Chandigarh, June 13
Jagtar Singh Hawara, alleged assassin of the then Punjab Chief Minister, Beant Singh, had allegedly hidden much more ammunition than has been recovered by the Punjab police from the Neelon canal. Also, the police has reason to believe that Hawara’s accomplice, Paramjit Singh Bheora, is hiding in the national Capital.

Sources at the Punjab police headquarters assert that an indication of additional ammunition being stacked away was provided by the existence of six or seven freshly dug pits in the house of persons arrested on the allegation of harbouring Hawara during his run from the police.

For the purpose of recovering the remaining ammunition, these arrested persons were reportedly being interrogated by the police. They included Kuldip Kaur, her sister Charanjit Kaur and husband Ajaib Singh, who was arrested this morning by a special investigation team (SIT) constituted by the state’s Director-General of Police, Mr S.S. Virk.

The eight-member SIT is headed by Inspector-General of Police (Intelligence) R.P. Singh. Among the members is Inspector Gurmit Singh, alias Pinky. He was responsible for Hawara’s arrest in 1995 soon after the former Chief Minister was killed in a blast outside the Punjab Civil Secretariat. Hawara, along with Bheora and two others, had tunnelled his way out of the Model Jail in Burail village here in January last year.

The sources insisted that the ammunition was handed over by Hawara to the accused persons. But the sources admit that the police is still in dark about how it reached him.

“The ammunition came from Pakistan, but we still do not know the details of how and through whom it was handed over to him”, a senior police officer said. “In all probability, it came to him from the Jammu side. But nothing can be said for certain till Hawara has been interrogated.”

As far as Bheora was concerned, the sources claimed that his family had disposed of its property near Ropar and settled down in the trans-Yamuna area in Delhi. They added that the possibility of Bheora staying in or near Delhi could not be ruled out. A senior Punjab police officer said they were in constant touch with the Delhi police for tracking Bheora down.

Faridkot, June 13
The police today arrested Balwinder Singh, who had allegedly bought the PMT paper from the peon of the Vice-Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences and sold it off to a number of people in various cities. Three others – Dr Vinod Khanna, Nand Kishore, and Kamaljeet Singh — have also been arrested for allegedly purchasing the PMT paper.

Addressing a press conference here, the SSP, Mr MF Farooqui, said Balwinder Singh was responsible for the wide circulation of the paper. He allegedly sold the paper to Dr Rajan Garg of Ludhiana for Rs 2 lakh. He was arrested from Mahabadar village of Muktsar, while police teams had been sent to Ludhiana for the arrest of Dr Garg. The police had seized Rs 1.3 lakh and photocopies of the paper from the possession of Balwinder Singh.

Sources said Balwinder Singh had been dealing with the VC’s peon, Buta Ram, for the past many months. He used to pay him for getting his candidates cleared in various examinations. Buta Ram knew about Balwinder’s coaching centre and he approached him soon after pilfering the pages of PMT paper. A copy of the paper was also recovered from Dr Khanna who had bought the paper for his son.

Kamaljeet Singh of Ferozepore, who himself appeared in the PMT, was also been nabbed for purchasing the paper. He had struck a deal with Buta Ram for Rs 30,000, but didn’t pay a single penny to him. The police has also seized the photocopy machine that was used in making copies of the paper.

All those arrested for purchasing the paper were accused in the paper leak case.

Nand Kishore, a Class IV employee at the local Government College, got the paper through the VC’s driver on the eve of the exam. He had taken debt from his acquaintances to arrange Rs 45,000 for the paper that he sought for his daughter. He could not even get the paper solved. He told this correspondent that the VC’s driver had asked him to burn the paper next morning. He was also told to term it a mere guess paper in front of others.

When asked about the involvement of higher university officials in the scam, the SSP said the police had not given a clean chit to anybody and they might also interrogate the VC and the registrar. He said the names of various coaching centres were also coming up and their role was being probed into. He said the police was also investigating whether the paper had also been leaked in the past. He said while Balwinder succeeded in striking some good deals, the varsity employees involved were ditched by a few people who had purchased the paper from them.

He said the police was exploring the possibility of paper leakage at the higher level and didn’t rule out the involvement of higher officials. He said most of the people had bought the paper for their wards. He said the police had also kicked off the process to tally the PMT results of those whose parents or relatives had bought paper for them.

Meanwhile, reports here said the Vice-Chancellor, Mr JS Gujral, had been admitted in a Chandigarh hospital as he complained of chest pain. 

Jalandhar, June 13
While the controversy over the Punjab-PMT paper leak had hardly mellowed down, another controversy has sparked off with the declaration of the Punjab Technical University Common Entrance Test results.

Dissatisfied with the results declared by the university on Saturday, hundreds of students and parents from all over the state gathered on the campus today and demanded re-evaluation of their papers manually.

The parents and the students raised anti-PTU slogans and demanded that their answer sheets be shown to them. The students gave their representations for re-evaluation in writing as they said their career was in jeopardy. They also demanded that the correct answers of the questions contained in the CET-2005 be displayed on the university website.

A majority of the students lamented that while they had faired very well in the All-India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE), including those conducted by Manipal University and the Bhartiya Vidya Peeth (BVP), they failed to understand as to why their rank in the easiest of all the tests had gone to low. Rasal Sodhi from Ludhiana said his All India AIEEE rank was 608 but he was shocked to know that his CET rank in Punjab was 10,800.

The students said while the AIEEE ranking should have been lower due to negative marking, which does not happen in the PTU-CET, even still they had got lower marks. Nikhil Dhawan, a student from Abohar, said he had been awarded just 31 marks out of 120. He thought that this should have been his score in a single subject as he was expecting his score to be nearly 106.

The result was shocking for Japneet Kaur of Ludhiana as she had got an All-India rank of 615 in Manipal University and 430 in the BVP, but she lagged far behind in the CET result of the state with a rank of 6,726. “I am sure of my selection elsewhere but I am just not able to bear this shock. I will not tolerate injustice and I will definitely get my result corrected,” she said in anguish.

The students believe that there had been some mismatch of their questions with the answers during computer checking that led to such a big flaw. Some also doubt that since there were four different sets of papers with varying sequence of questions, there could have been an interchange while their answer sheets were being fed into the computer for re-evaluation.

The PTU authorities, however, stuck to their stand as they said that they had checked over a thousand answer sheets manually randomly but had not found a single error. The Vice-Chancellor, Dr S.K. Salwan, said it was a case of total transparency as he had called up dozen-odd parents to his office and shown them the answer sheets.

The parents, however, rued that they did not know as to which question or answer they were talking of as they had just seen them marked as “A, B or C”. “Had they taken students inside, they might have recalled the order of question or the answer,” they complained.

The PTU Registrar, Dr M.S. Grewal, in a press note, later stated, “In the interest of the students at large, it has been decided that the results will again be manually verified and every representation received so far by the university shall be individually responded to within two days. It has been further decided that the correct answers of all the questions contained in CET-2005 examination will be displayed on the university website, www.ptu.ac.in, by 1800 hrs on June 15.”

Chandigarh, June 13
The issue of the “ high level of pesticide residue in human blood samples taken from Punjab villages”, highlighted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), other organisations and a team of doctors of the PGI, has created panic among most industries engaged in the manufacture of pesticides.

Representatives of such industries have started challenging the findings of the CSE and defending their products. Mr S. Singhal, speaking on behalf of the Agro-Chemical Production Group, which he claimed had over 200 industries as its members, said here today that the “ CSE report is unscientific and irresponsible, based on its initial technical evaluation”.

He said pesticides, like medicines, went through detailed tests for safety before these were registered and then prescribed for use. “ Therefore, just like medicines, if agro-chemicals are used as directed, there will be no risk to human life”, he added.

However, when asked whether he or his organisation would initiate any legal action against the CSE management, which was speaking against manufacturers of pesticides, Mr Singhal had no clear answer. He said he could not say whether any action would be taken against the CSE or not. Facing a volley of questions on the issue of the use of pesticides, Mr Singhal said that the study conducted by the CSE had glaring loopholes both in terms of methodology and interpretation.

Asked whether he or his organisation had commissioned a study by any reputed agency to find out the truth about pesticides in human blood and the reported health problems caused by these, Mr Singhal’s answered in the negative.

The CSE had recently urged the state government to set up a “ foolproof system to regulate the use of pesticides and other chemicals to protect people from being victims of deadly chemicals”.

A large number of cancer cases detected in the Bathinda belt have been linked to the use of a highly poisonous group of new -generation pesticides. A large number of cancer-related deaths have been reported from certain clusters of villages in the belt, where cotton is one of the major kharif crops. The PGI team had also found toxic substances in human blood in that belt.

In fact, reacting to the findings of the CSE, the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, has set up a high-level panel under the Chief Secretary, Mr Jai Singh Gill, to examine the whole issue and suggest preventive measures.

Meanwhile, Dr S.C. Jain, former Head of the Food Science and Technology Department of PAU, Ludhiana, has urged people to change over to bio-pesticides, which are eco-friendly and not harmful to human beings.

Amritsar, June 13
The formation of the Dharam Parchar Committee (DPC) of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has come under the scanner even as a former SGPC secretary, Mr Kulwant Singh, has claimed that it was formed in violation of the rules and bylaws of the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925.

Quoting the Act, Mr Kulwant Singh said the seven-member committee had been formed without any election as prescribed in the bylaws of the Act. The Sikh Gurdwara Board Religious Fund Committee (Rules 1959) , published by the state government’s Home Department reads that the members of the DPC have to be elected by adopting a set procedure . If consensus over the names of the DPC members is not reached, then their election is to be held through the ballot. However, in case of the present DPC , the SGPC allegedly hand-picked the members who don’t enjoy legal sanction. Hence, they (DPC members) could not use the SGPC funds as per the bylaws of the Gurdwara Act.

The former SGPC secretary claims that the DPC could be considered legal only if the state government issued notification in this regard as mentioned in the Gurdwara Act.

According to the Sikh Gurdwara Act 108 (b), the religious fund can be exclusively spent for the purpose of propagating the Sikh religion. However, the funds are being spent on natural calamities, construction of medical colleges etc in violation of the Act. He alleged that cheques were being distributed to the financially sound gurdwaras through the ‘loyal’ SGPC members for vested interests.

Though senior functionaries of the SGPC have denied the misuse of DPC funds, Mr Kulwant Singh alleged that these were used during the Majitha and Ajnala byelections for political purposes. The SGPC members having political alignment with rival factions were ignored while spending funds in their constituencies, he added.

Chandigarh, June 13
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the implementation of the order dated May 19 passed by the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission (SGJC). Through the order, the SGJC had directed the SGPC to transfer its Secretary Dalmegh Singh, Assistant Secretary and former Manager of the Darbar Sahib Major Singh, Additional Secretary (Dharam Prachar Committee) Wariyam Singh and Assistant Secretary (flying squad) Mohinder Singh.

The SGJC had also ordered that Mr Major Singh should not be appointed Manager of the Darbar Sahib and that the seniormost employee of the SGPC should be appointed Secretary. The order was passed as an interim measure on a complaint filed by Mr Joginder Singh Fouji, who had alleged that gold spades donated by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and the Bank of Punjab last year on the occasion of the kar seva of the sarovar inside the Harmandar Sahib were missing. He had also alleged that payment to some private businesses worth lakhs were pending.

The SGJC had ordered that pending inquiry, the SGPC officers must be shifted to avoid tampering of record.

In its petition, the SGPC has challenged the order on the ground that it was not even heard before passing the order. It has also stated that the order, if implemented, would affect the functioning of the SGPC. It has also stated that the order was beyond the scope of the prayer in the compliant of Mr Fouji.

The SGPC has also stated that the order of the SGJC is illegal and contemptuous as the High Court had earlier held that the SGJC has no powers to pass interim orders. Today, after hearing counsel for the petitioner, the Bench headed by Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar, while staying the order, adjourned the case to July 4.

Another sedition case against Mann
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 13
The Majitha police registered a case of sedition under Sections 124A , 153 A and 153 B of the IPC against Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, president, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), here today for raising slogans of ‘azadi’ (freedom) at the Damdami Taksal’s head- quarters.

Mr Mann had asked the congregation to raise ‘Pro-independence’ slogans of on the occasion of the death anniversary of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale yesterday.

Though three cases under similar sections of the IPC were registered against Mr Mann at Amritsar, Anandpur Sahib and Damdama Sahib yet the Police failed to arrest him so far. Interestingly, Mr Mann had held a press conference in the local Circuit House despite the registration of cases against him.

Mr Mann had openly challenged the police for arresting him . He warned that the Sikhs would hold demonstrations against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his proposed visit to New York if the police arrested him .

Earlier, Mr Mann had claimed that raising the demand for creating a ‘buffer zone’ between India and Pakistan was his birth right.

JALANDHAR: Former Punjab minister, Mr Manoranjan Kalia, has demanded the registration of a case of treason against Mann for his admission that he had issued a large number of arms licences to “those who had aided, abetted and instigated secessionist activities in the eighties”.

Without mentioning Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in his statement issued here today, Mr Kalia demanded a CBI probe to ascertain whether Mr Mann was still continuing similar activities or not.

He alleged that the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, called Hawara a gentleman, even though, he was the mastermind in the Delhi bomb blast case and an accused in the Beant Singh murder case. Mr Kalia alleged that Hawara took shelter in Punjabi University, the Vice Chancellor of which was son of Dr Sohan Singh, an ideologue of Khalistan.

Chandigarh, June 13
Mr Balramji Das Tandon, former President of the Punjab unit of the BJP, said here today that the Punjab Government was sleeping over the serious issue of slogans of “Khalistan and Bhindranwale Zindabad” raised by certain politicians recently. He said these politicians were again spoiling the atmosphere in the state.

Mr Tandon said certain forces had become active to throw the state back into the black period witnessed by it for two decades starting from 1980. However, what was satisfying was that all sections of society in the state wanted to live in peace and harmony.

Mr Tandon said it had been reported that Mr Simranjit Singh Mann had been helping late Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale directly and indirectly. “Now the cat is out of the bag with Mr Mann openly admitting that as SSP of Faridkot district he had helped Bhindranwale and his associates by issuing them licenses of weapons frequently and also in the acquisition of foreign made weapons”, said Mr Tandon.

Seeking strict action against Mr Mann, the BJP leader said the Akali leader had himself admitted that he had played a role in disturbing peace in the state. The self-styled leader of “Khalistan”, Jagjit Singh Chohan, should also be brought to book, he added.

Amritsar, June 13
After pronouncement of ‘hukmnama’ (order of the day) at the Golden Temple, two Spanish girls Mariya Mettler and Mariya Fernananda became Satbir Kaur and Satyog Kaur, respectively, here today.

They had come all the way from Barcelona along with Antoniyo, who was re-christened as Satpal Singh after joining the Sikh fold about four years ago. Mr Satpal Singh said though there were more than 5,000 Indian Sikhs in Spain but only 10 Spanish people have converted to Sikhism so far.

Though he became a Sikh under the influence of Harbhajan Singh Yogi and runs yoga schools in Spain but he got baptised through a Birmingham Sikh jatha a couple of years ago.

When the Spanish girls came in contact with Mr D.S.Chawla, a local Sikh, he took the trio to Giani Jaswinder Singh, a Sikh high priest of the Golden Temple. The high priest performed ‘ardas’ on the occasion. Giani Jaswinder Singh said the local Sikh youths, who were becoming ‘patit’ (apostate), should get an inspiration from them.

When asked as to why he had joined Sikh fold, Mr Satpal Singh said the beauty of the faith fascinated him. He feels that turban was like a robe of royalty that controls his energy .His day starts with recitation of Gurbani.

“I read Gurbani in Roman script but I will learn Gurmukhi script shortly,” he said.

Hoshiarpur, June 13
To get his hair cut against the wishes of his parents, a boy of Bassi Gulam Hussain village concocted a story of his kidnapping and cutting of his hair by one of the accomplices of kidnappers.

At a press conference here today, Mr Lok Nath Angra, Senior Superintendent of Police, Hoshiarpur, contradicted the story of kidnapping of Sukhwinder Singh, son of Amarjit Singh Saini of Bassi Gulam Hussain on June 11 and later escaping from the clutches of kidnappers from a village in Jalandhar district.

Mr Angra said Sukhwinder Singh, a student of Class XI left the house at his own and went to Jalandhar where he got his hair cut from a barber shop. Later, he telephoned his parents from a PCO in Mandiala village and told a concocted story of his kidnapping.

The parents along with others reached Mandiala at about 11 p.m. and took him to the house. The SSP said Sukhwinder Singh actually wanted to get his hair cut against the wishes of his parents, on account of which he left the house and went to Jalandhar. After getting his hair cut, he came back and narrated the concocted story of his kidnapping, he added.

Sukhwinder Singh and his father were produced before the mediapersons. Sukhwinder Singh said he wanted to get his hair cut for which his parents did not agree. Later, he took this step to justify his action.

Hoshiarpur, June 13
On the call of the joint struggle coordination committee of the PSEB, members of the Technical Services Union (VK) staged a dharna and held a rally in front of the office of the Subdivisional Engineer today in protest against the arrest of PSEB employees at Kahnowan in Gurdaspur and registration of false cases against them.

In a press release, Mr Satish Chander, co-convener of the Joint Action Committee, Punjab, said that Mr Narian Sharma, Mr Harbans Lal, Mr Khushi Ram and others, while addressing the rally, condemned the PSEB and police authorities for arresting the innocent employees. He said that employees of the PSEB staged protest dharnas and held rallies in front of their respective offices throughout Punjab today against the arrests and false cases. He also supported the struggle of farmers and workers of the cycle industry in Ludhiana.

Members of the Punjab Mulazam Sangharsh Committee, led by Mr Satish Rana and Mr Bahadur Singh, both presidents of the Punjab Subordinate Services Federation, Badi and Godri groups, respectively, burnt the effigy of the Punjab Government in front of the mini secretariat here this afternoon against its privatisation policy.

Malerkotla, June 13
The death of a young woman, Paramjeet Kaur of Changli village near here, whose body was found at Fridpur Kalan village on June 10, took a new turn when her husband Maghar Singh and her mother Nifa wife of Bashir Khan a resident of Ludhiana, reached Civil Hospital, Malerkotla, today for taking possession of the body.

The body was found at Fridpur Kalan under mysterious circumstances. Some villagers took the body to Malerkotla Civil Hospital for a post-mortem.

Paramjeet’s husband Maghar Singh and mother Nifa have both claimed the body. After hearing both the sides, the police handed over the body to the mother.

It is said that Maghar Singh a resident of Changli village and Paramjeet Kaur, a resident of Ludhiana, were married about six years ago. Before the marriage, Paramjeet Kaur’s name was Suria Begam as she was a Muslim but after that she reportedly adopted the Sikh religion.

But now, her mother wanted to bury the body as per Muslim rituals, but her husband wanted to cremate her with Sikh rituals.

This created a tussle between the families. The matter was resolved by the Changli village panchayat and the local police which decided that the body should be handed over to her mother.

Paramjeet Kaur is survived by her husband Maghar Singh and two sons.

Bathinda, June 13
Demanding their immediate release, the farmers who were arrested prior to the Tapa rally, today held a protest rally at the Central Jail here and announced to launch fast from tomorrow.

The district general secretary of the BKU (Sidhupur), Mr Buta Singh Burjhari, in a statement released from the jail, said 51 farmers would sit on fast tomorrow morning. He made his intention clear to intensify their stir.

The farmers got irked today when they were not produced in the court and the officials directly extended their judicial remand. Farmer leaders lodged in the jail said the government could not suppress their movement. They demanded immediate release of the farmers. They accused the government of favouring commission agents. They said that about 550 farmers were lodged in Bathinda jail. Sources said hundreds of farmers had also been lodged in Ferozepore jail.

The state president of the BKU (Sidhupur), Mr Pisora Singh Sidhupur, also met the union leaders in the jail today. He said that the farmers had been lodged in tents inside the jail, as a result of which they were falling sick. He said about 18 farmers were ill, but the jail authorities had made no arrangement for their treatment. He demanded that these farmers be provided medical care immediately.

He announced that the union would hold protests in all the district headquarters on June 27 on the farmers’ issues. 

Jalandhar, June 13
Anganwari workers deputed in different parts of the district held a protest rally outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office here today, demanding regularisation of their services.

The protesters demanded that they too be considered as government employees and be given the same incentives. They said that they had been assured of an increased pay and had been promised arrears as well, but nothing was being done in this regard. They said that till the time their demands are not met, they would continue to resort to strikes and dharnas. 

Fazilka, June 13
Mr Hans Raj Josan, Minister of State for Forest, visited Jaimalwala, Ladhuwala Hithar, Ladhuwala Uttar and Khundwala villages and the plywood factory of Jalalabad which was reduced to ashes in a fire during the recent storm.

He directed the officials to assess the loss so that compensation could be paid at the earliest.

Chandigarh, June 13
The Punjab Police got an egg on its face late last night when a warrant officer of the Punjab and Haryana High Court got released a brother of Shamsher Singh, an accused in the Beant Singh assassination case, from the illegal police custody.

According to sources, Mr Bhagwant Singh, the elder brother of Shamsher Singh, who had been charged with criminal conspiracy in the Beant Singh case, was got released from the illegal custody of the CIA staff at Sangrur by the warrant officer, Mr JC Puri.

The release followed an order by Mr Justice SN Aggarwal on a habeas corpus petition filed by Ms Charanjit Kaur, a sister of Mr Bhagwant Singh, under Article 226 of the Constitution. In his order, the Judge held that prima facie it appeared to be a case of illegal detention.

Mr Bhagwant Singh was allegedly picked up by the Punjab Police from Uksi Jattan Ki village in Patiala district on June 11. He was allegedly told by the raiding party that he was wanted for his involvement in militant activities.

In his petition before the High Court, Ms Charanjit Kaur said it was amusing that his brother, who was agriculturist by profession, had been shown as involved in militant activities. She had alleged that the SSP and the SHO of Sangrur were keeping his brother under illegal custody.

Barnala, June 13
The employees of the Additional District Public Relations Office (ADPRO) here are in a dilemma over a letter they have received to vacate the office premises at the earliest. The municipal council authorities have written a letter to the Additional DPRO to vacate the building occupied by the office for a decade. The ADPRO has forwarded the eviction order letter to the Director and has sought directions over the development.

According to information, the Municipal council EO wrote the letter on May 31 to vacate the building, housed in Baba Ala Singh Park in the heart of city. The SDM office also followed suit after a week. Presently, the MC has a library at Gadda Khana Chowk, which is thronged by hundreds of people daily.

The council plans to hand it over to the Improvement Trust for developing a shopping complex. ADPRO Gopal Singh Dardi said a lot of readers throng the office daily to scan newspapers and periodicals in a congenial atmosphere. He said in the past also they had resisted such moves. 

Amritsar, June 13
The Amritsar police today claimed to have solved the five-month-old case of murder of Dilbagh Singh by arresting Manjit Kaur, wife of the deceased, and her paramour Tarsem Singh here today.

Earlier, Manjit Kaur had concocted a story to mislead the police. She had stated that four robbers had entered their house and after killing her husband had escaped with her gold jewellery.

Briefing mediapersons, Mr R.P.S. Brar, SSP, said that though the needle of suspicion pointed towards Manjit Kaur but the police could not arrest her due to want of evidence. However, later during interrogation she confessed to the crime. The murder took place on January 25 night in the Air Force colony here.

Mr Brar said Manjit Kaur had illicit relations with her cousin (son of paternal uncle), Tarsem Singh. The reason behind the crime was that Dilbagh Singh had caught his wife with Tarsem Singh. He said Dilbagh Singh started beating his wife after the incident.

He said Manjit Kaur and Tersem Singh had planned to eliminate Dilbagh Singh on the fateful night. Manjit Kaur allegedly gave milk with sleeping pills mixed in it to her husband. When Dilbagh fell unconscious she with the help of Tarsem Singh put a pillow on his face. Dilbagh Singh collapsed due to suffocation.

Mr Brar said Jasbir Singh, 11-year-old son of Dilbagh Singh, was witness to the crime but his mother threatened him that he would meet the same fate as that of his father if he disclosed anything to the police.

Abohar, June 13
Death toll in trucks’ collision rose to five with another truck hitting two trucks already damaged due to a head-on collision near Hasera village (Loonkaransar) on the Abohar-Bikaner road on Sunday evening.

The Loonkaransar Station House Officer said today that truck (PB 13 F 2131), carrying powder from Bikaner to Jalandhar, had been parked on the roadside of national highway number 15 as its tyre got punctured. Truck (RJ 31 G 3743) owned by Gurdial Singh of Abohar hit the parked vehicle as another vehicle tried to overtake it. Jaspal Singh, son of Resham Singh of Manak village in the Shahkot area of Jalandhar and his assistant Bikar Singh, son of Chanan Singh of Lakhanke village in Kapurthala were crushed to death. They were repairing the punctured tyre. On the other side Gurdial Singh, his son Kudip Singh of Abohar and their truck-driver Raju of Fatehabad in Haryana, were also killed in the mishap. Harpal Singh travelling by the Jalandhar-bound truck was injured.

Meanwhile, another truck (RJ 07 G 6420) coming from Bikaner while trying to give passage to another vehicle rammed into the trucks already damaged in the collision. Its driver Murlidhar and another occupant received injuries. They were later at night taken to the PBM hospital, the police said.

The bodies of Gurdial Singh and his son were brought at their Anand Nagri house amid heart-rending scenes. Cremation was done at the Nanak Puri Shivbhoomi. The bodies of other victims were taken to their villages.

Patiala, June 13
The Forum for Education Action and Reform (FEAR), in its meeting held here today, urged Ms Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of the UPA, to take notice of media reports about the recent developments in Punjabi University.

In a press note, the forum said, “it has become necessary to pay attention towards the situation in Punjabi University as it has assumed national proportions keeping view the reported statement of the CPI and the CPM, that the university had become a hub of terrorists.

The forum demanded a CBI probe into the alleged role of Mr S.S Boparai, Vice-Chancellor, in harbouring the terrorist as reported by a section of the press.