Latest news with #SukhchainSingh
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
PSIC issues show cause notice to Mohali director public instructions for RTI information denial
1 2 3 Mohali: The Punjab State Information Commission (PSIC) has issued a show cause notice to the public information officer (PIO) of the director public instructions (secondary education), Mohali, for failing to furnish information sought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Following a complaint by Sukhchain Singh, a resident of Fatehgarh Churian, Batala, the commission, invoking Section 20(1) of the RTI Act, has asked the PIO to explain in writing why a penalty should not be imposed for the alleged willful delay or denial of information. The officer has been directed to submit a detailed reply before the next date of hearing. During the proceedings, the commission expressed strong displeasure at what it termed as "complete negligence and laxity" on the part of the public authority in handling the RTI request. The commission noted that the continued failure to respond to such matters reflected not only inefficiency but also a disregard for the RTI Act itself. "The casual and callous approach adopted by the respondent is against the spirit of the RTI Act," the commission observed, adding that the law was enacted to promote transparency and ensure effective access to information. "Such behaviour by a government servant must be condemned," it said, emphasising that exemplary action is necessary to send a clear message to other public officials about their obligations under the Act. The PSIC's stern remarks underlined the need for accountability in governance and warned that non-compliance with the RTI framework undermines public trust in administrative institutions.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Time of India
Youth assaulted for messaging minor girl, zero FIR filed
Patiala: A video has gone viral in which a 21-year-old Dalit man is seen being brutally assaulted, his hair being forcibly cut, and his face blackened in a village of Patiala. The man messaing a minor girl "for friendship" is alleged to be the trigger for the brutality. The incident took place on Sunday and a zero FIR has been registered at Nabha Sadar police station, confirmed a police official. According to reports, the victim messaged the girl for friendship. Despite repeatedly apologising, he was allegedly beaten by members of the girl's family and other villagers in front of the village panchayat. The youth, who belongs to a scheduled caste (SC) family, is undergoing treatment at Nabha civil hospital. The minor girl belongs to a backward caste (BC) family. Village sarpanch Sukhchain Singh condemned the attack, stating the girl's family was enraged over the message to their minor daughter. "When I reached the spot after receiving the information, they were already cutting the boy's hair. I tried to intervene, but they did not stop," he said. He added police were informed, but they refused to respond. "Eventually, I took both parties to the police post myself," he said. The sarpanch also mentioned that while the boy previously took Amrit, he recently cut his hair on his own and started wearing a cap. Nabha Sadar station house officer (SHO) Gurpreet Singh Samrao confirmed the initial investigation found the girl's family picked up the boy from his workplace in Kalajhar, Sangrur, and brought him back to the village where the assault took place. "On taking legal advice, a case will be filed at the appropriate police station," Samrao said.
Russia Today
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
‘It was carnage': Kashmiri border residents shattered by night shelling from Pakistan
In the serene village of Mendhar, nestled in the mountains of Poonch district in the southern region of Jammu close to the Line of Control (LoC), a quasi-border between India and Pakistan, the night of tranquility on Wednesday was shattered by intense shelling from across the border. At least 16 civilians, including women and children, were killed and 44 people were wounded. The residents recalled it as the worst shelling in decades. They woke up to the deafening sounds of shellfire as Pakistani artillery targeted civilian areas along the LOC in multiple locations across Jammu and Kashmir. 'This was a night of grief and terror.' We did not know what to do as shells were landing everywhere on houses, killing small children, triggering fire,' said Sukhchain Singh, a farmer, whose two neighbors, Amreek Singh, 55, and Ranjit Singh, 48, both shopkeepers, were killed in the shelling. 'We are in grief and mourning, and now we also fear for our lives,' he said. Analysts have called the assault one of the deadliest in recent years. It was in response to India's 'Operation Sindoor' launched on the night of May 7 and targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan in retaliation for a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgram, Kashmir in April. Tensions between India and Pakistan have sharply escalated following the attack that left 26 people dead. India, which has long accused Pakistan of aiding militant infiltrations in Kashmir, has signaled that it holds Pakistan responsible – a claim Pakistan denied. The two neighbors have fought several wars since their independence from Britain in 1947 as they both claim Jammu and Kashmir in its entirety. 'We have not seen anything like this in years, though we have been living in the border area for decades now. This was a doomsday. It is the innocent civilians who get caught in the fire; how were the small children to blame who were killed?' said Tahira Bano, another resident who along with her family of five was evacuated to a government school in Poonch town. Poonch town was the worst affected, where locals said that the shelling continued for six hours, sparking fear and terror among residents who were caught unaware. The tension between India and Pakistan had been building for days after the Pahalgam attack, in which 26 tourists were killed by terrorists. India has blamed Pakistan, although Pakistan has denied the charge. In retaliation for the Pahalgam attack, India launched 'Operation Sindoor', which New Delhi said targeted nine 'terror bases' in Pakistan. However, Islamabad retorted that 31 civilians were killed in an Indian strike and the attack would be avenged, which has heightened the tensions between the two countries. World leaders have meanwhile appealed for calm between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Ajaz Jan, a local legislator, said that the entire town in Poonch had been affected by the heavy shelling from across the border. 'This was like a war zone,' he said. The videos shared by the locals with RT show a house turned into ruins, dead bodies of children being carried out in vans, and smoke rising high in the air. Residents have yet to recover from the scenes of chaos, with despairing families huddled in makeshift shelters, mourning the loss of loved ones and the destruction of their homes. ❗️Pakistani Artillery Strikes Kill 15 Civilians in Poonch & Tangdhar43 others were injured when strikes hit civilian areas in Kashmir earlier on Wednesday. 'This was a peaceful village, but now there is smoke everywhere,' says Abdul Salam Khatana, 55, another resident. While the Indian army says that they have responded to the ceasefire violations, the civilian population continues to bear the brunt of the escalating tensions all across the border in Jammu and Kashmir. 'We do not know what lies ahead for us. War is not an option; the innocent civilians pay the price. It takes years to build a life on the mountain, and now it has taken seconds to turn everything into ashes,' Khatana said, adding that the locals long for peace. Mohmad Waseem Malla, a research fellow at the International Centre for Peace Studies New Delhi said that that residents along the LoC are the most vulnerable, being situated directly on the front line. 'There are already so many casualties being reported. Should tensions escalate further, these communities may face not only temporary displacement but also significant restrictions on access to their agricultural lands – an essential source of livelihood,' Malla said. He added that at this juncture, it remains to be seen how the situation will evolve. 'Nevertheless, India's response thus far appears calibrated, aiming to establish deterrence while preventing a broader escalation.' Michael Kugelman, the Director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center, said that this time the violence is much worse than, for instance, in 2019 when India conducted precision strikes on a terrorist camp in Balakot, Pakistan, following an attack on the military convoy in Pulwama that resulted in the death of 40 personnel. Tensions now are 'already higher up the escalatory ladder than any time in the '19 crisis,' Kugelman said. While the borders between India and Pakistan have witnessed skirmishes for decades, the roaring guns had mostly fallen silent after the 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two countries. Experts say that the current scale of cross-border shelling has not been seen since the 1971 India-Pakistan War. Shelling was also witnessed in the northern districts of Uri and Kupwara – two districts close to the LoC. Many civilian homes were damaged and several people were injured, including three children. The locals have been asked to move to safety by the government. The authorities have also ordered the closure of schools and colleges in many districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The three airports in the region – Srinagar, Jammu and Leh – have been closed until May 10. There is chaos and uncertainty among the local population, who fear that hostilities could increase and have started hoarding essentials like gasoline. RT spoke to locals in the villages of Gingal, Dachina, and Salamabad, where residents said that many houses caught fire due to the intensity of the shelling. 'The blazing fire was so intense that within seconds it spread, we found no other option but to leave our livestock behind and flee the village,' said a resident of Salamabad in Uri, who has now left his home behind and gone to a shelter in the town. 'We want peace and not war. This is taking a toll on our lives, our mental health is shattered. We feel helpless,' said Irshad Ahmad, a resident of Garkote village in the same district. While the situation remains tense with fear of more escalation, Ahmad said that he hopes that hostilities will end soon. 'We hope that peace comes back and we can return to our homes.'
Hindustan Times
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Op Sindoor: Panic in border areas, villagers start evacuating to safer places
People in some border villages of Ferozepur and Tarn Taran districts began moving to safer areas amid soaring tensions between India and Pakistan. A family during evacuation from a border village in Ferozepur on Wednesday. (HT Photo) According to reports, the residents of villages, particularly around the Hussainiwala sector, located just 13 km from Ferozepur, have begun evacuating voluntarily following the Indian Armed forces successfully carrying out targeted strikes on nine 'terrorist infrastructure' in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Similar reports were received from the Khemkaran area, which saw intense action during the 1965 war. Most of the border villagers have shifted their children and women members to safer places. The war-like situation is not new for the people of Khemkaran area. They have seen similar evacuations during the 1965 and 1971 wars with the most recent being the 1999 Kargil war. Kasur-Khemkaran axes saw one of the biggest tank battles post-Second World War, with Pakistan suffering significant losses. The engagement at Asal Uttar is widely recognised as a turning point in the 1965 war. In the markets of Khemkaran, a historic small town, it was business as usual with people seen shopping and going about their day-to-day routine. In the Kalas village, youths and other men were huddled discussing the possible scenarios. Several gates of the houses in the village, a few yards from the zero line, were locked with the families moving to safer areas. 'Many have sent children and women to the safer places. However, almost all the men are staying behind,' Balwinder Singh said, adding: 'We stand with the Indian Army which has avenged the Pahalgam attack. Killing civilians in cold blood is a cowardly act. So, what has been done by the army is good. Another resident Sukhchain Singh said, 'We cannot abandon our houses and livestock'. Lakhbir Singh added that nearly 35% people of this village have moved in panic. 'We apprehend that something untoward might happen. Our village is closest to the border and could easily be captured by Pakistani forces in case of a full-scale war,' Lakhbir said. In Mehadipur village, surrounded by an international border from three sides, a group of men were busy playing cards and discussing the possible war scenarios. The village is connected to mainland India via a bridge. 'Residents of this village have already faced evacuation three to four times in the past. These things are not new to us. This time, the people are not evacuating in haste', said Satnam Singh, a villager. In Ferozepur, evacuations have been reported in several border villages, including Tendiwala, Kaluwala, Hajara Singh Wala, and Ghatti Rajjo Kee, among others. 'There has been complete silence across the border since yesterday. We haven't even heard the usual 'Azan', and no Pakistani farmers have shown up in their fields today,' said Surjit Singh, a resident of Chugge Hajara Singh Wala. 'We've seen difficult times before, but we trust our jawans. We hope peace returns soon,' said Baldev Singh, a farmer from Ghatti Rajjo Kee. Ferozepur deputy commissioner Deepshikha Sharma said that the evacuations are voluntary. 'No official directive has been issued. People might be taking precautionary steps on their own. We are ensuring all measures for civilian safety,' she stated. She said that the entire administration is fully alert and prepared.
Hindustan Times
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Punjab: Leaked chat: Two more arrested over ‘assassination' plot
The Moga police have arrested two more persons for allegedly hatching a conspiracy to target the political leaders. The arrested accused have been identified as Harwinder Singh of Rajeana and Sukhchain Singh of Malliana village, both in Moga district. A case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other sections was registered in Moga on April 21, and since then, the police have arrested five persons, including a 17-year-old boy, for their alleged role in terror activities. The accused were arrested on Tuesday night. They were produced before a Moga district court on Wednesday and were sent to two-day police remand. According to the police, there were at least 30 members of Waris Punjab De on the WhatsApp chat group who were found plotting to target Union home minister Amit Shah, Union minister Ravneet Bittu and others over the extension of Khadoor Sahib MP's detention under the National Security Act (NSA) for one more year. The alleged conspiracy was exposed through leaked chats on social media platforms on Sunday. HT couldn't independently verify the veracity of the chats. Investigators said that digital data is being analysed to identify more accused who were members of the said chat group with objectionable content.
