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TOP STORIES

Pandey Vigilance Bureau chief again
Biggest insult, says Beant family
Chandigarh, February 26
Much to the dismay of Punjab Transport Minister Tej Parkash Singh and other members of the family of former Chief Minister Beant Singh, Mr A.P. Pandey is back as the Additional Director-General of Police-cum-Chief Director, Vigilance Bureau.

New police chiefs for 4 Punjab districts
Chandigarh, February 26
Two Additional Directors-General, three Inspectors-General, three Deputy Inspectors-General and the chiefs of four police districts in Punjab were shifted in a major reshuffle today.

Amend law to bar foreigners from top posts: Badal
Talwandi Sabo, February 26
Former Chief Minister and President of the SAD (Badal), Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today said there was an urgent need for amending the Constitution to make foreigners unable to occupy highest positions in the country.

Want promotion? okay, nab proclaimed offenders
Mohali, February 26
In a novel step to motivate the police rank and file in the state, the IG Zone, Jalandhar Range, will launch a new promotion policy under which the promotion of a police officer will depend on the number of proclaimed offenders that he nabs.

Classes in the open near Behl’s house Gurdaspur, February 26 A few yards away from the residence of the Education Minister, students of Government Primary School (Court Road) have to study in the open on the premises of Singh Sabha Gurdwara where marriages and other ceremonies are a routine affair. Students of a primary school in Gurdaspur study on a gurdwara premises where marriages and other ceremonies are a routine affair. — Photo by Rajiv Sharma

POLITICS

Mann seeks Dhindsa’s ouster from Cabinet
Sangrur, February 26
Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), today demanded removal of Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers, from the Union Cabinet for hiding a “valuable” information from the Prime Minister and the Union Cabinet.

COMMUNITY

Malkhana blast: probe indicts police
Amritsar, February 26
Magisterial inquiry by Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kulwant Singh has reportedly indicted the police for the Malkhana blast on February 19 in which 30 persons were injured.

Improvement trust draws flak over allotting shops
Pathankot, February 26
The Pathankot Improvement Trust (PIT) is under cloud for alleged irregularities in the allocation of shops of the multi-crore Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee shopping complex on the Dhangu road here.

Faridkot, a division only in name
Faridkot: This district has seen a steady fall in its status due to the apathy of successive governments. It suffered a blow on November 7, 1995, when the Congress Government, led by Mr Harcharan Singh Brar, carved out a separate district, Muktsar, from it. Within two weeks of that another district, Moga, was created out of it.

BKU (E) activists march towards CM’s residence Patiala, February 26 Activists of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta) today marched towards the residence of the Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to protest against the “anti-farmers” policies of the state government. However, they were stopped near the YPS chowk by the police. Earlier, the farmers organised a massive rally in front of the headquarters of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB). Various students associations, PSEB employees associations and agriculture labourers participated in the rally. Bharatiya Kisan Union activists protest against the state government near the Chief Minister's residence in Patiala on Thursday.

4 impersonators held from exam centre
Tarn Taran, February 26
A team of flying squad of the Punjab School Education Board today held four impersonators from the examination centre of middle standard at Government Secondary School, Ghariala.

Turkey falcons descend on Patiala Patiala, February 26 Citizens of the city were today bewildered to see hundreds of Turkey falcons being herded on the busy Patiala-Sangrur road near Government Rajindra Hospital today. The birds, a cache of which was seized from Karnal yesterday, were up for sale. Turkey falcons in Patiala on Thursday. — Photo by Rajesh Sachar

Plea to register medical practitioners
Sangrur, February 26
All medical practitioners, working in villages, should be registered on the basis of their experience and educational qualifications in view of the hardships being faced by them.

Rights panel orders ASI’s arrest
Tarn Taran, February 26
The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has directed the local SSP to immediately arrest ASI Harbhajan Singh, said to be responsible for the death of Pardeep Singh, who died in police custody.

Music system of marriage palace seized Patiala, February 26 With the annual school examinations around the corner, the district administration has put the screws on marriage palace owners in the city. The music system of a marriage palace was seized, two others were warned against playing music beyond allowed hours.

MLA orders own vehicle challaned
Sangrur, February 26
The local traffic police today challaned the vehicles of the local MLA and chairman of the Umeed Khanna Foundation, Mr Arvind Khanna, Sangrur Improvement Trust chairman Amandeep Singh Mansahia, Sangrur Municipal Council president Harbans Singh Garcha, and five others.

Camaraderie at Indo-Pak mushaira
Amritsar, February 26
An Indo-Pak mushaira was held at S.G. Thakur Singh Art Gallery here last evening. Poets from the two countries talked about peaceful co-existence.

Sikh pilgrims to leave for Pak on April 6
Amritsar, February 26
A jatha of Sikh pilgrims would leave for Pakistan on April 6 and return to Amritsar on April 15.

COURTS

5 Akali leaders summoned, 14 freed on bail
Ropar, February 26
A court here today released 14 Akali leaders on personal surety bonds but summoned five others, including four former ministers, to appear in the court on May 15 in a case of rioting registered against them on December 1 when the Akali workers clashed with the police during protests against the arrests of Badals in a corruption case by the Vigilance Bureau.

HIGH COURT
Candidates’ list
Chandigarh, February 26
In an application filed before the high court, a Muktsar resident on Thursday sought directions to the state of Punjab for staying the process of finalising the list of candidates selected for the posts of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).

ADMINISTRATION

List of PCS nominees released
Patiala, February 26
The Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) has released list of the candidates nominated to the PCS following interview of candidates selected in 1994 and 1996 besides the fresh nominations made in 2001.

Sohi appointed PSEB member
Patiala, February 26
Banur Congress leader Sheelam Sohi was today appointed member of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB).

1 IAS, 4 PCS officers shifted
Chandigarh, February 26
The Punjab Government today transferred one IAS and four PCS officers. Mr Paramjit Singh Aujla has been posted as Director, State Transport, Punjab. Mr Satwant Singh has been transferred to Jalandhar as Additional Commissioner, Municipal Corporation.

IT raids on nine coaching centres
Bathinda, February 26
Income Tax Department officials today raided tuition and coaching centres in the city to unearth income tax evasion. Sources said eight teams raided nine coaching centres run by government colleges lecturers and others seized registers, floppies, application forms and fee structure papers.

PRTC depot to start night service
Bathinda, February 26
The authorities of the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC), Bathinda depot, have decided to introduce night bus service from February 27.

Kharar MC budget up by 1.02 cr
Kharar, February 26
The matter of issuing computerised bills of water supply, sewerage and house tax from April 1 was discussed at a meeting of the Municipal Council held here today. Mr Charanjit Singh, President of the council, suggested that the necessary changes in the software would have to be carried out for issuing computerised bills.

CRIME

Booked for serving poisoned tea to husband
Barnala, February 26
The Shehna police in Barnala police district has booked Mandeep Kaur allegedly, for serving poisonous tea to her husband Gurmail Singh, and her mother-in-law Mrs Sukhdev Kaur. Mr Gobind Singh go-between in the marriage of Mandeep and Gurmail was the third victim who is now battling for life in a private hospital here.

Father-in-law rapes woman, three booked
Amritsar, February 26
A woman was allegedly raped by her father-in-law and subjected to inhuman torture by her husband at Ajnala on February 22 allegedly for not meeting to their demand of dowry.