It is said that firing in the air by Puran Singh, an ex-Army man scared away the gang from his house. People in Dharamkot fear that the gang might be operating at the behest of Pakistan's ISI to disturb peace in Punjab. SSP Ferozepore said that it appeared to be the same gang that had struck at Ghal Kalan the night before. He claimed that police had found clues and the gang would be busted soon.

Gang of fake clearing agents busted: A gang of Ludhiana-based self-styled railway clearing and forwarding agents has been busted. They were allegedly fleecing hosiery and woollen garment manufacturers on the assurance of speedy booking and loading of their packages by greasing the palms of officers of the Ludhiana parcel office and other railway agencies.

R S Ghera, senior divisional commercial manager, Northern Rly Ferozepur, while reacting sharply to a news item published in The Indian Express issue of August 10, entitled `Rly parcel booking disrupted in Ludhiana,' has denied all charges of slow booking and non-clearance of railway parcels at Ludhiana. He claimed that the Divisional Manager, Northern Rly, Ferozepur N K Goel has neither authorised nor accorded recognition to the self-styled Clearing and Forwarding Parcel Welfare Association, Ludhiana.

Giving detail of a meeting of railway officers, hosiery and wool exporters and self-styled clearing agents held at Ludhiana in July, Ghera said at the meeting it was disclosed that the so-called clearing agents were charging Rs 500 per package from exporters for payment as bribe to railway officials for speedy booking and loading of their bundles from the parcel office in Ludhiana, where 1,300 to 1,500 parcels are booked daily.

Thus, they were collecting about Rs 700,000 per day. Railway officials present at the meeting denied the charge that they were being bribed and advised exporters to stop this illegal payment and use of unfair means through unscrupulous elements busy minting money in the name of the Railways.

Ghera said that on receipt of complaints, Goel had taken tough measures to stem corruption and had stopped entry of such agents in the non-ticketing area of Ludhiana parcel office and railway station. He had also issued instructions not to permit them to enter.