Chandigarh, July 1
Fighting with its back to the wall in the wake of its dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress is banking on youth and winnability of candidates in deciding on party tickets for the coming Assembly elections.

This seems to be the consensus at the meeting of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) held here today to chalk out a strategy for the Assembly elections.

Against the backdrop of allegations of skewed development in the state, tickets to the new faces and their chances to win the elections could be best antidote to the anti-incumbency against the Hooda government, sources said.

Even Congress general secretary and in charge of party affairs in Haryana Shakeel Ahmed categorically told the media that a majority of the tickets for the Assembly poll would go to the youth.

State Congress chief Ashok Tanwar said those keen on contesting the elections on the Congress ticket could apply from July 5 to 20. “After receiving the applications from the prospective candidates, the party will assess their credentials and then allot the tickets,” Tanwar said.

Today’s meeting was held against the backdrop of series of meeting addressed by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Tanwar across the state where factionalism, especially by supporters of Hooda detractors Birender Singh and Kumar Selja, came to the fore.

In fact, Birender and Selja were conspicuous by their absence at today’s meeting that was attended by party legislators, MP Deepinder Hooda, HPCC office-bearers and senior party leaders.

Ahmed, however, tried to play down the absence of Birender, who has been vocal against Hooda for the past few months, saying: “Birender rang me up in the morning to convey that he can’t make it to the meeting as he has some work in Delhi.” He claimed that Selja could not attend the meeting as she was abroad.

On senior Congress leaders, especially Birender, going public against Hooda, Ahmed said: “The party is taking note of it... Very soon the issue, if any, will be resolved.” Ruling out any indiscipline in the state Congress, he said: “There can be a difference of opinion within members of a family.” He made it clear there would be no change in the leadership. Hooda would continue to be the Chief Minister till the Assembly elections, Ahmed added. Hooda claimed that there was no factionalism in the state Congress. He, though, said there could be a “difference of opinion”.

On the demand for a separate gurdwara management committee for the state, the Chief Minister said his government would take a decision favourable to the Sikhs of the state.

The Harmohinder Singh Chattha committee, set up about eight years ago, had recommended that a separate gurgwara committee manage the affairs of Sikh shrines in the state. “I have sought legal opinion on the Chattha committee report,” Hooda said, evading a direct reply on whether or not Haryana would announce a separate SGPC.

The Chief Minister said the monsoon session of the Assembly would be held after the presentation of Union Budget on July 10.

* Youth and winnability to be major factors for the allocation of tickets in the Assembly elections

* Prospective candidates can apply for ticket between July 5 and 20

* Shakeel Ahmed and Bhupinder Singh Hooda try to play down differences within the state Congress

* Birender Singh, Kumari Selja and senior ministers skip today's meeting

* Assembly’s monsoon session after July 10

On absence of senior leaders

Birender rang me up to convey that he can’t make it to the meeting as he had some work in Delhi. Selja could not attend the meeting as she is abroad 

On factionalism in state Cong

The party is taking note of it... Very soon, the issue, if any, will be resolved. There can be a difference of opinion within members of a family 

Hisar, July 1
After a dismal debut in the Lok Sabha elections in Haryana, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal is shying away from the Assembly poll in the state.

Kejriwal, who came to his native Siwani town in Bhiwani district today, said the party would focus on Delhi instead of Haryana if the elections were held simultaneously. “But it’s my personal opinion as the final decision would be taken by the party executive committee at an opportune time”, he told mediapersons.

The AAP would strive to come to power in Delhi in the next Assembly poll and prefer the national capital to Haryana. But the party could consider contesting the poll in Haryana if Delhi elections were held separately.

Criticising the hike in oil prices and rail fare by the NDA government, the AAP leader maintained that the people were feeling cheated. “Price rise and corruption are still the major issues but the NDA Government has failed to take any step to tackle these menaces. Instead of hiking the fare, the government should try to curb rampant corruption prevailing in the Railways which would have helped tackle the financial mess there ”.

Chandigarh, July 1
The Haryana BJP today charged HJC chief Kuldeep Bishnoi with working independently ahead of the Assembly elections as if he had broken the alliance with the saffron party. 

BJP Legislature Party leader Anil Vij accused Bishnoi of maintaining a distance from the BJP and not putting up pictures of national leaders in hoardings at political functions. — TNS

Kurukshetra, July 1
INLD leader and Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala today came in support of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (ad hoc) demand for a separate committee for state gurdwaras

Dushyant, who was in Ladwa for his Jan-sampark abhiyan, said: “Haryana Sikhs should have their own committee and INLD supports their demand. The party is ready to go with Sikh leaders to talk to the Punjab Government if they want to resolve the issue with a mutual consent.”

The HSGPC (ad hoc) extended its support to the INLD in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

About the Haryana Government’s move for forming a separate SGPC, Dushyant said: “ The Chief Minister has proved over the last 10 years that he is actually an announcement minister . More than 3,000 announcements have been made over the last five years but only 215 have been completed so far. The Congress is just trying to take political advantage in the name of forming a separate SGPC.” He criticised CM for changing the CLU of 70000 acres of land, high taxes and not paying attention towards the development of the nine Lok Sabha constituencies, except Rohtak.

Taking a dig at HJC (BL) chief Kuldeep Bishnoi, Dushyant said: “Everyone knows that Kuldeep belongs to the Congress and soon his party will get merged into it (Congress). The HJC and the BJP have been misleading Haryana people on the alliance issue over the last one month.” About his priorities, Dushyanta said he would raise the SYL issue in the Lok Sabha and demand Haryana’s share of water .

About an alliance in the coming Assembly elections, he said: “The INLD will contest all 90 Vidhan Sabha seats alone.”

Sirsa, July 1
The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) today slammed the Narendra Modi government for the increase in prices of essential commodities, saying people who voted for it were feeling cheated.

The party said though its MPs were supporting the Modi government, the INLD was opposed to the manner in which the government increased prices of commodities used by the poor. “The people chose the BJP to save the country from the UPA’s anti-people policies, but the manner in which the NDA has broken the back of the poor by hiking prices of commodities, people are feeling cheated,” said Ellenabad MLA Abhay Singh Chautala.

Abhay said people had already tried out the Congress, but it failed to mitigate their woes and were now waiting to bring the INLD to power. — TNS

Chandigarh, July 1
Former Union Minister and veteran politician Venod Sharma will shortly launch a new political party and contest as many seats as possible in the forthcoming Haryana Vidhan Sabha polls.

Breaking his silence after his failed attempts to join either the BJP or to contest the Karnal Parliamentary seat on a Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) ticket, Sharma said his Jan Chetna Party (JCP) had been registered with the Election Commission of India and he was now waiting for the allotment of a party symbol before a formal launch.

Scotching all rumours about the possibility of his return to Congress, Sharma however said his exit from the party had no bearing on his friendship with Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda; the duo befriended each other during their student days.

“We grew up and studied together, but that should not be linked to my political carrier,” said Sharma. He added the Congress had failed to live up to the aspirations of the public and the voters had already rejected the party for all its failures.

An astute politician, Venod Sharma has his option open and has not ruled out the possibility of an alliance with ‘like-minded’ parties, who would fight the issue of ‘regional’ and ‘selective’ development of the state.

He said he was in touch with other politicians ‘disillusioned’ with the policies of the Congress. “Those who believe in the ideology of uniform and equal development of the state would be given tickets in the new party (JCP).”

Elaborating his reasons for quitting the Congress much before the Lok Sabha elections, Sharma who resigned recently as the sitting legislator from Ambala City said, “I took up the issue of discrimination with areas falling under the Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal and Faridabad constituency, but Hooda never paid any heed to my pleas. Finally, I had no option, but to quit.”

Sharma laughed at the suggestion that he had made an attempt to join the BJP so that he could be in power and protect his ‘friends in Congress’ if the BJP tried to probe the wrong doings of Congress leaders, while in power. He said, “Anything that is not in accordance with law is open to scrutiny, how can I protect anyone who has done something wrong?”

He said if the next government feels that the Change in Land Use (CLUs) granted by the Hooda government needs to be probed, he would have no objections as the wrong doers, if any, must be exposed.

Ambala, July 1
Two days after the state drug authorities and Ambala police recovered a cache of synthetic drugs and arrested a person, more drugs were seized from the city today.

According to case investigating officer Mainpal Singh, the interrogation of Jasbir Singh led to Ashok Kumar, a resident of Hari Nagar near the BD Flour Mills in Ambala Cantonment. The team raided his house and recovered thousands of synthetic drugs and arrested him.

Ashok Kumar, not even a matriculate, was supplying drugs procured from Delhi to a number of buyers in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Like Jasbir Singh, he was also booked under Section 22 of the NDPS Act.

A team of district Drug Control Officers took custody of a large number of medicines and sent samples for chemical examination.

Drug Control Officer Sunil Dahiya and Hemant Grover said today’s seizure was another major breakthrough and would enable the authorities to curb the illegal trade. 

Jhajjar, July 1
Taking a serious view of the demands being raised by Haryana Prant Adhayapak Sangh (aided schools), Congress general secretary and in charge of party affairs in Haryana, Shakeel Ahmed, shot off a letter to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for taking necessary action on the sangh’s demands.

In his letter, Ahmed said, “The announcement of merging the staff of aided-schools in the government schools made by you (Hooda) in Congress’s Gohana rally is yet to be implemented. Hence an action must be taken at the earliest while considering the demands sympathetically.”

Rambhaj Singh, president of the Adhayapak Sangh, said a delegation of the sangh had called upon Shakeel Ahmed in Delhi and urged him to get the announcement of the Gohana rally implemented at the earliest as he was also present on the occasion.

“After hearing our demands, Ahmed not only wrote a letter to the CM, but also assured us of getting the announcement pertaining to merger of staffers of non-aided schools in government cadre executed soon,” said the president.

He added that the sangh delegates had been staging a dharna at Jantar Mantar in Delhi for the last two weeks to build pressure on the government to take a decision.

Around 2,200 teaching and non-teaching employees have been working on sanctioned/aided posts in 204 privately managed government aided schools across the state.

“The process of merger of the staff working on sanctioned/aided posts in privately managed schools was initiated over three years ago when the Haryana Secondary Education Department had sought details of such staff members from their school managements,” said Rambhaj.

Hisar, July 1
Individuals from various social organisations took out a procession denouncing caste polarisation in society “by certain political vested interests” and demanded redressal of grievances of the Bhagana Dalit families agitating for long at Hisar.

Activists under the banner of Samajik Nyaya Manch (SNM) submitted a memorandum of demands to the Additional Deputy Commissioner here today. Urging the people to be wary of casteist forces “creating fissures in society to serve their political interests”, the manch demanded shifting of liquor vends from residential areas and curbs on illegal liquor sale. The ADC promised to look into the delegation’s grievances.

Addressing protesters, CPM state secretary Inderjit Singh condemned the politics of caste polarisation and urged the people to unite for their rights.

Inderjit called upon the administration to take steps to rein in self-styled animal lovers. He said it was shocking a Dalit was lynched in Kalwas village for allegedly hunting a large lizard in May. Farmers were battling the menace of stray cattle, he said while participating in the march. 

Jind, July 1
The Haryana Health Department is reeling under a severe staff crunch despite offering more salary and better facilities. In seven districts, there is only 33 per cent of required strength.

State National Health Mission (NHM) director Dr Ravikant Gupta, who was in town with his team to asses facilities at various hospitals in the district under the second round of RAPID (Regular Appraisal of Programme Implementation in District) Assessment, said doctors only wanted to serve in big cities.

“There is only 33 per cent staff in the seven districts of Mewat, Bhiwani, Hisar, Palwal, Panipat, Mahindergarh and Jind. Our efforts to recruit doctors have failed, as they don’t want to serve in small towns and villages,” said Dr Gupta.

He said recruitment of specialists was conducted in neighbouring Punjab, but Haryana had no provision for it, and this was affecting health services in all districts.

About lack of facilities in various hospitals, NHM director, finance, Dr Sanjeev Goyal said they had ample funds, but were grappling unutilised funds. He said around Rs 50 crore was unspent last year and had to be returned.

“We cannot spend NHM funds, as per the requirements of the state, but as per directions of NHM policies formed at the national level,” said Dr Gupta.

He said the Haryana Health Services had been facing problems due to acute shortage of doctors and other paramedical staff. He said paramedical staff would be recruited at the earliest.

Jind, July 1
The allegation that many government officers are blind to the plight of poor patients appeared to be true, at least today, when Jind officiating civil surgeon submitted a false report, claiming to have good facilities and services at the District Hospital and community health centres in the district. The director, National Health Mission (NHM), Haryana and others accepted the same and repeated the same claim of “good” service.

A meeting to assess health facilities in various hospitals of the district under the second round of Regular Appraisal of Programme Implementation in District (RAPID), assessment of all health facilities was conducted in the district. The meeting was chaired by Dr Ravikant Gupta, Director, NHM, Haryana, Dr Sanjeev Goyal, Director Finance and Accounts, NHM, Haryana, Rajiv Rattan, Deputy Commissioner, Jind, Dr Manjula, officiating Civil Surgeon, Jind, state health officers, external monitors, district officers from line departments and district health officers.

Interestingly, the Civil Hospital of Jind does not have even basic amenities. Its ultrasound machine room has been locked due to lack of staff, patients with minor problems are being referred to the PGI Rohtak due to lack of basic facilities in emergency, dirty water in hospital provides good breeding ground to mosquitoes, non-functional water cooler, lack of proper electricity, shortage of staff including doctors and stinking toilets make standing tough in a big part of the hospital are common problems being faced by patients and attendants.

NHM director Haryana said he had reviewed the report submitted by the teams and said, “We have to provide facilities for women. The facilities and services at the District Hospital, community health centers are good. Labour rooms at health facilities are providing the required facilities.

“My husband has been lying unattended for the last two hours as there is no one to provide first aid. Doctors say they do not have facilities and are referring my husband to Rohtak. I do not have money,” said Sheela Kumari. Her husband Chote Lal was lying unconscious on the stretcher for the last two hours. There were many other patients shuttling between rooms when the director and other officers were making tall claims of “good” facilities in hospitals.

When pressed he and his team were making false claims, the director admitted there were some problems and they were trying to solve them. 

Faridabad, July 1
The fate of the MBBS course at the first medical college set up by the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) in the state hangs fire due to delay in permission from the Medical Council of India (MCI).

The ESIC Medical College had announced the beginning of classes from August. Uncertainty crept in after the MCI team inspected the medical college and hospital, located on NH-3, in the last week of May.

The team’s report said the institute lacked the requisite infrastructure. The report was then submitted to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. However, Dr Asim Das, Dean of the ESIC Medical College, said his office had sought a review of the inspection report. Das was hopeful of a positive response as the department was ready to comply with all statutory requirements to get the MCI approval soon.

When Dr SK Saksena, State Medical Commissioner of the ESIC, was contacted, he claimed the MCI’s final report was still to be revealed and added that all efforts were on to put in place the norms required.

The ESIC is reported to have spent Rs 5.30 crore on the building of the college, located in the neighbourhood of the BK Civil Hospital. The ESIC, which is already running a 200-bed hospital here, had been asked to upgrade to 300 beds, besides providing more staff.

The medical college had been sanctioned with an intake of 100 students in the first year of the MBBS course. While the proposal to set up the college was first mooted in 2008-09, the construction of the building was taken up 2010. The ESIC had also carried out recruitment of doctors and teaching staff recently.

Karnal, July 1
Guru Brahmanand Government Polytechnic, Nilokheri, today started two six-month vocational training courses for district jail inmates.

“The courses have been started through polytechnics in all jails of Haryana,” said SK Goel, Principal of Guru Brahmanand Government Polytechnic.

Goel said in the first phase of the project, a course in electronics for men and garments for women had been launched. Each batch would have 30 inmates.

The principal said the polytechnic would start two more courses in motor-binding and computer in the second phase. The staff and equipment would be provided by them in the jail. Surinder Dalal, Jail Superintendent, said about 447 inmates had shown their interest in these courses. Meanwhile, the jail administration has added another facility to make disposable plates and bowls with the help of BK Gupta, an industrialist of Panipat. — TNS

Hisar, July 1
Around 1,330 youths got jobs in a fair organised by Divisional Employment Officer Ashok Kumar Yadav at Panchayat Bhawan here last evening.

Deputy Commissioner ML Kaushik inaugurated the job fair attended by about 4,000 youths.

Yadav said four companies selected 1,330 youths, who had come from various parts of the state to attend this job fair.

Ambala, July 1
Despite spending crores for the upgradation of power distribution and transmission, the aggregate transmission and commercial (AT&C) losses of the state distribution companies have hit a new high during the current financial year.

Officials records point out that though the state government has taken fresh loans amounting to Rs 8069 crore to strengthen the transmission and distribution network during the last one year, the overall distribution losses of two power distribution companies — the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) and the Dakshin of Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN)— have increased from 28.75 per cent to 29.46 per cent in one year.

Highly placed sources in the power corporation said the distribution companies had been unable to rein in power theft, the main cause for the losses.

The UHBVN distribution losses in 2012-13 have increased to 33.41per cent from 32.47 per cent . Similarly, the DHBVN losses have increased from 24.09 per cent to 25.08 per cent during the corresponding period. The sources said there were numerous feeders where distribution losses exceeded 50 per cent and in some cases the losses even touched 70 per cent.

Besides, the non-realisation of money from defaulters is also having an adverse effect on the financial health of the Haryana power corporation. In the case of the DHBVN, the defaulting amount has increased from Rs 2,988.01 crore to Rs 3,411.93 crore in one year. The defaulting amount in the case of the UHBVN has increased from Rs 1,564.17 crore to Rs 1,568.80 crore 

Chandigarh, July 1
The state government has given two more years to the parents to get the names of their children entered into the birth records. This one time relaxation would be applicable till December 31, 2015, only in the birth cases registered 15 years ago.

Chief Registrar Birth and Death, DP Lochan, said here today that the registration of birth within 21 days was mandatory. However, the name of a child could be entered in the birth record, free of cost, within one year after the birth. After one year, but within a period of 15 years, the name could be got entered on payment of a late fee. He said now the state government had given two more years to get the name of the children entered into the blank columns of birth records in those birth cases which had been registered 15 years ago. The process of registration of name has also been simplified. — TNS

Chandigarh, July 1
In view of the forecast of weak monsoon this year, the state government has prepared a comprehensive contingency crop plan for Kharif-2014 and has sought financial assistance as well as bonus on paddy and other kharif crops from the Central Government.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said here today that the plan had been formulated in consultation with CCS Haryana Agriculture University, Hisar. He said the government had urged the Central Government that an additional allocation of ~160.96 crore, including ~50.61 crore for seed distribution plus ~100 crore for UGPL plus Rs 10 crore for gypsum, should be made under the RKVY during the current financial year. A special allocation of ~100 crore should also be made for providing compensation to the farmers to meet the expenditure to be incurred on deepening of tubewells due to a declining water table. However, Hooda said that the Central Government should immediately announce bonus of at least ~300 per quintal on the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy and ~100 per quintal on the MSP of other kharif crops .

He said that under the contingency crop plan, farmers have been advised to grow short-duration varieties of bajra, moong and urd. Barley and gram seeds were proposed to be supplied on a 50 per cent subsidy. A sum of ~50.61 crore would be required for this plan. Hooda said field functionaries of the Agriculture Department would advise farmers on different varieties of crops to be sown and precautions to be taken to save them. — TNS

Yamunanagar, July 1
Cracks have developed in three bays of the 18-bay Hathnikund barrage built on the Yamunar river near Tajewala in Yamunanagar district. The cracks may widen in the rainy season posing a threat to the barrage.

According to information, the cracks have developed in bay number 4,6 and 13. The rainy season is round the corner and the Irrigation Department is yet repair it. Sources said senior officials of the department were going to Maharashtra for meeting with its engineers to get it repaired.

The barrage was constructed between 2009 and 2014 to regulate the water of the Yamuna on the border of Haryana, Himachal and Uttar Pradesh.

Fatehabad, July 1
The Fatehabad authorities have banned the use of barbed and bladed wires for the fencing of fields in eight villages of the district in view of injuries to black bucks and other wildlife animals that get entangled in the wires.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dusmant Kumar Bahera has promulgated the prohibitory order under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), banning the use of barbed and bladed wires for fencing of fields in Badopal, Dhangar, Mohammedpur Rohi, Khajuri Jati, Gorakhpur, Kajal Heri, Chindar and Bighar villages.

These villages have a sizeable population of black bucks, neelgais and several other species of wildlife animals.

Those found violating the prohibitory orders would be proceeded against under Section 188 of the IPC and provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the DC said. “The order has been issued because such wires have been resulting in the deaths of wildlife animals,” Bahera said.

Black bucks, neelgais and other animals of wildlife importance run for safety when they are chased by stray dogs. They, however, end up getting entangled in the fence and, in several cases, get injured due to barbed and bladed wires. The male black bucks are more vulnerable to stray dogs as their horns get entangled in the fence.

In September last year, seven black bucks remained trapped for five days in the fence installed by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) on its land acquired for a residential colony in Badopal village. They were mauled by stray dogs.

Paryavaran and Jeev Raksha Samiti, an organisation of animal right activists from the Bishnoi community, and the local branch of Union Minister Maneka Gandhi’s People for Animals (PFA) have been demanding a ban on the use of barbed and bladed wires for fencing of fields for long.

Yamunanagar, July 1
A man was killed and four persons, including two policemen, were injured when a police van collided head on with a motorcycle near Sadhaura today. Two of the injured were referred to the PGI, Chandigarh.

The accident occurred when ASI Surinder Singh and head constable Satish Kumar posted at the Khizrabad police station were on their way to the PGI to get the post-mortem of a woman, identified as Savita, conducted.

She was allegedly set on fire by her in-laws for dowry at Ariyanwala village in the district yesterday. She died later last night. Three persons riding the motorcycle — Pradeep Kumar, his wife Renu and sister-in-law Charno Devi (all from Ganauri village) — and the policemen were injured in the mishap. They were taken to the Community Health Centre, Sadhaura, where Pradeep was declared brought dead. Renu and Charno Devi were referred to the PGI, while the ASI and the head constable were referred to the Trauma Centre here. The Sadhaura police said the investigation was on. — OC

Yamunanagar, July 1
Three more youths were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the attack on a 17-year-old girl.

Tanuja was set on fire by 11 youths in her village, Milak Khas, on Friday night after her family objected to one of them playing loud music. The girl suffered more than 80 per cent burns and is under treatment at PGI, Chandigarh.

Yamunanagar Superintendent of Police Shashanak Anand said 10 of the 11 accused had now been arrested. He identified those arrested today as Rinku, Danny and Rodda, all from Bilaspur town.

The police had booked 11 youths under Sections 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 323 (causing hurt), 452 (trespass), 307 (attempt to murder) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

It had arrested seven accused, including Amardeep, Gulaba, Jasvinder and Monu (all from Milak Khas village) and Sachin alias Kalu, Gaurav and Praveen alias Bunty from Bilaspur town.

Yamunanagar, July 1
A 28-year-old woman was allegedly set on fire by her in-laws for dowry, succumbed to her injuries at the PGI, Chandigarh, last night.

Reshma, told the Khizrabad police that her daughter, Savita, had been set on fire by her in-laws, resident Tibbi Ariyanwala village, yesterday morning. She was referred to the PGI, Chandigarh and died on the same day.

A resident of Burjwala village under Radaur block, Reshma said her daughter had been married to Balinder Singh of Ariyanwala village seven years ago. She said they had three children.

She alleged that Savita’s in-laws had started harassing her for bringing insufficient dowry.

Naveen Saharan, SHO, Khizrabad said her postmortem was conducted at the PGI today.

He said victim’s husband Balvinder Singh, mother-in-law Guddi, father-in-law Bhangi Ram, brother-in-law Rajan and sister-in-law Reena were booked under Sections 302 and 304 of the IPC. The efforts were on to arrest the accused.

In a related development, three more youths were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the attack on the 17-year-old girl in the district’s Milak Khas village.

Tanuja was set on fire by 11 youths in her village on Friday night after her family objected to one of them playing loud music. The girl suffered more than 80 per cent burns and is under treatment at PGI, Chandigarh.

Yamunanagar Superintendent of Police Shashanak Anand said 10 of the 11 accused had now been arrested. He identified those arrested today as Rinku, Danny and Rodda, all from Bilaspur town.

The police had booked 11 youths under Sections 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 323 (causing hurt), 452 (trespass), 307 (attempt to murder) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

It had arrested seven accused, including Amardeep, Gulaba, Jasvinder and Monu (all from Milak Khas village) and Sachin alias Kalu, Gaurav and Praveen alias Bunty from Bilaspur town. 

Faridabad, July 1
The police have registered a case of cheating against the owner of a private company for appropriating around Rs 42 lakh in the name of providing a retail gas outlet and gas connections.

According to the complaint lodged by Kusum Sharma, a resident of Ahirwara, ward number two of Ballabgarh, she had applied for gas dealership in response to an advertisement inserted by the accused based in Delhi, in one of the Hindi dailies back in November 2011 inviting dealership for one ‘Prachi Gas Bottling Private Limited’.

She deposited the required fee and other payments to the tune of several lakh as part of the process. But, despite payment of all the requisite fee, the accused and his company were missing for the past few months.

In the complaint, she claimed that she had deposited an initial amount of Rs 10 lakh including a security deposit of Rs 8 lakh and the booking fee for connections amounting to around Rs 32 lakh within a couple of months of issuing the dealership letter.

The company issued the dealership letter in just a month and asked the complainant to start bookings and remit the amount in the company’s account. It is claimed that while all the money was paid through cheques, the company failed to respond to the queries during the past three months, making her and other residents, who had paid the booking amount of Rs 2,400 per connection, believe that the company owner had cheated them after receiving the money.

As many as 1,342 residents had applied for gas connection by depositing Rs 2,400 per booking. The Economic Offence wing of the police registered a case under section 406 and 420 of the IPC. No arrest has been made so far in this connection. 

Rohtak, July 1
he police has cracked the robbery in a local jewellery showroom in which ornaments worth ~20 lakh were looted recently. The police have arrested three persons, recovered gold ornaments and seized a pistol from their possession. 

The arrested persons have also confessed their involvement in three other looting incidents. — TNS