Amritsar, May 7
In a major move to nab criminals, the district police have released the posters of two dreaded criminals including gangster Jagtar Boxer and notorious drug smuggler Baljinder Singh with their photographs.

The police has announced a handsome reward for anybody who gives information about the two kingpins (and their gangs), who have been on the run and have been evading arrest for a long time now. The posters have been pasted on every nook and corner of the city in the hope to get some information.

Jagtar Singh alias Boxer, a notorious gangster and a former cop, had also tried his hands in politics by launching a political party Naujwan Shakti Dal. Jagtar is wanted in an attempt to murder and armed case, registered under 307, 160, 506, 148, 149 IPC and 25, 27, 54, 59 Arms Act on May 3.

More than two dozen cases including those of gang wars were registered against him in various police stations of the holy city. His bail applications in two cases were rejected in local courts.

Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh of the district police said arrest warrants have been registered against him. He said the step has been taken according to the provision made in the law and hopefully the department would get a tip off and would succeed to arrest him soon.

Another accused Baljinder Singh alias Satnam Singh alias Nihang, is a notorious member of the drug cartel who had escaped from police custody earlier this year while being taken for trial in court.

His wife Rajbir Kaur was also nabbed by police for possessing heroin worth Rs 10 crore. Baljinder Singh was arrested by the Special Narcotics Cell for possessing heroin. 

Jalandhar, May 7
The Akalis got a major shot in the arm today with the recently formed Bahujan Kranti Party (BKP) merging itself with the ruling party in the state.

BKP president Pawan Kumar Tinnu formally announced the merger in the presence of SAD chief Sukhbir Badal at an impressive gathering held at Khurla Kingra here. Tinnu, who enjoys mass dalit following, had snapped ties with Bahujan Samaj Party on November 30, 2006 and had floated his own party.

Speaking on the occasion, Sukhbir said Tinnu and his party men would be given due respect among the Akali cadres. Praising the ‘selfless service’ rendered by Tinnu among the less privileged sections of society, he said the new development would increase their base among the needy and help them redress their grievances.

He pointed out that Avinash Chnader, who too had left the BSP, had been accommodated by the party and was now a chief parliamentary secretary in the government.

Badal also reiterated the resolve of the SAD in ameliorating the suffering of the farmers and other sections of the society, particularly the dalits. On the occasion, he announced that in the next three years, an amount of Rs 1,200 crore would be spent on the development of Jalandhar.

Out of this amount, 90 per cent would be utilised in providing basic amenities, sewerage system and solving potable water problem in the dalit dominated areas of the city.

Jalandhar, May 7
The district health authorities, on a complaint by Cadila Pharmaceuticals Limited, raided a medicine shop in the Shashtri Nagar area, near Mithu Basti Road, on Wednesday for selling fake medicines in the name of the company.

The complaint was made by an employee of Cadila Pharmaceuticals Limited some days back. The civil hospital authorities conducted a raid and seized 592 cartons of medicines  from the shop.

According to information available from the civil hospital, Punjab Genetic Medical Store was selling LMX-Fort tablets (batch 7012) in the market, bearing the company’s name.

However, the original medicine is available under the name LMX-Fort (batch 7010). A case under sections 17 and 18 (A) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act has been registered against the owner of the shop.

The raid was conducted by drug inspector Rakesh Suri along with Cadila Pharmaceutical member Sumir J. Patil and the district police.

Kapurthala, May 7
Record wheat purchase is expected in different mandis of the district this year.

Deputy commissioner JM Balamurugan said the wheat purchase was likely to cross the 3.50 lakh tonne mark. Earlier, the highest purchase of 3.49 lakh tonne was seen in the district in 2004-05.

According to the data gathered by The Tribune, as much as 3.35.811 tonne wheat has already been purchased in the district till May 6.

Last year the total buying was just 2.68 lakh tonne. Out of the total purchase this year, Markfed has lifted 66,272 tonne, PUNGRAIN 63,511 tonne, FCT 40,197 tonne and PUNSUP 72,490 tonne.

Ware House and Punjab Agro has also purchased 57,371 and 32,062 tonne wheat, respectively. Besides, traders have bought 39,08 tonne wheat this year.

Meanwhile district food and supplies controller Sukhdev Singh said that the problem of shortage of `bardana’ had already been solved as the state government had allowed reuse of packing sacks.

The DFSO said in the same way, every possible effort was being taken to ensure proper lifting. The farmers were being provided every possible facility at each of the 42 wheat purchase centres in the district, he claimed. 

Batala, May 7
A protest rally was held here today against the participation of private industrial houses in the management of the Iindustrial Training Institutions (ITIs). Six student union and ITI Employees Union, Punjab, participated in the protest rally against the policies of the state government.

Union leaders Sunil Dutt Sharma and Balbir Singh Saini, president and secretary of the union, alleged that the privatisation would make industrial and vocational training of ITIs too costly and thus create unemployment and would also affect the standard of education. The union leaders demanded the regularisation of the instructors who are engaged by the government on contract basis.

The protesters raised slogans against the Chief Minister and Dr Upinder Jit Kaur, Punjab higher education minister. An effigee of the minister was also burnt at Gandhi Chowk.

Students and teachers from Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Jalandhar participated in the rally. — OC

Jalandhar, May 7
The ex-servicemen wing of the SAD has condemned the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission wherein it has been proposed to perpetually do away with the “one-rank, one-pay” demand of the forces.

Col Partap Inder Phoolka (retd), secretary general of the wing, said the recommendations of the commission had caused deep anguish and lowered the morale of the armed forces. If the demand was scrapped forever, thousands of personnel below the officer rank (PBOR) would be cheated of their due.

Punjab would be the biggest loser if this happened since the state had the largest number of PBORs. “Our party is committed to get this demand accepted and it has also been included in the party poll manifesto,” he pointed out.

Ironically, former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam had committed to its implementation before a joint session of Parliament. But the U-turn by the UPA government had shattered the hopes of those who had given their prime to the security of the nation’s borders, he lamented.

He said as per a report compiled by them, youngsters were not willing to don the uniform as it was unattractive.

If this trend continued, the country would have no option but to order conscription to meet the shortfall of men and officers. The Army alone was facing a shortfall of over 12,000 officers and the number would increase as more middle-rung officers were putting in their papers, he warned.

The government was giving lame excuses against a separate pay commission for the forces. Col Phoolka said the commission was the need of the hour.