Stampede: 145;Changes in Army recruitment methods needed146;

A day after the death of two youths during an Army recruitment rally in Khasa, Deputy Commissioner K S Pannu asked the Punjab Chief Secretary to immediately change the method of recruitment. Claiming that the procedure was over a century old, the DC said, 8220;In the days of the British, participants were few. But now, the aspirants reach the venue at least 10 to 12 hours in advance and often spend the night there in inhuman conditions, waiting for the gates to open in the wee hours. And when the gates are opened, the whole crowd tries to enter the site at once.8221;

Pannu said after braving the chill and hunger through the night, they are allowed in and made to go through physical tests, including a 1.6-km run. 8220;There is also no provision for toilets. The sight of hundreds of boys running barefooted and hungry looks inhuman,8221; he said. He said that modern method, which includes calling of applications, holding physical or written tests of only eligible candidates in reasonable number of batches and then preparing lists of successful candidates, should be followed.

Harjinder Singh, 20, and Ranjodh Singh, 23, hailing from villages Buttar Beas and Kaler Tarn Taran, respectively, had died in a stampede that occurred during the army recruitment rally at Khasa yesterday.