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Panchayat elections
Villagers protest against rejection of nomination papers in Faridkot dist
Faridkot, June 25
A controversial rejection of some nomination papers for the panchayat elections in Faridkot district today led to a massive protest by residents of some villages in Kotkapura town. The protesters blocked the traffic in the main chowk of the town for over four hours. They alleged that a Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) was responsible for the rejection of the nomination papers on farce grounds.

Abohar jeweller duped of ornaments worth Rs 4 lakh
Abohar, June 25
A jeweller here was allegedly duped by a conman this afternoon. Roshan Lal, the proprietor of the shop, informed the police that the swindler, aged about 35 to 40 years, came to his shop and purchased a silver coin for Rs 580. He then asked him to show heavy gold chains as he intended to gift the same to his son on his birthday and to his 'guru'. He selected two chains and paid Rs 5,000 as token money.

Park dedicated to martyrs
Fazilka, June 25
Fazilka Family Welfare Organisation chairperson Anju Raina inaugurated the Hola Nature Park dedicated to the martyrs. The park has been constructed as a part of the beautification of cantonment area project at local military station.

Panchayat elections
Villagers protest against rejection of nomination papers in Faridkot dist
Allege CPS Mantar Brar behind the move, seek high-level inquiry
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, June 25
A controversial rejection of some nomination papers for the panchayat elections in Faridkot district today led to a massive protest by residents of some villages in Kotkapura town. The protesters blocked the traffic in the main chowk of the town for over four hours. They alleged that a Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) was responsible for the rejection of the nomination papers on farce grounds.

Interestingly, the protest dharna against the CPS saw the Congress and a disgruntled group of Akalis joining hands. They lodged their complaints with the district returning officer-cum-deputy commissioner seeking an inquiry into the rejection of the nomination papers.

Apart from many Congress leaders of Faridkot district, former MP Jagmeet Singh Brar also reached Kotkapura to join the protest.

In Faridkot district, where the elections are under process for 206 panchayats, the nomination papers of 11 candidates for the posts of Sarpanch were rejected at villages where the stakes are high for the Congress and two rival groups of Akalis.

The rejection of the nomination papers of Darshan Singh, the brother of a former sarpanch Sukhminder Singh who was allegedly murdered by a nephew of the CPS in January this year in Aulakh village, further stoked the protest.

Since Sukhminder was a loyal supporter of a former Akali minister, so after the rejection of Darshan's nomination papers the supporters of the former minister sat on a dharna against the CPS and soon they were joined by Congress supporters.

Kushaldeep Dhillon, general secretary of the Punjab Congress, led a delegation of party workers to submit a complaint to the Deputy Commissioner, demanding a high-level inquiry into the rejection of nomination papers at the behest of the CPS.

The protesting residents of Aulakh village alleged that the nomination papers of Darshan Singh were rejected to elect a brother-in-law of the CPS unopposed in Aulakh village.

The CPS and Akali MLA from Kotkapura, Mantar Singh Brar, refuted the allegations. "I have nothing to do with the rejection of the nomination papers," he claimed.

Abohar jeweller duped of ornaments worth Rs 4 lakh
Our Correspondent

Abohar, June 25
A jeweller here was allegedly duped by a conman this afternoon. Roshan Lal, the proprietor of the shop, informed the police that the swindler, aged about 35 to 40 years, came to his shop and purchased a silver coin for Rs 580. He then asked him to show heavy gold chains as he intended to gift the same to his son on his birthday and to his 'guru'. He selected two chains and paid Rs 5,000 as token money.

After taking the chains in his hand he started reciting some mantras following which Roshan Lal became unconscious.

As he regained consciousness, the man had left the shop with 12 gold chains worth Rs 4 lakh. Efforts were made to chase him but he remained untraceable.

The City police immediately reached the Gandhi Chowk and started investigation in the case. Pictures prepared out of a CCTV footage have been flashed to other police stations.

Meanwhile, CCTV footages displayed by a jeweller from Sriganganagar reportedly indicated that a few weeks ago, the same person had decamped with jewellery there.

Sources said similar incidents were reported from Mansa and Jaitu in the Malwa region of Punjab and Agra in Uttar Pradesh.

Park dedicated to martyrs

Fazilka, June 25
Fazilka Family Welfare Organisation chairperson Anju Raina inaugurated the Hola Nature Park dedicated to the martyrs. The park has been constructed as a part of the beautification of cantonment area project at local military station.

The park has been named after Second Lieutenant Brij Bhushan Hola who laid down his life defending the town and area in the 1965-war. “The park shall go a long way in remembering the martyrs,” said Anju Raina. — OC