Shamsher Mehndi gets bail in human trafficking case Patiala, June 7 Pop star Daler Mehndi’s brother Shamsher Mehndi, who was the prime accused in the human trafficking case registered by the Patiala Police more than nine months back, was today granted bail with a local court discharging him in all Sections registered against him except for Section 420 (cheating).   Shamsher Mehndi, brother of Punjabi pop singer Daler Mehndi, being greeted by his supporters after he was released on bail from the Central Jail in Patiala on Monday. — PTI photo

Civic amenities collapse cause of diseases
Ferozepore, June 7
The outbreak of water-borne diseases in this border town has come as no surprise to many as blocked sewers dotted with cesspools of garbage and slush were an open invitation to these diseases for the past several months.

• Ropar Admn gears up to tackle gastroenteritis

• Authorities turn blind eye to insanitation

• Basic amenities elude ward I residents

• Editorial: Gross indifference

Village pond becomes source of income
Ropar, June 7
Cost-effective technology is being put to use for the people of Sidhwan a remote village in Ropar today with the implementation of the duckweed technology in the village pond.

Bhai Ghaniya’s 300th death anniversary to be observed
Amritsar, June 7
While the world hails Henry Dunant, founder of the Red Cross, as the first humanitarian at the service for the care of war victims, Sikhism produced Bhai Ghaniya, more than 100 years before the inception of the Red Cross.

• Nation page: Centre in a dilemma over SC order on SYL canal

POLITICS

Chandumajra revives SAD (Longowal)
Patiala, June 7
Suspended Shiromani Akali Dal senior leader Prem Singh Chandumajra today teamed up with two other former SAD leaders to revive the Shiromani Akali Dal (Longowal).

Akali meeting on June 10
Chandigarh, June 7
A meeting of the Political Affairs Committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal will be held on June 10 at the official residence of the party President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, here.

COMMUNITY

SGPC gives list of 27 employees above 60
Amritsar, June 7
The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee today submitted a list of 27 employees above the age of 60 years to the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission. The name of Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta figured at the top of the list.

SAD (A) leaders granted bail
Phagwara, June 7
Six SAD(A) leaders, who were arrested here yesterday under sections 107 and 151, Cr PC, were today presented before local SDM Pritam Singh, who granted them bail.However, since these leaders were lodged in Kapurthala jail they would be released later this evening.

Sikh jatha leaves today
Amritsar, June 7
A 1,000-member Sikh jatha will leave for Pakistan (tomorrow) to observe the matyrdom day of Guru Arjun Dev at Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Lahore.

Councillor, union leader stand-off ends
Phagwara, June 7
The stand-off between a Congress councillor, Mr Brij Bhushan Parbhakar, and the local Nagar Council Karamchari Union general secretary, Ms Surjit Kaur, has ended following the intervention of Baljinder Kaur Mann, wife of Punjab Social Welfare Minister Joginder Singh Mann, according to Ms Kusum Sharma, organising secretary, PPCC, here today. Mr Mann is abroad these days.

Cancel NDA’s notification, says Sehajdhari panel
Patiala, June 7
All-India Sikh Sehajdhari Prtinidh Sabha has urged the Central Government to cancel the notification issued by the previous NDA government curtailing the right to vote of Sehajdhari Sikhs in the SGPC poll.

Operation restores woman’s voice
Amritsar, June 7
Dalbir Kaur, a resident of Shahwala village in Sultanpur Lodhi under Kapurthala district who lost her voice after her dupatta got caught in a grass-cutter and nearly strangled her, has got her voice back after being operated upon with a plasma knife.

• Dental check-up camp

• Freedom fighter dead

COURTS

High Court
Notice issued in poll symbol case
Chandigarh, June 7
Taking up a petition filed by the Shiromani Khalsa Dal for quashing a decision of the Chief Election Commissioner and other respondents regarding reservation of election symbols to political parties for Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee elections, Mr Justice Amar Dutt and Mr Justice Rajive Bhalla of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice for June 9.

Warrants against ADC stayed
Ferozepore, June 7
The Additional Sessions Judge has stayed the implementation of an order passed by Mr J.P.S. Wahniwal, Subdivisional Judicial Magistrate against the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr Sanjay Popli.

Sheetal Vij gets bail
Ludhiana, June 7
Sheetal Vij, a leading industrialist and exporter hailing from Jalandhar, accused of evading customs duty, was granted bail by the Additional Sessions Judge, Mr Inderjit Kaushik, here today.

CRIME

Three sisters commit suicide
Gurdaspur, June 7
Three sisters today allegedly committed suicide by jumping before a train in Bathwala village, 5 km from here. The reason behind this act was still being ascertained. The Railways Police was conducting investigation under Section 174 of the CrPC.

Raped by four, girl commits suicide
Nawanshahr, June 7
In two separate sensational broad daylight incidents, a young unmarried girl who was “raped” by four youngsters, including her alleged boy friend, consumed salphos tablets and rushed to the Nawanshahr police station before dying and another detainee “hanged” himself to death in the Balachaur police station itself this afternoon.

Dalit youth beaten to death
Barnala, June 7
Kewal Singh, a Dalit youth and a resident of Jhaloor village, about 10 km from here, was allegedly beaten to death yesterday by some landlords of Jhaloor village.

6 held on charge of robbery
Jalandhar, June 7
The district police claimed to have busted a six-member criminal gang with the arrest of all its members. Mr G.P.S. Bhullar, SSP, said here today that with their arrest, the police has solved a robbery case wherein it was found that the employer’s driver had planned the robbery with the help of his two accomplices.

Husband, in-laws held in dowry death case
Bathinda, June 7
Bhinder Kaur, mother of a three-year-old child and resident of Nahian village of the district, was allegedly forced to commit suicide by her husband and in-laws. The suspects then cremated the body to destroy the evidence, it was further alleged.

Two brothers booked in rape case
Bathinda, June 7
Two brothers, Inder Singh and Joginder Singh, alias Mehni Singh, residents of Malooka village in the district, have been booked for their alleged involvement in the rape of a resident of the village on May 22.

EDUCATION

Students threaten not to pay fee
Amritsar, June 7
The Guru Nanak Dev University regional campus located at Gurdaspur is reportedly in disarray. Several serious lapses have been pointed out by students of three technical courses by university in this regard.

Medical college girl students return to hostel
Faridkot, June 7
Following efforts to ensure foolproof security in the girls hostel of the local government Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, all 40 girl students who had left the hostel on June 4 returned today and resumed classes, said Dr J.S. Dalal, Principal.

Pollution board holds painting competition

Rajpura, June 7 Richa Aggarwal of Patel Public School and Gaurav of Scholars Public School bagged the first position in the senior and junior categories, respectively, in a painting competition organised by the Punjab Pollution Control Board in association with Siel Chemical Complex here recently. Punjab Pollution Control Board environmental engineer being honoured at a function organised in Rajpura on Monday. — Photo by Rajesh Sachar