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TOP STORIES

Mid-term review of SAD-BJP government
Half way through, there is little to celebrate
Chandigarh, September 17
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at a Sangat Darshan programme in Muktsar. After visiting the flood-affected and waterlogged areas of Malwa, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is back in the state capital. In a few weeks, he will turn 88.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at a Sangat Darshan programme in Muktsar. A Tribune file photograph

Ensuring communal harmony has been our main achievement: CM
On the completion of the SAD-BJP government’s 30 months in office, The Tribune talked to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to find out how he viewed the performance of his government. The Chief Minister said he was not happy with the results of the Lok Sabha elections. He said the SAD and its ally, BJP, should sort out contentious issues while sitting across the table without airing their grievances in public.



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Chandigarh


EARLIER STORIES



Economy in tatters, works stalled: Bajwa
Chandigarh, September 17
Commenting on the performance of the SAD-BJP Government, the Pradesh Congress president, Partap Singh Bajwa, said that the fiscal, social and political situation in the state had turned from bad to worse as the alliance between the SAD and the BJP was “unprincipled and unethical”.

SAD-BJP panel moots tax rationalisation
Chandigarh, September 17
A joint coordination committee of the SAD and the BJP today discussed the issues of rationalisation of tax structure in Punjab and its neighbouring states and the simplification of the procedure for tax collection.

Gangrape victim ends life
Abohar, September 17
A gangrape victim, who was allegedly upset over “threats” by her village’s sarpanch and his friend over the past two months, set herself on fire in Hanumangarh this morning. She succumbed to her injuries in the evening.





COMMUNITY

Security around Golden Temple up
Amritsar, September 17
To strengthen security at the Golden Temple in view of the recent threat call, the SGPC has made it mandatory for the pilgrims to produce their identity proof for getting accommodation in its “sarais” (inns). There are five major SGPC “sarais” in the vicinity of the Golden Temple. Though the norm regarding the identity proof was already there, it was not strictly implemented in the past.

SGPC men (in yellow turban) ask devotees to deposit their bags at the luggage counter at the Golden Temple on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Vishal Kumar

SGPC sets up camp in Srinagar
Amritsar, September 17
A five-member medical team sent to the flood-hit Kashmir valley by the SGPC today set up a camp at Badgam to extend aid to the needy. As per a press note issued here today, around 100 patients were examined and medicines distributed to them at the camp on the first day. Additional SGPC secretary Daljit Singh Bedi, who is camping in Srinagar, said they had formed committees of local residents in various colonies to coordinate with them for the distribution of ration among the flood-hit. He said they had kicked off the process to assess the loss of life and property in the area.

Waterlogging: Another farmer commits suicide
Mansa, September 17
Reeling under debt and with no hope of any relief from his waterlogged fields, another farmer, Gurdeep Singh (44), committed suicide by hanging himself at his residence in Musa village on Monday evening. Gurdeep Singh owned 1.5 acres of land and had taken another 2.5 acres on lease for tilling. His cotton crop in three acres and guar crop in one acre were completely destroyed due to waterlogging and heavy rainfall.

Pak agents using cellphones to lure farmers into drug trade
Ferozeur, September 17
Pakistan-based drug peddlers have adopted a new strategy to lure farmers working in fields along the zero line into cross-border drug trade. They throw mobile phones over the barbed wire fencing through which they later try to contact and entice farmers by offering attractive incentives to act as drug couriers.

custodial death
Report ‘refutes’ suicide claim, kin seek probe
Chandigarh, September 17
Four years after the death of her son Inderjit Singh in judicial custody at Ludhiana jail, Amarjit Kaur has finally got the copy of his viscera examination report. A resident of Dugri in Ludhiana, Amarjit Kaur claimed that the report contradicts the police version of the cause of the death.

Amarjeet Kaur with the picture of her son Inderjit Singh.

Another shock for relatives of Adampur youth killed in Doha
Adampur, September 17
Indian Embassy officials in Doha (Qatar) reportedly sent the body of another man to the family of 24-year-old Harjeet Singh today. Harjeet was killed in Doha recently. The victim’s kin found that the body was not of Harpreet, when they opened the coffin to cremate him at his native place Mohalla Sagran. The shocked family members then met Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav.

Nagra-SDM spat: Chandumajra seeks action against MLA
Fatehgarh Sahib, September 17
Prem Singh Chandumajra, SAD MP from Anandpur Sahib, today sought legal action against legislator Kuljeet Singh Nagra for allegedly using abusive language against Pooja Syal, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).


MGNREGA employees protest in favour of their demands, including low wages, in front of the ADC’s office in Sangrur on Wednesday. Tribune photograph

Puja Special Train chugs off
Abohar, Septembe 17
The Railways today resumed the Puja Special Train on the Sriganganagar-Abohar-Jammu route, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday. The move comes after some NGOs submitted memorandums seeking the resumption of the train. Railway Passengers Association (North Zone) secretary Hanuman Dass Goyal , along with other social activists welcomed loco pilot Raja Ram Kumar, assistant pilot Shubhkaran and guard Karnail Singh Panchhi at the railway station here. OC

Yannick case: Wasn't involved in fight, says extradited youth
Jalandhar, September 17
Jaskaran Singh, alias Jassa, who was extradited from Australia in connection with the attack on Burundi national Yannick Nihangaza two years ago, today pleaded innocence before the police by claiming that he was not part of the crime. "After a fight with Yannick in April 2012, my friends called me up and asked me to reach the spot. When I, along with SP Dharam Singh Uppal's son Rommy Uppal and Rantaj, reached the spot, the fight was already over," Jassa said. TNS

COURTS

Cheema’s ‘aide’ gets bail
Chandigarh, September 17
An Additional Sessions Judge, Mohali, today stayed the arrest of Rashmi Negi, an accused along with absconding Inspector General of Police Gautam Cheema, in a case of criminal trespass and molestation of a woman. The court has asked Rashmi to join the investigation in the case. Police sources said they were looking at fresh evidence against Rashmi. Rashmi has complained to the Mohali police that alleged conman Devinder Gill had taken money from her for a plot in his failed Sky Heights project. Rashmi had been absconding for the last several days after the Mohali police named her in the FIR for her alleged involvement in the conspiracy to molest the woman. — TNS

CRIME

SAD leader’s PA, two others booked
Moga, September 17
The Moga police today booked the personal assistant (PA) of an Akali MLA and two others for allegedly uploading and forwarding derogatory remarks against Agriculture Minister Tota Singh during the Lok Sabha poll.

Murder convict flees
Abohar, September 17
A man serving life sentence for murder today escaped from police custody by jumping from the Sriganganagar-Jaipur-Kota super-fast train. Shehzad (32) was convicted for killing former Rajasthan MLA Nathu Ram’s son Bhanwer Lal Sinodia in Kishanganj of Ajmer district about 18 months ago.

Truck crushes youth to death
Kotkapura, September 17
A 17-year-old boy, Avichal Arora (17), who was studying in Class XI at a school in Kotkapura, was crushed to death by a truck on Wednesday morning while he was going for tuition. Angrej Singh, the investigating officer in the case, said the incident was reported around 7 am. A “speeding” truck crushed the school student, who was riding a motorcycle, near the local bus stand in Kotkapura. He was taken to Medical Nursing Home where he was declared brought dead. The truck driver fled from the spot. TNS

Teen killed by lover
Abohar, September 17
The Sriganganagar police claimed to have solved the murder case of 15-year-old Pooja Meghwal, who was working as a domestic help, with the arrest of her alleged lover. Pooja had gone missing on August 21 and her body was recovered the next day from the Gang (Bikaner) Canal near Farsewala village. Initially, the police said she had drowned but the post-mortem report indicated that she had been murdered. Kulwinder Singh (23), a mason and a resident of Sajanwala village, reportedly told the police that his love affair with the girl had lasted only for two weeks. On August 21, he took her to a field. She resisted his attempt to sexually exploit her and insisted on marriage but Kulwinder refused. He then strangulated her, assaulted her with a sharp-edged weapon and poured acid over her face before throwing her body in the canal. OC



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TOP STORIES
 

Mid-term review of SAD-BJP government
Half way through, there is little to celebrate
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 17
After visiting the flood-affected and waterlogged areas of Malwa, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is back in the state capital. In a few weeks, he will turn 88. His unflagging zeal for work even at this age remains an enigma.

His critics say despite the Chief Minister spending so much time in administering the state, the outcome is rather far from satisfactory. They say Punjab, once a leading state, has gone down several notches.

The Badal-led SAD-BJP government is half way through its term. Yet the excitement is missing. The SAD-BJP government has faced no threat so far. But the government, that had a smooth ride during its previous five-year term, has faced several hiccups this term.

Promises not met

On the eve of the Assembly elections, the SAD-BJP alliance had come up with a bagful of promises. However, because of the government’s poor fiscal health, it has been unable to meet all promises. Ten lakh jobs were to be given to the youth, laptops were to be given to students, the state was to be put in the Wi-FI mode, Mohali, Ludhiana and Amritsar were to developed as IT hubs, the jobless were to be given unemployment allowance, small agro units were to be set up in small towns, jobs were to be given to international players, a performance audit was to be introduced to prevent the police from being politicised, free gas connections were to be given to BPL families, pension for the elderly was to raised from Rs 250 to Rs 600 per month and much more. Not even half of these promises have been met.

The Ludhiana Metro was to be made operational in three years. But the project is in a limbo. However, the government has succeeded in making the state self-sufficient in power and in improving the road network, especially in the Malwa belt.

The Badal government faced sustained attacks at the hands of the Opposition on the issue of drugs and lately the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC). Stoutly opposing the HSGMC, the Chief Minister approached the Modi government for help.

During the past two-and-a-half years, four Akali ministers, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Tota Singh, Gulzar Singh Ranike and Sarwan Singh Phillaur, had to resign because of various reasons. One of them had to quit after names of his close relatives figured during investigations related to a drug case. Two others had to quit after their conviction in separate cases.

Tota Singh and Gulzar Singh Ranike, have been re-inducted into the Cabinet.

Some hiccups

The BJP, which played second fiddle to the Akalis during the alliance’s first term in office, has now become more assertive.

In fact, it is now dictating terms on certain issues such as property tax, regularising illegal colonies, VAT and sale of sand and gravel. Of late, BJP ministers have begun to speak their mind on important issues such as fiscal package and property tax.

The BJP ministers became more assertive after the formation of the Modi government at the Centre in May this year. At one stage, there was talk of BJP ministers being changed. However, following changes in the party’s organisational set-up at the national level, the issue has been put on the backburner.

It is believed that unhappy with Badal’s decision to support the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in Haryana, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley refused to grant fiscal help to the state government.

Off the record, BJP leaders point out that the SAD can’t be a BJP ally at the Centre and in Punjab, but a rival in Haryana.

Election shocker

The outcome of the Lok Sabha elections shocked the SAD. It won only four of the 10 seats that it contested. A new entrant, AAP, defeated the Akalis in its stronghold of Malwa. The emergence of AAP in Punjab is being attributed to the people’s anger against the SAD-BJP government. The ruling alliance performed poorly in the urban constituencies of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala.

In the Assembly byelections, the SAD-BJP alliance lost the Patiala seat but won the Talwandi Sabo seat. The SAD has been trying hard to expand its base in cities, a move that has disturbed the BJP. A cold war is on between the two on the issue. By appointing Hindu leaders as heads of newly created district units in urban areas, SAD president and Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal has made his intentions clear that he wants to make the SAD all-inclusive and self-reliant. While doing so, Sukhbir has compromised on the Panthic character of the party, which could annoy some sections.

Passing on the baton

The question as to when Sukhbir will be made Chief Minister continues to be discussed and debated in political circles. Sukhbir was expected to be sworn in as Chief Minister at the beginning of the term. He was seen as the main architect of the SAD’s historic victory for the second time in a row. However, his father opted to be in the saddle once again. No one knows when the Chief Minister will hand over the reins of the state to his son. Nobody, not even those in his inner circle, can tell.

About promises

  • Adarsh Schools were to be set up in all blocks for poor students.
    * Such schools have been set up only in a few blocks.
  • A knowledge -cum-quality control commission was to be set up for private vocational and other professional colleges.
    * No such institution has been set up.
  • The govt had promised a separate budget for women in each department so that they got an equal share in development.
    * But no such provision has been made.
  • Free laptops fitted with data card were to be given to plus 2 students.
    * However, nothing has been done in this connection yet.

  • n Mohali, Ludhiana and Amritsar were to be developed as IT hubs.
    * There is no visible effort to make Ludhiana and Amritsar IT hubs.

  • Fiscal help was to be given to distressed farmers’ kin.
    * Except in a few districts, no help has been given.

  • An Agro SEZ was to be created near Attari.
    * However, it has not been done so far.
  • Ghaggar was to be tamed through special flood-control measures.
    * No such exercise done.

  • All municipal towns were to be provided water supply, sewerage & streetlights, covering the entire population.
    * Not much has been done in this regard so far.

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Ensuring communal harmony has been our main achievement: CM
Sarbjit Dhaliwal

On the completion of the SAD-BJP government’s 30 months in office, The Tribune talked to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to find out how he viewed the performance of his government. The Chief Minister said he was not happy with the results of the Lok Sabha elections. He said the SAD and its ally, BJP, should sort out contentious issues while sitting across the table without airing their grievances in public. Returning to his party’s agenda of greater autonomy, Badal said that limited powers and the dependence of states on the Centre even for minor projects impeded their growth. He blamed the UPA government’s “non-cooperation” for the state’s slow growth. He chose not to reveal his mind on elevating Sukhbir Singh Badal to the office of Chief Minister. Some excerpts from the interview...

What has been your most significant achievement in the past 30 months?

My government was able to ensure peace and communal harmony. Whereas other states saw communal clashes and caste war, our government was able to keepsuch problems at bay. There were crimes, but these were minor in nature.

You approached the Centre for a fiscal package, drought relief, loan waiver and greater share in central funds, but to no avail. There is an impression that the Centre is cold-shouldering these issues raised by your government.

This impression is wrong. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has referred the fiscal issues to the Finance Commission. The reimbursement of expenditure of about Rs 2,600 crore incurred during militancy in the state has been referred to the Ministry of Home Affairs. Jaitley has not rejected any of the fiscal demands. His letter to the state government must be considered in totality. It appears that the Centre is under fiscal stress greater than ours and is not in a position to help the state in a big way. But it has sanctioned some projects, such as the IIM. Money has been given to expand and improve the road network. A sum of Rs 980 crore has been given to the state for drainage works.

What about the fiscal problems faced by the state?

The biggest hurdle in the state’s development is absence of fiscal autonomy. States are completely dependent on the Centre. They do not get adequate funds and are unable to do much on their own because of limited resources. Now the Planning Commission has been disbanded. I have been saying for long that the states should have the autonomy to spend funds without any riders by the Planning Commission or any other agency. Greater autonomy will help the states speed development.

It appears that a cold war is on between the SAD and the BJP on various issues such as property tax, VAT and urban development.

My party has stood with the BJP in good times as well as bad times. I have been supporting the BJP unconditionally. In Punjab, all policy-decisions are taken jointly by Akali and BJP ministers. I believe that even if there are irritants, these should be sorted out by the alliance partners through dialogue. No purpose is served by going to the media.

Your party failed to do well in the Lok Sabha elections. Why?

I concede that our party did not do as well as we had thought in the Lok Sabha elections. We lost in important constituencies such as Sangrur. The rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) harmed us. There could have been some shortcomings too. We have learnt our lesson and are on course correction.

Your party made several election promises. While students were promised laptops, the unemployed youth were promised dole. You said that old age pension would be doubled, 10 lakh jobs created and farmers with less than 5 acres of land given tube well connections in a year. But nothing significant has been done so far.

We are focusing on ways to curtail unemployment. Three skill development centres have been set up in three medical colleges to impart training to the youth as lab technicians and radiographers. The industry has been asked to provide information on the kind of skilled workforce required by them.

It appears your government’s drive against drugs has died out.

Not at all. We will not rest till the drug menace is eliminated. The menace has been checked. I have visited almost all de-addiction centres and these are working well. All district headquarters will have at least one de-addiction centre each.

Are you satisfied with the performance of Sukhbir Singh Badal as Deputy CM and SAD president? When will he be given a bigger task (made CM)?

Sukhbir is doing a fine job as Deputy CM. It is the party that will decide when he should be given a bigger task.

What have been your achievements so far?

We have made the state self-sufficient in power. Because of the coal problem, we are now focusing on non-conventional energy sources. In the agriculture sector, we have set up institutes such as the Borlaug Research Institute, Maize Research Institute and Centre for Excellence in Horticulture with help from Israel and Holland’s Potato Research Institute. The maize yield in the state has gone up to 40 quintals per acre. Diversification has begun in right earnest with area under basmati going up significantly. For small farmers, agro centres have been set up where farm equipment can be taken on rent.

We have done a lot in our war against cancer. Homi Bhabha Cancer Research Institute is coming up in Mullanpur near Chandigarh. All government medical colleges have been provided adequate equipment and facilities to battle cancer. We have begun cashless treatment of poor cancer patients who are being provided drugs free of cost. The infant mortality rate has come down. Special schools have been set up for meritorious students. Almost all top institutes, such as the IIT, IIM and Indian Science and Research Institute, have opted to set up base in Punjab. We are doing well in all sectors, be it industry, infrastructure or social welfare.

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Economy in tatters, works stalled: Bajwa
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 17
Commenting on the performance of the SAD-BJP Government, the Pradesh Congress president, Partap Singh Bajwa, said that the fiscal, social and political situation in the state had turned from bad to worse as the alliance between the SAD and the BJP was “unprincipled and unethical”.

Elaborating, he said whereas the SAD was aligned with the BJP in Punjab and at the Centre, it was opposing the BJP in Haryana. With the BJP government at the Centre refusing Punjab a fiscal package on the pattern of hill states, the Badal government had moved the court. Bajwa alleged that after Arun Jaitley’s defeat in Amritsar, the Modi government had forsaken Punjab. He claimed that the urban versus rural game being played between the SAD and the BJP would eventually hit the state hard. Calling it an “opportunistic” alliance, Bajwa said there was no word on the plight of Sikh farmers in Gujarat.

“The state government has lost control over its official machinery. Officials are busy transacting property deals instead of serving the people,” the PPCC chief said.

Despite a lot of talk at industrial and agriculture summits, the state was struggling in both sectors. In recent years, 18,770 factories had been shut and only 125 had been set up. Punjab was among the slowest growing states in the country. Its annual development plan was about Rs 15,000 crore last year whereas in the neighbouring Haryana, it was Rs 28,000 crore.

He said the state’s economy was in tatters because of which development had come to a halt.

The UPA government, he said, had given Rs 800 crore to the state for tackling the problem of waterlogging. But the Badal government had done little to eradicate the problem in the Muktsar belt.

Students were to be given laptops and tablets, but nothing had been heard in this regard so far.

The jobless too were promised unemployment allowance but had got nothing. The government had yet to honour its promise to double the pension amount. Also, the government was finding it difficult to pay salaries to its employees in time. The alliance had vowed to fight the drug menace. But sadly names of certain influential persons had cropped up during investigation into the drug racket. “In short, the SAD-BJP government has failed to deliver on all fronts,” alleged Bajwa.

The Congress leader said that farmers were in a debt trap and were committing suicide. The state government had failed to come out with a policy for these farmers. Students were facing a bleak future as the state government had failed to generate employment opportunities for them.

Congress charges

  • PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa (in pic) says the govt is unable to control its officials; some of them are busy transacting property deals
  • Despite a lot of talk at industrial and agriculture summits, the state is among the slowest growing states
  • The govt has done little to eradicate the problem of waterlogging, especially in the Muktsar belt
  • Students have not got laptops and the jobless are waiting for unemployment allowance
  • The govt has yet to double the pension amount; there is no word on Sikh farmers in Gujarat

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Different voices

The govt is doing well. But there are some deficiencies that need to be removed. I have been giving suggestions to the government from time to time. The government needs to improve its image. I am sure that the alliance is doing everything possible to provide a clean administration to the people of the state.

Shanta Kumar, BJP leader

The people have lost hope of a better tomorrow. Haryana, which used to be Punjab’s poor cousin, has marched ahead in all fields. There is no access to good education. Foreign dignitaries prefer Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Bengaluru to cities in Punjab. People are migrating in droves to foreign lands as they see a bleak future in their home-state.

— Manpreet Badal, PPP leader

The people are suffering. Sand is being sold on the black market. Sand mines have become gold mines for certain persons who are backed by powerful persons. The law and order situation is pathetic. The police have become a tool in the hands of politicians. Almost everyday, there are reports of suicide by farmers or students. Businessmen are shifting to other states

— SS Chhotepur, AAP convener

All sections of society are unhappy with the SAD-BJP government. No effort has been made to create jobs. There is no relief for the common man. Government employees are resorting to agitations. Poor students are not getting scholarships in time and educational institutions are charging exorbitant fee. Seats reserved for SC students in MBBS have been taken away from them.

Avtar Singh Karimpuri, BSP chief

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SAD-BJP panel moots tax rationalisation
Ruchika M Khanna
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 17
A joint coordination committee of the SAD and the BJP today discussed the issues of rationalisation of tax structure in Punjab and its neighbouring states and the simplification of the procedure for tax collection.

Committee members Balwinder Singh Bhunder and Ranjit Singh Brahmpura (from the SAD) and Ashwani Sharma, Narottam Dev Ratti and Rajinder Bhandari (from the BJP) held meetings with industrialists and officials of the taxation department to work out solution to various problems being faced by the industry. The issues of slow release of VAT refunds to traders and reduction in VAT on yarn (from the existing 6.05 per cent) were also discussed in the meeting.

Narottam Dev Ratti, who is also a trader leader, is learnt to have suggested that a special cell be created to monitor tax structure in neighbouring states. "If there is a uniformity in the tax structure in the region, our industry and trade will not move out," he said.

Traders are reportedly unhappy with the government over the slow release of VAT refunds. "In times of recession, industrialists and traders are feeling the pinch and the slow release of refunds deprives them of the working capital for their business operations. We have asked the taxation department to sort out the issue as soon as possible," Rajinder Bhandari told The Tribune.

VAT refunds worth around Rs 300 crore are reportedly pending with the Excise and Taxation Department. Officials said though the average time taken to release refunds was between one to three months, it was faster than the last year.

"We released Rs 300 crore as refunds between January and June, 2013. During the same period this year, we released refunds for around Rs 475 crore. This became possible following the creation of a refund fund. We are in the process of improving the system to ensure faster refunds," said a senior tax official. On an average, the government received refund claims for around Rs 125 crore, he added.

Member of Parliament Balwinder Singh Bhunder said the next meeting of the joint committee would be held on September 26, when the rate of taxation for some industries would be finalised. The committee also suggested to promote agro-based industry in the state.

Other issues discussed

  • Speeding up the release of VAT refunds to traders
  • Reduction in VAT on yarn
  • Promoting agro-based industry in the state

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Gangrape victim ends life
Village sarpanch, his friend under scanner for abetment to suicide
Our Correspondent

Abohar, September 17
A gangrape victim, who was allegedly upset over “threats” by her village’s sarpanch and his friend over the past two months, set herself on fire in Hanumangarh this morning. She succumbed to her injuries in the evening.

The police said the 18-year-old girl poured kerosene on herself and set herself afire at Surewala village in Tibbi segment of Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh district. As no one else was present in her house, neighbours rushed after hearing her cries. She was shifted to the Civil Hospital in Hanumangarh. Observing that she had suffered about 80 per cent burns, doctors there referred her to a Bikaner hospital. Station House Officer (SHO) Dinesh Kumar, who escorted the ambulance, informed in the evening that the girl had died.

Deputy Superintendent of Police RD Swami said he had investigated the complaint lodged by her father on May 26. The family had alleged that four persons had kidnapped her on May 8, raped her in a vehicle and held her hostage in Sriganganagar.

She was rescued with the help of some villagers later. Two accused were arrested, a challan was submitted in the court in August. However, in the investigation, sarpanch Joginder Singh and his friend Shingara Singh were not found guilty and hence exonerated.

The girl’s family has alleged that Joginder and Shingara had been threatening to “teach a lesson” to the victim and her father for the past two months for “implicating” them. The police have now initiated proceedings under Section 306 of the IPC against the accused for abetment to suicide. 

The incident

  • The 18-year-old girl set herself afire at Surewala village in Hanumangarh district. She later succumbed to her injuries
  • She was allegedly raped by four persons on May 8
  • Two of them were arrested while sarpanch Joginder Singh and his friend Shingara Singh were exonerated
  • The girl’s family has alleged that the duo had been threatening the girl and her father to implicate them

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COMMUNITY
 

Security around Golden Temple up
ID proof mandatory for stay at SGPC inns; guards frisk visitors at shrine’s entrance
Perneet Singh
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 17
To strengthen security at the Golden Temple in view of the recent threat call, the SGPC has made it mandatory for the pilgrims to produce their identity proof for getting accommodation in its “sarais” (inns). There are five major SGPC “sarais” in the vicinity of the Golden Temple. Though the norm regarding the identity proof was already there, it was not strictly implemented in the past.

The SGPC has already banned handbags on the Golden Temple complex. The guards deployed at the gates ask pilgrims to deposit such bags in the baggage room. The guards also keep a close eye on suspicious elements. They can be seen frisking people at the gates.

SGPC secretary Manjeet Singh said the police were also trying to trace the phone number from which a threat call was made to the SGPC. He said they had asked their task force members to strengthen vigil in and around the Golden Temple complex. The team deployed in the CCTV control room had also been asked to remain extra cautious, he added.

He said the staff at the SGPC “sarais” had been directed to provide rooms only to those pilgrims who produced their identity proofs. The effort was to take all possible measures to ensure safety and security of the pilgrims visiting the holy shrine, he added.

Darbar Sahib manager Partap Singh said they were taking no chances. Even the baggage was checked in case of any suspicion, he said.

According to sources, policemen in civvies have also been deployed around the shrine. A close vigil is also being maintained in the vicinity of SGPC inns.

Police Commissioner Jatinder Singh Aulakh said they were trying to trace the number from which the SGPC received the threat call. He ruled out the involvement of any terror outfit in the incident and said the security had been beefed up around the shrine.

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SGPC sets up camp in Srinagar
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 17
A five-member medical team sent to the flood-hit Kashmir valley by the SGPC today set up a camp at Badgam to extend aid to the needy. As per a press note issued here today, around 100 patients were examined and medicines distributed to them at the camp on the first day. Additional SGPC secretary Daljit Singh Bedi, who is camping in Srinagar, said they had formed committees of local residents in various colonies to coordinate with them for the distribution of ration among the flood-hit. He said they had kicked off the process to assess the loss of life and property in the area.

He said the SGPC along with local volunteers was also working to extricate bodies from the debris of houses that collapsed during the floods. The SGPC today brought another batch of 14 survivors from Jammu and Kashmir. These survivors landed at the Amritsar airport. SGPC officials said they were trying to rescue maximum number of persons, but they could manage only 14 air tickets.

SGPC delegation in Nepal

The SGPC has appealed to the Nepal government to hand over the “sewa” of eight historical sites associated with Guru Nanak Dev in Kathmandu to the Sikh Sangat there so that these are properly maintained. SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar made this appeal to Nepal President Dr RB Yadav during his visit to the Himalayan nation.

BBMB engineers donate money

Ropar: Members of the Bhakra Beas Management Board Engineers' Association in Nangal will donate a day's salary to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to help the flood-hit in Jammu and Kashmir. Association ex-general secretary KK Sood said the decision to donate money was unanimous.

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Waterlogging: Another farmer commits suicide
Bharat Khanna
Tribune News Service

Mansa, September 17
Reeling under debt and with no hope of any relief from his waterlogged fields, another farmer, Gurdeep Singh (44), committed suicide by hanging himself at his residence in Musa village on Monday evening. Gurdeep Singh owned 1.5 acres of land and had taken another 2.5 acres on lease for tilling. His cotton crop in three acres and guar crop in one acre were completely destroyed due to waterlogging and heavy rainfall.

Around 200 acres of agricultural land has been affected due to waterlogging in Musa village. Gurdeep had taken debt from private money lenders and a bank. He hoped to repay the loan by selling his produce this season. However, his crops were destroyed completely. He had taken 2.5 acres on lease for Rs 33,000 per acre, sources said. Gurdeep is survived by his wife and two minor children.

Around 10 days ago, Roop Singh of Chehlanwala village had also committed suicide under similar circumstances after he lost his crop in 3.5 acres. He had also taken some land on lease.

Musa village sarpanch Avtar Singh said, “Crops in more than 200 acres have been destroyed. Our village has around 4,000 acres of agricultural land. Gurdeep Singh was under debt. Earlier, he had spent a lot of money on the treatment of his mother who died of cancer a few months ago. ”

BKU Dkaunda district president Ram Singh Bhenibagha said, “The state government should compensate farmers as early as possible.”

Caught in debt trap

  • Gurdeep Singh (44) of Musa village owned 1.5 acres of land and had taken another 2.5 acres on lease for tilling
  • He had taken loan from private money lenders and a bank and hoped to repay it by selling his produce this season
  • Depressed over loss of his crops, he committed suicide by hanging himself at his residence on Monday evening

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Pak agents using cellphones to lure farmers into drug trade
Anirudh Gupta

Ferozeur, September 17
Pakistan-based drug peddlers have adopted a new strategy to lure farmers working in fields along the zero line into cross-border drug trade. They throw mobile phones over the barbed wire fencing through which they later try to contact and entice farmers by offering attractive incentives to act as drug couriers.

Over the past few days, BSF officials said, several Korea-made Nokia handsets had been recovered from the fields along the border. These phones had Pakistani SIMs of V-Phone company, they said.

The motive was to get in touch with farmers or the sentinels on duty along the border and entice them to enter the illegal drug trade, they said. “Pakistani SIMs can work hundreds of metres inside our territory. Such mobile phone signals are effective in more than 20 pockets along the border in Punjab,” said a BSF official.

“Indian service providers have been barred from providing connectivity in border areas. On the other hand, Pakistani service provider Mobilink, which leads the market share with nearly 31.35 million subscribers in Pakistan, has connectivity of up to 1 km in Mamdot, Khemkaran and Ferozepur areas. Signals from towers of “U Fone” company also penetrate into Mamdot and Amarkot areas across the fencing. SIMs of many other Pakistani companies are also being used by drug peddlers operating in border areas,” sources said.

“In the absence of stringent telecom regulatory laws in Pakistan, a large number of unregistered SIM cards are in circulation and many of these make their way into India,” they said. “We have recovered several such SIM cards along the border,” BSF officials said. Drug peddlers kept changing their numbers to ensure that they could not be tracked easily, sources said.

The modus operandi

  • The agents throw mobile phones with Pak SIM cards over the barbed wire fencing along the border
  • Later, they contact and entice farmers who pick up these phones and offer them attractive incentives for acting as drug couriers

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custodial death
Report ‘refutes’ suicide claim, kin seek probe
Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 17
Four years after the death of her son Inderjit Singh in judicial custody at Ludhiana jail, Amarjit Kaur has finally got the copy of his viscera examination report. A resident of Dugri in Ludhiana, Amarjit Kaur claimed that the report contradicts the police version of the cause of the death.

She has sought action against the jail officials who had claimed that her son had “strangulated himself” even as the report states that the youth died due to intake of poison. She has got the report through the Punjab State Human Rights Commission. But her struggle for justice is far from over. No one has been found guilty for her son’s death so far. The commission is hearing the case. The next date of hearing is October 31.

Inderjit Singh alias Prince died on September 9, 2010. He was facing trial in a dowry harassment case. Amarjit Kaur, also a co-accused, was lodged in the women cell of the jail. The case dates back to June 2010, when the complainant refused to marry Inderjit’s elder brother alleging dowry demand. Amarjit Kaur and her both sons were arrested.

All accused were later acquitted. Amarjit Kaur said: “It took me four years to get a copy of the chemical examination report. Some news reports had quoted doctors stating that Prince seemed to have died due to poisoning, but the police had claimed that he committed suicide.” Seeking a probe, she alleged that her son was killed.

Amandeep Singh, president, Swatantra Awaz Welfare Organisation, is fighting the case on behalf of Amarjit Kaur.

When contacted, Ludhiana jail officials claimed that the youth had committed suicide. “He might have consumed poison before strangulating himself,” an official said.

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Another shock for relatives of Adampur youth killed in Doha
Embassy officials send another man’s body
Umesh Dewan
Tribune News Service

Adampur, September 17
Indian Embassy officials in Doha (Qatar) reportedly sent the body of another man to the family of 24-year-old Harjeet Singh today. Harjeet was killed in Doha recently. The victim’s kin found that the body was not of Harpreet, when they opened the coffin to cremate him at his native place Mohalla Sagran. The shocked family members then met Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav.

Harjeet’s uncle Mohinder Singh said Harjeet had gone to Doha four months ago. He had paid Rs 1 lakh to a Nawanshahr-based travel agent. Victim’s father Jaspal Singh said, “The travel agent had assured Harjeet that he would be employed as a driver in Doha. But Harjeet was asked to rear animals on a farm to which he objected. “The owner got a false case registered against him. Harjeet had been in jail for three months. On September 2, he told us over the phone that he would soon be released.”

Jaspal, who is a labourer in Adampur, further said they received a letter from the Indian Embassy on September 9 stating that five detainees, including Harjeet, died in a fire at the Health Quarantine Centre. He claimed that Harjeet’s cousin Harinder Kumar, who resides in Doha, was not allowed to identify the body.

“The body was sent to India at 4.15 am today. But we found at the cremation ground that the body wasn’t that of Harjeet,” said Jaspal.

He said they had approached the Indian Embassy in Doha. “They told us that they would verify the matter again,” he said.

In a late evening development, the Embassy authorities conveyed to the family that they had found the body of Harjeet on the basis of identification marks as mentioned by the family. "We have been told that the body will be sent to India in a couple of days," the deceased's father said.

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Nagra-SDM spat: Chandumajra seeks action against MLA
Tribune News Service

Fatehgarh Sahib, September 17
Prem Singh Chandumajra, SAD MP from Anandpur Sahib, today sought legal action against legislator Kuljeet Singh Nagra for allegedly using abusive language against Pooja Syal, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).

In a statement issued here, Chandumajra advised Congress leaders Capt Amarinder Singh, Sunil Jakhar and others to desist from supporting the MLA “without knowing the facts” of the case. He claimed the officer was implementing the court orders with regard to illegal encroachments at Sirhind Grain Market.

He alleged Nagra had earlier misbehaved with the staff of the state Assembly.

Cong blames officer

Chandigarh: The Congress has urged the Vidhan Sabha Speaker to take action against Pooja Syal, SDM, for “breach of conduct” while dealing with an elected representative. Congress MLAs Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Charanjit Singh Channi appealed to the Speaker to refer the matter to the Committee on Privileges.

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CRIME
 

SAD leader’s PA, two others booked
They had allegedly insulted Agriculture Minister Tota Singh on Facebook
Tribune News Service

Moga, September 17
The Moga police today booked the personal assistant (PA) of an Akali MLA and two others for allegedly uploading and forwarding derogatory remarks against Agriculture Minister Tota Singh during the Lok Sabha poll.

Kuljinder Singh, Station House Officer, Nihalsinghwala police station, said an FIR under the IT Act, 2000 had been registered against Baldev Singh of Daudhar village, the PA of Bibi Rajwinder Kaur, Akali MLA from Nihalsinghwala (reserve) constituency, NRI Ravi Baasi and Rajwinder Singh of Khosa Kotla village. Barjinder Singh Brar, the younger son of Tota Singh, his PA Gurminder Singh Bablu and Didar Singh Madoke had lodged a complaint in the matter. The local police registered the case after the cyber crime wing probed the matter. No arrest has been made so far.

Tota Singh and Rajwinder Kaur have been at loggerheads for a while now. On several occasions, she has allegedly disrespected Tota Singh. Barjinder Brar who is also the chairman of the Punjab Health Systems’ Corporation, said, “Rajwinder Kaur’s PA has insulted my father, who is one of the senior most leaders of the party. She must dismiss her PA and tender an unconditional apology.”

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Murder convict flees
Jumps off super-fast train on way to court
Our Correspondent

Abohar, September 17
A man serving life sentence for murder today escaped from police custody by jumping from the Sriganganagar-Jaipur-Kota super-fast train. Shehzad (32) was convicted for killing former Rajasthan MLA Nathu Ram’s son Bhanwer Lal Sinodia in Kishanganj of Ajmer district about 18 months ago.

A statewide hunt has been launched to nab him. The five-member team headed by an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the Rajasthan Police, which was escorting Shehzad, has been placed under suspension. A case under Section 224 of the IPC has been registered at the Government Railway Police Station, Merta Road.

The police said Shehzad of Chhanwta village of Nagaur district had been locked at the district jail in Sriganganagar. He was to be produced in the district courts at Jaipur today and in Kota on Thursday as he was facing trial in five cases. The police team along with Shehzad boarded the Sriganganagar-Jaipur-Kota train last evening. When the train was approaching the Degana station, Shehzad complained of abdomen pain and was escorted by two policemen to a washroom. As the train halted, he came out and washed his hands using soap offered by the ASI. When the train moved after a brief halt, he pushed the policeman and jumped off the moving train. Commuters reportedly pulled the emergency chain but the train halted at Makrana after 45 minutes.

Five cops suspended

  • Five policemen who were escorting life-term convict Shehzad (32) have been placed under suspension
  • Shehzad was convicted for killing former Rajasthan MLA Nathu Ram’s son Bhanwer Lal Sinodia. He was facing trial in five cases

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