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India, Pak exchange 57 prisoners

Amritsar, June 30 As many as 57 prisoners — 38 Pakistani and 19 Indian — were repatriated to their native countries at the Wagah joint checkpost today after serving their imprisonment in various jails.

The Indian prisoners released by the Pakistan authorities cross the Wagah border on Friday. — PTI photo

Liberate Akal Takht from vested interests
Badal tried to influence two jathedars against Tohra, says Bhai Ranjit Singh
Amritsar, June 30
Bhai Ranjit Singh, a former Jathedar of Akal Takht, today claimed that Prof Manjit Singh and Giani Kewal Singh, then Jathedars of Kesgarh Sahib and Damdama Sahib, respectively, tried to act as ‘conduit’ of Mr Parkash Singh Badal for declaring Jathedar Gurcharn Singh Tohra “Tankhaiya” (guilty of religious misconduct).

Summon Darshan Singh to Takht, say SGPC members
Amritsar, June 30
Akal Takht is contemplating to summon Prof Darshan Singh, a former Jathedar of Akal Takht, on the basis of his controversial speech, delivered by him at a function held to mark the quadricentennial of the foundation of Taran Taran on June 16.

Religion, politics can go together in Sikhism: Badal
Amritsar, June 30
The Shiromani Akali Dal supremo, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today said religion and politics could go together in Sikhism. He said the concept of “miri-piri” had been a guiding force for the community.

Centenary celebrations a low-key affair
Amritsar, June 30
The first day of the three-day celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the foundation of Akal Takht Sahib remained a low-key affair. The SGPC and the Shiromani Akali Dal failed to mobilise the Sikh masses for the occasion.

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti (right) and Damdama Sahib Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh take a nap during a seminar held to mark the 400th anniversary celebrations of the foundation of Akal Takht at Khalsa College in Amritsar on Friday. — Photo by Rajiv Sharma

POLITICS

Dhindsa counters ministers’ statement on Reliance
Chandigarh, June 30
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today said that the agreement signed by the Amarinder Singh government with Reliance Industries is one of the corrupt deals of the present regime that will be immediately reviewed when SAD gets a chance to form the government in the state. The party alleged that Reliance was behind the scuttling of the Bathinda oil refinery.

SAD office-bearers
Chandigarh, June 30
The Shiromani Akali Dal President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today appointed Jathedar Mohinder Singh Hussainpur as the President of the Nawanshahr unit of the party and Ludhiana based lawyer, Mr Harish Kumar Dhanda, as the President of the legal cell of the party.

COMMUNITY

PPCC general secretary fails to turn up for hearing
Abohar, June 30
Mr Jaspinder Singh Jakhar, general secretary, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, did not turn up for recording his statement before the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr Rahul Tiwari, though he had sought a week’s time on Thursday last.

Five-year-old Budhia, who has entered the Limca Book of Records in the 65-km marathon, plays with a ball near the NIS in Patiala on Friday. — Tribune photo by Rajesh Sachar

Drug addiction report blames government
Amritsar, June 30
The report on drug addiction in Punjab, prepared by Dr Ravinder Singh Sandhu, Professor, Department of Sociology, Guru Nanak Dev University, on the directions of the state Governor, Lt-Gen S.F. Rodrigues (retd), has called for reviewing the existing excise policy with a view to save the youth.

Campaign against drug abuse launched
Ropar, June 30
The district administration today launched a campaign to spread awareness among the youth about drug abuse by involving youths clubs and Department of Theatre and Television, Punjabi University, Patiala.

Youth’s body with disfigured face found
Moga, June 30
The body of a handicapped youth with badly disfigured face was found between the villages of Manuke and Rau Ke falling under Baghapurana police station in Moga district last night.

Hike in loans to MLAs on anvil
Chandigarh, June 30
The General Purpose Committee of the Vidhan Sabha, headed by the Speaker, Dr Kewal Krishan, has asked for a hike in the amount of loans that are available to MLAs.

‘‘Custodial’’ death: probe ordered
Abohar, June 30
The Deputy Commissioner, Dr Arvinder Singh, has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the death of Rinku, son of Baiju, a resident of , Basti Shekhanwali, Ferozepore, during investigation in a theft case.

Children from Euro Kids wait for their turn during the concluding day of Summer Club 2006 at the Central State Library in Patiala on Friday. — Tribune photo by Rajesh Sachar

Inquiry ordered into custodial deaths
Chandigarh, June 30
Taking cognizance of news items published in a section of the Press about two alleged custodial deaths, the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, today ordered an magisterial inquiry into both cases and submit a detailed report within one week.

SAD farmer wing flays PSEB
Patiala, June 30
Farmer wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal has criticised the Punjab State Electricity Board’s management for not providing eight-hour uninterrupted power to farmers during the ongoing paddy season.

Power relief for industries
Patiala, June 30
Scattered rains, which have swept the region over the past few days, have proved to be boon for the Punjab State Electricity Board authorities, who have decided to give relief to the industrial sector.

Bus fare hike notified
Chandigarh, June 30
The Punjab Government today issued a formal notification to marginally hike the present rate of bus fare by 3 paise per km from tomorrow.

4 of family drowned
Amritsar, June 30
Four members of a family, including three children, were drowned in Sultanwind canal here.

One dies in freak accident
Patiala, June 30
Ashok Kumar (22) used to trudge daily to this city from Mardanpur village, nearly 25 km from here, in his endeavour to make it big in the field of computer education.

Cheques distributed
Patiala, June 30
The Punjab Government today gave away cheques for Rs 2 lakh each to kin of the two children who drowned in the gushing flood waters of the Ganda Nullah here recently.

BJP to protest against price rise
Chandigarh, June 30
The BJP President, Mr Rajnath Singh, will lead a protest and dharna of BJP workers against rising prices at Ferozepore on July 5. This was stated here today by Mr Harjit Singh Grewal, secretary of the national unit of the party.

• Medical camp held

ADMINISTRATION

Action against forest official recommended
Bathinda, June 30
The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Rahul Bhandari, has recommended disciplinary action against a forest official, Mr Gamdoor Singh, for an alleged violation of the forest laws.

• Finish Shahpurkandi project on time: CM to departments
• 2 Markfed officers suspended

CRIME

Father drowns new-born daughter
Gurdaspur June 30
The Pathankot police has booked the father and the paternal uncle on charges of killing new-born girl. The SSP, Mr PS Umranangal, told The Tribune that the police recently recovered the body of a new-born baby girl from Dhira head work.

Five booked for attack on doctor’s hospital
Malerkotla, June 30
The local police has registered a case under Sections 353, 332, 506, 186, 427, 148 and 149 of the IPC against five persons, including two women, in connection with making an attack on the house and hospital of Dr V.P. Goyal, a former Chief Medical Officer, Civil Hospital here yesterday.

Teacher dupes dept
Tarn Taran, June 30
A case against a teacher has been registered for duping the Education Department to get job on a fake degree.

6 hurt in attack over land dispute
Patiala, June 30
Six persons were seriously injured when they were attacked with sharp-edged weapons following a land dispute at Balbhera, 10 km from here, this evening.

EDUCATION

Computer teachers demand regular pay scales
Chandigarh, June 30
Hundreds of computer teachers and computer faculty members, who had come from various parts of Punjab, today held a demonstration in front of the office of the Director-General, School Education, Punjab, here today urging the state government to give them regular scales on the pattern of other school teachers.

PTI teachers pick up begging bowls
Chandigarh, June 30
The Berozgar (Unemployed) Physical Training Instructors (PTI) Teachers’ Union of Punjab picked up begging bowls and asked for alms in Sector 17 here today in protest against the lackadaisical attitude of the government in listening to their grievances.

A member of the Berozgar PTI Teachers Union (Punjab) begs for alms in protest against the Punjab Government not listening to their demands in Chandigarh on Friday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Admission date for MA (philosophy) extended
Amritsar, June 30
Guru Nanak Dev University has extended the last date for submission of application forms for admission to some seats lying vacant in MA (philosophy) and MA (religious studies) till July 17 without any late fee.

BUSINESS

Asia’s largest petrol station and highway mall near Rajpura
Chandigarh, June 30
Come January and the Rajpura-Patiala stretch of the GT Road will have Asia’s largest petrol station complex having state-of-the-art facilities for the entertainment of travellers. A brainchild of Chandigarh-based real estate developer, Mr Harmit Singh Chawla, the petrol station complex is all set to change the concept of highway malls in the region.

IOC holds medical camp
Patiala, June 30
The Indian Oil branch at Dhiru Ki Majri, Lower Mall, here held a function to mark its “customer excellence year” yesterday. A medical camp and an AIDS awareness programme were also held.