The Tribune – Youth held captive by granthi for years rescued

Tribune News Service

Moga, April 27. A 21-year-old physically challenged youth had been allegedly kept in isolation and abused sexually for the past many years by a granthi (gurdwara priest) at Thathi Bhai village in Baghapurana sub-division of the district.

The local police on Saturday rescued the boy from a gurdwara room and took him for a medical examination.

Gurwinder Singh Bhullar, Station House Officer (SHO) of the Samalsar police station, said a criminal case had been registered against granthi Gurcharan Singh alias Charna, who was on the run.

The SHO said after the death of his parents, the polio-afflicted youth started learning orations of religious prayers from the granthi, who offered the boy a room on the gurdwara premises. After gaining confidence of the youth, the granthi started sexually abusing him.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130428/punjab.htm#9

The Tribune – NRI booked for bigamy

Tribune News Service

Moga, December 15. The police has registered a case of bigamy and cheating against a US-based NRI and his family members.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Surjit Singh said the case had been registered against Navneet Ratan and his brother, mother and father, who are based in Ludhiana.

In his complaint, Davinder Kumar, a resident of Machhi Ke village, alleged that Navneet tied the nuptial knot with his daughter in February 2011 even though he was already married and also had a son.

Davinder alleged that his daughter came to know about the accused’s first marriage when he refused to take her to the US on the pretext that she did not get sufficient dowry.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121216/punjab.htm#12

The Tribune – Dalit woman delivers stillborn, kin allege staff negligence

Tribune News Service

Moga, October 18. A woman hailing from the Dalit community gave birth to a stillborn after she was allegedly not attended upon by doctors at the Government Hospital in Baghapurana yesterday.

Protesting against the medical staff’s alleged negligence, relatives of the victim, Poonam, have sought action against the health authorities concerned at the hospital.

Poonam’s husband Naresh Kumar alleged that the victim was left unattended for more than two hours and when a doctor finally came to see her, she was referred to the District Hospital in Moga. Her delivery took place in Moga. The condition of the woman is stated to be critical.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Gulshan Rai said he was not aware about the incident. “I will ask a senior medical officer to hold an inquiry,” he said.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121019/punjab.htm#5

The Tribune – Couple among 4 held in Moga passport scam

Kulwinder Sandhu, Tribune News Service

Moga, August 26. The special investigation team set up to probe the Moga passport scam has arrested a couple and two travel agents for duping two sisters of Rs 4.5 lakh on the pretext of sending them to Malaysia.

A case has been registered against five persons at the Baghapurana police station in the district. One accused is still at large.

SSP Surjit Singh Grewal said a retired army official, Subedar Charan Singh, had complained to the police that Monika and her husband Jaspal Singh, both residents of Baghapurana, along with two travel agents and a mediator duped him of Rs 4.5 lakh on the pretext of sending his two daughters to Malaysia on work permit.

The accused had deserted the sisters in a hotel in New Delhi after taking away their passports.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120827/punjab.htm#18

The Tribune – Another fraud marriage comes to light in Moga

Moga, July 2. In yet another case, a young woman has become a victim of fraudulent marriage by a non-resident Indian (NRI) living in Canada.

Earlier, the special police cell, created to prevent frauds and crimes by the NRIs, registered a criminal case three days ago against an Australian resident groom and his parents on the complaint of a local nurse for cheating her by fraudulent marriage on the pretext of taking her abroad.

In the new case, Harwinder Singh Gill, resident of a village in Moga district, has lodged a complaint with SSP Surjit Singh Grewal that she became a victim of fraudulent marriage.

She alleged that her parents paid a sum of Rs 25-lakh to the groom and his family through an agent and an ASI of the state police who acted as a mediator in 2010 to solemnise their marriage. But two years after the marriage, the groom and his family did not take his daughter to Canada. Interestingly, both the agent and mediator ASI had taken their share. The SSP has marked an inquiry to the Human Trafficking Wing of the local police in this regard. (TNS)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120703/punjab.htm#16

The Tribune – Acid attack on Moga woman, 3 daughters

Kulwinder Sandhu, Tribune News Service

Moga, May 20. Kulwant Kaur and her three daughters were attacked with acid while they were sleeping on the courtyard of their house at Saleena village late last night. The victims were rushed to a private hospital by their neighbours. They were shifted to the district hospital here this afternoon.

Kulwant Kaur, in her statement to the police, said the husband of her elder daughter Jaspreet could be behind the attack. She said Jaspreet was married to Jagtar Singh of Mahesri village five years back. The couple had strained ties. “Five days back, Jaspreet fell ill and came to me. She was hospitalised for two days. Jaspreet’s husband asked her to return home but Jaspreet wanted to stay with me for a few more days. This may have provoked him to attack us,” said a distressed Kulwant Kaur.

Surjit Singh Grewal, SSP, said he had asked the SHO concerned to record the statements of the victims and register a case.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120521/punjab.htm#5

The Tribune – NRI husband ‘hired’ contract killers to eliminate wife

Kulwinder Sandhu, Tribune News Service

Moga, February 28. The husband of Harpreet Kaur, a computer teacher, who was shot at in a Moga village on Monday by two unidentified assailants has been booked by the local police on charges of attempt to murder his wife.

An FIR has been registered against her husband Gurajit Singh and five unknown persons. Gurajit is settled in Canada.

A few unidentified gunmen fired shots at and injured Harpreet when she was going to her home in Ludhiana on a car on Monday. She is working at Government High School at Raonta village in Nihalsinghwala sub-division of Moga district.

She received two gun shots - one in her right eye and another in the right leg. She is undergoing treatment at the DMC hospital in Ludhiana.

Harvinder Singh, SHO, Nihalsinghwala police station, said a criminal case has been registered on the basis of the statement of the injured woman.

“She has stated that her husband, who lives in Canada, does not want to take her with him, while she insisted on going. He hired the killers to eliminate her,” the SHO said.

Preliminary findings revealed that Harpreet was married to Gurajit Singh, who hails from Raonta village and settled in Canada. Harpreet has claimed that after returning to Canada, she discovered that her husband had married another woman and now wanted her out of his life, the SHO said.

“We have searched the residence of Harpreet’s in-laws at their village, but found no one as the entire family lives in Canada.

We are searching for the youths hired by Gurajit who fired at Harpreet,” he added.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120229/punjab.htm#16

The Tribune – Sonia to address rallies today

Tribune News Service

Moga, January 18. Electioneering is likely to pick up pace in Punjab with Congress President Sonia Gandhi set to address rallies at Moga and Kapurthala on Thursday. Gulchain Singh Charak, in-charge, party affairs for Punjab, and Vijendra Singla, Sangrur MP, claimed that Sonia’s visit would boost the morale of the candidates.

“Campaigning by Sonia will also attract the attention of the voters and will finally steer the wave in favour of the Congress in the state,” they said.

Meanwhile, the EC on Wednesday made a video of the rally site to count the number of chairs, sound systems, flags and other material being used to set up the dais etc.

Returning Officer Chander Gaind said all the expenditure of the rally would be divided equally among the Congress candidates of 11 constituencies of the region. The Moga rally is being held for 11 constituencies including Faridkot, Muktsar, Moga, Zira and Jagraon.

The local administration has made adequate security arrangements for the visit of Sonia Gandhi. It has set up a helipad adjoining the stage in the New Grain Market so that the Congress president need not have to travel by road. A contingent of National Security Guards has also arrived here to review and take over the security arrangements at the venue.

Meanwhile, local MLA Joginder Pal Jain also claimed that Sonia’s rally would change the mindset of the floating voters to turn in favour of the Congress party. “She is a charismatic woman who has the ability to the poll prospects of the party in the state,” he claimed.

He expressed confidence that the Congress would definitely get a comfortable majority in the state assembly.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120119/punjab.htm#9

The Tribune – Two dowry deaths in Moga villages

Kulwinder Sandhu, Tribune News Service

Moga, October 8. Two women allegedly committed suicide after being harassed by their in-laws over dowry in two separate incidents during the past 24 hours in Moga district. According to the police, Rupinder Kaur (35), a resident of Raonta village in Nihal Singh Wala sub-division, hung herself from a ceiling fan in her room yesterday.

Her mother Gurmeet Kaur, residing at Machike village, in her statement to the police alleged that her daughter was being harassed by her husband and in-laws for the past couple of years.

In the second incident, Paramjit Kaur (25) died of burn injuries after she set herself ablaze by pouring kerosene on herself. Her father Pardeep Kumar has alleged that Paramjit was being harassed for dowry by her husband Jaswinder Singh, a resident of Korewala village under Dharamkot sub-division.

Cases have been registered under Sections 306 and 34 of the IPC against the victims’ husbands and in-laws, but no arrests have been made so far.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111009/punjab.htm#17