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TOP STORIES

Nine courier employees found in illegal custody
Amritsar, December 28
Even as no one came forward to lodge a formal complaint with the police into the “snatching” of drafts worth several crores four days ago, nine staff members of a courier service were allegedly made the scapegoat and tortured in illegal confinement by the police.

Panchayats to observe black day on Jan 1
Bathinda, December 28
Accusing the state government of "discriminating" with panchayat members, the Panchayat Union today announced its decision to observe New Year as "Black Day" on January 1.

Akalis protest against security cut
Chandigarh, December 28
In a development that can snowball into a political controversy, the recent guidelines of the Punjab Police on reducing the security cover have not gone down well with the Akalis. The police had cut the security cover of several political leaders and this has led to protests from them.

Conference of Ahmadiyyas ends
Qadian (Gurdaspur), December 28
The 114th annual international conference of Ahmadiyya’s concluded here today. In the three-day session, religious head of the community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, stressed giving rights to women in the Islamic society.

Give due status to women, says Ahmadiyya head
Qadian, December 28
On the second day of the annual international conference of Ahmadiyya’s yesterday, religious head of the community Hadhart Mirza Marror Ahmad urged his followers to give due status to women.

Health cover scheme for rural coop members
Bathinda, December 28
Aiming to provide cost-effective quality healthcare to its farming community, the state government has come up with Sanjivni Health Care Scheme, which aims at providing health insurance of Rs 2 lakh per annum per beneficiary/family to members of rural cooperative societies.

POLITICS

Survey: Badal’s reaction shows ‘frustration’
Chandigarh, December 28
A group of Punjab Ministers today dubbed Mr Parkash Singh Badal’s criticism of the ORG-MARG survey that gives the Congress a lead in the state, as “an outburst of his frustrated mind”.

COMMUNITY

Moti Ram Mehra’s sacrifice recalled
Fatehgarh Sahib,  December 28
After the Shaheedi Jor Mela held in the memory of younger Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh, the martyrdom of Baba Moti Ram Mehra also important. Lakhs of devotees belonging to the Mehra community thronged Gurdwara Moti Ram Mehra here to pay obeisance to the great martyr.

Protest against book on Bhagat Singh
Khatkal Kalan, December 28
Residents of Khatkal Kalan village in Nawanshar district today protested against the publication of a new book “Some Hidden Facts: Martyrdom of Shaheed Bhagat Singh” and burnt effigies of the co-authors of the book.

Body not cremated under protest
Hoshiarpur, December 28
Surjit Kaur, wife of Mr Paramjit Singh of Langeri village, whose body was found floating in a well yesterday, was not cremated and was kept in the mortuary of Bharta village today under protest by her family members for not registering a case of her murder.

Valtoha to sue two SGPC members
Amritsar December 28
Mr Virsa Singh Valtoha, Akali leader and former member of the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board, today lashed out at the SGPC members, Mr Jagjit Singh Bhuller and Master Shinghara Singh, terming their allegations as ‘false’ and mischievous.

FLASHBACK 2005: HELD-UP PROJECTS
Hopes for a take-off in New Year
Chandigarh, December 28
Even as the Punjab Government is upbeat on the future of investment in infrastructure, there are crucial projects which have been pending for a long time or have got delayed.

• Councillor warned of disqualification
• Power theft detected
• Vedanti asks CM to take action

COURTS

Consumer forum jails 2 commission agents
Abohar, December 28
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum today ordered imprisonment of two commission agents. The forum had decreed a complaint of Mr Vijay Kumar Jagga, of Nanak Nagari here. Mr Om Parkash and Mr Satish Kumar Punchii, commission agents, on July 20, 2005.

AGRICULTURE

Rice millers stage dharna again
Patiala, December 28
A large section of rice millers of this town staged a dharna for second consecutive day and did not make delivery of rice to the Food Corporation of India to lodge their protest against the demand for bribe allegedly by a section of officials of the FCI for accepting their rice stock under the custom milling category.

ADMINISTRATION

Illegal colonies  raided
Kharar, December 28
Raids were conducted by police personnel in areas around the town today to check the mushroom growth of illegal colonies. A team of seven officials headed by an ASI went around the area giving a tough time to property dealers operating around the town.

CRIME

One held for getting job on ‘fake’ certificate
Patti (Tarn Taran), December 28
A case has come to light whereas a person had submitted ‘fake’ certificate of date of birth to get an inspector’s job in the Cooperative Department. The inspector has been arrested by the police under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, 120B, of the IPC.

Duped of Rs 4.50 lakh by travel agent
Hoshiarpur, December 28
A case of duping an innocent person of Rs 4.50 lakh by a travel agent was reported at Mahilpur police station last evening. According to police sources, Narinder Singh of Dhada Kalan lodged a complaint against Jeeta Ram, alias Jit, a so-called travel agent of Bhora village (Nawanshahr).

EDUCATION

Conference on thermodynamics
Amritsar, December 28
The scientists should explore more application of thermodynamics in fields of bio-energetic, aggregation, fermentation and natural phenomena like tsunami and volcanic eruption.

Refresher course ends
Amritsar, December 28
A three-week refresher course on human rights, organised by the Academic Staff College, Guru Nanak Dev University, concluded here yesterday in which 26 teachers from different colleges of Punjab, Sikkim and Jammu and Kashmir took part.