20032024-LT-01.qxd 3/20/2024 1:00 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune FEW SEATS, INCOMPLETE WORKS IRK SCHOOLS OF EMINENCE RANA ANNOUNCES HIS TALK SHOW THE RANA CONNECTION GENERAL HOSPITAL ACTOR BETH PETERS PASSES AWAY Works at some of schools of eminence are on and a few in peripheral areas are struggling to get teachers. P2 Rana Daggubati to come up with a talk show featuring his contemporaries and friends from Indian cinema.P4 Beth Peters, an actor and singer who had a recurring role on General Hospital, passed away in central Florida.P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 14°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 13°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.38 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:28 AM WEDNESDAY | 20 MARCH 2024 | LUDHIANA LS elections: MC submits list to district Migrant labourer arrested for raping, killing four-yr-old official, claims 566 works in progress Committed crime in inebriated state, he was trying to flee area Harshraj Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 19 Following the directions given by the District Election Officer to departments to provide a certified list detailing the status of ongoing development projects and those not yet initiated, the Municipal Corporation and Ludhiana Improvement Trust have submitted their respective lists detailing the status of various projects worth crores of rupees. The district official had directed the departments to furnish such a list within 72 hours of the model code of conduct coming into effect for the upcoming Lok Sabha poll. Now, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has submitted a list of 566 project works, including the construction of roads, installation of interlocking tiles, installation of water tubewells, purchase of machinery, desilting of sewer lines, which have been shown under the status of “work in progress”. Besides the list of works in progress, the MC has also submitted another list of 31 works that have not started on the ground. While a few projects have been labelled as “work in progress”, these have not yet The civic body claims that the construction work of Lodhi Club Road is under progress but no work was visible on the stretch in Ludhiana on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN DEMAND FOR CROSS-VERIFICATION Raising questions, a member of the Vigilant Citizens’ Forum, Kuldeep Singh Khaira, has demanded a cross-verification of the status of project works. In view of the enforcement of the poll code, there is a dire need to conduct cross-verification to check the status of various projects shown on the lists of the MC and the LIT. commenced on the ground. For instance, the MC has claimed that the work was in progress for the construction of Lodhi Club Road from Ferozepur Road to the underpass, estimated at a cost of Rs 1.17 crore. However, a resident of BRS Nagar said the work to fill potholes was conducted on Lodhi Club Road recently but no road construction activity was visible there. While the construction of Karnail Singh Nagar’s Main Road (in ward 70) has also been categorised as “work in progress” on the list, a Congress leader said the ground-level work was yet to commence. An official of the MC said work orders of these road projects had already been issued to the contractors concerned. Besides, the Ludhiana Improvement Trust has submitted a list of around 20 works “under progress” to the District Election Officer. However, the majority of these have been shown to have started on March 15, just a day before the imposition of the model code of conduct, which came into effect on March 16. The physical progress of these works is shown between 5 per cent to 22 per cent. According to the LIT’s list, the project to install 500 LED Lights in various wards of the Ludhiana West constituency started on March 15 and its physical progress has been shown as 22 per cent on the list. The physical progress of the project for the beautification of the 100-ft-wide road in SBS Nagar has been shown as 10 per cent. The LIT claimed that 8 per cent physical progress of construction of roads/streets of Begoana and Ishar Singh Nagar was done, which also began on March 15. However, the LIT’s executive engineer concerned could not be contacted for his comments. Raising questions, a member of the Vigilant Citizens’ Forum, Kuldeep Singh Khaira, has demanded a cross-verification of the status of project works. In view of the enforcement of the poll code, there is a dire need to conduct cross-verification to check the status of various projects shown on the lists of the MC and the LIT. Meanwhile, BJP leaders Inder Aggarwal and Parminder Mehta also demanded cross-verification of the status of projects. Mehta expressed doubts about the status shown of some of the projects on the lists. Mahesh Sharma Mandi Ahmedgarh, March 19 The police claimed to have arrested a 32-year-old migrant labourer who had allegedly absconded after raping and killing a four-year-old girl at APS International Factory colony on Monday afternoon. The suspect was nabbed by Ahmedgarh Sadar police late on the fateful day, within a couple of hours of registration of a case against him. Though the exact cause of death would be ascertained after receipt of the autopsy report, it is suspected that the child died after she was thrown on the roadside from the roof of a factory shed. The suspect was identified as Bhanu, a native of Hardoi district of UP at present , employed at APS International Factory, popularly known as woollen mill in the region. Malerkotla SSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh said police officials, supervised by DSP Amritpal Singh Bhatti, had arrested Bhanu late on Monday night. He was earlier booked under sections of the IPC and POCSO Act, when he was trying to flee the area. The police had received information about a minor girl went missing from a colony situated The suspect in custody of the Ahmedgarh Sadar police. inside the premises of APS International Factory on Monday. Following which, the police initiated a coordinated action to locate the missing child. “It was on the basis of evidence collected by our police team that the suspect was identified and later nabbed by officials, led by Sadar SHO Surinder Singh and SHO (City) Sukhpal Kaur, when he was trying to flee the region late on Monday night,” said Khakh, adding that he was under the influence of liquor even at the time of the arrest. Preliminary investigation revealed that he had raped the victim under the influence of liquor and thrown her from the roof of the high factory building after putting her in a jute bag in an attempt to destroy the evidence. It will be ascertained whether the victim was alive or not at the time of throwing her from the roof only after arrival of the autopsy report. Appreciating the investigating team for solving the heinous crime, Khakh said any delay in the arrest of the suspect could have created a law and order problem in the area as residents of the colony had gathered to lodge a protest and they wanted that the suspect should be handed over to them after arrest. “However coordinated efforts of our teams yielded desired results and the man was arrested on the same day and he confessed to committing the crime in an inebriated state,” said Khakh He said the police team had been advised to present the case in court after annexing foolproof evidences so that the case was taken to a conclusive end in a shortest period. Poll code violation: Civil Five of interstate gang of weapon suppliers nabbed Surgeon gets notice Couple booked for ~12-lakh property fraud Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 19 The Salem Tabri police yesterday registered a case against a couple for committing a property fraud of Rs 12 lakh. After taking advance money, they had failed to execute property registration. The suspects have been identified as Baldev Raj, his wife Charanjit Kaur, residents of the Jalandhar bypass area. Complainant Raj Kumar of New Chandar Nagar said he had struck a deal to buy property from the duo and Rs 12 lakh was also given to them. Whenever he would ask them to return his money, they would make hollow promises. They also threatened him that they would die by suicide if he forces them to return the money. — TNS Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 19 Assistant Returning Officer, Ludhiana East-cumEstate Officer, GLADA, has served notice on the Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana, Dr Jasbir Singh Aulakh, and asked him to get pictures of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at hoardings installed at Aam Aadmi Clinic near Chand Cinema covered within 24 hours, failing which action will be taken for violating the model code of conduct. The issue was highlighted by The Tribune in these columns on Monday after which the action was taken. However, the pictures Later, CM’s pictures on hoardings were covered at Aam Aadmi Clinic near Chand Cinema of the Chief Minister on hoardings at the clinic was finally covered today after the notice was served on the Civil Surgeon. With the poll code imposed from March 16, the state Health Department had ordered the removal of photos of the Chief Minister from Aam Aadmi Clinics across the state but the clinic near Chand Cinema was found violating the model code of conduct. Ludhiana, March 19 The Khanna police today claimed to have busted an interstate gang of weapon suppliers and arrested five of its members. The police also recovered five illegal weapons and seven live cartridges from the gang. They have been identified as Shivam (35) of Uttar Pradesh, Karanbir Singh (25) of Amritsar, Mohan Dev, alias Mohan Pandit (20), of New Delhi, Baljit Singh, alias Jeeta (30), and Akashdeep Singh (19), both residents of Tarn Taran. A case was also registered against them. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Khanna, Amneet Kondal, while Khanna SSP Amneet Kondal addresses mediapersons in Ludhiana on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO Five illegal pistols, 7 cartridges recovered addressing a press conference stated that on March 14 during patrolling in the area, the police got a tip-off that Shivam was going towards the Doraha bus stand and he was carrying illegal weapons. The police swung into action and nabbed Shivam with two .32 bore pistols. The SSP revealed that during preliminary questioning, Shivam revealed that he had brought the weapons from Mohan Dev of Delhi and on his directions, he was supposed to deliver the same to Karanbir of Amritsar. Later, Karanbir was also arrested in the case and a .32 bore pistol was seized from him. The SSP said meanwhile, a special team was formed and it conducted a raid at the whereabouts of the kingpin, Mohan Dev, and he was arrested from Delhi. Questioning of Shivam also led to disclosures that weapons were also supplied to Akashdeep and Baljit in the past. Accordingly, both suspects were also arrested in the case and two pistols of .32 bore with seven live cartridges were recovered from them, Kondal said. The SSP said among the nabbed suspects, three had a criminal past. Shivam is facing a drug smuggling case registered against him in Uttarakhand in 2020, Karanbir is facing a drug case registered against him in Mohali in 2020 and Mohan is facing a case under the Arms Act registered against him in 2023. After coming out on bail, the trio started smuggling of illegal weapons. Now, their links with gangsters or other criminal elements were being probed. Three drug peddlers HC transfers case to CBI; hope for justice regains, says victim’s fiance get 12 years in prison 2017 CUSTODIAL DEATH OF WOMAN AT DUGRI POLICE STATION Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 19 With the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to transfer the investigation of the case pertaining to the alleged custodial death of 29year-old Ramandeep Kaur in 2017 to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Mukul Garg, the fiance of the deceased, termed it a jolt to the Punjab Police unprofessional investigation, which failed to extend justice to the deceased and on the other hand, the court’s decision regained hope for him as guilty police officials cannot go scot-free now. Sharing details with The Tribune here on Tuesday, Garg said he had filed a petition in the High Court in 2019 and the court after finding his allegations of unfair investigation carried out by the Special Investigation Forensic officials check the door of a washroom where the woman was found hanging at the Dugri police station in Ludhiana. FILE Team (SIT) of the Punjab Police now, ordered the CBI to re-investigate the matter. He said the Ludhiana police had initially given a clean chit to the police officials and no case was registered against the negligent officers. It was only when on his petition, the High Court ordered SIT to probe the case and the latter had held the police officials negligent. Later on June 13, 2019, after two years of the custodial death, a case was registered against the police officials, identified as the then Dugri SHO inspector Dalbir Singh, ASI Sukhdev Singh and lady constables Ramandeep Kaur and Rajwinder Kaur under Section 304 A (causing death by negligence), IPC, and Sections 465, 468 and 471 of the IPC were added later. The copy of the High Court order, which is with The Tri- bune, states: “SIT report itself records that the lady constables on duty had no satisfactory reply as to how and from where the knife came in possession of Ramandeep Kaur, who was in police custody. Besides, all police officials have feigned ignorance about cut marks on the wrists of the deceased. It has come on record that on the wrist of the right hand of the deceased, there were two cuts of around two inches and on the wrist of left hand of the deceased, there was one incised wound. These cuts on the wrists must have bled. It is surprising that none of the police personnel on duty noticed blood and cuts on the wrists of the deceased. The same have been brushed under the carpet only by saying that the lady constables were negligent. SIT was constituted under the orders of c m y b this court, report suggests that SIT fumbled somewhere. Report of SIT is discrepant on the vital link like possession of knife and its disappearing from the whole investigation after having been handed over by doctors who conducted the autopsy to Sukhdev Singh, police official.” The court order further states: “True facts need to be unearthed through a committed, resolved and a competent investigating agency to retain public confidence. It’s a case of death in police custody. The state cannot be allowed to hide behind the plea of shifting stand of the petitioner. It cannot be a ground to deny fair investigation. Despite having been constituted under the orders passed by this court, SIT ignored vital questions which are necessary for fair investigation of the case. Further investigation be carried out and completed by the CBI as early as possible preferably in three months from the date of receipt of the certified copy of the order.” Notably, Ramandeep died in police custody during investigation of an FIR registered in August 2017 against her and her fiance for cheating, theft, forgery, criminal conspiracy and other offences under Sections 379, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 201 and 120-B of the IPC at the Dugri police station. On August 3, 2017, officials posted at the police station entered the house of his (Mukul) paternal uncle and took them to the police station. On the night of August 4, 2017, both were beaten up and tortured. As a result, Ramandeep died in police custody. She was found hanging inside the washroom of the police station. Legal Correspondent Ludhiana, March 19 The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Singh Bajwa has sentenced three drug peddlers namely Amit Kumar, a resident of New Shimlapuri, Virendra Singh, alias Soni, and Harsimran Singh, a resident of Lakkar Bazaar, here, to 12 years in jail. Pronouncing the verdict, the court held that the prosecution has successfully proved the guilt of the accused. Declining their plea of leniency, the court also ordered them to pay a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh each. According to prosecution, the police had set up a check post near Gill Canal on the basis of a tip-off. During the checking, the police stopped the golden Innova vehicle. When the police searched the car, 2.5 kg of heroin, an electronic weighing scale, transparent envelopes for packing, 10 mobile phones mortgaged by the drug addicts and Rs 80,000 drug money were seized from the accused. The Special Task Force police registered a case at its headquarters in Mohali. They were produced in a court later. In the court, the accused claimed themselves to be innocent and pleaded for mercy. After hearing the arguments of both sides and looking at the evidence, the court pronounced the punishment to the culprits.