Dighal (Jhajjar), June 14
A day before the state government is likely to discuss the toll issue at its cabinet meeting, residents of several villages today staged a dharna at the toll booth in Dighal village. They urged the government to accept their demand for a “toll-free Haryana”.

The protesters, led by Virender Hooda, chief of Toll Hatao Sangharsh Samiti, have threatened to convene a mahapanchayat soon to decide the further course of action if the government does not decide to exempt vehicles bearing Haryana registration number from toll during its cabinet meeting on Sunday.

Earlier, the protesters gathered at the toll booth on the National Highway No. 71 and raised slogans against Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and the toll company. Addressing the protesters, Virender castigated the state government for letting private companies construct toll roads without consulting locals.

He said, “A toll road is built to provide better facilities to commuters on the condition of extra charges. Therefore, the government should ask people residing near the proposed toll booths whether they have any objection. However, the government did not adopt the procedure before allowing the private companies to construct toll roads.”

Dr Ashok Dixit, general secretary of the Toll Hatao Sangharsh Samiti, said, "Hefty toll taxes have angered people, who are now waiting for the Assembly elections to give the Congress a befitting reply by voting against it.”

Police personnel were deployed near the toll booth to prevent any untoward incident.

Gurgaon, June 14
Tension in Tauru spread to Pataudi Heily Mandi and Bhora Kalan today with the traders shutting shops there too. However, members of the Tauru Sangharsh Samiti said they might open shops in Tauru tomorrow as they had been given an assurance by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Though the administration today too gave a day-long relaxation in curfew imposed after recent riots, traders, barring a few chemists and shopkeepers of essential stores, did not open shops. They reiterated their demand for the arrest of those responsible for plundering and demolishing 28 shops, an inquiry and seizure of illegal arms.

The Tauru Sangharsh Samiti however decided to open the market from tomorrow after the assurance of Hooda that they would get 700 personnel of paramilitary forces and every single house would be searched and illegal arms seized.

The Chief Minister also promised a job for accident victim Danveer's sister at the District Red Cross, Mewat. He had died in an accident when his bike was hit by a dumper. It had triggered tension in Tauru. In all, 15 persons were injured and 28 shops demolished when members of two groups came to blows after the accident.

In the violence that began in the morning and continued for more than four hours, rioting mobs fired at each other and plundered and vandalised shops and vehicles. The violence was reined in only after curfew was imposed and three companies each of the CRPF and the BSF were rushed to the area.

Rohtak, June 14
The Vice Chancellor of Pt Bhagwat Dayal Sharma University of Health Sciences (UHS), Prof SS Sangwan, is likely to put in his papers shortly.

As per sources, the veteran orthopaedist is likely to join politics and contest in the forthcoming Assembly elections, to be held later this year.

Though Dr Sangwan’s native village falls in the Israna Assembly segment, but he would not be able to contest from there as it has been declared a reserved constituency.

In the given circumstances, the eminent medical academician is most likely to contest from the Panipat (rural) Assembly constituency.

On being contacted for comments, Dr Sangwan conceded that he would quit the university before the completion of his term, which is due in December this year.

New Delhi, June 14
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Haryana Government regarding the case in which a woman was forced to give birth outside the delivery hut of Primary Health Centre (PHC), Kulan, in Fatehabad.

The woman and her newborn allegedly spent the night on the road and it was only in the morning the PHC admitted them.

Taking suo motu cognisance of a media report, the NHRC has sent a notice to the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Haryana, directing him to submit a report within four weeks.

It has observed that if the contents of the report are true, it is a serious issue of human rights violation.

The victim’s relatives reportedly rushed her to the PHC around midnight on June 1 after she complained of labour pains. However, they found that the door of the delivery hut of the centre was allegedly bolted from inside. There was no response despite repeated knocks on the door for over an hour. They later discovered that the staff was "sleeping" and there was no doctor.

The victim’s condition deteriorated and she delivered the baby.

The state government, as per its welfare policy aimed at improving its healthcare system, has set up delivery huts in the PHCs to promote clean and safe delivery practices in rural areas. An Auxiliary Nurse Midwife and other staff is required to be present on duty round the clock at these delivery huts.

Yamunanagar, June 14
The Ambala-Saharanpur railway route will remain closed for more than 12 hours on Sunday due to the repair of a bridge in Kalanaur village of Yamunanagar district.

The traffic blockade on this double line section starts at 7.10 am and continues till 7.40 pm. It will affect the schedule of 31 trains on this route during this period. A team of railway engineers will undertake the work of the RCC box launching at bridge number 246 in the Kalanaur yard which was damaged during a flood last year.

The Northern Railway has decided to cancel Jan Shatabdi Express (train number-12063), the Delhi-Ambala passenger train (54505), the Ambala-Delhi passenger train (54506), the Ambala-Saharanpur passenger train (64502) and Jan Shatabdi Express (12064).

Interestingly, the Meerut-Ambala passenger train, Lucknow-Chandigarh Express, Amritsar-Haridwar Jan Shatabdi Express, Saharanpur-Nangaldam passenger train, Sriganganagar-Rishikesh Intercity Express, Nizamudin-Ambala passenger train and Sehershah-Ambala Express have been short terminated.

The New Delhi-Jallandhar train and the Delhi-Ambala Express have also been rescheduled.

Chandigarh, June 14
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda administered the oath of affirmation to Prof Khazan Singh Sangwan as chairman of Haryana Teachers Selection Board here today.

Sangwan was the former Head of Sociology Department at Mahrishi Dayanand University, Rohtak. — TNS

Kaithal, June 14
A woman was killed and two other persons were injured when a group of youths attacked residents of Jeetgarh village of Pundri subdivision in the district this evening. One of the injured was later referred to the PGI, Chandigarh.

Sources said after a marriage function, some youths belonging to the bridegroom side stayed back and went on dancing before a disk jockey.

Some elders asked them to stop the music and leave the place as all other members of marriage party had already left. The boys did not pay any heed to the request and instead called their friends who arrived on motorcycles armed with sticks and firearms.

They attacked who so ever came in their way and one of them fired from a gun. The gunshots hit two persons, including a woman. The woman identified as Sheela Devi (35) succumbed to her injuries and the second victim was referred to the PGI.

A member of the group was caught by the people and handed over to the police. Pundri SHO Angrej Singh rushed to the spot on getting information.

Sirsa, June 14
A Dalit woman was allegedly gang-raped by three persons at her house in Ellenabad town of Sirsa district last night.

In her complaint to the police, the victim, a 35-year-old mother of four children, alleged that when she was sleeping in her house, Surjeet, Mange Lal and Pawan entered her house and raped her one by one after gagging her.

She alleged that she wanted to raise the alarm, but she could not do so as the accused had pressed her mouth with their hands.