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Lord Williams vows to bring Duleep Singh’s ashes
Amritsar, April 24
Lord Williams, Leader of the House of Lords, Britain, has promised to make efforts to bring the ashes of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last scion of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, to India. On a query, he said it was possible to bring the ashes and he would put the suggestion forward in his personal capacity.

Lord Williams (centre), Leader of the House of Lords, Britain, after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple, Amritsar, on Thursday. — PTI photo

Shun communal hatred: Staines
Jalandhar, April 24
“Despite my being a Christian, Indians have been praying for me and sharing my woes, which has been a source of solace for me. This has strengthened my resolve to spread the message of communal harmony. I will not leave the people who have showered love upon me and my daughter.”

Ms Gladys Staines, the widow of Australian missionary Graham Staines, shares a point with Baba Bhagat Singh Bilga, a freedom fighter, during her visit to the Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall in Jalandhar on Thrusday. — Photo S. S. Chopra

Pro-VC humiliated me: teacher
Dr Pal denies Dr Amritpal Kaur’s charge
Patiala, April 24
A controversy has erupted over the alleged humiliation meted out by Punjabi University Pro-Vice Chancellor, Dr R.N. Pal, to a lady teacher during his tenure as in charge of the varsity in the absence of the VC.

Boparai accuses Pro-VC of misconduct
Patiala, April 24
The Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor, Mr Swarn Singh Boparai, a day after the Higher Education Minister, Mr Harnam Das Johar, told him to cooperate with the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Dr R.N. Pal, said today that he was not bound to delegate his powers in his absence to the Pro-VC.

Punjab promises support to PTU
Zirakpur, April 24
The Punjab Government today reiterated its “moral, financial and political support” to the Jalandhar-based Punjab Technical University and its Distance Education Programme (DEP).

Plan to commemorate Sahibjadas’ martyrdom
Fatehgarh Sahib, April 24
The district is gearing up to observe the 300th year of the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh’s sons Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh, who were bricked alive by the Mughals for not embracing Islam in December, 1704.

KIDNEY RACKET
2 more declared proclaimed offenders
Amritsar, April 24
The Special Investigation Team (sit) has submitted report to the government of the kidney scam. Two of the key accused, Hardyal Mehta, manager, Kakkar Hospital and Dr Bhushan Aggarwal, a PCMS doctor, have been declared proclaimed offenders. They have been absconding after their bail pleas were rejected.

No fast-track court for NRIs
Chandigarh, April 24
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has reportedly turned down the Punjab Government’s proposal for setting up a fast-track court for Non-Resident Indians. Modalities are being worked out for taking up the matter with the high court again, government sources have claimed.

COMMUNITY

Former minister cremated
Amritsar, April 24
Senior Congress leader and former Minister Gurmej Singh, who passed away last night, was accorded a state funeral at his native Ghumanpur village near here today.

Punjab to build ‘gaushalas’
Chandigarh, April 24
Cow politics seems to be catching up fast in the country. After Madhya Pradesh, Punjab today decided to build “ gaushalas” in the state. The decision was taken here at a meeting of Deputy Commissioners, presided by the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal.

Commissioner refutes builder’s claim
Jalandhar, April 24
The multicrore illegal building scam took a new turn today with Ms Sarojini Gautam Sharda, Commissioner of the local municipal corporation, refuting the contention of builder Charanjit Singh Channi that a fact-finding committee, headed by her in the capacity of the Deputy Director, Local Bodies, had given a clean chit to him or to the owner of any illegal building in the city.

Lawyers’ memo to HC Judge
Pathankot, April 24
Mr Justice Nirmal Singh, a Judge of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana is on six-day inspection tour of Gurdaspur district courts arrived here today at PWD Rest House.

Sham Singh offers to resign
Amritsar, April 24
Mr Harpal Singh Bhuller, president of the International Bhai Mardana Yadgari Kirtan Darbar Society, in a report yesterday alleged that former founder member of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC). Gian Singh and Mr Sham Singh, present co-chairperson of the PSGPC, were at loggerheads.

HIGH COURT
Punjab ex-minister granted bail
Chandigarh, April 24
Punjab’s former Agriculture Minister, Gurdev Singh Badal, was today granted bail in an alleged corruption case by Mr Justice K.S. Garewal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Action against restaurant likely
Kapurthala, April 24
The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Rakesh Verma, has directed the Additional Chief Administration, PUDA, and the PSEB authorities to take action against the Haveli restaurant on the Jalandhar-Amritsar National Highway for violating the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act, 1995.

Gargi’s ashes to be immersed today
Bathinda, April 24
Ashes of Punjabi playwright Balwant Gargi who died on April 21 would be immersed in the Sirhind canal here tomorrow.

IT raids on jeweller’s shop
Amritsar, April 24
The Income Tax Department yesterday unearthed unaccounted assets worth over several crores from a prominent jeweller on the posh Lawrence Road area, here today.

• Assault on ETO condemned

• Junior doctors meet minister

• VB quizzes 6 persons

• IMA meeting on April 27

Licences of 3 agents suspended
Ferozepore, April 24
Mr Raminder Singh, Deputy Commissioner, today suspended the licences of three commission agents — two belonging to the Mallanwala purchase centre while one belonging to Sade Hasham purchase centre — for their alleged involvement in bunglings in the procurement of wheat and violating the norms.

• Special girdawari ordered

• MC told to clear encroachments

10-yr-old gagged to death
Nakodar (Jalandhar), April 24
A 10-year-old school girl was allegedly gagged to death after an attempt to rape her, stuffed in a big plastic bag and thrown in a pond at Dhaliwal village here.

Seven criminals arrested
Batala, April 24
Dr Naresh Arora, chief of Batala police district, told mediapersons here today that a special task force had been constituted to nab criminals.

Doctor nabbed
Muktsar, April 24
Sleuths of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau have apprehended a doctor posted at Government Health Centre on charges of taking Rs 300 from a patient.

Temple burgled
Bathinda, April 24
Cash was stolen from Shiv Temple in the Mehna Chowk area here late yesterday.

• 7 youths held

• Travel agent lands in lock-up

Probe into corruption in engg college
Bathinda, April 24
The probe into the alleged large-scale corruption at the Giani Zail Singh College of Engineering and Technology (GZSCET) began as Mr Amar Singh, Additional Director, Technical Education, Punjab, today recorded the statements of about 200 employees of the college.

2,500 surplus teachers in state
Chandigarh, April 24
Surplus teachers from urban government schools in Punjab will be shifted to rural educational institutions. About 2500 surplus teachers have been identified in government schools.

BUSINESS

Coop bank staffers’ stir continues
Nawanshahr, April 24
Employees of cooperative banks in the state have been wearing black badges and organising demonstrations in front of the banks during lunch time since April 14. They will organise a rally in front of the Punjab State Cooperative Bank, Sector 34, Chandigarh, on April 28 to press the state government to withdraw its circular regarding parity of pay, allowances and perquisites of employees of public sector undertakings/corporations with government employees.