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Encroachments removed in Sheikhan Bazaar
Jalandhar, September 15
After giving repeated warnings for more than a fortnight, the Municipal Corporation (MC) authorities today finally carried out a demolition drive in Sheikhan Bazaar pulling down all permanent encroachments in the congested market area.

A JCB removes encroachments at Sheikhan Bazaar in Jalandhar on Wednesday. A JCB removes encroachments at Sheikhan Bazaar in Jalandhar on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

International sex racket busted
13 girls, 2 agents arrested from 2 hotels
Amritsar, September 15
A Civil Lines police team busted an international sex racket here today. According to police information, 13 girls in the age group of 18 to 22 were arrested from two city hotels along with two agents. Declaring themselves as dancers’ troupe, they were scheduled to fly to Dubai tomorrow from Amritsar International Airport.

EARLIER STORIES

	400 agitating ETT teachers released September 15, 2010
	Arrest of ETT teachers triggers more protests; schools shut September 14, 2010
	ETT teachers detained to foil bid to gherao minister’s house September 13, 2010
	City tops state in dengue cases September 12, 2010
	Will resist all moves to acquire our land: Farmers September 11, 2010
	IMA doctors shy away from setting up DOTS centres September 10, 2010
	3 held with heroin, fake currency September 9, 2010
	Near-total strike in region, financial services hit September 8, 2010
	7-year RI for rapist September 7, 2010
	Electrocution case: ‘Negligent’ Powercom JE suspended, booked September 6, 2010

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Farmers, labourers block traffic
Jalandhar, September 15
Members of over 17 farmers and labour unions blocked traffic at BMC Chowk to lodge their protest against the Deputy Commissioner (DC), thus putting road users and general public to a great hardship for over three hours here today. The activists, who assembled at Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall and organised a protest march to the DC’s office got agitated when the officer reportedly did not turn up to receive a memorandum from them. Following this they assembled at BMC Chowk and raised slogans against the DC.

10 more dengue cases reported
Jalandhar, September 15
The total number of dengue cases in the city and surrounding areas today reached 100. The district health authorities said 10 dengue cases were reported today. Out of these, four patients were from Hoshiarpur district and rest belonged to Jalandhar district.

Couple booked for possessing drugs
Tarn Taran, September 15
Harjit Singh and his wife Sharanjit Kaur, residents of Naushehra village, have been booked under the NDPS Act by the Sarai Amanat Khan police. Police sources said here today that 150 gm of intoxicant powder had been seized from the possession of Harjit Singh, while 5 gm heroin had been seized from the possession of his wife Sharanjit Kaur at a naka in the area.

Youth held for murder
Jalandhar, September 15
The district police has arrested a Shakti Nagar resident for his alleged involvement in a murder case. His mother, who is also an accused in the case, is still absconding, the police said.

Merit list out
Suspected swine flu case in city

	Encroachments removed in Sheikhan Bazaar Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 15 After giving repeated warnings for more than a fortnight, the Municipal Corporation (MC) authorities today finally carried out a demolition drive in Sheikhan Bazaar pulling down all permanent encroachments in the congested market area. An MC team, led by Joint Commissioner Rahul Gupta, came to the market with a strong police support. The permanent structures of shops, which lay ahead of their boundary, including shutters and glass panes, were smashed by the JCB machines. The raised platforms in front of all 250 shops were broken. While all encroachments on the ground floor were broken, those on upper floors remained untouched. The officials warned the shopkeepers to remove all pillars falling ahead of the boundary on their own or else these would be forcefully brought down on Monday during their next visit. Some shopkeepers complained that the officials deliberately spared a cosmetics shop in the market owned by the brother of a SAD councillor. Two shops on the either side of this shop were also left out to cover up, members of the market association said.
	International sex racket busted 13 girls, 2 agents arrested from 2 hotels G.S. Paul Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 15 A Civil Lines police team busted an international sex racket here today. According to police information, 13 girls in the age group of 18 to 22 were arrested from two city hotels along with two agents. Declaring themselves as dancers’ troupe, they were scheduled to fly to Dubai tomorrow from Amritsar International Airport. On a tip-off, the police party, led by ACP (Crime) Avtar Singh and SI Jasvir Singh of Civil Lines police station, raided the hotels in plain clothes and nabbed two persons, Kishore Kumar and Arvind Kumar, originally hailing from Mumbai. They have allegedly engaged these girls from Mumbai, Delhi, Orissa and Punjab and were about to go to Dubai under the garb of dancing group. “On interrogation, the girls confessed to having been involved in illegal sex trade through their agents with consent. It was found that their agents used to operate from New Delhi and Mumbai on regular basis and Amritsar was their destination for the first time to catch flight abroad. Their past records revealed that they used to send girls to entertain rich people in India, too, on regular basis,” said Avtar Singh. “Their passports have been confiscated. The occupation slot mentioned them as ‘artistes’. They would be produced before the court and investigation is on. Though exact amount has not been calculated, yet a huge sum of foreign currency and several mobile phone sets have been confiscated from them,” he added. A case under the Immoral Trafficking Act was registered.
	Farmers, labourers block traffic Tribune Reporters Jalandhar, September 15 Members of over 17 farmers and labour unions blocked traffic at BMC Chowk to lodge their protest against the Deputy Commissioner (DC), thus putting road users and general public to a great hardship for over three hours here today. The activists, who assembled at Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall and organised a protest march to the DC’s office got agitated when the officer reportedly did not turn up to receive a memorandum from them. Following this they assembled at BMC Chowk and raised slogans against the DC. Senior police officials tried to pacify the irate protesters but to no avail. The SDM-I finally received the memorandum on behalf of the DC and the protest was terminated. Earlier holding banners and placards, protesters reached the hall and held a protest raising anti-government slogans. They were demanding that they should be exempted from paying the previous and current electricity bills. Different union leaders, including Tarsem Peter, Gurnam Singh, Ramesh Malheri and Kashmir Singh, also addressed the rally. Tarn Taran: On a call given by the 17 state-level kisan and mazdoor organisations, hundreds of farmers and labourers staged a dharna in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner here today to protest against the wrong policies of the Central and state governments. Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala of the Zamhoori Kisan Sabha, Sawinder Singh Chutala of the Kisan Sangharsh Committee, Kanwalpreet Pannu, Gurdev Singh of the Kirti Kisan Union and other leaders of the organisations condemned the re-imposition of electric bills on tubewells and withdrawal of the free-power facility from weaker sections. The leaders marched in the town and shouted slogans. Normal traffic remained disrupted for hours around the dharna site.
	10 more dengue cases reported Tribune Reporters Jalandhar, September 15 The total number of dengue cases in the city and surrounding areas today reached 100. The district health authorities said 10 dengue cases were reported today. Out of these, four patients were from Hoshiarpur district and rest belonged to Jalandhar district. Meanwhile, the surveillance campaigns of the Health Department to the dengue-affected and dengue-prone localities gained momentum after the return of 17 supervisors to the department. A senior health official said the Health Department had rigorously surveyed localities, where the dengue patients resided. Except the cases detected today, the teams had followed up all previously diagnosed cases, he added. 2 cases in Nawanshahr Nawanshahr: The district Health Department has sprung into action as two cases of dengue - Raman of Geeta Bhavan Road and Jagdip of Vikas Nagar - have been reported in the town via Uttar Pradesh (UP). As per sources in the department, Raman recently visited UP. After his return, he complained of severe fever and was diagnosed with dengue. He has been referred to the PGI, Chandigarh. The other dengue patient, Jagdip, is a bank employee serving in UP and has come here recently. The Health Department has taken blood samples of the residents of both these localities and made people aware of the precautions to be taken for the prevention of the disease.
	Couple booked for possessing drugs Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, September 15 Harjit Singh and his wife Sharanjit Kaur, residents of Naushehra village, have been booked under the NDPS Act by the Sarai Amanat Khan police. Police sources said here today that 150 gm of intoxicant powder had been seized from the possession of Harjit Singh, while 5 gm heroin had been seized from the possession of his wife Sharanjit Kaur at a naka in the area. In another incident, the Verowal police seized 30,000 ml of illicit liquor from the possession of Shamsher Singh and 29,280 ml of illicit liquor from the possession of Satnam Singh, residents of Khan Chhapri village, 25 km from here. Cases under section 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act had been registered against the accused, said the police. One held with stolen car Tarn Taran: The police arrested Kashmir Singh of Alipur village (Harike) with a stolen Tavera vehicle (PB-30G-7904) at a naka in the area. A case under sections 379 and 411 of the IPC has been registered. Police sources said that the accused was a habitual vehicle thief and used to sell stolen cars at cheap rates.
	Youth held for murder Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 15 The district police has arrested a Shakti Nagar resident for his alleged involvement in a murder case. His mother, who is also an accused in the case, is still absconding, the police said. Vikas was arrested by the police on a complaint of Ramesh Lal, a resident of Basti Nau. The complainant had alleged that Pushpa, mother of Vikas, had set his daughter ablaze at their residence on Tuesday afternoon. Gharo, who was taken to the local Civil Hospital, succumbed to burn injuries this morning. The body was handed over to the family this afternoon. Vikas and Gharo were going around for a last couple of years, but Vikas later married some other girl, the police said. A case was registered against Vikas and his mother Pushpa.