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TOP STORIES

Cops fail to arrest 3 named in ex-MLA’s ‘suicide’ note
Jalandhar, September 9
Even as the Jalandhar police has failed to arrest any of three persons named in former MLA Harbhajan Singh’s “suicide” note so far, the body of the former MLA has been placed in a mortuary at Maqsudan on the outskirts of the city and his cremation will take place tomorrow evening.

No details on spending, no Central grant for Baba Farid festival
Faridkot, September 9
The seriousness of the Punjab Government to preserve the rich culture and heritage of the state and to propagate the messages of the great saints can be judged from the fact that the Central Government has been denying it the grant for holding the five declared national festivals of state, including Baba Sheikh Farid Aagman Purb, to be held from September 15 to 23 here.

School bags gather dust with govt
Jalandhar, September 9
The Punjab Welfare Department has failed to distribute about 5,000 school bags among the Backward Classes and Scheduled Caste students even as more than half of the academic session has already lapsed.

Staff smile as NFL selloff process stumbles
Nangal (Ropar), September 9
Employees of the National Fertilisers Ltd here were in a jubilant mood today over a news flashed on the website, indianfertilizer.com, which stated that the disinvestment process of the NFL had stumbled.

Hope for weak hearts
Amritsar, September 9
Persons suffering from severe heart problem in which heart works at less than 40 per cent of the normal rate and is at a formidable risk to undergo surgery may benefit from a new anti-oxidant if trials succeed.

POLITICS

Sarna claims majority
Ludhiana, September 9
Mr Paramjit Singh Sarna, President, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, said here today that he had convened a meeting of the members of the committee on September 24 to elect office-bearers.

Chauhan to challenge Constitution
Jalandhar, September 9
The Khalsa Raj Party, headed by Khalistan idealogue Dr Jagjit Singh Chauhan, has decided to challenge the Indian Constitution in the Supreme Court of India for its being, “inadequate as far as Sikh aspirations were concerned.”

BJP activists on relay fast
Gurdaspur, September 9
Twentyone activists of the Sujanpur BJP mandal, under the leadership of Mr Satpal Saini a former minister, started a relay fast today in protest against the registration of a criminal case against more than 20 persons belonging to the SAD and the BJP for resorting to violence against police officials during a rally held by the alliance partners at Naushehra Pattan on August 20.

COMMUNITY

Man alleges police atrocity
Pathankot, September 9
A case of alleged police excesses was reported here today. Gobind Sarup, a local resident, was reportedly beaten up by the police for refusing to indulge in narcotic trade. In his complaint to the Punjab State Human Rights Commission, the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the D.G.P., the IG. Border Range, and the SSP, Gurdaspur, the victim alleged that he had been falsely implicated in an NDPS case in which he had been acquitted on August 28 this year.

Girls prefer marrying into joint families: study
Amritsar, September 9
Perhaps influenced by television serials showing big families as happy families younger generation of girls have expressed preference for marriage in “joint families” though many of them hail from nuclear families.

Two dead, 40 hurt in mishap
Patiala, September 9
Two persons were killed and 40 injured, 11 of them seriously, when a car collided with a mini truck at Hassanpur village on the outskirts of the city early this morning.

Three market panel workers suspended
Mansa, September 9
The secretary of the market committee, Budhlada, has suspended three employees of the committee over their involvement in the halogen lamp scam on the orders of the Subdivision Magistrate.

Tribune employees donate blood
Bathinda, September 9
As many as 40 units of blood were donated by members of The Tribune Employees Union at a camp organised at Tribune Printing Centre here in connection with the 105th death anniversary of the founder of The Tribune Trust, Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia.

Temple panel serves notices on 2 ex-officials
Amritsar, September 9
The Durgiana Temple Management Committee yesterday issued notices to its former finance secretary and former general secretary to surrender all belongings of the temple committee, including more than Rs 3 lakh, with complete details within three days.

Lok Darbar held
Mansa, September 9
A Lok Darbar was organised at Aklia village in the district last evening which was presided over by Mr Raj Kamal Chowdhary, Deputy Commissioner.

Trekkers’ team arrives
Jalandhar, September 9
The ‘parbat chetna’, a trekking expedition of a Dogra battalion from Gangotri and Kedarnath, was received at the cantonment here today. The trekkers’ team, comprising two JCOs and 12 jawans, covered 140 km in seven days.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Garcha’s petition
Chandigarh, September 9
Mr Justice Mehtab Singh Gill of the High Court referred to another Bench a petition filed by Punjab's former minister Jagdish Singh Garcha in an alleged cheating and corruption case.

• Forged documents

Undertrial escapes from police custody
Bathinda, September 9
A hardcore criminal, Jagminder Singh, alias Happy, who has been facing trials in various courts of Delhi and Punjab, today escaped from custody of the Delhi police while being taken back to Delhi. He had been produced in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Rajiv Malhotra in the hearing of a criminal case registered against him in the Rampura Phul police station.

7 fined for crossing railway line
Patiala, September 9
Crossing the railway line when the bar is down is likely to prove costly for citizens of the city with the Railway Protection Group coming down heavily against people who cross the railway line with their two-wheelers disregarding their own safety.

AGRICULTURE

Clear sugarcane dues or face stir, says BKU
Chandigarh, September 9
Agitation by farmers has started gaining ground in Punjab. Various unions of farmers have become hyper-active to press the state to concede their demands at the earliest. Today, the Bharti Kisan Union led by Mr Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, held a massive dharna and rally here in support of their demands. Mr Lakhowal warned the state government to clear the pending dues of sugarcane by September 30 or face the agitation. 

SDMs told to hold seminars on paddy procurement
Ferozepore, September 9
Deputy Commissioner, Mr Vikas Pratap, has directed all SDMs in the district to organise seminars in each market committee with the help of Mandi Board officials to create awareness among purchase agencies, officials, commission agents, farmers and combine operators regarding the purchase of paddy.

CRIME

Youth kidnapped, beaten up, freed
Sangrur, September 9
A group of six persons today reportedly kidnapped Raghwinder Singh (20) of Longowal village after beating him up along with his father near the District Administrative Complex here. He was later released near Badbar village. As he had been injured, he was admitted to a hospital.

Rs 4 lakh looted from LIC official
Malerkotla, September 9
Two unidentified youths looted Rs 4.93 lakh and cheques for Rs 94,000 from an LIC official in front of the LIC office near Delhi Gate here today.

Undertrial hangs himself
Gurdaspur, September 9
An undertrial, Sarabjit Singh committed suicide yesterday in Central Jail by hanging himself from the ventilator of his room using his turban.

EDUCATION

Union flays attack on teacher
Amritsar, September 9
The Khalsa College Teachers Union took serious note of the attack on Prof Avtar Singh Uppal of the Chemistry Department of the college. The professor was allegedly attacked by six persons, including three on a scooter, who hit him with a wooden log while he was on his way to his home at Merankot village yesterday.