B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Keetu murder case
Nephew arrested from Dera Bassi
Barnala, April 22
The Barnala police today claimed that it had arrested Jaspreet Singh Jassa, a nephew of a former Barnala MLA Malkiat Singh Keetu and an alleged accused in Keetu's murder case, after an encounter in the Dera Bassi area.

VB sleuths nab Patwari for graft
Ferozepur, April 22
Sleuths belonging to the State Vigilance Bureau today nabbed a patwari while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 6,000 in lieu of executing the mutation of a piece of land belonging to the complainant.

heritage fest concludes
5 honoured with youth icon award
Fazilka, April 22
The Fazilka heritage festival concluded here on Sunday night with a pledge taken by the audience that they will install at least one solar equipment to conserve the conventional sources of energy.

Expedite lifting of wheat, grain market officials told
Barnala, April 22
The Commissioner of Patiala Division, Ajit Singh Pannu, today visited 16 grain markets and procurement centres in the district to take stock of the wheat procurement process.

VK Sharma assumes charge as Commissioner
Ferozepur, April 22
VK Sharma, Secretary, Agriculture, today assumed additional charge as the Commissioner of Ferozepur and Faridkot divisions. The post had been lying vacant for several months following the transfer of Raminder Singh as Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, at Chandigarh.

Students condemn crime against women
Ferozepur, April 22
Hundreds of girl students belonging to Dev Samaj College for Women participated in a candlelight vigil to lodge their protest against the increasing incidents of crime against women.

Keetu murder case
Nephew arrested from Dera Bassi
Tribune News Service

Barnala, April 22
The Barnala police today claimed that it had arrested Jaspreet Singh Jassa, a nephew of a former Barnala MLA Malkiat Singh Keetu and an alleged accused in Keetu's murder case, after an encounter in the Dera Bassi area.

Barnala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Snehdeep Sharma said this evening that after receiving a tip-off about the presence of Jaspreet Singh Jassa in the Dera Bassi area, a police party from Barnala today rushed to Dera Bassi where an encounter took place.

The SSP said Rashpal Singh had been hit by a bullet in the encounter and had been admitted to a hospital at Dera Bassi.

He said the police also recovered a pistol from their possession.

Jassa was also wanted by the Barnala police in connection with cases registered against him at Mehal Kalan and Rurreke Kalan police stations in the district, SSP Snehdeep Sharma added.

VB sleuths nab Patwari for graft
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, April 22
Sleuths belonging to the State Vigilance Bureau today nabbed a patwari while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 6,000 in lieu of executing the mutation of a piece of land belonging to the complainant.

While giving the details, PBS Parmar, Senior Superintendent of Police (Vigilance), said the patwari Tejinderpal Singh was posted at Guru Harsahai. The SSP said the patwari had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 10,000 from the complainant, Joginder Singh of village Mohan Ke Hithar, to issue him the 'Fard' of the land. However, the complainant approached the Vigilance Bureau officials.

The SSP said that after ascertaining the veracity of facts in the case, the Vigilance Bureau team led by inspector Kulwant Rai laid a trap and nabbed the accused red-handed in the presence of two government officials.

VB officials said the complainant had allegedly handed over an amount of Rs 6,000 to the patwari which was recovered from him during the raid.

The SSP said that an FIR has been lodged in this regard at Vigilance Bureau police station in Ferozepur and further investigation was in progress.

heritage fest concludes
5 honoured with youth icon award
Our correspondent

Fazilka, April 22
The Fazilka heritage festival concluded here on Sunday night with a pledge taken by the audience that they will install at least one solar equipment to conserve the conventional sources of energy. The oath was administered by veteran IIT engineer Dr Bhupinder Singh, a recipient of Urjapurush Award from the Utatrakhand government. An NGO, Friends Health Club of Fazilka, also declared that it will create social awareness among the youths to check the rising incidents of crime against women.

The heritage festival was organised by the Graduate Welfare Association Fazilka (GWAF) in association with the Tourism and Heritage Promotion Board, Punjab. Fazilka MLA and Cabinet Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani was the chief guest at the function while Additional Deputy Commissioner Charandev Singh Maan was the guest of honour.

Five youth icon awards were conferred on three women and two youths who brought laurels to Fazilka town. They include Dr Rachna Monga, yoga teacher Shobhna Juneja, fashion designer Kanika Kamra, ISRO scientist Nitish Dhawan and author Shivansh Kamra. The Fazilka Rattan award was conferred on pioneer horticulturist Prem Babber, who is also known as “kinnow king” in the Fazilka area. He introduced kinnow for the first time in Fazilka in 1976. He has been awarded by the Punjab Agriculture University for promoting horticulture and using biofertilisers, organic manure and other eco-friendly products.

Barnala, April 22
The Commissioner of Patiala Division, Ajit Singh Pannu, today visited 16 grain markets and procurement centres in the district to take stock of the wheat procurement process.

The grain markets visited by him included Badbar, Kaleke, Barnala, Tapa, Sehna, Bhadaur, Khudi Khurd, Ugoke and Dhillwan.

According to information available, Pannu found lifting operations going on at a snail's pace in the grain markets at Kaleke, Ugoke and Dhillwan. He ordered the officials concerned to expedite the lifting of wheat.

About 2.14 lakh metric tonnes of wheat had arrived in the grain markets till last evening in Barnala district, of which 1.67 lakh MT was procured. — TNS

VK Sharma assumes charge as Commissioner

Ferozepur, April 22
VK Sharma, Secretary, Agriculture, today assumed additional charge as the Commissioner of Ferozepur and Faridkot divisions. The post had been lying vacant for several months following the transfer of Raminder Singh as Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, at Chandigarh.

Addressing district officials on his arrival at the district headquarters here today, Sharma said various welfare and development schemes initiated by the state government should be implemented in letter and spirit. He also emphasised upon the need for the proper implementation of the Right to Service Act and exhorted the officials to provide efficient and transparent administration. Deputy Commissioner Manjit Singh Narang, ADC Sonali Giri and ADC ( D) AS Sandhu were also present. — OC

Students condemn crime against women

Ferozepur, April 22
Hundreds of girl students belonging to Dev Samaj College for Women participated in a candlelight vigil to lodge their protest against the increasing incidents of crime against women. While condemning the recent incident of brutal rape of the five-year-old girl in Delhi, the girls demanded that stringent possible laws be framed to punish the culprits responsible for such acts.

Veerdavinder Kaur, a student of B.Sc, said it was high time the authorities realised their responsibility to protect the fair sex from these kinds of atrocities and ensure their safety at all times. — OC