News / Author / Sachin Sharma

Sachin Sharma

Sachin Sharma is a senior staff correspondent, who covers crime, politics, rural civic issues and health in the Malwa region of Punjab.

Articles by Sachin Sharma

Haryana cops take Honeypreet to Bathinda to search ‘hideout’, find ‘nothing’

Local police and other officials said there was no clue found that Honeypreet stayed here after being booked for violence in Haryana’s Panchkula after the Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s conviction in a rape case on August 25 .

Honeypreet Insan (face covered) in a police car in Bathinda on Thursday.(Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

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Updated on Oct 06, 2017 09:43 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

Honeypreet aide Sukhdeep’s family had close ties with Dera Sacha Sauda

The ancestral house of Sukhdeep’s husband Iqbal Singh is at Balluana village, 20 kilometres from Bathinda city. The family had shifted to the dera’s Sirsa headquarters, several years back, it was learnt.

Honeypreet Insan with Sukhdeep Kaur at a Panchkula court on Tuesday evening.(Sant Arora/HT)

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Updated on Oct 05, 2017 11:17 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

After Takht offer of homecoming to Sikh premis, dera hits back

A day after the jathedar (head) of the Sikh temporal seat Akal Takht announced that doors are open for Sikhs to return to the religion’s fold from Dera Sacha Sauda, the sect’s Punjab headquarters in-charge, Jora Singh, said on Wednesday: “Now, those with double standards will get exposed.”

Jora Singh, in-charge of the Dera Sacha Sauda centre in Salabatpur near Bathinda(HT File Photo)

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Updated on Aug 30, 2017 10:58 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

No compensation to dera law-breakers from Punjab, says CM Amarinder

Amarinder Singh said that the government provides compensation to martyrs and to those killed in road mishaps, but not to those who break the law.

Amarinder Singh said it was up to the Union government to take decision on ordering a probe into the collapse of law and order that led to anarchy and violence in Panchkula and other parts of Haryana, Punjab and Delhi on Friday.(HT File)

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Updated on Aug 28, 2017 09:04 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma

Will appeal for peace, but can’t control devotees’ emotions: Dera’s Punjab HQ in-charge

The dera’s Punjab headquarters in-charge said the biggest challenge is the emotions of the followers and “everybody, including the government, is aware of this”.

Jora Singh, Dera Sacha Sauda’s Punjab headquarters in-charge.(Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

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Updated on Aug 24, 2017 11:17 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma

8 months after launch, Rs 12-crore Bathinda skill development centre yet to start operation

When questioned on the issue, PWD sub-divisional officer Vishal Garg said, “The construction has been completed.”

Union food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal had inaugurated the centre last year in December, ahead of the Punjab assembly polls.(HT File)

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Updated on Aug 22, 2017 02:41 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

Poor wait for hours to get atta-dal in Bathinda as Manpreet Badal’s brother-in-law arrives late

The distribution could start only at 1.30pm after Johal arrived at the function that employees of the food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department had organised. Johal distributed wheat under the scheme in other parts of city also.

Jaijeet Singh Johal, brother-in-law of Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal,handing over wheat bags to atta-dal scheme beneficiaries in Bathinda on Monday.(Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

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Updated on Jul 25, 2017 03:20 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

Spurt in smuggling of cheap Haryana liquor into Bathinda

Those owning bulk of liquor business say smuggling being done at behest of Bathinda traders having interests in Haryana

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Updated on Jul 19, 2017 09:52 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma

Suicide by three gangsters: It was fake encounter, says Vicky Gounder in Facebook post

The video was uploaded at 5:46pm on Wednesday.

On his Facebook page, Gounder has shared a video in which eight youths are seen standing in a line with two of them trashing the police theory.

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Updated on Jun 15, 2017 08:20 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma

‘Smuggler’ injured in firing by liquor trader’s men in Bathinda

In exchange of firing between men of a liquor trader and alleged smugglers, Gurlal Singh, a resident of Bahadurgarh Jandian village of Muktsar, suffered a bullet injury in his leg.

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Published on Jun 15, 2017 09:30 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

SAD blames Bathinda local traders for spurt in smuggling of liquor

Compared to 841 litres of illegal liquor recovered in March, 2,575 litres have been recovered in April in Bathinda district

As many as 72 persons have been arrested and 2,575 litre of illegal liquor recovered in April.(HT Photo)

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Updated on Apr 28, 2017 12:05 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

Products transportation issue resurfaces at Guru Gobind Singh refinery

With the change of guard in Punjab as Congress formed government in the state, issue of ferrying products in open-body trucks from Guru Gobind Singh Refinery in Rama Mandi has resurfaced with movement of such vehicles being obstructed by some politically-influential transporters.

A view of Guru Gobind Singh Refinery in Bathinda.(HT Photo)

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Updated on Apr 24, 2017 01:45 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

Anti-drug drive: 73 cases filed, 1.3 lakh pills seized in 1 month

With over one lakh banned pills seized during the past one month in the anti-drug campaign by the district police since the formation of the Congress government in the state, the campaign seems to be focusing on pharmaceutical intoxicants.

The two accused, who were nabbed with 500gm heroin, in police custody in Bathinda.(HT Photo)

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Updated on Apr 21, 2017 04:28 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

Punjab AAP leaders blame ‘Delhi model’ for debacle, seek ‘free hand’

Backed by leader of Opposition in the Punjab assembly HS Phoolka, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief whip Sukhpal Singh Khaira spilled the beans by raising a voice of dissent against the party’s Delhi-based central leadership at the Baisakhi congregation on Thursday.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira addressing the gathering at the party’s Baisakhi rally at Talwandi Sabo in bathinda on Thursday.(Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

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Updated on Apr 13, 2017 09:03 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda) | BySachin Sharma, Talwandi Sabo (bathinda)

2 groups clash to take control of Rama Mandi truck union, 6 held

A day after two Congress supporters were shot dead in an alleged bid to take control of a truck union at Bareta village in Mansa, police on Monday arrested six persons for murder bid following a clash between two groups of the Rama Mandi truck union.

A car damaged in clash between two groups over control of Rama Mandi truck union on Monday.(Sanjeev Kumar/HT Photo)

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Updated on Mar 14, 2017 07:24 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

Poll results a shocker for Bathinda MP, SAD shrinks to 2 seats from 6

With the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) managing to win just two assembly seats out of nine in the parliamentary segment represented by Union minter for food processing industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the assembly election results have come as a shocker for her.

Newly-elected MLA and senior Congress leader Manpreet Singh Badal meeting party workers at Badal village in Bathinda on Sunday.(Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

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Updated on Mar 14, 2017 04:13 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

Bathinda siblings’ murder: ‘Exorcist’ grandma believed evil spirits in kids were hurting kin

Horrific details have emerged in the case of murder of two children allegedly by their grandmother and father in a bid to “rid of evil spirits” in Bathinda’s Kotfatta village, police said on Thursday. The victims — Ranjodh Singh, 5, and his sister Anamika, 3 — were being tortured for five days since last Saturday when a religious ceremony was started by their grandmother, Nirmal Kaur, who is a self-declared ‘tantric’ or exorcism expert, in the house

Victim children’s grandfather Mukhtyar Singh consoles their uncle Jaspreet Singh in Bathinda on Tuesday.(Sanjeev Kumar/ht)

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Updated on Mar 10, 2017 10:03 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

Video of Congress worker stripped at police station in Bathinda goes viral; 2 cops suspended

Victim alleges Akali hand, was ‘harassed’ after being picked up during protest in November 2015; Bathinda SSP gave clean chit to cops in March 2016

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Updated on Feb 08, 2017 09:40 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

Punjab polls: Sirsa dera followers in Bhucho oppose decision to back SAD-BJP

Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda’s decision to support candidates of the Shiromani Akali Dal–Bharatiya Janata Party alliance in Punjab assembly polls has not gone down well with a section of followers in Bathinda.

Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh(HT File Photo)

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Updated on Feb 04, 2017 12:13 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

Maur blasts: Survivors, witnesses recall moment of horror

Congress worker Sanjeev Garg, aka Rocky, from Maur Mandi was one of the supporters attending the rally when the blast took place. He is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bathinda for burns.

Officials examining the spot where the blasts took place in Maur Mandi, on Wednesday.(Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

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Updated on Feb 03, 2017 06:59 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma

Punjab Polls: Capt Amarinder storms Badal bastion, says won’t desert Lambi

Campaigning for the first time in Lambi constituency after filing nomination from this home turf of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, state Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday made an emotional appeal to the voters, saying he will not desert them after winning the election.

Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh addressing a rally in Lambi constituency on Sunday.(HT Photo)

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Updated on Jan 29, 2017 11:44 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Lambi | BySachin Sharma

Punjab polls: Don’t vote for those who say it’s their last election, says Kejriwal

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday took a dig at the “last poll cry” of Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh and Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, urging the voters to not support such leaders.

Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal.(HT File Photo)

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Updated on Jan 29, 2017 09:55 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

Dictator Kejriwal now wants to become Punjab CM, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday lashed out at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, describing him as “dictator CM” who now wants to switch over to Punjab.

Rahul Gandhi at a rally in Bathinda on Friday.(Sanjeev Kumar/HT Photo)

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Updated on Jan 28, 2017 10:35 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Bathinda /Talwandi Sabo | ByPrabhjit Singh and Sachin Sharma, Bathinda /talwandi Sabo

In Bathinda, Amarinder blames Badal for terrorism, Operation Bluestar

Amid the disclosure in United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) declassified documents that Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal sided with Sikh extremists after the Operation Bluestar, state Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday launched a twin-attack on the CM, blaming him for helping militants and attack on the Golden Temple.

Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh with party’s Bathinda Rural candidate Harvinder Singh Laddi during a rally at Kotshamir village on Tuesday.(Sanjeev Kumar/HT Photo)

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Updated on Jan 25, 2017 11:38 AM IST

Hindusatn Times, Kotshamir (Bathinda) | BySachin Sharma, Kotshamir (bathinda)

Will finish Badal politically, says Captain Amarinder; dares Kejri to join fight in Lambi

Kickstarting the Congress campaign for February 4 assembly polls from his native Mehraj village here on Sunday, state Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh announced to finish chief minister Parkash Singh Badal politically by contesting the polls from Lambi. Captain also challenged Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal to join the fight in Lambi.

Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh and other party leaders at a rally in Mehraj village in Bathinda on Sunday.(Sanjeev Kumar/HT Photo)

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Updated on Jan 17, 2017 04:32 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Mehraj (Bathinda) | BySachin Sharma, Mehraj (bathinda)

Maur seat: Dera head’s relative faces opposition within Congress

A day after he was declared the Congress candidate from Maur assembly seat, former MLA Harminder Singh Jassi, who is a relative of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, is facing rebellion from within the party.

former MLA Harminder Singh Jassi,(HT File Photo)

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Updated on Jan 14, 2017 12:30 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Maur (Bathinda) | BySachin Sharma, Maur (bathinda)

Sports kits, liquor seized from club chaired by Akali MC chief in Maluka’s assembly segment

Sixty sports kits and 20 bottles of liquor allegedly meant to be distributed ahead of polls were seized by a team of the Election Commission in Rampura Phul, from a club whose chairman is Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and local municipal council president Sunil Bitta. Bathinda district’s Rampura Phul is the assembly segment from where SAD minister Sikander Singh Maluka is in the fray for another term.

Sports kits recovered from a SAD controlled youth club in Rampura Phul on Sunday.(Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

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Updated on Jan 08, 2017 09:05 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySachin Sharma

Manpreet Badal campaigns in Bathinda for his former PPP associates

Having succeeded in ensuring tickets for his associates in his erstwhile People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) from the Congress for ensuing Punjab assembly polls, senior Congress leader Manpreet Singh Badal is also managing time to campaign for them sparing time from his own campaign in Bathinda (Urban) segment.

Congress candidate Manpreet Singh Badal during the election campaign in Bathinda on Saturday..(Sanjeev Kumar/HT Photo)

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Updated on Jan 08, 2017 03:45 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

Protest goes wrong as EGS teacher catches fire in Bathinda

A protesting education guarantee scheme (EGS) teacher accidentally caught fire when he jumped over a burning effigy of Punjab government during a teachers’ protest on Wednesday afternoon. Samarjit Singh, 35, a resident of Mansa, was jumping and stomping on the burning effigy at Fauji Chowk here when the incident took place. Cops present on duty threw a wet blanket on Singh immediately.

A protester accidentally caught fire when he jumped over a burning effigy of Punjab government at Fauji Chowk in Bathinda on Wednesday.(Sanjeev Kumar/HT Photo)

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Updated on Dec 22, 2016 09:34 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

Jostling to keep Congress together in Bathinda; Manpreet Badal says will convince Jassi

Jostling to keep the Congress together here in view of resentment of former MLA Harminder Singh Jassi and his supporters over ticket allotment, Congress Bathinda (urban) candidate Manpreet Singh Badal on Sunday downplayed the resentment, saying he will convince them.

Congress leader Manpreet Singh Badal addressing a gathering during a party meeting in Bathinda on Sunday.(Sanjeev Kumar/HT Photo)

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Updated on Dec 19, 2016 03:58 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySachin Sharma, Bathinda

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Sachin Sharma

Sachin Sharma is a senior staff correspondent, who covers crime, politics, rural civic issues and health in the Malwa region of Punjab.

Local police and other officials said there was no clue found that Honeypreet stayed here after being booked for violence in Haryana’s Panchkula after the Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s conviction in a rape case on August 25 .

The ancestral house of Sukhdeep’s husband Iqbal Singh is at Balluana village, 20 kilometres from Bathinda city. The family had shifted to the dera’s Sirsa headquarters, several years back, it was learnt.

A day after the jathedar (head) of the Sikh temporal seat Akal Takht announced that doors are open for Sikhs to return to the religion’s fold from Dera Sacha Sauda, the sect’s Punjab headquarters in-charge, Jora Singh, said on Wednesday: “Now, those with double standards will get exposed.”

Amarinder Singh said that the government provides compensation to martyrs and to those killed in road mishaps, but not to those who break the law.

The dera’s Punjab headquarters in-charge said the biggest challenge is the emotions of the followers and “everybody, including the government, is aware of this”.

When questioned on the issue, PWD sub-divisional officer Vishal Garg said, “The construction has been completed.”

The distribution could start only at 1.30pm after Johal arrived at the function that employees of the food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department had organised. Johal distributed wheat under the scheme in other parts of city also.

Those owning bulk of liquor business say smuggling being done at behest of Bathinda traders having interests in Haryana

The video was uploaded at 5:46pm on Wednesday.

In exchange of firing between men of a liquor trader and alleged smugglers, Gurlal Singh, a resident of Bahadurgarh Jandian village of Muktsar, suffered a bullet injury in his leg.

Compared to 841 litres of illegal liquor recovered in March, 2,575 litres have been recovered in April in Bathinda district

With the change of guard in Punjab as Congress formed government in the state, issue of ferrying products in open-body trucks from Guru Gobind Singh Refinery in Rama Mandi has resurfaced with movement of such vehicles being obstructed by some politically-influential transporters.

With over one lakh banned pills seized during the past one month in the anti-drug campaign by the district police since the formation of the Congress government in the state, the campaign seems to be focusing on pharmaceutical intoxicants.

Backed by leader of Opposition in the Punjab assembly HS Phoolka, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief whip Sukhpal Singh Khaira spilled the beans by raising a voice of dissent against the party’s Delhi-based central leadership at the Baisakhi congregation on Thursday.

A day after two Congress supporters were shot dead in an alleged bid to take control of a truck union at Bareta village in Mansa, police on Monday arrested six persons for murder bid following a clash between two groups of the Rama Mandi truck union.

With the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) managing to win just two assembly seats out of nine in the parliamentary segment represented by Union minter for food processing industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the assembly election results have come as a shocker for her.

Victim alleges Akali hand, was ‘harassed’ after being picked up during protest in November 2015; Bathinda SSP gave clean chit to cops in March 2016

Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda’s decision to support candidates of the Shiromani Akali Dal–Bharatiya Janata Party alliance in Punjab assembly polls has not gone down well with a section of followers in Bathinda.

Congress worker Sanjeev Garg, aka Rocky, from Maur Mandi was one of the supporters attending the rally when the blast took place. He is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bathinda for burns.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday took a dig at the “last poll cry” of Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh and Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, urging the voters to not support such leaders.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday lashed out at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, describing him as “dictator CM” who now wants to switch over to Punjab.

A day after he was declared the Congress candidate from Maur assembly seat, former MLA Harminder Singh Jassi, who is a relative of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, is facing rebellion from within the party.

Jostling to keep the Congress together here in view of resentment of former MLA Harminder Singh Jassi and his supporters over ticket allotment, Congress Bathinda (urban) candidate Manpreet Singh Badal on Sunday downplayed the resentment, saying he will convince them.

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