Jalandhar, July 28
Vigilant security guards foiled a theft bid at the main branch of State Bank of India here on Monday afternoon.

The guards posted at the main gate caught hold of a Delhi-based youth while
he was running away with a sum of Rs 50,000 belonging to the manager of a
finance company.

The accused was identified as Sonu, resident of Gandhi Nagar locality in New Delhi. According to sources, Ravi, resident of Dakoha village and manager of a finance firm, had queued up to deposit a sum of Rs 95,000 in the bank.

While he was interacting with the clerk, he put a polybag containing a wad of Rs 50,000 at the counter. Seconds later the bag disappeared.

The shocked man turned around only to notice a youth, who was right behind him in the line, rushing towards the main entrance with the polybag. Ravi raised an alarm.

Hearing his cries, Satnam Singh, security guard at the main gate, overpowered the youth and recovered the stolen money from his possession.

The thief was given a sound thrashing by the staff, customers and the security guards. Later, cops were informed and the accused was handed over to them. A case has been registered against at police station division No IV.

Jalandhar, July 28
Activists of the Pendu and Khet Mazdoor Union (PKMU) staged a dharna in front of SDM office today and submitted a 13-point demand charter to SDM for onward submission to the Punjab Chief Minister.

Addressing the gathering, Kashmir Singh Ghughshor, Baldev Noorpuri and Harmesh Malri said the unprecedented price rise had pushed simple dal-roti out of their budget and the day was not far when majority of people like them would not be able to afford single meal a day.

Besides, mechanisation of farm operations had decreased their employment days. They also criticised the government for failing to control inflation.

Jalandhar, July 28
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal should tender an unconditional apology to the people and the Congress for opposing PM Manmohan Singh during the motion of confidence held recently.

This was stated by Bholath MLA from the Congress Sukhpal Singh Khaira. Khaira said the PM has been magnanimous towards Punjab and has sanctioned prestigious projects worth crores for the development of the state.

The SAD, which often claims to be the sole custodian of the rights of the Sikhs, has exposed its opportunist and power hungry political image by opposing the motion. Badal has also shown his anti-Sikh leaning by siding with anti-panthic forces on the floor of the parliament, he pointed out.

He said the PM has been kind enough to sanction Rs 1,700 crore for celebration of the Guruta Gaddi Divas across the country besides releasing Rs 1,200 crore for the rehabilitation of the 1984 genocide victims.

In addition to other big projects, an IIT has been cleared for Punjab that will come up at a cost of over Rs 700 crore. Badal should also not forget that two international airports have been cleared at the PMs initiative, he added.

Khaira also congratulated MP Sukhdev Singh Libra for his bold stance in supporting the UPA on the nuclear issue. Our MPs should realise that there is no cheap alternative to meet our growing power pangs other than nuclear power.

In Punjab alone we have a shortfall of 6000 MW with the result that our industry, agriculture and domestic sectors are severely crippled, he added. Badal has been unable to add even 1 MW of power during his one and half years of rule, he said.

He appealed to the people to defeat Badal in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in the interest of the people, especially Sikhs.

Jalandhar, July 28
The district police today registered a case under section 302 of IPC against unknown persons in the case of the death of Gurkirat Singh, a budding basketball player of the local Government Arts and Sports College, who drowned in the college swimming pool here yesterday.

SHO police division number 2, Sukhjeet Singh said an inquiry has been initiated on the charges of the parents of the boy.

Meanwhile, the parents of the boy today met the college authorities and maintained that it was a case of ragging as Gurkirat had mentioned incidents of ragging in the phone calls made to his parents after he came here. Gurkirat’s parents also claimed that his body bore injury marks.

Principal of the college, Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary said as per the information available with her, Gurkirat and his friends forcibly went for swimming in the pool.

“The boys violated the rules and entered the pool which remains closed on Sunday. The boys were in a mood for creating mischief. They entered by pressurising the guard to open the locked pool. Gurkirat was a non-swimmer and now we are looking into the matter as to what went wrong,” she said.

A resident of Saidoke Naul village of district Ferozepur he lost his life when he went for swimming with his friends.

The guard later saw the mobile phone and clothes of one of the boys lying outside the pool. It was with the help of swimmer that the body was taken out but by that time he was already dead.

Meanwhile, the college authorities declared a holiday today. The post mortem reports are yet to come.

Jalandhar, July 28
The Hind Pak Dosti Manch has condemned the blasts in Ahmedabad and Bangaluru and has urged the people to unite to fight the scourge of terrorism.

Satnam Singh Manak, general secretary of the manch, said as a part of their ongoing exercise to create a harmonious and friendly relationship with Pakistan, a seminar on the relations between both the countries would be organised which would be presided over by former PM Inder Kumar Gujral.

Eminent intellectuals, MPs and journalists from both countries would take part in the deliberations, he added.

He said people praying for better relations between the neighbours would hold a candlelight vigil at the Attari grain market while the gesture would be reciprocated across the border for the first time on August 14.

Kapurthala, July 28
A day after the clash between the jobless BEd teachers and cops here, the police on Monday booked the former under various sections of the IPC, including attempt to murder.

The FIR has names of various teachers, including Berojgaar BEd Adhayapak Front’s state chief Sukhdarshan Singh and outfit’s district presidents.

Denying allegations, Sukhdarshan Singh said, “When all the members were unarmed, how can the police include section 307. We would knock at the door of the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) against the ‘false’ FIR against us.”

He added that the front would lodge a formal complaint to the PSHRC, Chandigarh, on Tuesday and present injured activists.

Meanwhile, SHO Kewal Krishan Sharma said the police had recorded a video of the rally and FIR was registered on the basis of it. The recording clearly depicts policemen being pelted with stones.

Sharma said the agitated teachers had already planned to gherao education minister’s residence after their march and it was a violation of section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

“When the SDM and senior police officers tried to stop them the front activists started pelting stone at them,” he added.

On contrary, Sukhdarshan Singh termed the allegations as baseless. He said the policemen not only lathicharged on them but even didn’t spare the government teachers who had been holding a separate rally under the banner of Sarkari School Sikhia Bachao Manch.

Sukhdarshan Singh said Parkash Singh Badal led SAD-BJP government was trying to intimidate them by registering an FIR of attempt to murder but they would not succumb to the pressure tactics.

Batala, July 28
The elections for the post of Batala municipal council (MC) president could not be held today as six councillors of the BJP were absent for the oath taking ceremony.

According to information, the ceremony was held at MC Hall in which only 27 councillors of the 33-member house took the oath of office in presence of Batala SDM-cum-assistant returning officer J.S. Grewal.

The six BJP councillors who were absent were Dharamvir Seth, Kamlesh Seth, Harinder Singh, Neelam, Ram Saran Bhatia and Gurpinder Kaur. When asked Harinder reason for his absence, the councillor said he was not informed about the ceremony and elections.

Meanwhile, Gurdaspur deputy commissioner Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, who is also the district returning officer, said they had issued circulars 48 hours before the oath ceremony and elections.

“But family members of these six councillors refused to take the ciruclar as the councillors were not present at their residences,” said Gurkirat, adding that the elections would be held soon. — OC

Kainth said almost all schemes relating to the welfare of SCs and BCs had either been discontinued or suspended as a result of which both sections were suffering.

Hoshiarpur, July 28
India and Pakistan should crush terrorist activities in their respective countries with a strong hand. Only then can the increasing menace of terrorism be controlled.

This was stated by chief of SAD (1920) Ravi Inder Singh while talking to mediapersons here this afternoon. He condemned the recent serial blasts at Bangalore and Ahemedabad. He held the governments of both the countries responsible for hundreds of innocent persons being killed in the bomb blasts.

Inder supported the Indo-US nuclear deal and said it was badly needed not only for generating power but also for the scientific development of the country.

He criticised SAD (B) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal for compelling all the eight MPs of his party to oppose the UPA government in the vote of confidence.

However, one of its MP Sukhdev Singh Libra supported the vote of confidence for which he deserves appreciation, Inder said.

He pointed out that before the presentation of the confidence motion in the parliament, SAD (1920) had sent its representatives to all the MPs of SAD for persuading them in favour of this move, but he was astounded to know that one of its MPs had allegedly demanded Rs 25 crore for supporting Manmohan Singh's government.

Criticising the SAD-BJP government, he said it was not making adequate efforts to deal with the problem of power shortage in the state.

CM, Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal had demanded the installation of a nuclear power reactor for Punjab from the central government in 2007, but he opposed the Indo-US nuclear deal now, said Inder, condemning Parkash Singh Badal for allegedly ‘making SAD as his private limited company’.