Batala, April 12
A huge procession was taken out here today on the occasion of Ram Navmi. Various religious and social organisations participated in the procession which started from the old grain market, Dera Road, Batala, passing through Gandhi Chowk, City Road, Hansli bridge, Cinema Road, Nehru Gate, Chakri Bazaar, Bansanwala Bazaar, Gurudwara Kandh Sahib, Kila Mandi, Quadi Hatti, Khajuri Gate, Kaushalya Devi Eye Hospital, and concluded at Maharaja Jassa Singh Community Hall.

Many religious tableaux were on display on the occasion. The whole route of the procession was decorated with small buntings and electric bulbs to be lit at night. Community feast was also organised to mark the occasion. The police has made elaborate security and traffic arrangements to thwart any untoward incident.

Hoshiarpur: Ram Navmi was celebrated with great enthusiasm here today. Thousands of people thronged the temples and offered prayers to Lord Ram.

Jalandhar: The procession taken out here today to mark Ram Navmi was remarkably different. It not only carried tableaux of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita, but also the ones on recent issues that hogged the limelight. The victory of India in the World Cup, and Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption were depicted boldly through enactments during the procession.

Children dressed up like Anna Hazare donning spectacles and Gandhi caps shouted slogans on the issues pertaining to amendments proposed by Anna in the Jan Lokpal Bill. In another trolley, youngsters dressed up in the Indian cricket team uniform, and hoisting the National Flag, were standing around a massive replica of the World Cup trophy.

The yatra began from Company Bagh Chowk and took a round of the old market areas in the city. The patron of Youth Akali Dal, Bikram Singh Majithia, also participated in the procession.

Some muslim boys were seen distributing prashad in the stalls put up along the passage of the procession signifying the spirit of communal harmony.

There were also stalls of kulfi and ice candies to woo people. Some devotees had even put up DJ systems along the passage, where they were seen dancing to religious songs. — TNS

Jalandhar, April 12
Nearly 250 vendors from Sudama Market, adjoining Jyoti Chowk, yesterday held a protest outside the residence of Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia demanding that their temporary shops should not be removed.

Garment, fruit and vegetable sellers claimed that they had received notices from the Municipal Corporation (MC) that they should vacate the area or else face consequences. They rued that they had been doing business in the area for the past 40 years, and they would lose their livelihood in case their set-ups were disturbed.

The vendors, who were accompanied by area councillor Kuldeep Oberoi (SAD), claimed that such an action had come against them in 1996 as well. But owing to protest by them, the officials had agreed to provide them booths in 40 per cent of the occupied area in the market.

Kalia asked the vendors to explain their position before MC Commissioner Viney Bublani. The Commissioner said he had given two days’ time to the vendors as he wanted to check the records. He said the authorities wanted the old markets to be cleared at the earliest. 

Jalandhar, April 12
A large number of residents of many villages in Mehatpur Block of Jalandhar district today rose up in arms against the district administration and the Department of Excise for opening an illegal liquor shop at Beer Baloki village near Mehatpur. Till the filling of this report, the protesters were sitting in front of the shop after forcibly rolling down its shutters.

Anita Peter, president of the Istri Jagriti Manch, who is leading the protest, said that men and women of many villages, including Beer Baloki, Baloki, Khaira, Singhpur, Udowal, Bulanda and Akbarpur, were participating in the protest.

She said that all these villages were bearing the brunt of the liquor shop situated at the intersection of the roads leading to the villages. She alleged that the departments concerned had failed to take any firm action despite the repeated complaints of the residents in this regard. She also said the protesters had forcibly closed the shop and insisted on handing over the keys to the police.

ASI Amarjit Singh said the police would look into the matter by tomorrow to ascertain whether the shop was running legally.

Peter further said that residents of other villages would join the protesters, if the authorities failed to take stern action by tomorrow. 

Hoshiarpur, April 12
With the arrest of four persons, the police today claimed to have solved a blind murder case of Joginder Singh, alias Baba Jinda, of Daffar village.

Hoshiarpur SSP Rakesh Aggarwal said blood-soaked body of Joginder Singh was found in a canal bed at Badla village on March 9.

Marks of deep injuries were found on his body. The Dasuya police has registered a case under Section 302 of the IPC in this connection.

SSP said Joginder Singh went on a bicycle in the evening of March 5 and did not return home. His family members searched for him everywhere but could not succeed in their attempts. They made many calls on his mobile phone which were not responded.

During investigation it was emerged that Naru of Darera Batha, Bilaspur district (Chhatishgarh), Banti, Chetan, alias Chettu, , both of Baroodi Rasoolpur, district Mujafarpur (UP) and Nandu of Kundli, district Sonepat (Haryana), presently residing at Bajwa Kiln, Ghogra village (Dasuya) murdered Joginder Singh.

The police recovered bicycle and mobile phone of deceased Joginder Singh from them.

During interrogation they revealed that on March 5 they were coming from Badla along with firewood on their cycle. On the way the cycle developed some snag. When they were repairing it Joginder Singh came to them and demanded Rs 2,000 from them on the pretext that they had stolen the firewood from the forest area. Joginder Singh threatened them if they did not pay him money he would inform the police. Meanwhile, he made a call to someone from his mobile. A quarrel took place between them on the issue which took an ugly turn and they murdered Joginder Singh. Later, they threw his body in the dried canal.

Jalandhar, April 12
An elderly man was killed after being hit by a speeding train at the Sheetal Nagar railway crossing, near the DAV College here today. The deceased has been identified as Roshan Lal (52), a resident of Lasuri Mohalla, Basti Danishmandan. A wielder by profession, he was accidentally hit by the train this morning.

His body was sent for postmortem to the Civil Hospital. Later, it was handed over to his family members.

According to the police, no suicide note was found from the body. Sources said,“The family members claimed that Roshan Lal was not mentally sound. He often used to go out of house without informing anybody.”

Tarn Taran: Charanjit Singh (22), a youth of Raniwallaha village, 30 kms from here, died in a road accident last late evening.

Charanjit was on his motorcycle when the front tyre got punctured and he lost control over the bike. He received head injuries and was brought to the local Civil Hospital. But he succumbed to the injuries on way to the hospital.

Hoshiarpur: Kulwinder Singh of Bharua died on the spot when some vehicle hit his motorcycle at Baroti here last evening. Sadar poliec has registered a case under Sections 279, 304 A and 427 of the IPC in this connection.