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CM breaks silence on Sikh detainees
Gurbaksh’s family members meet Akal Takht Jathedar, hand him over his will
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Govt to eliminate role of depot holders
Staff-starved MCs fail to remove encroachments
selection of medical officers
Not keen on contesting from Hoshiarpur: Miss Pooja
UK Sikhs oppose proposed meat plant near gurdwara
Notice to state on land transfer
Snag at thermal plant hits power supply in 4 dists
Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University may get recognition
ETT teachers’ protest: Talks with govt fail
sangrur boy's death
illegal colony case
Rs 22,000-crore paddy rotting: Rice millers
HC stays prosecution under anti-Human Smuggling Act
State gets month to submit report on illegal mining
Woman found dead
Jail inmate dies, family cries foul
Two ATMs cut open, Rs 22 lakh stolen
Cong leader held with unlicensed weapon
ASI held with Rs 10 lakh heroin
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CM breaks silence on Sikh detainees
Ludhiana, December 18 The Chief Minister, who was in the city to lay the foundation stone of a residential school, said: "These six prisoners were arrested by the police of other states, but were sent to the jails of Punjab. The Punjab Government has no role to play in their case. I will request the states concerned to consider their case." Earlier, joining the cause of Gurbaksh Singh, who is on fast-onto-death since November 14, seeking release of six Sikh detainees, a group of Sikh leaders today met Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal here. They urged him to get the Sikh detainees released by taking up the matter with the states whose police had arrested them. Prem Singh Chandumajra, general secretary, SAD, said: "The Chief Minister has assured them that he would take up the issue by getting reports about these prisoners with states concerned." The Sikh leaders said detainees Gurmeet Singh, Lakhwinder Singh and Shamsher Singh had already served their jail term of 18 years while the other three detainees Gurdeep Singh, Lal Singh and Waryam Singh had spent over 20 years in jail.
DSGMC delegation in Mohali
Mohali: A five-member delegation of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) reached Amb Sahib gurdwara to extend support to the demand for the release of Sikhs detainees. The DSGMC delegation was led by its former president Avtar Singh Hit. They said they would meet the Chief Minister to urge him to resolve the matter.
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Gurbaksh’s family members meet Akal Takht Jathedar, hand him over his will
Amritsar, December 18 Gurbaksh Singh's wife Jasbir Kaur and sister Jasminder Kaur were accompanied by leaders of various Sikh organisations. Gurbaksh Singh has stated that his body could also be donated if Akal Takht wished so. He has also enclosed a duly filled form for donating his body. Talking to mediapersons, Jasbir Kaur said Gurbaksh's health had been deteriorating with each passing day. "It is imperative that both the Centre as well as the state government should take a sympathetic view of Sikh prisoners who have served their jail term and release them," she said. Khalsa Action Committee leader Bhai Mohkam Singh said both the governments would be responsible if anything happened to Gurbaksh Singh. The Jathedar said he supported the demand for the release of Sikh detainees. He said the SGPC had been directed to initiate measures in this regard. SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar would meet Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal tomorrow, he said. He also hinted that a meeting of the Sikh high priests might be called soon to discuss the matter. Meanwhile, Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa has knocked the doors of the Amnesty International, seeking its intervention on the matter. Dal Khalsa chief HS Dhami and spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said while Gurbaksh Singh was determined despite his ailing health, the government seemed to be waiting to either let him die or force-feed him as it did a few days ago. The three-page letter sent to the Amnesty's London office stated that the Punjab Government continued to pay lip service and expressing sympathy without taking any action.
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PIMS row takes political turn
Jalandhar, December 18 The doctors, paramedical and clerical staff members of the PIMS have been on strike for the past eight days due to non-payment of their salaries for over six months. This has forced the management to declare holidays for 300 MBBS students. The 450-bedded PIMS hospital is left with just a handful of patients while the doctors are attending the emergency cases only. The Congress has demanded that the Union Government should run the PIMS as a satellite hospital of the PGIMER, Chandigarh, as it has a sprawling campus on 56 acres with 10 lakh square feet covered area. “Instead of setting up a satellite hospital of the PGI in Sangrur and a cancer hospital at Bathinda, the state government should have run PIMS itself with the financial assistance of the Union Government,” said Congress spokesperson Sukhpal Singh Khaira. “State Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa, Santosh Chaudhary and other senior leaders of the party will visit PIMS on Friday to take stock of the situation. The party will then chalk out plans to safeguard the interests of the students and staff of PIMS,” he said. Taking a dig at former chief of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), Khaira alleged Bibi Jagir Kaur owned a ‘benami’ share in the PIMS Medical Education and Charitable Society, under the chairmanship of senior Akali leader Surjit Singh Rakhra, Rural Development Minister, Punjab. He also alleged that the one of the three groups of directors of the PIMS Medical and Education Charitable Society- Jaspal Singh Dhesi, a Phagwara based NRI, is also a close associate of the former SGPC chief. Khaira warned of going to Punjab and Haryana High Court if the state government gives PIMS’s control to any private firm. Meanwhile, Prof SS Gill, Vice Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, took a lenient view of PIMS management declaring holidays for MBBS students at the institute before the scheduled date. “The principal of a medical college can declare holidays one or two days earlier than the scheduled date,” he added. Will sort out issue soon: Badal
Jalandhar: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today claimed that the ongoing stalemate between the management and staff of the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) would be sorted out soon. Speaking on the sidelines of a function organised to lay the foundation stone of residential senior secondary school here, Badal indicated at a possible tie-up of PIMS with a private medical organisation.
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Govt to eliminate role of depot holders
Instead a policy is being worked out under which the beneficiaries will get the entire quota of foodgrain once a year in the month of June. Official sources in the Food and Supplies Department say the new policy is likely to fall in place by early next year. By doing so the state government will ensure that the beneficiaries get fresh stocks of foodgrain. The new policy will also eliminate the need for storage and distribution of grain throughout the year. Since the FCI releases foodgrain to the state government on a “first-in, first-out” (old grain stocks are released first) basis, the beneficiaries had been complaining against the poor quality of grain. The Food and Supplies Department will buy grain from mandis in each district and distribute the same to the beneficiaries in surrounding villages. Wheat will be supplied in 30 kg packs and will be almost tamper-proof. This will eliminate the role of ration depot holders in the distribution network. The latter have been demanding more wages for handling the extra job of distributing wheat and dal under the “reformed” Atta-Dal Scheme. Since the state government is still not sure about its share under the National Food Security Act, it has decided to have its own procurement and distribution policy in place for its beneficiaries.
New policy on anvil
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Staff-starved MCs fail to remove encroachments
Faridkot, December 18 The shortage of staff in the Municipal Committees (MCs) of the division is being cited as the reason for not implementing the order. While disposing of a writ petition, the High Court had, on January 17, 2012, directed the department to constitute committees to remove the encroachments. On May 17, 2012, Urban Local Bodies Department Principal Secretary Ashok Kumar Gupta had issued direction to all Municipal Corporations, committees, councils, Nagar Panchayats and Improvement Trusts to constitute monitoring committees — comprising not less than five members, of whom three would be local representatives and the rest government officials. More than 19 months after the Principal Secretary’s order, the MCs of the area are still to act. The staff crunch and alleged political influence are the stumbling blocks. In the Ferozepur division, there are eight Executive Officers (EOs) against 19 posts. Most of them have the charge of one or two MCs. Kotkapura, Faridkot and Mudki MCs have one EO. The sorry state of affairs is such that the post of Deputy Director, Urban Local Bodies, is lying vacant for a long time. “It is not possible for us to constitute the monitoring committees and check encroachments with a limited staff,” a senior officer in the department said on the condition of anonymity. The Principal Secretary, however, said he was unaware of the constitution of the monitoring committees. “I will check the record. If the committees have not been constituted, they will be formed as per the High Court direction,” he said, adding that the shortage of staff was not an issue to implement the court order. As per rules and in light of the HC direction, the police were bound to help the committees to remove encroachments or illegal constructions. There was a provision of a penalty of Rs 500 per day on an encroacher. If the committee found any MC official hand-in-glove with an encroacher, disciplinary action would be initiated against him or her and with major penalty and his suspension. All encroachments were to be removed within six months and the progress report submitted to the department.
Short on human resources
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State directed to empower SIT to probe irregularities
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 18 The Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul also directed the State to provide infrastructure, expenses, staff and other facilities required by the SIT for its functioning. As the case came up or hearing this morning, SIT members - Punjab Chief Director, Vigilance Bureau, Suresh Arora and retired CBI joint-director MS Bali - informed the bench that a meeting was held on December 5 to initiate the probe in the matter; and a decision was taken to conduct a preliminary inquiry and embark upon the future course of action on the basis of the results. The preliminary inquiry would take about four months. The SIT also informed the Bench that the CBI officials, central police, Chandigarh Police and State Vigilance Bureau would be involved in the probe; and operational team of one Inspector-General of Police, four Superintendents of Police (SP), three Deputy SPs, five Inspectors, four Sub Inspectors, five Assistance Sub-Inspectors, five Head Constables and 20 Constables would carry out the investigation as per the SIT instructions. The members also asked the High Court to direct the Punjab Government to issue notifications on its constitution and inform all the departments concerned to render assistance sought by the SIT. It was added the SIT would become operational by the first week of January 2014. The High Court on November 22 had ordered the constitution of the SIT, indicating the junking of the much-hyped Vigilance report in the matter. The Vigilance had probed the selection process; and had virtually indicted several Punjab Public Service Commission members. But it was not made a part of the judicial record by the High Court. Those indicted have all along been raising questions on the objectivity and the fairness of the report. The matter was brought under the judicial scanner after a petition was filed in public interest by Punjab’s former Director-General of Police KPS Gill and other petitioners.
Cracking the whip
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Not keen on contesting from Hoshiarpur: Miss Pooja
“I have neither given my consent to contest from Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha constituency nor have I have accepted any post in the party. My objective is to serve the people. Therefore, I joined the BJP. I am also very impressed with the charismatic leadership of Narendra Modi,” said Miss Pooja. Sources said Rajya Saba member Rupala Ji and close confidants of Narendra Modi were instrumental in inducting Pooja into the BJP. Her entry into the party has created several ripples on the political scene. A section of party workers feel giving party ticket to a newcomer such as Pooja would upset party workers. Some of the frontrunners to get the BJP ticket from Hoshiarpur are Vijay Sampla, the newly appointed chairman of the Punjab State Forest Development Corporation, Dr Dilbagh Rai, Punjab BJP SC Morcha chief and Avtar Singh Sikri, BJP SC Morcha national executive member. It is also learnt that Chief Parliamentary Secretary Som Parkash might be fielded from here again. Parkash had lost the 2009 Lok Sabha polls from Hoshiarpur with a thin margin of 366 votes to Congress candidate Santosh Chaudhary. Parkash, however, is said to be keen on fielding his wife Anita, a social worker, from Hoshiarpur. Hoshiarpur reserve Lok Sabha constituency has nine assembly segments - Mukerian, Dasuya, Tanda, Sham Churasi, Hoshiarpur, Chhabbewal, Phagwara, Bholath and Sri Hargobindpur. These constituencies are dominated by Scheduled Caste and Lobana communities. Miss Pooja might benefit from this as she too is said to be an SC. However, she refused to say anything on her caste background.
The motive
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Fog woes: Seven flights cancelled, five delayed
Amritsar, December 18 As many as 3,761 passengers were affected due to the delay and cancellation of flights. Air India’s flight 114 from Birmingham, the Air India Express’ flight 192 from Dubai, the SpiceJet’s flight 442 from Mumbai, the SpiceJet’s flight 202 from Delhi and Uzbekistan’s flight 443 from Tashkent landed here between 3 pm and 5 pm. Two international flights, Turkmenistan’s Asghabat-Amritsar and Qatar Airways’s Doha-Amritsar, were cancelled. Besides, five domestic flights were also called off. SpiceJet’s morning flight from Delhi and four Jet Airways’ flights from Delhi were cancelled. Rail traffic, too, was affected due to foggy weather.
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UK Sikhs oppose proposed meat plant near gurdwara
London, December 18 A food firm, Pakeezah, had proposed to convert a car workshop next to Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara into a wholesale meat plant, which was given a go-ahead in August despite protests by local Sikh groups. More than 200 members of the Sikh community have now lodged an application for a judicial review, a decision on which is expected from the high court by the middle of next year. "A decision won't be reached soon, but at least we have delayed Pakeezah's meat plant by at least 12 months. The Bradford council has told the company not to start work until the judicial review decision is made," said Kuljeet Dobe, the lawyer representing the Sikh community. The proximity of the gurdwara's kitchen to the proposed meat plant has been the central point of objection against the plans, the Bradford Telegraph newspaper reported. "We feel that they (the city council members) haven't taken into account the philosophical and theological points that were presented to them in a detailed report. We want the decision reverted," said Nirmal Singh, chairman of the board of representatives of Bradford Gurdwaras. "If we let this one through now, it will set a precedent for all places of worship. This could happen to a church or a mosque so we need to be unified," said Kaldeep Singh Duway, the president of Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara. Pakeezah director Tariq Haq has maintained the meat plant was an extension and would not affect the gurdwara in any way. Meanwhile, Julian Jackson of the Bradford Council, said, "A judicial review application has been submitted challenging this decision and a judge's decision is awaited. In the meantime, any work carried out is, of course, at the owner's own risk."
— PTI
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Notice to state on land transfer
Chandigarh, December 18 Taking up a petition against the transfer, the High Court has put on notice the State of Punjab, GLADA and PSPCL. The development is significant as around 600 PSPCL employees are residing on rent in the power colony. The notice came on a civil writ petition filed by PSEB Employees Joint Forum and two other petitioners. They had challenged the decision dated August 13, 2013, taken by a committee headed by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister directing the PSPCL to transfer around 100 acres to GLADA. The petitioners stated that the decision stipulated that PSPCL would hand over the land to GLADA by December 31. No arrangements were, however, made for construction of residential houses for 600 families of PSPCL employees in the residential-cum-commercial complex. Rather, it was stipulated that PSPCL employees residing in this colony may shift to rented accommodations. Counsel for petitioners submitted that uprooting large number of families from residential houses, where most of them have been staying for two decades or so, without making alternative provisions in the proposed residential-cum-commercial complex or elsewhere was highly arbitrary and unjustified.
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Snag at thermal plant hits power supply in 4 dists
Jalandhar, December 18 Preliminary investigations by power officials revealed that dense fog had led to a technical snag in the insulators and the transmission network. SK Puri, Chief Engineer, Lehra Mohabbat Thermal Plant, said because of the dense fog, the 220 KV transmission line from Lehra Mohabbat to Himmatpura (Moga) and another 220 KV transmission line from Lehra Mohabbat to Barnala tripped. "Unit number 4 (250 MW) tripped at 2.51 am whereas the 210 MW unit 1 and 210 MW unit 2 tripped at 3.37 am. Unit number 3 (250 MW) had to be shut down at 9.12 am," said officials. Due to the tripping, the breaker insulator of unit number 4 and 1 also got burst. GS Chhabra, Director (Generation), PSPCL, said immediately after the tripping, engineers were put on job to rectify the snag. "Unit number 2 and 3 were revived at 12.45 pm and 1.50 pm, respectively, whereas unit number 1 was synchronised at 5 pm. The unit number 4 could not be started in wake of the low power demand," said a thermal plant official. Meanwhile, as per reports from various parts of the state, including Ludhiana, Patiala, Jalandhar and Amritsar, power remained disrupted for several hours on Tuesday evening and today morning. PSPCL officials however said that the disruption was not because of the tripping. "There may be some fault in the 11 KV lines or maintenance work in some parts where the power remained disrupted," said Chhabra.
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Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University may get recognition
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 18 The university, which was set up through the Punjab State Act 20 of 2008, has received a copy of the expert committee’s report signed by its members from the UGC. The committee has given the details about the staff position, teaching and research output of various departments in its report. Besides this the committee has observed the complete compliance of the UGC regulations by the university and has given a very positive response in its final recommendation that the university should be granted approval without submitting any further compliance. Private universities are required to obtain statutory approval of UGC within 5 years of starting the academic work. Vice Chancellor Dr Gurmohan Walia said the committee had also appreciated the effort of the university in providing scholarships to 10 per cent of the needy and meritorious students worth Rs 65
lakh.
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ETT teachers’ protest: Talks with govt fail
Barnala, December 18 The number of protesters atop the water works at Cheema village near here has increased to nine. Union district president Gurjit Singh said that on the assurance of the district administration, members of the union had gone to Chandigarh to meet the Chief Minister yesterday. “In place of the CM, his Principal Secretary met us. The meeting bore no result.” He said the administration assured the union today that a meeting had been fixed with the CM on January 8. “We have lost faith in the administration and decided to continue the agitation,” Singh said.
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Man ends life; Valmikis call for bandh
Amritsar, December 18 He was taken to Patti Civil Hospital, from where he was referred to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital here. Hato, a painter by profession, is survived by his wife and a daughter. Though the police denied finding any suicide note, the leaders of the community blamed Mahant Baldev Giri and Ramesh Sharma, a Brahmin Samaj leader, for Hato’s death. Valmiki Samaj leaders claimed that he had ended his life as he was upset with a court order to hand over Dhuna Sahib in the ancient Ram Tirath temple to a rival faction. Valmiki Samaj leader Om Parkash Gabbar said: “Hato had tried to set himself on fire a couple of times when the rival faction came to take the possession to Dhuna Sahib.” Station House Officer (SHO) Gurvinder Singh said a case under section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the IPC had been registered against Mahant Baldev Giri and Sharma.
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Rights body seeks report
Tribune News Service
Sangrur, December 18 In the order passed by the PSHRC on December 17, the Sangrur SSP has been ordered to submit his report on the matter at least one week before February 14, 2014, as the commission has adjourned the case till February 14. Vidhu Jain (13) was allegedly burnt alive by unidentified persons in broad daylight in Malerkotla on September 30.
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Moga MLA Jain’s son declared PO
Tribune News Service
Moga, December 18 The court order came despite the Punjab Government's move to regularise all illegal colonies under the Punjab Laws (special provisions) Act 2013. Puneet Jain, MLA's son, presently living in Canada, has not been able to appear before the court in the past two years. The next date of hearing in the case has been fixed s January 31. Meanwhile, the Additional Chief Administrator of the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA), a subsidiary of PUDA, has already moved an application before the court demanding suspension of legal proceedings against Jain and his family. The matter would be taken up in the next hearing. Govt notifies Jain’s removal from post
In another development, the Financial Commissioner (Development), Agriculture Department, has issued a notification to withdraw the appointment of Jain as Chairman as well as Director on the Board of Directors of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation. He was appointed on December 27, 2012, soon after he had joined the ruling party. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had quashed his appointment on October 31.
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Rs 22,000-crore paddy rotting: Rice millers
Jindal said paddy, which had
been stored with rice shellers, had started rotting and migratory labourers, having become idle following the strike, were considering to return to their home states if immediate solution to the problem was not found. He said in the interest of food security and labour, it was necessary that immediate action was taken by the government and genuine demands of the rice millers were met. He said in view of inclement weather conditions, the decision in this regard should be taken at the earliest so that grains were not damaged.
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HC stays prosecution under anti-Human Smuggling Act
Chandigarh, December 18 Taking up the matter, Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Augustine George Masih asserted: “On hearing counsel for the parties, it is directed that though the operation of the enactment is not stayed, no prosecution shall be initiated under the said Act till further orders”. The state government, in September, had issued directions to all the Deputy Commissioners to register travel agents and initiate criminal action against those violating the provisions of the Act notified earlier this year Throwing a challenge, Council of Overseas Consulting Services had contended that the State Government was not empowered to come up with the Act as such powers vested only with the Central Government.
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State gets month to submit report on illegal mining
Chandigarh, December 18 The HC on the previous date of hearing, had rapped the Punjab Police on its knuckles for failure to act against those involved in the illegal mining in the State. The High Court had also expressed its dissatisfaction over the SIT report. Stating that nothing significant was there in the report, the High Court had asserted: “The SIT report does not highlight the names of the persons such as bureaucrats, politicians and police officers involved in the menace”. The development took place during the resumed hearing of a PIL seeking directions to the state government and the Centre to put on auction mining areas with environmental clearance in a time-bound manner to curb illegal mining in the state.
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Woman found dead
Abohar, December 18 The victim’s parents said she was forced to leave her in-laws’ house.
Another body was found hanging from a tree on Srikaranpur road in Sriganganagar. The deceased, Sohan Lal (30), of Luhara village went missing on Friday. In the third incident, one Makhan Singh (45) of Chak 9AN village died when his motorcycle hit cattle in Sriganganagar. In another incident, one Monu was killed as his car overturned at Gharsana Sriganganagar.
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Jail inmate dies, family cries foul
Bathinda, December 18 While the jail authorities have claimed that he died of heart attack, his parents alleged that their son was killed as part of a conspiracy. “How could a hale and hearty 29-year-old person die of cardiac arrest?” his family questioned. The administration ordered a magisterial inquiry into the death. Mansa jail superintendent Sukhwinder Singh said the undertrial suffered a heart attack and was taken to the Civil Hospital, where doctors failed to revive him. Gurtej’s father Hamir Singh alleged that his son was killed since there had been an attempt to murder him by poisoning in Bathinda jail. Gurtej was embroiled in several cases.
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Two ATMs cut open, Rs 22 lakh stolen
Hoshiarpur, December 18 The thieves first struck at Bhunga village ATM from where they took away Rs 14 lakh. The matter came to light when a policeman from Bhunga police post came to the ATM and found its shutter lock damaged. It seemed that the accused had used a gas cutter to commit the theft. SP (D) Jagmohan Singh and forensic experts reached the spot. The CCTV footage showed the recording of an accused entering the booth with his face covered. He then sprayed some colour on the camera. A similar incident was reported from Saran village situated 10 km from Bhunga on the Hoshiarpur-Tanda road. The accused stole
Rs 8 lakh from the ATM here. The same modus operandi was used there. The incident took place at 4:30 am. The police have lodged separate FIRs. SSP Narinder Bhargav claimed that the police had got an important clue and the case would be solved soon.
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Cong leader held with unlicensed weapon
Tarn Taran, December 18 He was arrested from Jaura village, 15 km from here, last late evening, though the police revealed it by issuing a press note here today. As per the release, the police dubbed Chackwalia an “infamous smuggler having a key role in the gang which had been tampering with the record of drug samples at chemical laboratory, Kharar”. The Patti police have said Chackwalia has been booked under Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act. The Congress leader has been declared a proclaimed offender (PO) in an attempt-to-murder case, the police have said. Chackwalia has been facing a number of criminal cases, the police have said.
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ASI held with Rs 10 lakh heroin
Ludhiana, December 18 The other accused is Amrik Singh of Aman Nagar in Daba area. Harbans Singh, in charge of Anti Narcotic Cell, said after receiving a tip-off, the police intercepted a Maruti car at Jalandhar bypass and recovered 20 gm of heroin from Gurwinder Singh.
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Chandigarh, December 18
Jalandhar, December
18
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 18