Amritsar
Walia selected: Mr G.S. Walia has been unanimously selected NRI Sabha president for the second consecutive time during the elections conducted on Tuesday. The election was conducted under the presence of Mr Kanwaljit Singh Randhawa, Tehsildar, who was appointed the returning officer by the government and state president of the sabha Mr Resham Singh. Out of more than 200 members, about a total of 76 NRIs exercised their votes. 

FEROZEPORE
Martyrdom Day celebrations: The District Administration has started preparations to commemorate the 75th martyrdom Day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, who were unceremoniously cremated here on the banks of river Sutlej near Hussainiwala, 12 km from district headquarters. The Commissioner, Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu, while presiding over a meeting of the district officials to take stock of the ongoing preparations told that the Chief Minister, Capt. Amarinder Singh, has invited the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to lead the nation in paying tributes to those gallant sons of the soil on that historic day.

HOSHIARPUR
Protest against Valentine’s Day: Activists of Shiv Sena (Thakre) led by Mr Ranjit Rana, president of the district unit, took out a procession in front of local educational institutions protesting against the Valentine’s culture here on Tuesday. They appealed to young students not to adopt Valentine’s “culture” which was posing serious threat to the Indian society. All the activists were wearing saffron kerchiefs around their necks. They also staged demonstration against the Valentine Day in main bazars of the city.

Gamblers arrested: In a drive against anti-social elements, the local police arrested six gamblers on Tuesday. Adarsh Kumar of Hardo Khanpur, Surinder Kumar alias Gogi, of Subhash Nagar, Vijay Purbia of Saras Ram (Bihar), Gaurab Kumar of Naloian, Swarn Kumar of Aslamabad and Davinder Kumar of Rahimpur were arrested and cash had been seized from them. Six cases under Sections 13-A, 3, 67 of Gambling Act and Section 420 of the IPC have been registered against them.

Jalandhar
Two held: The police on Wednesday arrested two persons for tearing posters of Guru Ravi Dass in Nakodar on Tuesday night. The accused have been booked under Sections 295, 427 and 506 of the IPC, and Sections 3 and 4 of the SC/ST Act, the Nakodar SHO, Mr Paramjit Singh, said.

Dharna: The members of the SC/BC Employees’ Welfare Federation, Punjab, staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Wednesday to press for their demands. They also submitted a memorandum of demands, which included withdrawal of the “anti-Dalit policies” of the government and the implementation of the 85th Constitutional Amendment from 1995.

Phagwara
Honour: Three NRI Punjabi writers are among the four persons who would be honoured here on Thursday by the Punjabi Kala and Sahit Kendar and the Punjabi monthly magazine “Sangeet Darpan”. They are the California-based lyricist, Mr Makhan Luharanwala, littérateur, Mr Tara Singh Sagar, Surry-based Mr Manjit Singh and New York-based industrialist, Mr Peter Tall.

Special package: The Punjab Agro and Foods Corporation’s Chairman, Mr Joginder Singh Mann, on Wednesday claimed that a special economic package of Rs 2,040 crore for the development of the state was in the offing.

MOHALI
Jagir kaur: Former president of the SGPC Bibi Jagir Kaur on Wednesday appeared in the court of Judicial Magistrate Kiran Bala, in connection with a case of defamation filed against her by Ms Kulbir Kaur Dhammi of Guru Asra Trust, Mohali. The case was deferred as the JMIC was on leave.