Teachers allege violations of poll guidelines 
Amritsar, February 18
The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU) today criticised the Punjab chief electoral officer (CEO) for violating guidelines of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) regarding the assignment of election duties and the conduct of elections during the recent Assembly poll and parliamentary byelection.

Dullo writes to EC on Beas poll
Chandigarh, February 18
Even as the Punjab and Haryana High Court will be hearing a petition on the early conduct of polling in the Beas Assembly constituency, the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, today shot off a letter to the Election Commission (EC) seeking that the elections to the constituency should be held before the counting is conducted across the state on February 27.

Trident strikes peace deal
Barnala, February 18
Apprehending trouble on the land acquisition issue, the Trident group has decided upon truce with cane growers by coughing up more than Rs 2 crore. The management has conceded all demands of farmers, who have called off their agitation, satisfied with the deal in the rapprochement formula.

18 Sikhs leave for Pak today 
Amritsar, February 18
The first jatha of 18 Sikhs, led by Mr Kulwant Singh Randhawa, a former SGPC secretary, would cross over to Pakistan to mark the 86th anniversary of Nankana Sahib on February 19.

COMMUNITY

PM’s wife sprains foot
Amritsar, February 18
Mrs Gursharan Kaur, wife of Primer Minister Manmohan Singh, sprained her foot during a marriage function of a close relative here this morning. Mrs Gursharan Kaur was accompanied by her daughter Kiki, son-in-law Vijay, a senior professor at Delhi’s Saint Stephens College and grandson, who had specially come down from Delhi yesterday, to attend the wedding of Mr Kanwarpreet Singh, nephew of Dr Manmohan Singh.

All-woman expedition ends at Wagah
Wagah, February 18
An all-woman expedition led by Ms Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to conquer the Mount Everest, which started from Bhuj in Thar Desert of Gujarat on January 14, concluded here today.

An apology for a bus stand
Nabha, February 18
Condition of the town’s bus stand and bus services to its district headquarter Patiala is pathetic. Bus stand lacks even basic facilities for travellers. Its only shed behind buses parking is broken and leaks from many places. There is no sitting arrangement under this. Only rods of eight fans and bases of electric tubelights are present. Shed provide no protection in summer, winter or rainy season.

CRIME

6 held for betting on matches
Abohar, February 18
Six persons were arrested for cricket betting at a marriage place in Sriganganagar, 40 km from here yesterday. According to information Ms Paramjyoti an IPS probationer led the raid at room number 1 of the Kuber Place owned by Mr Sanjay Moondra, chairman of the Market Committee at Sriganganagar.

Sarpanch shot dead; five booked
Amritsar, February 18 Jasbir Singh Sohi, Sarpanch of Sohi village, was shot dead by five assailants in broad daylight at Abdal village under Kathunangal police station in Majitha police district here today.

Four killed in mishap
Abohar, February 18
Four persons were killed as a jeep collided head-on with a truck on the Sonari road in the Hanumangarh area due to fog at 8 am today. Sources said Mohinder (25) son of Kesar Ram Goswami of Hameerdesar village was returning in the jeep (RJ 31 GA 0939) after making purchases for pertaining to the marriage of his sister, fixed this evening, when the vehicle collided with a truck loaded with gypsum 1 km away from Nohar as visibility had been reduced due to fog.

Youth stabbed to death
Nabha, February 18
A man staying in the serai of Gurdwara Ghorianwala stabbed a baptised youth (23) to death here last night. Jagjit Singh of Bamal village in Dhuri tehsil, who was staying in the serai of the gurdwara attacked sevadar Lal Singh when he challenged him while moving suspiciously towards the Darbar Sahib building at about 11.30 p.m.

Heroin worth Rs 10 crore seized
Jalandhar, February 18
The Border Security Force (BSF) and the Punjab Police have seized 10 kg of heroin, worth Rs 10 crore in the international market, from the riverine area in the vicinity of Kakkar village in Amritsar this evening.