Pul Kanjri martyrs’ kin to assemble today Pul Kanjri (Amritsar), August 19 Residents of Pul Kanjri, who had survived in the attack by Kabaili rioters after Partition in which almost the entire population was massacred, would assemble here tomorrow to mark the 60th anniversary of the sordid incident. A historical pond, which is in a state of neglect, at Pul Kanjri, near the Indo-Pak border. — Photo by Rajiv Sharma

Action sought against “erring” SMO
Sangrur, August 19
In an inquiry, conducted by Mr Ravinder Singh, SDM, Sunam, the Senior Medical Officer of the Sunam Civil Hospital, Dr Baldev Singh Sahota, has been “indicted” for charging user charges from the patients in clear violation of the spirit of a letter of the Punjab Health Systems Corporation and for claiming house rent allowance whereas he is residing in the official residence of the SMO, Civil Hospital, Sunam.

Illegal market costs MC prime land
Gurdaspur August 19
The Dhariwal Municipal Council is set to lose most of its prime properties due to decisions taken at ‘‘political whims’’. The Hindu Cooperative Bank of Pathankot has moved to auction MC’s prime property to recover a loan of over Rs 1 crore. The loan had been extended to the council during the SAD-BJP regime in the state.

Punjabi University amends lecturers’ eligibility
Patiala, August 19
The Punjabi University Syndicate adopted the amendment suggested by the UGC regarding the eligibility of lecturers at the university and its affiliated colleges during a meeting under the presidentship of Vice-Chancellor S.S. Boparai here today.

POLITICS

Show of strength by expelled SAD leaders

Ajnala, August 19 In a major show of strength the expelled members of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) held a rally here today. The rally, which was addressed by Mr Raghbir Singh, Secretary, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, may give sleepless nights to Mr Veer Singh Lopoke, the sitting MLA from Rajasansi. Expelled members of the SAD honour Mr Raghubir Singh, secretary of the SGPC, at a rally organised in Ajnala on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

President forced to give nod to Bill: Mann
Sangrur, August 19
Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), said today that assent to the controversial Office of Profit Bill by the President was a “moral death” of the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and the Congress party as they had forced the President to give his assent to the Bill.

COMMUNITY

Obesity emerges major disease in Punjab
Chandigarh, August 19
Punjab is getting fatter with each passing day. If the recent findings of the national Family Health Survey 2005-06 are any indication, obesity is emerging as a major disease in the state.

PHEF seeks assistance
Location of historical site
Ropar, August 19
In view of the Punjab Government’s opinion that there was no evidence to identify the exact site where Maharaja Ranjit Singh had hoisted his flag and deployed his army atop Shivalik hills here, the Punjab Heritage and Education Foundation (PHEF) has submitted records to the Director, Archaeology Survey, Punjab, to assist it in tracing the exact location of the site.

DSGMC’s memo to Akal Takht
Amritsar, August 19
The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management committee (DSGMC) gave a memorandum to the Jathedar of Akal Takht under the second Gurdwara Sudhar Lahar, seeking reformatory steps, here today.

Protest against foeticide
Patiala, August 19
The SAD (Amritsar) will hold a demonstration against female foeticide and female infanticide in front of the District Courts here on August 21.

2 kg gold donated at Golden Temple
Amritsar, August 19
Ms Surjit Kaur, a resident of Mumbai, has donated a gold strip weighing more than 2 kg for embroidery in ‘Chandoa Sahib’.

Sikh bodies to take legal action against writer
Amritsar, August 19
For the first time, various Sikh organisations including Nihang factions, at an emergency meeting, held at Gurdwara Baba Bakala yesterday decided to resort to legal action against Mohinder Singh Josh for authoring a controversial book.

Bhai Ishar Singh rewarded with Rs 21,000
Amritsar, August 19
The particular of Bhai Ishar Singh, who saved the daughter of an Army officer from the clutches of six drunken youth who had tried to molest her, here recently, has been sent to government for honouring him.

Police seeks list of illegal liquor shops
Amritsar, August 19
Taking a cue from the recent incident of the attempt of kidnapping and raping a girl in the wee hours by six drunken youths, the Police Department has asked the Excise Department to provide it a list of illegal and other shops opened in the city.

Villagers block traffic
Dinanagar (Gurdaspur), August 19
Villagers of surrounding areas of Dinanagar blocked traffic for about two hours on the National Highway No. 15 last night to protest against long unscheduled power cuts.

Resentment over unscheduled power cuts
Batala, August 19
Resentment prevailed amongst residents of the city today due to unscheduled power cuts.

• Cleanliness drive
• News bulletin not aired
• A correction

COURTS

Police gets warrants against murder suspect
Ludhiana, August 19
In a major breakthrough in the case of brutal murder of the wife of a marriage palace owner in Ludhiana two years ago, the police has procured production warrant of the prime suspect who had been missing since the day of the crime.

CRIME

Robbery story turns out to be false, 3 booked
Bathinda, August 19
Concocting a story of “saria” (iron rods) being looted from his truck proved costly to a truck driver. His accomplice spilled the beans before the police and revealed that he had sold it off at an iron store in Maur Mandi. The driver and the store owner, who is the brother of the Improvement Trust EO, have been booked in the case.