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7 of gang held with 12 vehicles
Jalandhar/Nakodar, February 5
In a major sucess, the Jalandhar (rural) police busted an inter-state gang of vehicle lifters, active in Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana, and arrested seven members with 12 cars worth more than Rs 70 lakhs.

Sale of local potato in European markets a far cry
Jalandhar, February 5
The sale of locally grown potato and potato seed in European markets seems a far cry with global acceptance not forthcoming at this juncture. Despite the best efforts, the whole process has not progressed beyond the initial stage where completing the necessary documentary formalities are proving to be a daunting task for the farmers and the government alike.

DTO-bar dispute: Inquiry officer appointed
Amritsar, February 5
Chief Secretary S.C. Aggarwal has appointed Dr Arvinder Singh, Secretary, Department of Home Affairs, as inquiry officer in the dispute between the District Transport Office and Amritsar Bar Association (ABA), informed the district administration in a press release here today.

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7 of gang held with 12 vehicles
Tribune Reporters

Major Success

n The gang stole cars from Amritsar, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur and Jalandhar
n It used to sell the stolen vehicles in Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan after obtaining NOCs from the transport authorities by producing fake documents

Jalandhar/Nakodar, February 5
In a major sucess, the Jalandhar (rural) police busted an inter-state gang of vehicle lifters, active in Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana, and arrested seven members with 12 cars worth more than Rs 70 lakhs.

Acting on a tip-off, the CIA staff of the police laid a trap near Shankar village in Nakodar and intercepted a Safari car. During the search, the cops found the Safari occupants, Deepak Verma and Jagminder Singh, traveling with fake documents of the vehicle.

Anjrej Singh, in charge of the CIA staff, said during questioning the duo revealed their links with other members of the gang.

Six members arrested, identified as Rajbir Singh, Deepak Verma, Gurjinder Singh, Sukhjinder Singh, Gurdip Singh and Ranjit Singh, belonged to different villages in Amritsar. Besides, Jagminder Singh belonged to Moga.

Nakodar DSP Rajinder Singh said three gang members, identified as Harbhinder Singh of Beas, Vikram and Ram Dass of Abohar, were absconding.

He said one Tata Safari, two Balero cars, one Maruti Zen car, two Scarpio cars, three Tata Indigo cars, two Tata Indica cars and one Tata Nano car were recovered from the arrested gang members.

The gang used to steal cars from Amritsar, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar and sell them in Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan. The police said the gang used to sell the stolen vehicles after obtaining no objection certificate (NOC) from the transport authorities after producing fake documents.

A case under Sections 379, 411, 482 and 420 of the IPC was registered in police station Nakodar. Importantly, all the arrested members had criminal records in Nakodar, Phillaur, Hoshiarpur, Abohar, Beas and Amritsar and were facing trials in several cases, said the DSP.

Sale of local potato in European markets a far cry
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 5
The sale of locally grown potato and potato seed in European markets seems a far cry with global acceptance not forthcoming at this juncture. Despite the best efforts, the whole process has not progressed beyond the initial stage where completing the necessary documentary formalities are proving to be a daunting task for the farmers and the government alike.

National Horticulture Mission (NHM) joint secretary Sanjeev Chopra, who was in the city today to hand over the Global GAP certificates to potato growers at a function organised by Markfed, said there were many procedures and formalities to be completed before the dream of the farmers becomes a reality.

The foreign countries have been raising one objection after the other that is taking us a long time to get it cleared. Nevertheless, a team from there will be visiting India shortly and we are confident that all the hurdles will be cleared by next year, he added. Punjab has received just Rs 40 - Rs 50 crore from the Rs 1000 crore fund allocated for the promotion of horticulture in the country. One of the major reasons was that the state mostly grew paddy and wheat and the landholding under horticulture was lesser as compared to other states, he added.

DTO-bar dispute: Inquiry officer appointed
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 5
Chief Secretary S.C. Aggarwal has appointed Dr Arvinder Singh, Secretary, Department of Home Affairs, as inquiry officer in the dispute between the District Transport Office and Amritsar Bar Association (ABA), informed the district administration in a press release here today.

The government’s move came after Deputy Commissioner K.S. Pannu requested the Commissioner, Jalandhar Division, to appoint an IAS officer outside Amritsar on the matter.

The inquiry officer has been asked to submit the report at the earliest.

Amritsar Bar Association president Pardeep Saini welcomed the move of the state government and assured the support of the bar to the inquiry officer. But he said District Transport Officer Jasbir Singh must be transferred first. “Otherwise there is a possibility that the PCS officer could maneuver the witnesses,” he added.

He said if the DTO was transferred, the lawyers would immediately withdraw the agitation and would accept the verdict of the inquiry whatever it may be.

As per the announced schedule, 11 members of the executive of the bar association sat on indefinite chain hunger strike from 11 am to 4 pm.

It may be mentioned that advocate Arvind Sharma alleged that he had been thrashed by DTO Jasbir Singh and police officials accompanying him after he raised an alarm over some persons getting out-of-turn services in the transport office on February 2.

DTO Jasbir Singh claimed that the advocate misbehaved with him in the office. He said following this a large number of lawyers forcibly barged into his office, held him hostage and also smashed office furniture.

4 killed in truck-Scorpio collision

Tarn Taran, February 5
Four persons were killed and two others injured in a truck- Scorpio collision near Harike, 30 kms from here, today. Those killed and injured were travelling in a Scorpio, which was reportedly hit by a truck on National Highway No 15.

Three victims, identified as Raju (28), Jagtar Lal (38) of Kotkapura and Sweta (20) of Zira, were relatives. Fourth killed was Scorpio driver Hardip Singh.The injured, Nirmala Rani and Santosh Rani of Kotpapura, were admitted to a hospital.

A case under Sections 304A, 279, 427 and 338 of the IPC has been registered against the truck driver, who absconded after the accident. The Scorpio-borne travellers were returning to Kotkapura after attending a marriage function at Jandiala Guru in Amritsar. — OC

Teachers of govt-aided schools to get pension
Our Correspondent

Phagwara, February 5
The state government has decided to grant pension to teachers of government aided schools, who retired in or after 2003.

The notification in this regard would soon be issued, said Punjab Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan while talking to journalists here today. He said an amount of Rs 287 crores would be given to deserving teachers as pension in five equal instalments.

To curb the menace of copying during examinations in schools, the Education Minister said the state government had decided to impose Section 144 of the CrPC around the examination centres.

Woman ends life; husband among 3 booked
Our Correspondent

Tarn Taran, February 5
Disturbed over the allegations on her character, levelled by her husband and in-laws, 26-year-old Pinki committed suicide at her in-laws’ house at Gandiwind Sarai village, 35 kms from here, last late evening.

Shockingly, the in-laws even tried to cremate the body without informing anybody. The police took the half-burnt body in its custody after getting the information, said SHO Sohan Singh.

Pinki’s husband Manga, his father Dharam Singh and mother Jinder Kaur have been booked under Sections 306, 201 and 34 of the IPC.

Pinki’s father Balbir Singh, a resident of Subajpur Cheena village (Rajasansi), in his statement to the police said the accused levelled false allegations against his daughter’s character and used to torture her. As a result, she was under great mental stress, added the father.

On hearing the news of her death, the parents of the deceased reached the spot and informed the police. The police has sent the body for the post-mortem examination at the Civil Hospital. The accused were absconding.