conceded that they had not been able to talk to Kamal or his mother as Kamal's mobile phone was switched off. But they could not explain why they had not lodged a complaint with the police.

About the episode, Mukhija maintained that his son had been undergoing treatment for depression from a Rohtak-based psychiatrist.

"Assaulting the Chief Minister was a wrong act . Nonetheless, we are grateful to the CM for pardoning Kamal," he stated.

Makhija, who runs a tea stall to earn his livelihood, also denied being under pressure from the police or other administrative authorities though fear was writ large on the faces of the father-son duo.

Meanwhile, addressing a news conference here today, former Haryana Home Minister Subhash Batra categorically alleged that the police had hidden the youth at the behest of the state authorities to prevent him from telling the real story through the media.

Pointing out that the matter clearly indicated a cash-for-job racket, he sought a high-level judicial inquiry into the entire case.

However, Anil Kumar Rao, Inspector-General, Rohtak Range, maintained that Kamal was not in police custody.

Kaithal, February 6
A woman gave birth to three children at a private hospital here today. The delivery was normal and the newborns and their mother were stated to be in good health.

Kashmir Singh, a resident of Diwal village in the district, said his wife Seema gave birth to two girls and a boy one after the other after a gap of five minutes each.

Dr Vijay and Dr Kiran Arya said the children were normal and earlier too on some occasions more than one child had been born to women.

Karnal, February 6
Karnal Mayor Renu Bala Gupta and councillors met Deputy Commissioner (DC) Balraj Singh yesterday and raised the issue of decentralisation of power. They said the councillors had no financial or administrative powers.

She told the DC that no development work was being carried out in over 15 villages that were included in the new MC three-and-a-half-years ago. Projects worth Rs 14 crore had already been passed by the House, but no work was initiated till date, she said.

Krishan Garg, Senior Deputy Mayor, said over 100 posts had been lying vacant in the corporation. Due to staff crunch, the residents were facing a lot of problems.

The Mayor said they were assured on the matter of decentralisation of powers by Haryana Urban Local Bodies Minister Savitri Jindal earlier this month, but no action had been taken in this regard.

Karnal, February 6
Jeevo Mangalam, the only birds' charitable hospital in the city, has come to the rescue of birds injured during kite flying.

“Glass-coated kite strings have become a threat for birds. It acts like a sharp knife. Sometimes, the injured birds are never able to fly again," said Sadhwi Dalima, an attendant of Jeevo Mangalam, the only birds' charitable hospital in the city.

The kite-flying season is at the peak in Karnal. On Basant Panchami, an owl and 13 pigeons were injured with the kite string and were brought to Jeevo Mangalam for treatment.

Dalima said their hospital was being run by the Sadhwi Shri Jagdish Mati Ji charitable trust since 2000 in Karnal. They had provided treatment to thousands of birds.

“They receive two to three birds daily. People can contact us at 0184-2286962 if they find any injured bird,” said an attendant.

Dr SS Chaudhary, retired senior scientist of Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Hisar, said usually two types of threads were used for kites. The regular thread was not harmful, but the non-breakable string was dangerous for birds.

Kaithal, February 6
The police have arrested an inspector of the Income Tax (IT) Department for sexually assaulting his eight-year-old niece. He was produced in a court which sent him to 14-day judicial custody.

The victim’s father alleged that the girl was sexually assaulted by IT Inspector Shamsher Singh in September last year at his house.

He said the girl narrated the incident to her maternal grandmother and a complaint was lodged with the Civil Lines police here.

When the police did not take any action, he brought the matter to the notice of senior police officials. Following which the matter was handed over to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Crime Branch.

However, when no efforts were made to arrest the accused, he then met the ADGP (Crime) and sought his intervention. On the order of the ADGP, the accused was arrested from Jind where he was posted.

10 youths booked

Fatehabad: Over 10 youths stopped a private bus near Dhani Dhaka village and molested a girl student and thrashed her brother when the two were returning to their Nagpur village after attending college in Fatehabad today.

In protest against the incident, other girls travelling in the bus blocked vehicular traffic for over two hours.

The police finally booked the youths for rioting, wrongful confinement and molestation.

The angry girls alleged that a youth had eve-teased the girl a few days ago.

She reported the matter to her parents, who forced the boy to apologise.

Bhiwani: A government school headmaster was today suspended for allegedly molesting a Class VI girl. In protest against the incident, villagers locked the school at Surpura village in the district. Headmaster Rajender Kumar had reportedly molested the girl inside a classroom. She reported the incident to her parents who came to the school along with other villagers and locked the school. They demanded strict action against the headmaster. 

Primary Education Officer Satbir Singh said they had sent a detailed report about the incident to the headquarters and recommended strict action against him. Villagers said the accused had come to the school in inebriated condition on several occasions in the past. Bahal police station in charge Dilbagh Singh said a case was registered under Section 354 of the IPC and POSCO Act against the headmaster. "The victim recorded her statement before the magistrate today and a police team has been sent to arrest the accused," he said.

Chandigarh, February 6
The state government has constituted a District Coordination Committee on labour cooperatives in each district. The DC concerned would be the chairman of the panel, a spokesman of the Cooperation Department said here.

He said the panel would review allotment of works to primary cooperative labour and construction societies as per the government policy. It would also expedite payment of these societies from work-awarding agencies. They would also review other matters related to the working of labour cooperatives in the light of notification.—TNS

Chandigarh, February 6
The Haryana Government has amended the relief and rehabilitation of women acid victims scheme to provide ad hoc relief or compensation, medical reimbursement and rehabilitation services to women victims of acid attacks.

A spokesman here today said under the scheme, compensation of Rs 3 lakh was given to the acid attack victim involving defacement, loss pf limb or part of body and for plastic surgery.

He said out of the total amount of Rs 3 lakh, a sum of Rs 1 lakh would be paid to such victim within 15 days of occurrence of the incident (or being brought to the notice of the state government) as ad hoc relief to facilitate immediate medical attention and expenses in this regard.

The balance sum of Rs 2 lakh would be paid as expeditiously as might be possible and positively within two months thereafter.

He said in case of acid attack not involving defacement or loss of limb or part of body and plastic surgery, compensation of Rs 50,000 was paid to victims.

Kurukshetra/Jhajjar, February 6
Thirteen persons were killed in separate accident in Kurukshetra and Jjajjar district today. Four people, including two women, were killed when a car they were travelling in collided with a truck on the Kurukshetra-Yamunanagar road, near Ladwa.

Sources said a mahant and his three disciples, hailing from Punjab, were on a religious tour when their car collided with a truck. Three victims died on spot while one injured was rushed to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Civil Hospital, where he succumbed to injuries. The victims have been identified as Mahant Amreek Singh, Gruvinder Kaur, Janki Devi and Sanjay Kumar. The bodies were sent to the civil hospital. The police have registered a case against the truck driver.

In another accident, four persons were killed and one was injured when their Innova car collided with a canter parked on the National Highway-1 near Khanpur Koliya village in the district today.

Sources said the victims were on their way to Jalandhar from Delhi.

The injured was taken to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Civil Hospital where his condition was said to be serious. Three victims have been identified as Jitender, Mahender and Raja, while the fourth victim and the injured are yet to be identified.

In Jhajjar, five persons were killed when their car rammed into a truck on the Jhajjar-Sampla road near Aasanda village here last night.

The deceased have been identified as Rishi Pal and Naresh of Barhana village (Jhajjar), Ravinder and Naveen of Sohti village (Sonepat) and Dharmender of Kharkara village (Rohtak).

The police said the mishap took place around 10 pm when they were going to attend a wedding in Chhara village under Bahadurgarh subdivision from Sampla town. When they reached the government school of Aasanda village, their car rammed into the truck ahead of it.

Four of the five occupants died on the spot, while one succumbed to his injuries on the way of PGIMS, Rohtak. The truck drive has been booked on the charges of rash and negligence driving.

Chandigarh, February 6
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has allowed a petition challenging its own decision on the administrative side before holding that the parents of a deceased employee too are entitled to family pension.

“The purpose of the rules relating to family pension is to provide financial assistance to members of the deceased employee's family. Not only the widow and children are dependant upon the income of the deceased employee but also the old parents,” Justice Daya Chaudhary has ruled.

The ruling on a petition filed by a 77-year-old widow is significant as the High Court had categorically claimed that the petitioner was not entitled to after-death benefits as she was not included in the definition of a “family”

In her petition against the High Court Registrar-General and other respondents, Bhanti Devi had earlier contended that her son, Virender Singh, was working as a process server in the Fatehabad District and Sessions Court. Besides her, he was survived by his minor son.

Her counsel had contended that the minor son was being taken care of by the petitioner; and the divorcee wife has no right to claim benefits after her husband’s death.

Taking up the matter, Justice Chaudhary asserted: “The issue in the present case is as to whether the petitioner, who is mother of the deceased government employee, can be excluded from the definition of a family and denied benefits of family pension. The petitioner is a widow mother, having no source of income, and is of more than 77 years of age. Nothing has been brought on record that she is getting some income from other source.”

Justice Chaudhary added the petition deserved to be allowed. The petitioner was 74 at the time of filing the petition in 2010. She was now more than 77. The employee’s wife had obtained a divorce and had also received permanent alimony. Before parting with the order, Justice Chaudhary ordered the granting of 50 per cent of the family pension to the petitioner while ordering the release of the remaining 50 per cent in favour of the minor”. 

Fatehabad, February 6
More than two years after Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda announced electricity connections to all ‘dhanis’ (hamlets) located in the Ratia Assembly segment on the payment of 5 per cent of the installation charges, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitan Nigam (DHBVN) is yet to initiate any action in this direction.

Angry farmers are up in arms against the government now.

Agitated farmers from Aherwan village today held a demonstration outside the DHBVN office at Ratia demanding implementation of the Chief Minister’s announcement.

The farmers have threatened to intensify their agitation in case the government did not provide them electricity connections as per the Chief Minister’s commitment.

After Congress candidate Jarnail Singh’s victory in a byelection to the Ratia Assembly seat in November 2011, Hooda had announced in his “Dhanyawad Rally” held on December 10, 2011, that farmers of the Ratia Assembly segment would get power connections in their ‘dhanis’ on paying 5 per cent of installation charges.

It was decided that the farmers would pay only 5 per cent of the charges and the rest of the 45 per cent would be shared by MP Ashok Tanwar from his local area development funds and the state government.

Bhagirath, Assistant Engineer, DHBVN at Ratia, said the nigam did not initiate any work because it did not get 45 per cent share it was to get from the MP as well as the state government funds.

Meanwhile, a new scheme for providing electricity connections without charging any installation charges from farmers living in ‘dhanis’ from special designed transformers brought from Gujarat has also been started in the district as a pilot project.

Narwana, February 6
After waiting for more than a month, khaps and other Jat leaders have threatened to launch an agitation in Delhi if the UPA government failed to issue a notification regarding their reservation by February 22.

Nearly 70 khap and prominent Jat leaders held a meeting here to chalk out the future course of action. They said the Union government was playing politics over their reservation.

“Perhaps the Union government has underestimated the strength of the community. This time, our agitation would teach a strong lesson to the government,” said Nafey Singh Nain, national president, Sarv Jat Khap Panchayat.

“We have decided to start an agitation in Delhi from February 23 if the government fails to issue a notification till then. We would gherao the parliament, block all roads and railway traffic in the national capital. We have the support of the community from across the country,” said Tek Ram Kandela, convener, Rashtriya Sarv Jat Khap Panchayat.

Khaps flay Chidambaram

A day after Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram said khaps were not a part of the Indian culture, khap leaders said they would not tolerate any such remarks in future and they did not need any certificate from him.

Jhajjar, February 6
The government has turned down the demand of PhD degree holders for relaxation in the National Eligibility Test (NET) qualification for the recruitment of Assistant Professors in the college cadre, said Education Minister Geeta Bhukkal here on recently.

"No appointment shall be made on the basis of PhD while those doctorate degree holders will be able to get a relaxation of 5 per cent from 55 to 50 per cent of marks who have passed their master's degree before September 19, 1991," said the minister. Bhukkal said this decision was taken by the Cabinet after a detailed discussion because the legitimacy of PhD degrees of some universities was already under the scanner.

The Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) recently invited applications for 1,396 posts of Assistant Professor (College Cadre) in 30 different subjects.

Except for four subjects, including computer science, fine arts, mass communication and music (Instrumental and Vocal), the commission fixed the NET/SLET as the minimum eligibility conditions for the post. AMeanwhile, PhD holders have decided to move the court against this notification arguing that when the UGC considers them eligible for the posts, why the government is trying to ruin their future by imposing such a condition.

Sirsa, February 6
Manjit Singh, a driver in Haryana Roadways, strangled his wife, Veena (36), after a minor altercation at Rasulpur village of Sirsa this morning.

The victim’s brother, Chander Prakash of Jhorarnali in Sirsa, said he received a call at 8 am that Veena had died. Prakash said when he reached Rasulpur village, he found Manjit in police custody.Manjit had confessed his crime. He alleged that Manjit, a habitual drinker, used to quarrel with his wife.

Ambala, February 6
A 26-year-old woman was killed in a road accident on the GT Road near Ambala city today. The victim identified as Narender Kaur (26) of Dhankaur village was an instructor at a private fashion designing institute in Ambala Cantt.

The victim was returning home from the institute on her Activa, when she was hit by a speedy truck near the petrol pump. She died on the spot. The truck driver managed to flee. The police have registered a case against him.

In another incident, Inderjeet Singh and his wife were seriously injured on the GT Road, when their car overturned near Ambala City. They were on their way to Delhi from Amritsar. —OC

Yamunnanagar, February 6
A minor girl living at a shelter home of the Balkunj Institute for Child Care at Chhachhruali attempted suicide by consuming phenyl here last evening.

The 17-year-old girl, who had been sent here by the Hisar administration about one-and-a-half-month ago, was taken to the civil hospital, Yamunanagar.

Sukhvinder Singh, superintendent of the institute, said the condition of the girl was stable and she had been discharged. He said the girl, a Class XII student, had complained the Hisar administration about one-and-half-month ago that her parents wanted to get her married against her wish. She did not want to stay with her parents and therefore, she was sent here from Hisar, he said.

“The girl was counselled at the shelter home and she said she wanted to go home. Her parents were called here yesterday,” said Sukhvinder Singh. “She again said she did not want to go home. She told other children at the institute at about 4 pm yesterday that she has consumed phenyl,” he said.

Sources said Yamunanagar Deputy Commissioner Mandeep Singh Barar had taken the case seriously and told her parents to see him tomorrow at his office.