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Cong in a tearing hurry for coalitions, says PM
Patiala, March 18
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today launched the SAD-BJP election campaign in Punjab in the home town of the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, by unsheathing a “sword” with customary flourish and announcing that alliances were here to stay in the country.

 Index page
Amarinder ignoring Punjab’s interests: PM

Cong in tight spot over Punjab revolt
Chandigarh, March 18
The Congress high command is finding it difficult to check the revolt in its party ranks in Punjab against the nomination of former Chief Election Commissioner M.S. Gill as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha. In fact, the reaction in the party ranks in the state over the nomination of Mr Gill has virtually rocked the party high command.

Curb indiscipline, Umrao asks Sonia

Scuffle between cops, protesters
Abohar, March 18
Unruly scenes were witnessed here today as the city police tried to whisk away as Mr Chiman Lal, his wife and others who had staged a dharna outside the house of DSP Narenderpal Singh Waring.

Army airstrip: DGP orders probe into bitumen scam
Amritsar, March 18
The Director-General Police, Mr A.A. Siddiqui, has ordered a high level inquiry after receiving a complaint into the alleged pilferage of a large quantity of bitumen from state government stores for reportedly laying an Army air strip somewhere in the Western sector. This was one of the five airstrips being constructed in the country.

Students protest against exam cancellation
Index page:  Remaining Class XII papers postponed

PU to send roll numbers by courier in cities
Chandigarh, March 18
Unlike previous years, Panjab University will not witness the usual hue and cry over non-delivery of examination admit cards by students this year. In a series of student-friendly measures, the Examination Branch will despatch roll numbers only through registered post or courier.
Dr Sodhi Ram

Spain train blast: two Punjabi youths freed Jalandhar, March 18 After finding them to be innocent during an initial investigation, the Spanish police has released Mr Suresh Kumar (31) and his brother-in-law, Mr Vinay Kohli (24), belonging to Hoshiarpur and Jamsher village in Jalandhar district, respectively. They were running a store in Madrid and were detained for questioning in connection with the three Madrid rail blasts on March 13.

POLITICS

Chandumajra skips SAD-BJP rally
Patiala, March 18
Former Patiala MP and senior Akali leader Prem Singh Chandumajra, who had only recently expressed full faith in the leadership of SAD President Parkash Singh Badal after a bout of dissidence when he was denied the party ticket from Patiala, remained absent from today’s SAD-BJP rally.

CPI (ML) leaders pay tributes to Padda
Kapurthala, March 18
The CPI (ML) organised a Shaheedi conference in memory of its prominent Naxalite leader Jaimal Singh Padda in connection with his 16th “Martyrdom day’ at Lakhan ke Padde village 12 km from here today.

Admn favoured Cong in panchayat poll, says MLA
Mansa, March 18
Mr Jagdeep Singh Nakai, MLA, Joga, today alleged that the district administration had acted partially to facilitate the victory of Congress candidate as sarpanch of Jhabbar village of this district, the elections for which were held on March 16.

Meeting on RRD manifesto today
Faridkot, March 18
The Rashtriaya Raksha Dal (RRD) would stress on setting up a federal government after the constitution of the next Lok Sabha to weed out the political corruption in the country. In addition to it the RRD would also emphasise need for corrective steps to eradicte unemployment, population, poverty, promotion of education, uplift of women and weaker sections of the society.

BJP demands removal of hoardings
Bathinda, March 18
Mr Sunil Bitta, district general secretary (rural), BJP, today said hoardings projecting development works initiated by the late MP of the constituency, Bhan Singh Bhaura, should be removed immediately by the authorities as per the Model Code of Conduct.

Christian Front cautions voters against BJP
Amritsar, March 18
Mr Kanwal Bakshi, president, United Christian Front, Punjab, and member Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board, lauding the secular agenda of the Congress yesterday cautioned the Christian voters against the BJP.

COMMUNITY

Army seeks action against encroachers
Pathankot, March 18
The Army authorities are reported to have written to the local police to register FIRs against 18 violators, including a son of a senior Punjab Congress leader, who had carried out construction within 1,000 yards of the Ammunition Sub Depot, Mamun (2 ASD), by flouting rules.

150 companies sought during LS elections Hoshiarpur, March 18 Arrangements have been made to hold Lok Sabha polls in Punjab. As many as 150 companies of paramilitary forces have been demanded from the Central Government for this purpose, said Mr A.A. Siddiqui, Director General, Punjab Police, today while talking to mediapersons at JCT Rest House Chohal, 8 km from here.

Rights body seeks probe into immigration racket
Amritsar, March 18
The Punjab Human Rights Organisation (PHRO) has demanded investigation into a fake bails, surety bonds and immigration racket.

Conference on Punjab history begins
Patiala, March 18
A three-day 36th session of the Punjab History Conference on the theme of ‘Guru Granth Sahib: as a source of Punjab History and Culture’ was inaugurated at Punjabi University campus here today. The former Vice-Chancellor, of V.M. Open University, Kota (Rajasthan), Prof G.S.L. Devra, was the chief guest.

Pharmacists threaten stir
Bathinda, March 18
Mr Baldev Sharma, press secretary, Punjab State Pharmacists’ Association, today said that due to the non-acceptance of their long-pending demands their association has decided to stage dharnas in front of the residences of Punjab Chief Minister and the state Health Minister.

Research Centre to honour Tejwant Mann
Patiala, March 18
The Malwa Research Centre in association with Bathinda Grace Book, a publishing house, have decided to honour eminent personalities with Punjab Rattan Award and Shamsheer-e-Punjab Award for outstanding performance in their respective fields.

8-yr-old dies after surgery
Patiala, March 18
Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Purani Basti Tripuri, has alleged that his son Tinku (8) had died due to negligence of a doctor here today.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
CBI given three months in panchayat secretaries’ case
Chandigarh, March 18
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was today granted three months time by a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the panchayat secretaries case.

AGRICULTURE

And now organic mushroom
TARN TARAN: The Socio-Economic Development Programme (SEDP), an organisation run by the Diocese of Amritsar, has successfully grown organic mushroom in vermicompost. The experiment can be called the first of its kind in the region.

ADMINISTRATION

Traffic education week begins
Pathankot, March 18
The district police launched a special traffic education week by organising an awareness camp here yesterday.

SDM told to carry out orders on land possession
Kharar, March 18
The Ropar Deputy Commissioner has directed the local SDM to carry out the operation for handing over possession of encroached land, worth Rs 1.50 crore, to the Municipal Council on a priority basis.

CRIME

2 rice sheller owners in Vigilance net
Moga, March 18
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau here today arrested two rice sheller owners while another to escaped during raids today in connection with an alleged fraud of Rs 1.18 crore with Markfed in 2001-02.

Vehicle thief arrested
Tarn Taran, March 18
The police has busted an inter-state gang of vehicles thieves. A member of the gang has been nabbed while two other members managed to escape from the naka point under cover of darkness.

Priest found murdered
Gurdaspur, March 18
A temple priest was today found murdered near Bhulechak village on the outskirts of Gurdaspur, the police said.

Granthi booked on charge of molestation
Nawanshahr, March 18
The Banga police has registered a case against Kuldip Singh, a granthi and a resident of Khankhana village, under Sections 376, 452 and 342 of the IPC for allegedly molesting a minor girl of the village yesterday.

Cop held on graft charge
Amritsar, March 18
The Vigilance Bureau yesterday arrested head constable Amrik Singh of Kot Mit Singh Police Chowki under the Islamabad police station here for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 4500 from Onkar Singh son of Kultar Singh.

Death in custody case: 6 cops acquitted
Barnala, March 18
Inspector Ashok Mohan and five other policemen were acquitted yesterday. Mr Ashok Mohan and five others Mr Daya Singh, Mr Randhir Singh, Mr Jasvir Singh, Mr Jagmail Singh, and Mr Kuldip Singh were booked in death in police custody case on February 2, 2000 under Sections 365, 344, 304A, 201, 148, 149 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code at Tapa Police Station.

EDUCATION

Row over shifting of exam superintendent
Fatehgarh Sahib, March 18
Mr Daya Singh DEO(S), has denied that the flying staff led by the CEO had detected mass copying at Government Senior Secondary School Boys, Bassi Pathana. He said CEO had inspected the center and only six students were caught copying and they were booked under UMC. He said the Superintendent and four supervisors were shifted and not suspended as reported in papers.