Kosli (Rewari) :

The bandh call given by the Jan Sangarsh Samiti against the gangrape evoked an overwhelming response on Wednesday as traders and shopkeepers kept their establishments shut from 9 am to 12 noon to express solidarity with the victim.

Representatives of the samiti and Yuva Shakti Jhaal took out a protest march in the town and submitted a memorandum to SDM Uttam Singh seeking immediate arrest of the other two suspects, government job to the victim and monetary aid to the victim’s family.

The protesters decided to convene a mahapanchayat of 51 villages in Kosli on Friday to decide further course of action. They called upon people and social outfits of surrounding districts to support them in getting justice for the victim.

“Our struggle will continue till the victim gets justice and demands are met. This unfortunate incident has caused an irreparable loss to the victim and her family. The government should come forward to offer her a respectable job to bring her out of trauma,” said Hansraj, convener of the samiti.

He said local residents were ready to launch a decisive struggle for help to the victim and maximum punishment to the accused.

“The state government has been given a two-day ultimatum to accept our demands. We will not hesitate in taking any stringent step in the mahapanchayat scheduled on Friday as residents want justice at the earliest,” said Hansraj.

Krishan, a youth who participated in the protest, said they wanted capital punishment for the culprits. Rajesh, another protester, decried the police for alleged sluggish action and demanded action against the cops responsible.

The Bar Association of Kanina in Mahendragarh on Wednesday announced that no member would defend the accused in court. A similar decision had earlier been taken by the Bar associations if Kosli and Rewari.

Sonepat :
After knowing about the brutal killing of Head Constable Narender Singh of the BSF allegedly by the Pakistan Rangers, residents of his native village, Thana Kalan, in the district are in the state of shock.

They have urged the Prime Minister to avenge his martyrdom.

Union Minister of State for Planning Rao Inderjit Singh, who was participating in a programme at Murthal, condemned the killing. He said that India would take revenge.

Congress MP from Rohtak, Deepender Singh Hooda, also condemned the killing of Narender and demanded that India should reply in the same language. “People are with the Indian Army and strict action must be taken against Pakistan as well as terrorist groups in Jammu and Kashmir. We are proud of the supreme sacrifice of Narender,” he said.

Village Sarpanch Balram said that the villagers have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to avenge Narender’s martyrdom. “The gram panchayat will raise a memorial on panchayat land. The school and stadium in the village will be named after him.”

Narender’s uncle Ashok and other villagers said that the body was being brought by road from Jammu to the village by Narender’s family members. They are likely to reach the village early morning tomorrow. Narender is survived by his wife and two sons.

Slow buying by private companies; government procurement to start from Oct. 1

Ambala :
Paddy arrivals have started at the grain markets in Ambala City and Ambala Cantonment. But in the absence of purchase by the government, the stocks (PR variety) remained unsold.

Meanwhile, the Bhartiya Kisan Union has sought direct payment in the farmers’ accounts.

As per the information available, 7,465 quintals of paddy (including 75 quintals of Pusa-1509 and the rest PR variety) have arrived at the City grain market. Around 8,500 quintals of PR variety have arrived at the Cantonment grain market till Wednesday.

While the MSP for Grade A is Rs 1,770, for the common grade, it is Rs 1,750 per quintal.

The stock of Pusa-1509 was purchased by private players and it managed to fetch Rs 2,450 a quintal, failing to touch the levels of Rs 2,900 a quintal of last year, Duni Chand, president of commission agents association, said. He expected the prices to improve in the coming days.

KK Malik, secretary, market committee, Ambala Cantonment, said, “Paddy arrivals have started but the government purchase will start from October 1. Farmers are being advised to bring the produce after cleaning and drying properly.”

Faridabad :
A 20-year-old woman employed with a private company was allegedly gang-raped by four youths near IMT (Industrial Model Township) gate in Ballabgarh area of the city on night.

 The victim’s friend was present near the scene of the crime as he had been held captive by the miscreants. One suspect has been rounded up.

The incident took place at around 8 pm when the victim and her friend were riding a motorcycle on the bypass road next to the Agra canal.

“As they parked the motorcycle at a spot 50m from the main gate of IMT, four unidentified youths approached and gheraoed them,” said police sources.

The youths caught hold of them and threatened to kill them if they tried to raise an alarm.

Three of the suspects held the male friend captive near the bike while the remaining youth raped the girl in the nearby bushes. The youths took turns to rape the victim.

The victim and her kin lodged a complaint with the police at around 10 pm, it is revealed.

The victim in her statement has claimed that the incident took place when she was on her way to the market with a friend on the motorcycle which broke down near the IMT gate.

The victim hails from Ballabgarh and is employed with a company along with her male friend.

“We have got the medical examination of the victim done and have registered a case under Section 376-D of the IPC against the four youths,” said Commissioner of Police AS Dhillon.

Revealing that one suspect has already been rounded up, DCP, Ballabgarh, Rajesh Kumar said that the spot where the crime took place is usually deserted. There is little movement of traffic in the area during night.

An SIT headed by ACP Ballabgarh has been set up to probe the incident. The SIT will have Inspector CIA, SHO Ballabgarh city; SHO, women police station; and the ACP.

A spokesperson of the police department said that besides the SIT, a team of the Crime Branch headed by DCP Lokender Singh would also provide support in the investigation. Sketches of the culprits were being prepared and a team of FSL has visited the spot, he said.

Gurugram :
Notorious gangster Bhanwar Singh was killed in an encounter with the district police in Manesar on Monday night.

Singh had gunned down an HSIIDC patwari in Manesar last month.

A crime unit headed by Inspector Manoj Verma got a tip-off about Bhanwar having drinks with his accomplices in a room in the fields on the outskirts of Manesar. The police team immediately reached the spot and asked them to surrender.

Verma said the accused started firing at the police team and they had to retaliate. Bhanwar got injured in cross firing and he was taken to hospital where he was declared dead, said Verma.

Bhanwar (35) had over a dozen cases registered against him across the state and was declared proclaimed offender. He was amongst top 10 in a recently prepared list of 300 wanted criminals.