Ferozepur February 28:
Some unidentified miscreants allegedly set the room of the record keeper of the court of the Additional Sessions Judge on fire late last night. The room is located at a stone’s throw from the DC’s office in the local administrative complex.
The miscreants allegedly broke open the lock of the main gate of the room, sprinkled petrol, which they had brought in a plastic container, on files pertaining to different cases being contested in the court of the Additional Sessions Judge, Jatinder Kaur, and set them on fire. Later, they bolted the gate from outside before fleeing.
Within a few minutes, the entire record and the furniture of the room, which was being used by two record keepers and one typist, was burnt. A blast also took place in the room causing cracks in its walls and the roof. Though a section of the officials claimed that there were adequate security arrangements in the DC’s office complex where courts of different judicial officials were also located, the fire incident has put a question mark on the seriousness of the authorities in securing important offices against any mischievous act.
It is learnt that watchman Satnam Singh came to know about the incident at 3.30 am and immediately informed the officers concerned. After getting the information, District and Sessions Judge Jaspal Singh, along with other judicial, civil and police officials, reached the spot. A senior functionary of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh, also visited the spot today.
The police has recovered the container in which the petrol was brought by the miscreants and an iron rod from the spot. All the doors and windows of the room were also damaged in the fire. Two fire tenders were pressed into service to bring the fire under control. Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav, who also visited the spot, said prima facie, it was a case of sabotage.
On the basis of the statement given by Bhajan Singh, a stenographer in the district court complex, a case has been registered under Sections 427, 436, 450 and 457 of the IPC at the police station concerned. Taking serious note of the incident, District Police Chief Kaustab Sharma has decided to head the panel which has been set up for investigating the same. A three-member committee comprising judicial officers working in Ferozepur district has also been set up to find out reasons that led to the fire. Sharma said no one had been rounded up in this connection so far.
Fingerprints have been taken from the lock of the room and sent to the Fingerprint Bureau at Phillaur for examination. The police is also collecting details related to telephone calls made from different cellphones at the time of the incident by processing the data from mobile towers located in that area. Meanwhile, Justice LN Mittal, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court, who is the Administrative Judge of the Ferozepur session district, has left Chandigarh to visit the spot late this evening.
Some unidentified miscreants allegedly set the room of the record keeper of the court of the Additional Sessions Judge on fire late last night. The room is located at a stone’s throw from the DC’s office in the local administrative complex.
The miscreants allegedly broke open the lock of the main gate of the room, sprinkled petrol, which they had brought in a plastic container, on files pertaining to different cases being contested in the court of the Additional Sessions Judge, Jatinder Kaur, and set them on fire. Later, they bolted the gate from outside before fleeing.
Within a few minutes, the entire record and the furniture of the room, which was being used by two record keepers and one typist, was burnt. A blast also took place in the room causing cracks in its walls and the roof. Though a section of the officials claimed that there were adequate security arrangements in the DC’s office complex where courts of different judicial officials were also located, the fire incident has put a question mark on the seriousness of the authorities in securing important offices against any mischievous act.
It is learnt that watchman Satnam Singh came to know about the incident at 3.30 am and immediately informed the officers concerned. After getting the information, District and Sessions Judge Jaspal Singh, along with other judicial, civil and police officials, reached the spot. A senior functionary of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh, also visited the spot today.
The police has recovered the container in which the petrol was brought by the miscreants and an iron rod from the spot. All the doors and windows of the room were also damaged in the fire. Two fire tenders were pressed into service to bring the fire under control. Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav, who also visited the spot, said prima facie, it was a case of sabotage.
On the basis of the statement given by Bhajan Singh, a stenographer in the district court complex, a case has been registered under Sections 427, 436, 450 and 457 of the IPC at the police station concerned. Taking serious note of the incident, District Police Chief Kaustab Sharma has decided to head the panel which has been set up for investigating the same. A three-member committee comprising judicial officers working in Ferozepur district has also been set up to find out reasons that led to the fire. Sharma said no one had been rounded up in this connection so far.
Fingerprints have been taken from the lock of the room and sent to the Fingerprint Bureau at Phillaur for examination. The police is also collecting details related to telephone calls made from different cellphones at the time of the incident by processing the data from mobile towers located in that area. Meanwhile, Justice LN Mittal, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court, who is the Administrative Judge of the Ferozepur session district, has left Chandigarh to visit the spot late this evening.
