M A I N   N E W S

Four Babbars arrested
Bid to disrupt Ram Navami procession
Our Correspondent and agencies

Batala (Punjab), April 2
The Punjab Police today foiled an attempt by militants to disrupt Ram Navami procession here by arresting four activists of the Babbar Khalsa International and seizing 3 kg of RDX and some arms and ammunition from them.

The four militants arrested from Harchowal village of Batala district, had been trained by one Manjit Singh, a close associate of Babbar Khalsa chief Mohal Singh, to target the Ram Navami procession in Batala, a police spokesman here said.

The RDX, an AK-56 rifle, a pistol, two live magazines and detonators seized from them were also brought from Manjit Singh who lives in Pakistan.

The militants identified as Mohammad Din, Mahmood Ulhaq, Mohammad Yusuf and Sajad Hussain, residents of Samba, Rajouri, Anantnag and Doda areas of Jammu and Kashmir respectively, confessed to having crossed over to Pakistan several times to bring arms and ammunition to step-up subversive activities in Punjab and Kashmir, the spokesman said.

The militants also confessed to having dumped a major part of the consignment along the Indo-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir. The state police had been approached to recover it.

The police said the arrested militants had contacts with Khalistan Zindabad Force chief Ranjit Singh, responsible for the blast in Pooja Express a few months back.

Nearly a decade ago, the militants had targeted the Ram Navami procession in Batala in which 36 persons were killed and 100 injured.

JALANDHAR: Scores of procession marked Ram Navami which was celebrated with fervour and gaiety in the city and surrounding areas.

Hundreds of people from all walks of life, including the Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, Namdharis and prominent religious and political leaders participated in the procession organised by Shri Ram Navami Utsav Committee in the afternoon.

The procession led by Mr Vijay Kumar Chopra, Editor, Hind Samachar group of newspapers, started from Nehru Garden and moved through Jyoti Chowk, Basti Adda, Central Jail Road, Patel Chowk, Mai Hiran Gate, Railway Station, Mandi Fenton Ganj and Shastri Chowk.

Devotees were greeted by welcome gates erected near all roundabouts in different localities of the city. Residents, shopkeepers, religious and social institutions, including the SGL Charitable Trust, the Bharat Vikas Parishad and Jan Chetna organised langar.

Students of different schools enacted skits on the preachings of Lord Rama. Jagat Guru Shankarcharaya Swami Madhwarshram Ji, blessing the people on the occasion asked them to follow the teachings of Lord Rama.

Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Haryana Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, Punjab Congress chief, Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, Mr Manoranjan Kalia, Mr Baldev Raj Chawla, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, all ministers and Mr Avtar Henry and Mr Mohinder Singh Kaypee former ministers participated.

Mr Chautala was presented with a cheque for Rs 15 lakh for the quake victims of Gujarat by Mr Prem Singh, president Dr Sadhu Singh Hamdard Trust.