Punjab: security up in 4 prisons as intel warns of jailbreak plan

Punjab: security up in 4 prisons as intel warns of jailbreak plan

Security has been beefed up across jails in Punjab after an intelligence input from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) sent to the Punjab Police alerted that Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative and wanted gangster-terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda, believed to be hiding in Pakistan, has “conceived a jailbreak plan in Punjab” to “ensure release of some prominent gangsters and militants”.
According to the letter accessed by The Indian Express, the “likely targets of execution could be Bathinda jail, Ferozepur jail, Amritsar jail or Ludhiana jail”.
The development comes few days after Punjab witnessed back-to-back incidents of violence and security breach, allegedly planned and executed by the gangsters operating from abroad with the help of local criminals, including murder of kabaddi player Sandeep Singh Nangal Ambian on March 14, RPG attack on police intelligence HQs in Mohali on May 9 and gruesome killing of singer-rapper Sidhu Moosewala on May 29.
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The letter written by the joint director, SIB (MHA) to Punjab Police DGP says that “according to a reliable input, Pakistan-based operative Harvinder Singh alias Rinda has conceived a jail break plan in Punjab in coming days to ensure release of some prominent gangsters and militants”.
“Besides utilising his Punjab-based cohorts, Rinda is also likely to rope in some jehadi elements in execution of the plan. The likely targets of execution could be Bathinda jail, Ferozepur jail, Amritsar jail or Ludhiana jail,” reads the letter.
Rinda, a wanted terrorist-gangster considered close to BKI chief Wadhawa Singh and ‘being protected’ by the ISI in Pakistan, is a close associate of Lakhvir Singh Landa, a gangster hiding in Canada and the key conspirator of RPG attack on Punjab Police’s intelligence HQs, said Punjab Police.
It is suspected that Rinda reached Pakistan via Nepal after acquiring a fake passport.

Rinda, 35, is also suspected of carrying out a terror attack at the Nawanshahr Crime Investigating Agency building on November 8 last year. In May this year, in a joint operation of Punjab and Haryana police also arrested four terror suspects from Karnal who were allegedly travelling to Telangana to deliver a consignment of weapons, ammunition and IEDs that was dropped via drones in a field of Ferozepur, on the directions of Rinda.
On Sunday, Punjab Jails Minister Harjot Singh Bains reached Ludhiana central jail on a surprise inspection. He told the The Indian Express that his department was taking all measures to make prisons of Punjab free from mobile phones. “In 2.5 months of the AAP coming to power, we have recovered at least 1,000 mobile phones from jails. It is a record… Adequate security has been deployed across all jails in Punjab,” he said.

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Civil Secretariat to lend e-readers to officials

Civil Secretariat to lend e-readers to officials

After ensuring that by June end, the Haryana Vidhan Sabha shall convert into the e-Vidhan Sabha (a paperless Vidhan Sabha) and the upcoming monsoon session shall be held in a paper-less format, the Haryana Civil Secretariat has now come up with another unique initiative – lending Kindles to officers.
The Civil Secretariat’s library has procured 10 Kindles that can be got issued by the officers of the Civil Secretariat for a maximum period of 15 days. “This is to inform you that the Library, Haryana Civil Secretariat, has procured 10 internet-enabled Kindles that are portable wireless electronic reading devices for reading books. Amazon offers a number of classics for free. In fact, they offer free kindle books in a variety of genres. However, those desiring to read any particular book of their choice can buy their own books using a personal Amazon account”, an official communication sent to officers from the office of Chief secretary Sanjeev Kaushal mentioned.

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‘AAP will speed up drive to free govt land from encroachments’

‘AAP will speed up drive to free govt land from encroachments’

Punjab Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal Thursday claimed that he his department has manged to get 100 acres of government land freed from illegal possession across the state.
He added that his department has been directed to gather fresh details of land under illegal possession across the state up to 2021.
The minister cited a 2010 report saying that there was more than 50,000 acres of government land under illegal possession as per that report.
The Rural Development & Panchayats Department, he said, had in the last few days illegal possessions have been removed from 79 acres and one kanal of land, including 62 acres of land only in Jalandhar division.

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24×7 power, 300 free units very soon, says Power Minister Harbhajan Singh

24×7 power, 300 free units very soon, says Power Minister Harbhajan Singh

Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh Thursday said the Aam Adami Party government will soon issue an order on the promised 300 units of free electricity. In Amritsar to pay obeisance at Harmandir Sahib after becoming minister, Harbhajan said, “We will provide 24-hour power supply. The promise of 300 free units will also become reality very soon. AAP is not like other parties that start work on their promises in the last three months of government. It was one of the guarantees given by us, and we will keep it.”
Earlier, he met officials from the district and stressed that the government will not tolerate corruption in any office. He said, “The Chief Minister has formally started eradicating this disease (corruption) by launching a helpline.”
Harbhajan Singh told officers, “I have served in the government department so I am well aware of your needs and problems. I will not put any pressure on you and you will have the freedom to act according to the law.” He said that the manner in which AAP has been voted in, it has raised the expectations of the people, which cannot be fulfilled without the cooperation of government officials and employees.
“We should take care to ensure that there was no inconvenience to the people in government offices. Do not let any work in the office linger for a long time,” the minister said.

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Over 1 lakh cases settled in lok adalats in Punjab

Over 1 lakh cases settled in lok adalats in Punjab

As many as 1,73,910 cases (pre-litigative and pending) were settled before 447 benches of lok adalat which was held by under the leadership of Justice Ajay Tewari, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court and executive chairman of Punjab State Legal Services Authority.
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The National Lok Adalat was organised on Saturday throughout the state through physical as well as virtual mode.
Arun Gupta, District and essions Judge-cum-member secretary, Punjab State Legal Services Authority, said that long-pending matters relating to matrimonial disputes, property disputes, cheque bounce cases, labour matters, criminal compoundable cases, and cancellation/untraced reports of various FIRs were taken up.
Apart from this, various awards were passed with the consent of the parties. As per the provisions of the Legal Services Authorities, the court fee was ordered to be refunded.
The guidance and initiative by Justice Ajay Tewari proved a catalyst in resolving a large number of cases.

On this occasion, the people were made aware of the toll-free number 1968 for any kind of legal assistance available to all the needy persons, particularly the marginalised segments.
The front offices set up at district and taluka level on the premises of the courts are in existence to guide the litigants for obtaining free and effective legal aid.

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