Administration shields the culprits
The Tribune, January 7, 2001
HAU cook's death: probe sought
From Our Correspondent
HISAR, Jan 6 - Work at Haryana Agricultural University here came to a standstill today as non-teaching employees of the university decided to continue their agitation to press the demand of registering a criminal case against those responsible for the death of Narayan Singh, a cook of the university. His body was recovered from a canal near Tokas Patan village yesterday. He had been called by some university officials to prepare dinner for them on the New Year Eve. He had been missing since than. The employees continued dharna in front of the administrative block of the university for the second day today and raised slogans against the Vice-Chancellor, Mr Vinay Kumar. The Vice-Chancellor reached the dharna site and tried to persuade the employees to lift the dharna. He assured them that the university administration would provide financial help to the family of the deceased. The angry employees turned down his request, saying that they would continue their agitation till the arrest of the culprits. They demanded that the university administration should also take strict action against them. Several organisations have extended their support to the agitation. Addressing the protesters, Mr Jogender Singh Patar, president of the Guru Jambheshwar University Non-Teaching Association, alleged that the university authorities were trying to shield the culprits. He demanded that the case should be transferred to CBI for investigation. Mr M.S. Yadav, secretary of the HAU Teachers Association, demanded that a fair probe should be conducted in the matter.

The Tribune, January 8, 2001
Fair probe into cook's death promised
From Our Correspondent
HISAR, Jan 7 - The Haryana Governor, Babu Parmanand has assured employees of Haryana Agricultural University that a fair inquiry would be conducted into the death of Narayan Singh, a cook of the university. The police recovered his body from a canal near Tokas Patan village two days ago. He was last seen at the residence of a university official, where he had gone to prepare dinner on the New Year Eve. He had been missing since then. A delegation of the employees met the Governor here last evening. They demanded that the probe should be conducted by the CBI. The Governor assured them that action would be taken against those found guilty. He said there was no need for transferring the case to the CBI as the state police was capable of investigating the matter. Earlier, hundreds of employees, including a large number of women, took out a procession from the university campus to the Guru Jambheshwar University campus and raised slogans against the authorities.

The Tribune, January 9, 2001
Cook's death: stir continues
From Our Correspondent
HISAR, Jan 8 - Non-teaching employees of Haryana Agricultural University continued their dharna in protest against the death of cook Narayan Singh under mysterious circumstances for the fourth day today. According to a spokesmen of the action committee spearheading the agitation, the stir would continue till the arrest of those responsible for his death. Several other organisations have also threatened to launch agitations if the culprits were not arrested soon. Members of the Uttaranchal Sabha, Kumaun Sabha and Garhwal Sabha held a meeting here last evening and submitted a memorandum to the district administration in this regard. They demanded the probe be transferred to the CBI immediately. Work in the university offices continued to suffer as no employee attended office for the fourth consecutive day today. Meanwhile, the police recorded statements of a relative of the deceased, Mr Gopal and members of Narayan Singh's family yesterday.