IAS officer among 11 challaned for Pulwama relief scandal

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 2: Vigilance Organisation has presented a challan against a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer who had worked as Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, besides his successor; Assistant Commissioner and Tehsildar of the same district; some lower-rung officials and four private persons for fraudulently withdrawing relief amount which was otherwise meant for Gujjar and Bakerwal community of the district.

The Challan has been presented before the Court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption, Kashmir. Those challaned included senior IAS officer S D Lone in his capacity as then DC Pulwama, Mohammed Akram Hajan, then DC of the same district; Mohd Afzal Bhat, then Assistant Commissioner Revenue and presently Director Land Records Srinagar; Habibullah Mir, then Tehsildar of Pulwama; Abdul Gani Teli, Nazir DC Office; Hira Lal Raina, Relief Clerk; Abdul Hamid Shah, clerk and four private persons-Abdul Majid,Mohd Hussain, Mohd Ismail and Mohd Abdullah Reshi.

The case was registered by the Vigilance Organisation on the receipt of persistent reports, alleging that the officers and officials of Pulwama district, in league with some private persons had misappropriated Rs 15 lakh, which had been sanctioned by the Government as relief cum compensation wide Govt order number Rev-ER/35 dated March 3, 1993 for disbursement to those Gujjars and Bakerwals who had suffered cattle loss due to hail storm and heavy rains in hilly areas of Shopian and Pulwama. The money which was kept at the disposal of DC Pulwama for its genuine use, had however, gone into the wrong hands due to the hatching of conspiracy by which the relief amount was fraudulently withdrawn and disbursed.

The Vigilance spokesman said that during the course of investigation, it was found that on papers, out of the total sanctioned money, Rs 14,80,940 were shown to have been disbursed amongst 652 members of Gujjar and Bakerwal community as per entries in the acquittance rolls, while as remaining Rs 19,060 was shown undisbursed.

The Vigilance release issued here said that during investigations, 62 persons were examined for random verification, who had denied having received any amount as relief from the accused officers. The finger prints on the acquittance rolls also didn’t tally which substantiated their statements.

It was revealed that one Abdul Majid had affixed his thumb impression on the acquittance rolls which was also confirmed by the finger print experts. The finger impressions of 181 persons were, however, made by just few people.

The investigations disclosed that the recipients who were shown to be belonging to Udhampur and Rajouri districts, didn’t actually exist any where and the same was even confirmed from revenue records. Out of the total money, Rs 3,75,090 were even credited into the account of one of the accused—Mohd Abdullah Reshi of Reshi Gas Agency Pulwama who was infact in no way concerned with the disbursement of the relief money.

The investigations had established that the accused persons in order to swindle money, had prepared false documents by abusing their official positions.

Since S D Lone is an IAS officer, the Union Government was approached by the State Government to accord sanction to the launching of prosecution proceedings against him. Agreeing with the recommendations, the Central Government, had allowed the State Government to proceed ahead .Prosecution sanction in respect of all the accused persons was later obtained for their commission of offence under Corruption Act. On the receipt of the sanction, a challan was later presented in the court of law for judicial determination, the release added.

Army jawan, woman killed; 3 injured in Pak firing

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 2: An army jawan and a woman were killed and three other civilians were injured in stepped-up shelling by Pakistani troops on the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri and Poonch sectors. Several civilian locations were targeted by Pakistan army on the LoC overnight.

Official sources said enemy troops started indiscriminate firing on Indian defence and civilian installations in Jhangar sector early this morning. Army returned firing and shelling at all the places.

An Indian jawan, who was manning forward Ashoka Post in Jhangar sub sector, was killed in Pakistani firing. He has been identified as Sikander son of Hakim Din of 10 JAK Li and a resident of Manjakote. A couple of Pakistani bunkers were destroyed opposite Ashok Post in Indian retaliation in which some enemy jawans were also killed.

Over a dozen houses were damaged in Pakistani firing and shelling in Jhangar sub sector but there was no civilian casualty.

Pak army fired a large number of mortar shells in Gountriyan, Shahpur and Kaiyan villages in Poonch sector late last evening. A woman was killed in Gountriyan while three civilians were injured in Shahpur and Kaiyan villages.

The deceased woman was identified as Sharva Bi, 50, wife of Maqbool Ahmed, a resident of Gountriyan. She was evacuated from the scene of firing by army jawans and rushed to hospital where she was declared dead. Five children of Sharva Bi were rendered destitutes by Pakistani shelling.

Three civilians injured in enemy shelling at Shahpur and Kaiyan have been hospitalised. Condition of one of them was said to be serious.

A Defence spokesman said Pakistan army was targeting civilian locations on this side to pressurise the people living in forward villages to give shelter to sneaking militants. People, however, were determined to thwart Pakistani designs by not supporting their sponsored ultras, he added.

Reports of unprovoked and indiscriminate Pakistani firing were also received from the International Border in several villages of Jammu sector last night. At forward village of Benglard in Samba sector, several bullets, fired by Rangers, landed in the village causing damage to a number of houses.

Panic gripped Benglard and adjoining villages following heavy firing by Rangers, which continued for a couple of hours. The Border Security Force (BSF) jawans retaliated the firing. However, there was no report of any loss of life or damage on Indian side.

Exchange of firing between BSF and Rangers was also reported from Hiranagar, Ramgarh, Arnia, Suchetgarh, RS Pura and Akhnoor sectors.

Pak bid to capture four vital posts in Akhnoor sector

From B L Kak

NEW DELHI, Oct 2: Pakistani troops have deeply entrenched themselves all along the border in Akhnoor sector of Jammu region. Their apparent aim, as clearly suggested by intelligence specialists, is to capture at least four Indian posts.

These four vital posts were targeted by Pakistanis in the past also. However, every attempt made by Pak troops was foiled by Indian forces. According to the statistics available with the Indian Defence Ministry, at least three Indian soldiers were killed in the course of Pak firing on four Indian posts in Akhnoor sector on two occasions recently.

These posts are known as PP- 4, PP-5, PP-8 and PP-12. And the most serious encounter between the armies of the two countries took place on January 22 last, when as many as 17 Pakistani soldiers were killed during their battle with the Indian troops in the periphery of PP-12 post.

Since then, Pakistani forces have been found by Indian field intelligence personnel quite anxious to mount an attack to capture PP-12 and PP-4 posts. According to reports gathered by one FIU (field intelligence unit), as many as five Pakistani camps across the Akhnoor border have witnessed unusual activities in recent days in the wake of transportation of additional men and material to the area.

Pakistani military authorities have, these reports say, injected a disturbing element into the situation by the deployment of light Chinese tanks. In addition to this, additional supplies of arms and ammunition have been made available all along the Pakistani side of the Akhnoor and Kathua border. They include heavy mortars, heavy and medium machine guns, recoiless guns and rocket launchers.

Reports said that "large-scale" Pak military activity had, of late, been noticed in Shakergarh tehsil across Kathua. The district of Kathua is bounded on south by Shakergarh tehsil of Pakistan and Gurdaspur district of Punjab. On the south-west lies Indo-Pakistan border.

Intelligence specialists have clearly hinted at the stepped-up interest of the Pakistani ISI in certain areas of the Kathua district. These areas fall south of Pathankot-Jammu national highway, namely, Kathua, Barnoti, Hiranagar and Ganghwal. In fact, these areas form the border belt.

If the assessment of these specialists with regard to what has been termed as "developing situation elsewhere" is any guide, the Kashmir valley may experience lightning attacks by jehadis and fidayeen as well as infiltration attempts along the Line of Control (LoC) in the next one month. One of the specialists told EXCELSIOR that the proposed action by the dreaded ultras would mainly be directed against the Indian security personnel and their installations, camps and vehicles.

The specialist, while briefly discussing what he described as "highly ominous" signals emanating from certain radio intercepts in J&K, said that three significant developments had taken place in recent weeks-first, militants have ranged far and wide in their choice of targets in Jammu province this time; second, terrorists have received fresh orders to intensify their attacks on the Army and paramilitary forces as well as the J&K police personnel; third several former militants who had formed the vanguard of the Army’s anti-militancy programme, have been forced or enticed by the ‘enemy’ to change sides-a change favouring the terrorist outfits.

The specialist, in his assessment report on J&K, has stated that with the intimate knowledge of these former militants of perimeter security in several Army, paramilitary forces and police establishments, they seem to be in a position to provide anti-Indian militants with vital information enabling the latter to probe the chinks in the protective armour of the Army, the paramilitary forces and the police.

"It is this", the report says, "which has largely contributed to the success of militant outfits while attacking even well-fortified headquarters". And according to the report, the total overhaul of existing security practices "has thus become imperative". This, the report adds, should deny the militants the element of surprise they now possess.

Holds informal talks with Vajpayee
Putin arrives to a warm welcome

NEW DELHI, Oct 2: Russian President Vladimir Putin tonight held informal talks with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee soon after his arrival here on a four-day state visit that is expected to take forward Indo-Russian relations to new heights.

Putin, the first Russian President to visit India in seven-and-a-half years, had private dinner meeting with Vajpayee at the Prime Minister’s official residence.

The two leaders will tomorrow have wide-ranging discussions on a whole range of international, regional and bilateral issues including the developments in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan during one-to-one and delegation-level talks.

Vajpayee and Putin will sign the historic declaration on strategic partnership and firm up agreements on defence, nuclear energy, civil aviation, agriculture, education and culture.

Leading a 70-member high-power delegation which included Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and Defence Minister Igor Sergeyev, Putin was warmly received at the Delhi airport by External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh as he alighted from his IL-96 special aircraft.

The Russian leader smiled and waved at a battery of media persons but did not take any questions as he stepped into a bullet-proof Limousine.

Putin will be accorded a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan tomorrow. He will address a joint sitting of Parliament on October 4. The same day, he will visit Agra and later fly to Mumbai for an interaction with the Indian business community.

As the scribes shot off questions, Putin, on his first visit to India as President, smiled and got into a dark blue bullet-proof Limousine without responding.

He was presented with a bouquet on behalf of President K R Narayanan.

Besides Singh, Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie, Foreign Secretary Lalit Mansingh and senior military and civil officials were present at the airport.

Tight security measures had been enforced in and around the Palam technical area and all along the route to Maurya Sheraton hotel where he will be staying.

The Russian President drove to the hotel from where he went to 7 Race Course Road for a private dinner with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

During Putin’s stay, the two countries are likely to firm up agreements on defence, nuclear energy, civil aviation, agriculture, education and culture.

The accord on strategic partnership aimed at enhancing cooperation in diversified areas will be signed by Vajpayee and Putin tomorrow.

Ahead of his visit, Putin said in an interview to an Indian weekly that in "some respects", it will be a successor document to the Indo-Soviet Treaty of 1971. "We hope that this agreement will become the foundation upon which we can build further relations."

Sharing India’s concerns on international terrorism and religious extremism, Putin said the two countries could combat the menace by effectively pooling their efforts.

External Affairs Ministry officials said developments in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan were expected to figure during the parleys Putin will have with Indian leadership.

For the first time, India has decided to buy rough diamonds from Russia, world’s largest producer. An agreement will be signed in this regard during the visit, they said.

Terming Indo-Russian relations as "time-tested and based on continuity, trust and mutual understanding", the officials said the "mature" ties were not at the cost of bilateral relations with other countries. (PTI)

Man burns wife to death

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 2: A newly married house-wife was allegedly burnt to death by her husband following a minor altercation between the couple at their house in Chatha near here.

Police sources told EXCELSIOR that the incident occurred on September 28 when the tempers of both husband and wife ran high over a trifle involving some minor dispute . In the fit of anger, the husband Sonu of Chattha doused his wife Geeta Devi with kerosene oil and set her on fire by liting match-stick.

The woman , who was completely engulfed in fire, raised alarm. After hearing her screaming, the neighbourers rushed to their house and tried to save her. She was immediately shifted to Government Medical College Hospital with 90 percent burns.

The victim , who was admitted in burn ward, battled for life for the last five days. The end, however, came today despite the best efforts of the doctors to save her. In her statement before the Police, the deceased had reportedly admitted that she was burnt by her husband.

As per her statement, the duo were engaged into heated exchange of words on that fateful day. In the fit of anger, the wife had dared her husband to lit her or she would do the same to him.

As both had drenched themselves in kerosene oil, the wife had initially tried to lit the match-stick, which didn’t strike to produce the fire. Later, her husband had set her on fire, the sources said, while quoting her dying statement.

Police have, however, registered case under section 307/498 A against the accused and arrested him.

Meanwhile, three persons were critically injured when a truck in which they were travelling skidded off the road and rolled down into nullah near Vijaypur this afternoon. They were removed to hospital where their condition was stated to be critical till the last reports came in.

LeT has sent 2 times more Mujahideen

KARACHI, Oct 2: Pakistan-based guerilla group Lashkar-e-Toiba today had doubled the number of fighters battling Indian force in Kashmir this year.

"Lashkar-e-Toiba has sent two times more Mujahideen into Kashmir than last year," the group’s chief, Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, said in a statement.

Saeed, who, the statement said, was in Karachi to meet supporters, said the number of fighters has increased "despite Indian Army efforts to plant landmines along the Line of Control."

"Several Mujahideeen (Islamic fighters) who fell victim to such mines were either injured or martyred, but despite that, the Lashkar-e-Toiba has launched two times more Mujahideen in Kashmir," the statement said.

It did not say how many fighters the group has sent into Kashmir.

Saeed criticised the United States for supporting India in the fight against militancy in the region and said any attempt by the United States to declare his organisation a terrorist group would make no difference.

"There is an expectation that America might take some extreme step, but that will not affect the holy war (in Kashmir)," he said. (REUTERS)

J&K adopts new jail manual

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 2: The Jammu and Kashmir Government today introduced a new Jail Manual in the State to mark the 131st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. It replaces the old Punjab Jail Manual of 1930 being followed in the State.

The Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Dr B P Saraf formally released the Jail Manual at an impressive function held in the SKICC, attended by a galaxy of Ministers, High Court Judges, legislators, senior bureaucrats, legal luminaries, members of the bar, social activists, representative of the ICRC, students and faculty members of Law Department of Kashmir University and prominent citizens.

The Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah presided over the function.

The new manual reveals the shift of Government policy transforming jails' from custodial to correctional and from retribution to reformation. Reforming the prisoner during his stay in jail shall be the central piece of the State policy.

Revealing this at a briefing to the press after the release of the Manual, the Principal Secretary, Home and the Chairman of the Drafting Committee, Mr C Phunsog said that the recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission as also the views of ICRC have been taken into consideration while drafting the new Manual.

Saying that Jammu and Kashmir jails are probably better than any jail in the country, he said that even ICRC and NHRC have acknowledged it in their reports released after their visits to the jails and interaction with the jail inmates. Corrective steps have been taken after receiving their observations, he said. Similarly, the team constituted by the Court comprising Sessions Judge, District Magistrate and District Superintendent of Police too have expressed satisfaction over the conditions in the jails.

Mr Phunsog said that the Government have prepared a plan for modernising jails with central assistance. He said the State has decided to construct one jail in every district so that detenues are not required to be shifted from one place to another to meet the legal and investigative requirements. The district jails at Anantnag and Leh are currently under construction while jails are planned for Kupwara, Pulwama, Budgam and Kargil.

Replying to a question about the health facilities in jails, Mr Phunsog said that prisoners are referred to outside hospitals only on the recommendations of the doctors of the prisons. He said wherever required, prisoners are also sent outside the State for specialised treatment. In this connection, he referred to some cases where prisoners were sent to PGI, Chandigarh for specialised treatment for cardiac ailments.

Dispelling misgivings about presence of large number of detenues in jails, the Additional Director General, Prisons, Mr S S Ali, who was also present at the briefing, said that there are hardly 1600 prisoners in the jails while 10, mostly foreign mercenaries, are lodged outside the State. The number of foreign mercenaries in the State is over one hundred. He said the pre-release vocational training as prescribed under the new Manual has already commenced in the Central Jails of Srinagar and Jammu, Kote Bhalwal Jail and District Jail, Kathua. The vocational training include computer training. Help of Department of Technical Education and ITIs has been sought for imparting training to jail inmates.

Earlier welcoming the guests at the function, Mr Phunsog listed some of the features of the new Manual. He said education, recreation and such other facilities would be provided to prisoners to help mitigate the adverse effects of the imprisonment. Provisions have been made for effective segregation of prisoners so as to ensure that first offenders are not mixed with hardened criminals and young and women offenders are well protected.

Mr Phunsog said that suitable provisions have been made to accommodate the recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission in respect of diet, medical care, canteen facilities, hygiene, living conditions, clothing and bedding, interviews and legal aid. Provisions have been made to ensure that the prison administration prevents the prison atmosphere from hardening the criminal tendencies among inmates. Manual emphasises that the prison system is run on industrial lines so that jails are financially self supporting as far as possible.

Recognising that a competent and humane prison staff, trained in the intricacies of correctional administration, is the sine-qua-non for making prison reforms fructify fully, he said, the provisions relating to prison personnel have been so formulated as to facilitate development of the desired structure and quality of staff. He said that separate chapters have been provided on scientific classification of prisoners, education, vocational training, recreation, pre-release training and after-care and rehabilitation of prisoners.

He said the chapters on 'Work' and 'Discipline' make provisions for hard work and strict discipline while at the same time avoiding barbarous and wasteful labour. Minimum physical standards in terms of per capita floor space, ceiling height and ventilation have been provided for. There is a separate chapter on the Rights and Duties of prisoners.

Mr Phunsog said that specific provisions have been made in the Manual in respect of hitherto non-existent institutions like Special Prison, Borstal Institution and Open Institution and special services like correctional services, after-care and rehabilitation services as also authorities like Panel of Visitors and State Advisory Board. Reference to these will be found also in provisions elsewhere in the Manual.

Mr Phunsog said that the underlying spirit of the new Manual is the realisation of the fact that most of the prisoners are normal human beings and they land in jail for succumbing to various kinds of temptations which may not re-occur.

Another emissary rushed to Mamata

NEW DELHI, Oct 2: The Vajpayee Government tonight rushed its emissary Sudhendhu Kulkarni, an OSD in PMO, with an offer of partial rollback of petro products price hike after Trinamool Congress said it had scaled down the demand for total rollback but wanted some relief for the common people.

After a meeting Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had with Home Minister L K Advani and Defence Minister George Fernandes, BJP sources indicated the Government was willing to consider a marginal rollback of the prices but did not quantify it.

They said the offer would be discussed in detail by Kulkarni with Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee who resigned over the issue of the price hike and threatened to pull out of NDA.

Kulkarni had gone to Calcutta with Fernandes soon after Banerjee had faxed her resignation to Vajpayee on Saturday last and returned here yesterday.

Though Banerjee kept away from the press, chairman of the TC’s policy-making body Pankaj Banerjee told newsmen at her residence in Calcutta earlier in the day that negotiations were still on with the emissary of the Prime Minister over phone. "Some solution will come out within the next few hours", he said.

"We are awaiting a decision from them regarding some concessions. We hope that the Centre will take suitable action to give some relief to the common people", he said. (PTI)

War weapons seized at Qazigund
5 militants killed in Bandipore, Kupwara

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 2: While as security forces today eliminated at least five militants in two different operations in Bandipore and Kupwara, five BSF personnel have sustained injuries in a landmine blast in Pulwama. One civilian died in Bandipore encounter and a tourist’s dead body was fished out from Dal Lake. Meanwhile, a group of militants escaped from the security forces dragnet near Qazigund but their weapons, usually used in war, were seized by ITBP.

Official sources told EXCELSIOR that on the basis of a specific information, troops of Rashtriya Rifles 14th Bn and SOG Bandipore raided a militant hide-out at Arin village, near Bandipore this evening. According to the tip-off three militants -- possibly foreigners -- were present at the house of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat S/o Shaban Bhat. As soon as troops zeroed in on the target house, militants opened fire and made unsuccessful attempts to escape. In the fierce gun-battle, troops destroyed the house. All the three militants were believed to have got killed. Their dead bodies and arms had not been recovered from the debris till late tonight as the search operation was still in progress.

The adjacent residential house of Abdul Gani Bhat S/o Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, Farooq Ahmed Wani S/o Ali Mohammad Wani and Abdul Ahad Bhat S/o Ghulam Ahmed Bhat caught fire and gutted completely. A civilian, namely Abdul Majeed Lone S/o Lassi Lone got killed in exchange of fire while as two more civilians, namely Abdur Rasheed S/o Mohammad Shaban and Gulla Rather S/o Habibullah Rather sustained injuries. They were both rushed to Bandipore hospital for treatment.

Earlier this morning, troops of Rashtriya Rifles 32 Bn and SOG Kupwara’s Lalpora camp engaged militants in a fierce encounter at Palnar, in Lolab valley of Kupwara. Two militants got killed who were identified as Talib Hussain and Mohammad Sadiq of Pakistan. They were described as cadres of Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen. One AK-56 rifle, one pistol, three hand grenades, one wireless set and 10 Kg of RDX were claimed to have been recovered from the spot. Unconfirmed reports said that three militants of the group managed to escape.

This evening, militants targetted two vehicles of 3-Field Regiment in a landmine blast at Wahipora, near Chandilora, on Srinagar-Tangmarg road. There was no damage as the explosion failed to strike on the target.

This evening at 2100 hours, militants attacked a camp of BSF 100 Bn at Kokerbaz (Zoonimar) near Soura with guns and grenades. Militants also lobbed a grenade on a BSF pillbox at Naushera in downtown which failed to cause any damage.

Reports said that Police recovered the dead body of a tourist, namely P K Patil from Dal Lake. How he died or was killed was not known immediately.

Reports from Beerwah said that troops of RR 34 Bn raided a militant Mushtaq Ahmed Sheikh’s house at Sail. Sheikh, who was present at his home, managed to escape but troops set his house ablaze.

Seizure at Qazigund

Informed sources said that last evening at 2100 hours, a group eight militants took their dinner at Livdara, Vessu, on National Highway, and forced two truck drivers -- Khazan Singh of Udhampur and Surjit Singh of Jammu -- to give them lift upto Qazigund. Troops of ITBP 6th Bn, stopped the two trucks for routine search at TAC Hqs at Vessu. However, militants alighted from the vehicles quickly and ran away from the rear.

Troops took positions and conducted a search for the militants and their weapons. Even as they failed to lay hand on the militants, a large quantity of arms and ammunition was claimed to have been recovered. The seizure included one AK rifle, 5 ballistic missiles, four grenade-throwers, six 82-mm mortars, two rifle grenades and three hand grenades. Defence experts said that the missiles as well as the mortars of high calibre were generally used during war.

Exhibition to mark Putin’s visit

NEW DELHI, Oct 2: In order to mark the Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife Ludmila Putin’s visit to the country, a unique exhibition of Russian prints and dolls is being organised at the premier Maurya Sheraton Hotel, the venue of the visiting delegates’ stay.

The exhibition, jointly organised by the hotel authorities and the Russian Cultural Centre, will display prints of 20th century master painter Nikolai K Roerich and renowned ‘Bylina’ dolls till October four at the hotel premises.

The exhibition of prints titled ‘Times of roe rich’ captures the versatility of an artist who lived an eventful life in Russia, Central Asia and also in India, a release from the hotel authorities said.

Made in a tiny Russian town of Bylina, ‘Bylina dolls’ have been specially flown in for the exhibition, it said.

The dolls are known the world over for their hand woven silk faces which depict pretty, joyous and kind expressions, the release added. (PTI)

5 killed in firing between two groups

KARNAL (HARYANA), Oct 2: Five people were killed and about 15 injured, including cousin of former Minister Tejinderpal Singh Mann, in a cross firing between two groups of people in Chandrao village in Indri tehsil, about 25 km from here today, police said.

District police chief A S Ahlawat said the exchange of fire took place due to a dispute between the two groups over a piece of land in the village.

The killed were identified as Ramesh, Sultan, Rish Pal, Dai Ram and Jeet Ram, he said.

The injured, who have been admitted to civil hospital, included son of former MLA Janki Devi, Parmjeet Singh and a cousin of Mann.

No arrest has been made so far in this connection, he said adding police had registered a case against both the groups under various sections of the Arms Act. (PTI)

‘Kale-Kachhewala’ gang busted

SANGRUR (PUNJAB), Oct 2: Police today said they have smashed an inter-State gang of robbers with the arrest of five of its members.

Barnala SSP Ajaib Singh Kalek told reporters here police had arrested five members of the "Kale Kachhewala gang" which terrorised local people. Six of the remaining members of the gang were still at large.

Kaleke said the gangsters belonged to the "Pardee" sect from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

He said the robbers had confessed their involvement in about two dozen incidents of robberies and lootings. (PTI)

Former Union Minister quits BJP

HUBLI, Oct 2: Former Union Minister Baba-gouda Patil today announced his resignation from the primary membership of the BJP.

Patil, who had unsuccessfully contested the last Lok Sabha polls from Belgaum, told reporters here that he had sent his resignation letter to party president Bangaru Laxman.

Stating the reason for his resignation, he said both the Central and State Government policies were against the commonman and that he could not fight these from within the party. ‘The policies are anti-people,’ he said.

Several of his followers would also "follow suit", he said.

Patil said he would soon launch an agitation against policies of both the Central and State Governments which had badly hit the common people, particularly farmers.

Increase in prices of petroleum products and import of commodities like sugar by the Centre and hike in power tariff by the State Government were measures that had affected people most, he said.

Patil was a leader of the Karnataka State Farmers Association before joining the BJP. He had served as the Minister of State for Rural Development in the first Vajpayee Ministry. (PTI)

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