The Tribune – Man who set family ablaze held, failed in his attempt twice earlier

Jupinderjit Singh, Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 18. The main accused in the case in which six members of a family were set on fire in Jattawali village did not commit the crime on the spur of the moment but was planning it for over three months. The accused, Lakhwinder, made attempts to commit the crime twice earlier but could not succeed as all the family members were not asleep both the times.

This was revealed by Lakhwinder to the police following his arrest from Ambala this morning. A police team of Ferozepur district nabbed him near the Ambala railway station.

Ferozepur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varinderpal Singh told The Tribune that the cold-bloodied planning and the way the accused set six sleeping persons on fire suggested how cruel he was. “I have not seen such a ghastly act in my life. The accused did not think twice before setting the aged mother of his enemy Balwant Singh on fire along with others. Such criminals need to be psychoanalysed,” he said.

He said the accused was not remorseful even though the two families had no major enmity. Lakhwinder confessed to the police that he had visited Balwant’s house on Lohri (January 13) this year and had a tiff with him, following which he had decided to kill him and his family.

The SSP said, “When he (Lakhwinder) threw a bucket full of petrol and lighted the match, his hands, too, caught fire.” The police said the role of Lakhwinder’s father and brother was being looked into.

While Balwant’s mother Bachan Kaur (70), daughters Jasbir Kaur (17), and Tasveer Kaur (15) died in the attack, Balwant, his wife Veerpal Kaur and his son Satveer Singh (10) are under treatment.

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The Tribune – Bathinda Head Constable’s Murder; For vital clues, police wants to catch third fugitive alive

Jupinderjit Singh, Tribune News Service

Bathinda, April 28. The police claims that raids are on to track down Jaswinder Singh, one of the three undertrials who fled after killing a head constable on April 25. The two other fugitives, Kulwinder Singh and Nahar Singh, were reportedly killed in an encounter with a team of the Mansa police in the wee hours yesterday.

Most of the 150 nakas have been removed and the additional force requisitioned from other districts of Bathinda Zone sent back.

Claiming that Jaswinder would be nabbed soon, police officials said efforts were on to catch him alive as he alone could reveal how he, his brother Kulwinder and Nahar Singh had masterminded their escape from police custody. It is still unclear as to what what exactly happened inside the police van carrying the three undertrials. Parents of the deceased claim the escorting policemen may have fought with one another and
made their wards a “scapegoat”.

Circumstantial evidence gathered by the police does not support the allegation.

The police is hoping that if caught alive, Jaswinder may provide them vital details. Members of the team that escorted the undertrials claim that the latter made some purchases at a grocery store in Bhikhi town from where they possibly bought red chilli powder too.

Once inside the van, trouble began when one of them saw Kulwinder Singh trying to open the pouch carrying the chilli powder, they claim. Kulwinder and Nahar Singh were cremated under heavy police security at their native village Jai Singh Wala today.

The aggrieved families staged a dharna seeking an inquiry into the police encounter.

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The Tribune – Punjab cop’s murder: 2 fugitives shot dead, third on the run

Jupinderjit Singh, Tribune News Service

Bathinda, April 27. Two of the three undertrials who had escaped from a police van after gunning down a head constable near Maisarkhaana village on April 25 were shot dead in an encounter near Behniwal village in Mansa district early this morning.

Kulwinder Singh and Nahar Singh were killed while Kulwinder’s brother Jaswinder escaped despite a police cordon in the area.

ADGP (Law and Order) Dinkar Gupta told mediapersons this afternoon that the encounter went on for nearly two hours. The three opened fire at a police checkpoint near Behniwal village around midnight, he said.

“Two of them were killed in retaliatory fire by a police team headed by the Mansa SP but the third, Jaswinder, managed to escape,” the officer said. The ADGP claimed the third fugitive would be arrested soon.

Mansa SSP Narender Bhargava said though the accused fired five rounds, the encounter went on for nearly two hours as the firing was intermittent. But Dev Singh, the father of the two brothers, claimed his sons were caught around 10 am yesterday – nearly 15 hours before the police claimed they were killed – from a road between Maisarkhaana village and Maur Grain market.

Conflicting reports were also received from Behniwal village where the encounter took place. While some said they heard shots around 8.30 pm yesterday, others said the firing took place around 2 am today.

The ADGP said rewards would be given to the police team that carried out the operation. “IG (Bathinda zone) NS Dhillon mobilised force from his entire zone. Forty SHOs headed the teams that set up around 150 checkpoints besides carrying out the combing operation,” the officer said.

He said the greatest challenge before the police was to prevent the fugitives from crossing over to Haryana or Rajasthan.

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The Tribune – Dera chief told to appear in court

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 8. The court of Additional Sessions Judge BS Johal today ordered the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, to appear in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bathinda, on February 22.

On May 13, 2007, a local resident, Rajinder Singh Sidhu, had lodged a complaint against the dera chief for allegedly hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community by trying to imitate Guru Gobind Singh.

The complainant had alleged that the dera chief had worn a robe similar to that associated with the Tenth Sikh Guru at a function in Salabatpura dera in Bathinda.

A case was registered under Section 295 (a) (deliberate and malicious act to outrage religious feelings by insulting any religion) of the IPC.

At today’s hearing, the court dismissed the revision petition filed against the summon orders (seeking personal appearance) by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s counsel SK Garg and Kewal Brar.

The complainant’s counsel, J S Khattar, said the directions were significant even if these had been passed after more than five years of the legal battle. Sikh religious leaders, including Panch Pardhani vice-president Baba Hardeep Singh, Jaspal Singh Manjpur, Manjit Singh Dhelwan, Dharam Singh Harraipur, Surinder Singh Nathana and Kulwant Singh Rori, were present during the hearing. Baba Hardeep Singh said, “We have faith in the judiciary.” He demanded that other cases against the dera head also be taken up in fast-track courts.

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The Tribune – Keep your kids off drugs, Deputy CM tells parents

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 27. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal has called upon the parents to keep their children away from drugs by taking special care of them. Addressing a gathering after unfurling the national flag at the Republic Day function here, Sukhbir said his party would continue its crusade against the drug menace.

Laying special emphasis on gender equality, Sukhbir said the SAD-BJP government would strive to root out social evils.

Expressing satisfaction over the recovery of drugs, the Deputy Chief Minister said despite Punjab being a transit point for international drug traffickers, the police had managed to seize drugs and arrest peddlers.

“The Punjab Government is committed to continuing its crusade against drugs and drug trafficking and nobody would be allowed to ruin the youth of the state,” the Deputy CM said.

Regarding cases of criminal assault on women in various parts of the country, he said they were a grim reminder of the fact that the country had faltered in inculcating gender sensitivity among the masses. Society had also lagged behind in educating the girl child, besides checking the menace of female foeticide, he pointed out.

Sukhbir said it was time to launch a sustained programme for women empowerment. Strict legal provisions must be ensured to give stringent punishment to those involved in crime against women by setting up fast-track courts. He said the state government had dedicated the year 2013 to women empowerment.

Congratulating the people of Punjab, he said the state people should feel proud of the fact that most of the sacrifices made in the freedom struggle were by the Punjabis.

Sukhbir earlier inspected the parade before taking salute from the march past led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajpal Singh.

Tableaux of different government departments were showcased on the occasion. Sukhbir honoured the freedom fighters, handed over tricycles to the physically challenged and sewing machines to women.

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The Tribune – Bathinda officer who arrested SGPC member’s son, shifted

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 14. Bowing to pressure in the case relating to the arrest of a Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member’s “drunk” son, the Punjab Government today issued the transfer orders of Additional Superintendent of Police (city) Patil Ketan Baliram.

Patil has been shifted to Amritsar with immediate effect. He is being replaced by Alka Meena.

The police officer was under fire from local lawyers and politicians for arresting and “beating up” SGPC member Sukhdev Singh Bahia’s son Prabhjot Singh and his two friends on Thursday evening.

The charges were that the three, who were in an “inebriated” condition, did not stop their vehicle at a naka when a police party signalled them to do so.

They were also charged with creating a ruckus at the local Civil Hospital when they were taken there for a medical examination and for allegedly manhandling the policemen on duty.

As Bahia himself is a lawyer, members of the fraternity had been holding protests in the city, demanding action against the police officer. Patil was also accused of raiding Bahia’s house at odd hours in search of Prabhjot.

Senior Superintendent of Police Ravcharan Brar confirmed that the ASP had been shifted.

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The Tribune – Khalistani module busted, 5 arrested

Tribune News service

Bathinda, December 31. Within a few hours of the DGP Sumedh Saini confirming inputs regarding Khalistan activists trying to regroup in the state, the police in Mansa today smashed a module of five such activists who had allegedly pasted threatening and seditious posters in five towns of the district.

The police swung into action on the basis of intelligence inputs and nabbed the kingpin of the module, Sukhcharan Singh, a registered medical practitioner, and four others. These posters have created panic in the area.

Sukhcharan was practicing in Cheema Mandi village of Sangrur. They are being interrogated by a special team that has been set up by Senior Superintendent of Police Narendera Bhargava.

They have been booked under the Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act and Section 153 and 295(a) of the IPC in Bhikhi and Budladha police stations.

Bhargava said the Khalistani posters were found pasted in the wee hours in Budladha, Bhikhi, Gurnekalan and two other places in the morning. Reacting to the situation, he immediately set up a special team under the SP (Detective) that raided several places and nabbed the members of the module that was established about a month ago.

Three members of the module belong to Mansa and one each from Haryana and Sangrur. They have been identified as Sukhdeep Singh, Johny, Manjeet Singh and Harpreet Singh. Bhargava said that the module was operating from a religious place in Cheema Mandi village where they were meeting regularly.

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The Tribune – Terror bid foiled in Punjab, four held with arms

Tribune News Service

Patiala, October 25. The police today claimed to have foiled a major terror bid ahead of the festive season by arresting four persons armed with sophisticated weapons and ammunition at Amritsar, Ludhiana and Bathinda railway stations.

While three persons were arrested in Bathinda, one was held in Amritsar. Two of the accused were recently deported from the Philippines and Thailand and are suspected to have entered the country through the Nepal border near Uttar Pradesh.

The police is now trying to find out whether the accused have any links to other terror modules.

Senior Government Railway Police (GRP) officials said during a special operation passengers, who had alighted from the Moori Express, were checked at the Ludhiana Railway Station and two 9 mm pistols and 10 live rounds were seized from the bag of a youth. The youth, however, managed to escape taking advantage of the heavy rush at the exit gate,” they said.

GRP IG, Rohit Choudhary, said preliminary investigations indicate that the escaped youth may have crossed over into India with weapons from the Nepal border adjoining Rudrapur district in Uttarakhand. “Recovery of a booklet pertaining to Nanakmatha gurdwara (in Rudrapur) from the youth’s bag indicates that he had visited the place before coming to Punjab”, he said.

In a similar operation, GRP officials at the Amritsar Railway Station arrested Amardeep Singh alias Bobby of district Bhind in Madhya Pradesh from Dadar Express. “We have seized two 9 mm pistols he had concealed inside his pillow. A driving licence of Manila was also recovered from his possession”, said the IG.

Drawing a link between the two seizures, the officer said all pistols have a made-in-USA mark on them and these appear to be tampered with. “We are interrogating the accused and trying to identify their local links. Some persons are under the scanner and there could be more arrests in the case,” he said.

Three persons were arrested at the Bathinda Railway station with four country-made pistols. They have been identified as Suresh Kumar, Rakesh Kumar and Avadh Naresh.

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The Tribune – Tension in village over land dispute

Jupinderjit Singh, Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 27. The ongoing controversy over the ownership of 12 acres of land in Maari Seekhan village near Rampura town escalated again when members of the Bhullar community, wanted to celebrate the tenth day of the Full Moon at the village gurdwara. However, the police citing prohibitory order, prevented them from marching to the gurdwara situated on the land under controversy.

Agitated members of the Bhullar community, who claim they have been worshipping at the gurdwara since generations and hosting festivals at the land in question, sat on the railway crossing on the Bathinda-Chandigarh highway alleging that the police was allowing the members of the opposing Sidhu community and the SGPC members to visit the religious place.

Road and rail traffic were affected for nearly two hours near Rampura town due to the dharna. Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav and SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill had to pacify the agitators. They have called a meeting of the warring parties on August 28 to find a peaceful solution.

Besides the Bhullars, who have a sizeable population in the region, members of the Sidhu community, who claim to have a majority in nearby villages and the SGPC, have staked claim to the ownership of the gurdwara and the land. Representatives of the Bhullars claimed the police allowed only five members of their community to offer Ardas at the gurdwara yesterday.

However, these five members saw over 20 members of the other community at the religious place, who allegedly raised slogans also.

This, sources said, angered the community which first laid siege to the Mehraj-Rampura road and later, squatted on the railway crossing.

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The Tribune – Women can help check female foeticide: Chawla

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 16. The NGO, Bharat Vikas Parishad, yesterday celebrated its founders’ day. The chief guest on the occasion was former health minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla.

Speaking on the occasion, organizer Ashok Gupta said the BVP was founded in 1963 and is involved in different social activities. It has organized events such as Bharat Ko Jano competition, national song singing competition, medical camps and has provided stipends, uniforms and books to the schoolchildren. Widows are given ration worth Rs 300 daily. As many as 17 women were given the ration on the occasion.

Laxmi Kanta Chawla spoke on the need to bring modern India at par with the people living in rural pockets. She lauded the organisation saying it was the biggest institution involved in donating artificial limbs to the physically challenged. She also dwelt on the cultural dilemma confronting society and pointed out that people were moving away from their basic social mores and cultural roots, leading to confusion among the new generation.

The former Health Minister also spoke about corruption taking deep roots in society and said those who preach honesty must practice it first.

Chawla also pointed out that the role of women was important in checking social crimes like female foeticide. Prominent among others present on the occasion included PN Garg, Satpal Mahajan, SL Latika, KC Mittal, Madan Mohan Jindal and others.

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