Jalandhar, February 25
The crime rate has come down by 20 per cent across the state this year as compared to the previous year. Ludhiana district continues to top the crime chart. Honey Wadhera, a Shahkot resident, sought the information after filing an RTI. The IGP (Crime) Punjab said the crime rate witnessed a sharp decline in the last two years. The state police has recorded 36,648 criminal cases in 2010 under Indian Penal Code, while till October 2011 the police recorded 29,774 cases.

According to the figures, Ludhiana district has the maximum crime cases while Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district has the minimum in the last two years.

In terms of murder and rape cases, Ludhiana district tops in the state with a record of 65 murders and 46 rape cases. Amritsar and Sangrur district recorded maximum kidnappings and dowry deaths, with 32 and 14 respectively, in the previous year. In 2010, police recorded 907 murders, 789 kidnappings/abductions, and 994 attempts to murder. In 2011, police recorded 723 murders, 603 kidnappings and 864 attempts to murder in the city. State police records 468 assaults on public servants, 65 dacoities and 1,276 snatchings in 2010. But last year these crimes decreased to a certain extent: 347 assaults on public servants, 24 dacoities and 1,000 snatchings.

Phagwara, February 25
A resident of Kangra in Himachal Pradesh was killed on the spot while two other residents of Ludhiana sustained serious injuries when a Santro car (PB-10BC-6262) hit a tree on Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road last night.

The deceased was identified as Mausam Agnihotri (41) and injured were identified as Jatin Sharma and Ashwini Kumar.

The accident occurred when the driver lost his control, the police said. The injured were first admitted to the local Civil Hospital and later were referred to Ludhiana Hospital. The police has sent the body for postmortem examination.

Nawanshahr: Three people were killed and two were injured in a head-on collision of two cars near Mahalon village situated on Jalandhar-Nawanshahr-Chandigarh highway here today.

The deceased were identified as Ashok Kumar of Rattewal village, Love Gogna and Raj Kumar of Banga. The injured were identified as Mukhtiar Singh and Gurdip Singh.

Police said Ashok Kumar, who worked as a contractor at Moga, was returning home in his car (PB-04-0099) along with his driver. When he reached near Mahalon his car had a collision with another car (PB 32 A-8686) coming from the opposite direction.

Pathankot: Man and son were killed and another two sustained injuries when a truck near Simble chowk here hit their motorcycle on Pathankot-Kangra road last evening.

The deceased were identified as Bodh Raj (36) and his ten-year-old son, Vansh. Wife Manju and the couple’s elder son Sourabh were admitted to the Civil Hospital. Police said Bodh Raj, a resident of Habibpur, accompanied by his wife and two kids were going to their resident. The police has registered a case. The bodies were handed over to the family after conducting the postmortem.