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iraq
crisis: fate of several punjabis hangs in balance
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They paid $400 each for passports to return home
No ban on ‘kirpan’ at Akal Takht: SGPC
Patna Sahib panel seeks action against Makkar
Akal Takht warns Haryana Sikh leaders
Will make state drug-free in two years, says Badal
Congress accuses ED of going slow in drug case
plea
to increase mbbs seats
PRTC staff bring Faridkot to a halt
Panchayat land under illegal possession
Pbi varsity eyes Central grants
Shifting of Muktsar post office pending for a year
State to have mobile fertiliser labs
17 die at Chandigarh PGI everyday
3 killed in rail mishap
Drug smugglers using school kids to scout for customers
No headway in dera chief’s murder case
Custodial
death
Book on martyr released
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iraq crisis: fate of several punjabis hangs in balance
Amritsar, June 25 Talking to mediapersons during his three-day “thanksgiving tour” of the constituency after winning the Lok Sabha elections, Amarinder said: “While other countries swung into action to evacuate their citizens immediately, the Government of India failed to do anything. People have managed to return home because of their own efforts.” He said the government did not seem to have any strategy to rescue abducted Punjabi youths in Iraq, adding that it was merely giving assurances to the affected families. “They don’t even have the exact number and location of those stranded in Iraq.” He criticised Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for his “failure to rise to the occasion”. “The least the state government could have done was to bear the travel expenses of those stranded in Iraq. Instead what Badal did was to offer to reimburse the expenses incurred on telephone calls by relatives,” he pointed out while terming it as a “cruel joke”. The former Chief Minister came down heavily on the state government for “treating drug addicts as criminals”. He said while the drive against drug addiction was welcome, the government was going soft on real culprits. “While you are jailing and imprisoning addicts who are victims of misfortune, the main culprits — drug peddlers and suppliers — remain untouched,” he said. The war against drugs must reach its logical conclusion and real culprits must be brought to book, he asserted. Amarinder said the Modi government had not lived up to the expectations it had raised among people. He pointed out that the government was just a month old and people had already got the taste of its bitter medicine in the form of rail fare hike, and increase in sugar and gas prices. Addressing a series of public meetings at Attari, Ajnala, Amritsar Central and Amritsar North, Amarinder said the initial decisions of the Modi government only showed lack of sensitivity towards public. He pointed out that the hike in the rail fares was not just exorbitant but unprecedented and unacceptable that will badly hit the common man. Amarinder expressed his gratitude towards the people of the city for enabling him to reach to Parliament against all odds. “I understand how difficult it was for you to confront the government pressure and despite that you ensured that I won by a huge margin of over one lakh votes,” he told a crowd in Amritsar Central constituency. He later inaugurated his MP office on the Court road. Prominent among those present included Rana Gurjeet Singh, Sukh Sarkaria, OP Soni, Dr Raj Kumar, Harpartap Ajnala, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Raja Malwinder Singh and TS Shergill. Effort
missing
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They paid $400 each for passports to return home
Jalandhar, June 25 The youths who returned home are: Jagpreet Singh, Kamaldeep and Kuldip from Jalandhar; Vinod Kumar from Phagwara; Manjit Singh from Tanda; Mandeep Singh from Mukerian; Baldev Singh from Batala; and Balwinder Singh and Gurdaspur. Interacting with The Tribune, they said reputed companies often hired youngsters in India and sold them to smaller companies in Middle-East countries for huge sums of money. They were later forced to do menial jobs as bonded labourers. “I was hired by a German-based company last year after paying Rs 1.50 lakh to a travel agent. The company initially called me for a driving test in New Delhi after offering to send me to Dubai as a driver. After I failed the test, they sent me to Iraq as a welder,” said Jagpreet Singh from Jalandhar. The company sold him to a Baghdad-based company and was forced to do menial jobs in the Najaf area. “These small companies are not bothered about the welfare of their employees and seldom pay wages regularly,” he claimed. Young boys from Punjab are most vulnerable to falling prey to this nexus, he said. “Small companies have no accountability. They do not give us wages or food and prevent us from leaving the company’s premises… Many youths leave India with the hope of a bright future but end up working as bonded labourers in small companies,” said Balwinder. Some of these boys also alleged torture by company staff upon their refusal to work without wages. “They hit me in the head and made me stand in the sun for eight hours when I refused to work without being given wages for three months,” said Vinod Kumar. They arrived in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, but did not have enough money for onward journey. Ranjit Singh, a retired havildar working with a Gujarat-based company, paid for their train journey to Punjab.
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Getting no help, say stranded youths
Fatehgrah Sahib, June 25 She said her husband had informed her that neither Indian nor Iraqi authorities had set up any helpline to assist them in their safe return to India. She said repeated attempts by her husband to contact the Indian embassy staff had yielded no results. She claimed the company for which her husband was working had asked him to pay Rs 3 lakh if he wanted to get back his passport and other documents. Her husband tried to contact local embassy officials to know if arrangements were being made to evacuate Indians from Najaf airport, but to no avail. Surjeet Singh, father of another youth Daljinder Singh, said his son was staying in Basra. Daljinder's company had assured him of providing him with requisite documents and ticket to send him back, he added. He claimed Daljinder had tried to contact the embassy officials over the phone but was unable to get information about the procedure for his safe return.
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Ramoowalia asks PM to send envoys to West Asia
New Delhi, June 25 He said the government should also ask prominent religious leaders to appeal for providing a safe passage to trapped Indians. TNS
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Kin miffed at delay in info
Amritsar, June 25 The family members aired their resentment in the presence of supporters of Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia who had organised an "akhand path" at a gurdwara in Kathunangal yesterday. After the 'bhog' ceremony, Majithia aide Sarchand Singh's speech was cut short by Parminder Singh Lucky from Hoshiarpur who alleged that the government was "not doing enough to bring back their near and dear ones". He said his brother and two brothers-in-law were among those abducted in Iraq. The family members of other youths also voiced their concern over the "delay" in providing any further information about their kin in Iraq. Gurpinder Kaur, sister of Manjinder Singh from Bhoewal village, said they had received mere assurances from the government. "We haven't heard a single word apart from the fact that 'they are safe' from the government in the past one week," she said. The government should make serious efforts to evacuate Indian nationals from Iraq. While the Indian Government was "sitting silent", other countries such as the US, Russia and China were making efforts to bring back their nationals, she said. However, Balkar Singh from Sialka village, whose son Jatinder Singh is stranded in Iraq, said the government was making efforts to bring Punjabi youths back, but it would take some time for it to happen.
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No ban on ‘kirpan’ at Akal Takht: SGPC
Amritsar, June 25 The clarification comes a day after reports in a section of the media that the SGPC had banned 3-ft long kirpans at Akal Takht in view of the clash between the SGPC task force and radical Sikh outfits on June 6. Additional SGPC secretary Diljeet Singh Bedi said any Sikh could visit Akal Takht while wearing a kirpan. He said it was the primary duty of the SGPC to maintain the Akal Takht ‘maryada’. He said nobody would be allowed to unsheath swords and resort to hooliganism at Akal Takht. The SGPC move to ban kirpans had drawn a flak from Sikh organisations, who termed it as “anti-Panthic.” Talking to The Tribune, SGPC member Bibi Kiranjot Kaur said that non-baptised Sikhs should not be allowed to carry a 3ft-long kirpan at Akal Takht but there should be no such ban on baptised Sikhs. Noted Sikh scholar Ashok Singh Bagrian said the move was “devoid” of wisdom. “If we ourselves ban the kirpan at Akal Takht, how then will we stop foreign countries from imposing such a ban on the Sikhs,” he asked. He said the SGPC should rather initiate steps to ensure that the sanctity of the Operation Bluestar anniversary was maintained. He said neither speeches nor sloganeering should be allowed. The All-India Sikh Students Federation (Peermohammed) chief, Karnail Singh Peermohammed, said the SGPC stand was unprincipled. He demanded that SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar should apologise to the Sikh community. “By making such an announcement, the SGPC is itself attacking the religious rights of the Sikhs. Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said the step was “unprincipled, anti-Panthic and anti-tradition”. He said the community was astonished to learn that the SGPC chief had announced a ban on the religious symbol (kirpan) and that too at a religious place (Akal Takht). “Makkar should apologise,” he said.
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Patna Sahib panel seeks action against Makkar
Amritsar, June 25 Committee general secretary Charanjit Singh in a press note said the Takht must act against SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar, who is also a member of the Patna Sahib panel, and members of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) who held a meeting on their own in Patna despite the fact that it had been called off. He claimed the committee meeting, scheduled for June 22, was postponed in view of the orders issued by the Takht. “However, Makkar arrived in Patna and forced his way into the conference hall before holding a meeting with a few members, which was unconstitutional,” he said. He said neither a government observer was present at the meeting nor its proceedings were recorded. He alleged that Makkar had challenged the authority of the Takht by holding such a meeting. One of the reasons behind postponing the meeting was that they apprehended protest against Giani Iqbal Singh, the “dismissed” Jathedar of Takht Shri Patna Sahib, by the sangat on June 22. A case of domestic violence had been registered against him following a complaint by his wife.
FIR against Giani
Iqbal Singh
Takht Shri Patna Sahib Management Committee general secretary Charanjit Singh on Wednesday released a copy of the FIR lodged against Giani Iqbal Singh, the “dismissed” Jathedar of Takht Shri Patna Sahib, at Chowk Thana in Patna on June 18. He has been booked under Sections 498-A (cruelty), 379 (theft), 420 (cheating) and 406 (criminal breach of trust) of the Indian Penal Code on a complaint filed by his wife Baljeet
Kaur.
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Akal Takht warns Haryana Sikh leaders
Amritsar, June 25 The delegation reportedly told the Jathedar that Jagdish Singh and Deedar Singh Nalvi, who were “hand in glove” with the Haryana Government, were “conspiring to constitute a separate gurdwara panel” for the state. The Jathedar said any move to weaken the SGPC, would not be tolerated. He warned those acting at the “behest of the Congress”. He said if the Sikhs in Haryana had any complaint, they should approach him. He said it was time to strengthen the community and cautioned those trying to divide the SGPC. Meanwhile, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar today met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and told him that the Congress Government in Haryana was interfering in Sikh affairs and
“conspiring” to break the SGPC. He also took up the Sehajdhari issue.
Makkar meets Rajnath
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Will make state drug-free in two years, says Badal
Speaking to The Tribune, the Chief Minister said his government had gone all out to break the drug supply chain by taking action against those who were part of the distribution network. Drug addicts had been arrested in large numbers. Drug lords, such as Bhola, Gaba and others, had been arrested. A narcotics bureau and a drug de-addiction and rehabilitation board had been set up. “These institutions will work directly under me. I have picked the best police officers who have been given a free hand to handle the task,” said Badal. He said Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had been asked to tighten vigil at the India-Pakistan border to check smuggling of narcotics from across the border, especially Afghanistan. The Rajasthan Government had been requested to close poppy husk vends. He said a drive had been launched to break the nexus between drug traffickers and the police. “We have suspended or dismissed some policemen. Those suspected to have links with drug peddlers have been arrested,” said Badal. One minister had been told to resign on moral grounds because his son had been summoned by the Enforce Department in connection with the synthetic drug racket. On the Opposition’s allegation that Revenue Minister Bikramjit Singh Majithia had links with drug smugglers, the Chief Minister said: “Let the Opposition provide evidence against Majithia. I will act against him too. To raise an accusing figure at Majithia time and again seems a part of the Opposition propaganda against the state government,” he remarked. Badal said the government had begun to detoxify addicts in jails and hospitals. Medicines were being provided free of cost to such persons. After de-addiction, they would be sent to rehabilitation centres for counselling. The five drug de-addiction centres at Amritsar, Jalandhar, Faridkot, Bathinda and Patiala would be modernised at a cost of Rs 25 crore.The government intended to set up de-addiction centres at all district headquarters. Also, 31 de-addiction centres would be set up in civil hospitals at the subdivisional level. The Chief Minister said that experts at the PGI, Chandigarh, had trained 25 psychiatrists who would help train 196 medical officers in treating the addicts. As of now, 1,130 jail inmates were under treatment and 336 rehabilitation barracks had been set up for them. The private sector was also being involved in the exercise. The PGI and government medical colleges in Punjab would conduct a study, which had been approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research, and prepare a report on various aspects of the drug menace in the state, the Chief Minister added.
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Congress accuses ED of going slow in drug case
Jalandhar, June 25 Khaira said druglord Jagdish Bhola had named both Majithia and Damanvir, but the ED had only summoned Damanvir. He alleged: "I have information that the Punjab Police have provided security cover to ED officials in Jalandhar. It has also come to light that an ED official is having close proximity with a Punjab cadre IPS officer and both of them jointly own a gym in Ludhiana." He claimed the ED had asked businessman Chunni Lal Gaba and Damanvir to join investigations after Bhola named them, but Majithia had not been asked to appear. Khaira said given the pace at which the ED was conducting the investigations, it would take 10 years to complete the probe. Taking on Chief Minister for his statement that there was no proof against Majithia, Khaira said: "Since MLA Sarwan Singh Phillaur did not have a powerful lobby, he was asked to resign after his son Damanvir's name cropped up in the drug racket. On the contrary, Bhola had also named Majithia, but no action was initiated against him."
‘Will launch stir’ Bathinda: The Punjab Congress will soon launch an agitation against issues concerning the state, including property tax, “involvement” of ruling party leaders in drug trade and non-payment of funds under various welfare schemes. State party chief Partap Singh Bajwa addressed party workers at Budhlada and Mansa today as part of his tour of the Bathinda parliamentary constituency. He called upon them to gear up for the Talwandi Sabo bypoll. Bajwa thanked the people for their overwhelming support to Manpreet Singh Badal who had contested on the Congress ticket, but lost by a narrow margin to Akali Dal candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Bajwa said although Harsimrat had managed to retain her seat, it was her “moral defeat” as her victory margin had come down from more than a lakh in the previous election to less than 20,000 this time.
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Poll debacle a collective responsibility, says BJP
Chandigarh, June 25 Contrary to expectations, the BJP leadership did not reshuffle its ministers today even as the Punjab BJP affairs in charge, Shanta Kumar, indicated that the ministers would be replaced within a week. “We are introspecting after which we will take a decision,” Shanta Kumar said. There were reports in a section of the media that the BJP high command had sought the resignation of its four ministers, Madan Mohan Mittal, Anil Joshi, Bhagat Chuni Lal and Surjit Kumar Jiyani. But Shanta claimed no such exercise had been undertaken. Top BJP leaders, led by Shanta Kumar, Sham Jaju and state BJP chief Kamal Sharma, met Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today. Sharing their concerns, they discussed possible corrective steps that could be taken to win back the voters’ confidence in the alliance. Other leaders who were part of the seven-member BJP team were Ajay Jamwal, Balramji Dass Tandon, Ashwani Sharma and Rajinder Bhandari. After the meeting, the alliance partners decided to form a six-member committee to ascertain the reasons for the poll losses and suggest remedial measures within three months. The names of those on the committee would be announced later. “There are no fissures in the alliance. But the election results in Punjab were unexpected. We take collective responsibility for the poll losses,” said Shanta Kumar. His response was guarded. On the Balramji Das Tandon-led fact finding committee, Shanta Kumar said he could not give any details at this juncture but the party had found that the spiralling sand and gravel prices, property tax, delay in VAT refund and the drug menace were the “core factors” for the alliance’s poor showing. “All these issues will be addressed in three months. No one, howsoever mighty, will be spared found involved in the drug trade,” Shanta Kumar said. In the same breath, he virtually gave a clean chit to senior BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia, whose relative was accused of links with the drug peddlers by retired IPS officer Shashi Kant. “None of our leaders have links with the drug trade,” he claimed Kalia said he was the first BJP leader to seek a CBI probe into the drug trade. The top BJP leadership, it is learnt, has started the process to replace its ministers with Manoranjan Kalia, Som Parkash, KD Bhandari and Ashwani Sharma. Som Parkash represents the Dalits in Punjab.
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plea to increase mbbs seats
Chandigarh, June 25 Among the new medical colleges from the region that have been granted a chance to represent their cases on June 26, include ESIC Medical College at Mandi, NC Medical College, Israna, Panipat, Gangaputra Medical College, Kandela Jind, ESIC Medical College, Faridabad, and Haryana Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Ujhana village, Kaithal. The colleges whose case will be heard on June 27, include Government Medical College, Patiala, and Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana. The fate
of 730 MBBS seats will be decided during the hearing. The letter that has been issued by the ministry to the colleges states that in terms of provision contained in 10(A) (4) (1) of the IMC Act 1956, the college has been granted hearing. All colleges that have been granted hearing have been ordered to present the compliance report of the deficiencies which were pointed out by the MCI. Welcoming the move, Dr Arvind Goyal, a gynecologist and an academician, said: "Although the country is in dire need of doctors and any increase in the number of seats will be a boon for the aspirants, we cannot compromise on quality." He said the rejection of proposals for additional seats by the MCI reflected on the poor state of medical education in the country. "Instead of blaming the MCI for so many rejections, the government must review the infrastructure in these colleges and should try to improve it. The government should be very judicious in accepting the proposals rejected by the MCI. Each case should be considered on merit", he said.
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PRTC staff bring Faridkot to a halt
Faridkot, June 25 Accusing the Faridkot police of showing leniency towards the management of the transport company, reportedly owned by Akali leaders, the protesting employees said they had given the police three weeks, but no action had been taken. "Left with no option, we blocked vehicular traffic on the roads leading to the bus stand to build pressure on the police to take action against the culprits," they said. The road blockade in the middle of the town led to huge traffic jams. As over 70 buses of the PRTC from the Faridkot depot remained off the road, it caused Rs 5 lakh loss to the state roadways. Private transporters, on the other hand, made good money. The worst sufferers were the commuters who were seen struggling to get seats in overcrowded private buses. A day after the clash between PRTC employees and private transporters on June 1, the police had booked the main culprits for injuring PRTC employees and damaging buses. The accused were granted bail as they had not committed any "serious" offence as per the FIR. "The police had deliberately booked the accused for minor offences," alleged Simarjit Singh, state secretary, PRTC Employees' Union. "The police had assured us of strict action against the accused, but it did not happen," he alleged. Mohan Lal, ADC Faridkot, who tried to convince the protesting employees, said a joint meeting of the employees, police and the Transport Department officials had been convened. However, the protesting employees said until the police took strict action against the accused and stop private bus operators from plying without permit, they would continue their protest.
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Panchayat land under illegal possession
Ferozepur, June 25 In most of these cases, land has not been handed over to panchayats owing to pressure from political leaders. Notwithstanding the HC verdict, the possession of 106 acres has not been handed over to the gram panchayat of Suddan village (in Makhu) because of political pressure. In Mamdot Hithar village, more than 32 acres of panchayat land is under illegal possession of certain influential persons. The panchayat has complained to the administration against them. More than 100 gram panchayats have reportedly given away possession of panchayat land through auction to their "near and dear ones" at throwaway rates. In one of the villages, 13 acres of land has been auctioned for a paltry Rs 5,642 per acre.
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ghaggar
mishap
Patiala, June 25 While Sandeep Kaur of Jhalur village in Barnala district died on the spot, a number of others sustained serious injuries and are admitted to various hospitals in Punjab and Haryana. VK Sharda, Medical Superintendent, Rajindra Hospital, said at least 40 students were brought to the hospital late last night. All were in the age group of 16-23 years. While 11 of them were in the emergency orthopaedics ward, 28 were admitted to the emergency surgery ward and one in the emergency eye ward. However, only 12 patients were left at the hospital. Three were referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, six were discharged and the remaining left without informing the hospital authorities. Meanwhile, a case has been registered against the driver and conductor of the bus at the Cheeka police station. They have been admitted to a hospital in
Kaithal.
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Pbi varsity eyes Central grants
Patiala, June 25 These include introduction of semester system in all regular undergraduate and postgraduate courses from the new academic session while reserving minimum 25 per cent for internal assessment. Three centralised research labs have also been set up to develop the university into a Centre of Excellence for Research.
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Shifting of Muktsar post office pending for a year
Muktsar, June 25 Officials of Red Cross and Postal Department are blaming each other for the inordinate delay in this exercise. The officials of Red Cross say that the Postal Department was not ready to accept the conditions of the rent agreement decided mutually earlier. However, the Postal Department officials say the Red Cross had hiked the rent
by over 65 per cent. Amid this blame game, the post office is being run from the building belonging to the Municipal Council, which was declared unsafe years ago. The monsoon season is about to begin and seepage in the roof of post office is a problem. During the rain yesterday, water had entered the building. The Deputy Commissioner too had a meeting with the two parties recently but could not bring them to a consensus and gave two months’ time to take the final decision. Bhagat Ram, Postmaster, said, “The rent amount was decided at about Rs 16,000 per month initially but now the Red Cross is demanding a rent of about Rs 27,000 per month. It is totally unfair to hike the rent before we have even shifted to the new building. Our Superintendent from Faridkot office too met the Deputy Commissioner in this regard.” On the other hand, Hardev Kaur, secretary, Red Cross, said, “The Postal Department officials were trying to put their own conditions. We had told them that the rent would be increased 15 per cent after every three years, but they refused. They also refused to spend money on the building’s maintenance. Further, the Postal Department refused to pay the property tax.” “We recently spent about Rs 10 lakh on the
renovation of this building. Before the renovation, the PWD (B&R) officials had assessed the rent to be Rs 16,900 per month for this building, which they have now reassessed to Rs 27,040. There is nothing illegal in it as the rent has been revised only after the assessment by a government department,” added Hardev Kaur. She further said the Postal Department had been given two months’ time to agree to their
conditions or they would give it on rent to someone else.
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State to have mobile fertiliser labs
Chandigarh, June 25 The lab staff would test the quality and give results to farmers on the spot. The state Agriculture Minister Tota Singh has also directed the department officials to collect the samples of fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides in the presence of farmers and dealers. “The results will be given within minutes in the presence of both the parties. This will ensure quality supply to the farmers as well as dealers,” he said. The process of purchasing mobile laboratories has been initiated by the department. Meanwhile, Tota Singh has demanded 100 per cent procurement of maize by the Union Government as it was promoted as an alternative crop to bring farmers out of the vicious wheat-paddy cirlce and to check the depletion and contamination of ground water in the state. He has also urged the Union Government to fix the MSP of maize at Rs 1,815 per quintal. Presiding over a meeting of the Agriculture Department officials, Tota Singh said the area under maize crop had registered two-fold increase by touching two lakh hectares this year against one lakh hectares last year, giving a much needed push to diversification. “Keeping in view the bumper production of maize, the Punjab Government has raised the issue with the Centre to ensure the total procurement of maize on MSP, besides proper procurement operations by the Food Corporation of India,” he said.
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17 die at Chandigarh PGI everyday
Muktsar, June 25 The perusal of the records also revealed that 6,345 patients died every year on an average. It means there were above 10 indoor deaths and seven outdoor emergency deaths everyday. In 2013, as many as 8,843 patients died, including 4,765 availing indoor services and 4,078 availing outdoor emergency services. The indoor mortality rate stands at 6.83 per cent and the outdoor emergency mortality rate is 0.17 per cent. The total mortality rate is 0.43 per cent. In the last 11 years (2002-2012), the hospital witnessed as many as 1,50,67,319 outdoor patients and 6,11,213 outdoor patients. The figures further showed that the hospital on an average witnessed an influx of 3,905 patients daily. This institution caters to patients suffering from chronic diseases and most of them come here after recommendation from other hospitals. “The PGIMER, Chandigarh, is the lone institution having all the advanced technologies in comparison to other government-run hospitals in the nearby area. The doctors are also well qualified and they treat patients with utmost care. The high influx of patients with the passage of time has increased the number of deaths,” said a doctor, who worked at the institution earlier. He added that people sustaining only severe injuries in road mishaps also go to the PGIMER, who have bleak chances of survival.
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Jeep falls into canal; 3 feared drowned
Abohar, June 25 The police in Sangria segment of the district said Ami Lal Godara (27) left his native village Kishanpura with wife Suman (25) and their two-year-old son at 10 am following some dispute with relatives. Their apprehensive relatives chased the jeep, which was driven by Ami Lal, but the latter diverted the vehicle after crossing the inter-state border bridge near Kalwana village near Jandwala Bishnoian village. Some people reportedly saw the speedy jeep fall into the canal. The Hanumangarh district police have sought help of Sirsa police, besides arranging professional divers to carry out search, sources said. Suresh Pal, SHO of Dabwali Sadar police station, said the divers pulled out the jeep, but could not find the victims. He said, prima facie, it did not appear to be an accident, but a deliberate act. Eyewitnesses said Ami Lal did not take the road leading to his destination, but turned the jeep on the pathway along the canal bank that went towards Rajasthan. After travelling on the pathway for a few hundred metres, the jeep fell into the canal. He said the victims' kin, who came from Kishanpura and Darewala, told the police Ami Lal was a rich farmer with over 80 acres of land and a bachelor’s degree in agriculture. He said the family members were surprised how he could take such an extreme step. In another incident, a car overturned while averting collision with stray cattle
on the Sujangarh-Salasar stretch of the mega highway in west Rajasthan resulting in the death
of Rishibh (16) and his sister Aneesha (14).
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3 killed in rail mishap
Ferozepur, June 25 Out of the four persons killed in the accident, three persons, including two women, belonged to this town. The two families had planned to go for a vacation to Darjeeling together. Titu Dhawan, who works in the State Bank of Patiala here, said his brother Pawan Kumar Dhawan (45) and his wife Neelam Dhawan (44) were killed besides their children Nishant (17) and Mouli (13) were injured. From the other family, Bharti Beri (45) was killed and her husband Sanjeev Beri, children Adil Beri (21) and Ashla Beri (17) sustained injuries. Sources said Pawan and Sanjeev were posted at the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) office and were close friends. Naresh Chander Goyal, DRM, said while Pawan was posted as Chief Loco Inspector (CLI), Sanjeev was serving as Chief Power Controller (CPC) in the Railways Department. At DRM office, a condolence meeting was organised to mourn the death of the railway official and other family members. An interim ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh has been announced for the deceased while
Rs 1 lakh will be paid to the injured.
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Drug smugglers using school kids to scout for customers
Gurdaspur, June 25 Police officers clandestinely admit that like Subash (name changed), scores of schoolchildren are addicted to drugs. Subash said that when he was in Class VI, he met two ‘friends’ who took him to the outskirts of the village where two youths were waiting for them. “I was offered heroin which I inhaled. I felt ecstatic. Soon I wanted more of it,” he said. His ‘friends’ started providing him white powder regularly .”One day they asked me to deliver a brown packet containing heroin to a youth in another village. For every supply, they would give me one dose. At times, along with the contraband, they would also give me money. I was asked to scout for new users,” he said, claiming he was not the only one from his school be working as a “courier.” He said at least 24 other children from his village were ‘exploited and abused’ by drug peddlers. But the anti-drug drive, that began last month, changed everything. “The police raided our village. I too was caught but in view of my age, they let me off,” he said. “His condition was critical when he was brought here. He is improving now,” said an official at the de-addiction centre. 2 quintals of poppy husk seized, two held Sangrur: The Dharamgarh police on Wednesday seized 2.10 quintals of poppy husk from two locations. Rajesh Snehi, Station House Officer, Dharamgarh, said the police seized 1.75 quintals of poppy husk kept in an auto on the Jakhepal-Dharamgarh road and arrested Gurpreet Singh alias Bachi and Jaswant Singh alias Pappu, both residents of Haryau village. In another incident, 35 kg of poppy husk was seized from two motorcycle-borne youths on the Jakhepal-Ugrahan road.
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No headway in dera chief’s murder case
Moga, June 25 Police sources said seven persons, including a woman, had been questioned in the past few days. But the police had failed to get any clue from them. Three cellphones were recovered from Paras Mani’s room. One of the phone numbers was in the name of a woman with whom he was in regular touch. “A perusal of the calls made from this number indicates that this number was being exclusively used by Paras Mani to keep in touch with this woman,” said a senior police officer. Preliminary investigations reveal that Paras Mani’s father was a religious guru who lived in Ludhiana. Paras came to Khukhrana village in Moga about five years ago and lived at a village dera. He later set up his own dera over two acres of land. The police are investigating if a rivalry between the two deras had led to the murder. “We hope to catch the killers soon”, the police officer said.
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Custodial
death
Gurdaspur, June 25 Sukhwant Singh Gill, SSP, said the inquiry would be conducted by the the SP (D), Jagjit Singh Saroya. Kulwinder Singh’s family claims that Baldev Singh, who had old animosity with Kulwinder, took him away from his spare parts shop in Bathwala village and planted drugs on him. But the police claims that Kulwinder was arrested at a naka in Gajnipur village. Meanwhile, an inquiry is also being conducted by the Judicial Magistrate into the sequence of events leading to Kulwinder’s suicide.
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Sangrur, June 25 Rakesh Kumar of Sunam works as senior section engineer in the Railways at Ferozepur. His earlier book was released in April. — TNS
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