Jalandhar, March 22
Even as the Municipal Corporation elections are two months away and ward delimitation is yet to be finalised, candidates from several political parties have launched their election campaign.

While a few candidates have even got the publicity material printed and pasted at various points on the walls, others are busy setting up their offices, holding meetings and going door-to-door for canvassing.

BJP ward president Raj Kumar Ghai has got the posters printed and put them on walls of areas on Manoranjan Kalia Marg falling in ward number 42. Promising full cooperation to the residents for their works and portraying himself as a social worker, his posters depict him flanked on either side by the CM and Local Bodies Minister and MLA from the area, Manoranjan Kalia.

Kuldeep Singh Oberoi, Akali councilor from ward number 44, is busy getting his office renovated in Naya Bazaar here. The office area is being expanded and it is also being spruced up with flooring, wood work and glass work being redone. The councilor was busy meeting people today at his old office, attesting various documents and signing ration card forms.

A Congress councilor H.S. Bawa is retrying from his previous ward and has already started door-to-door canvassing. “This is very important for me as my ward has been vastly expanded after fresh delimitation with Urban Estate and far-flung Phagwara Gate,” he said.

The wards have been increased from 55 to 60 after the new delimitation.

The candidates representing the SAD-BJP combine said they were given maps of wards without taking their consent. They were upset as some of the areas where they had worked for the last five years had gone out of their wards while new areas had been allotted to them.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner A.Venu Prasad in a meeting with the Election Commission in Chandigarh discussed issues related to preparation of electoral rolls and use of electronic voting machines. A meeting to finalise delimitation which was scheduled for yesterday is now learnt to have been fixed for Saturday. 

Kapurthala, March 22
The police today busted an inter-state gang of drug smugglers and arrested two Jammu-based members and recovered four kg heroin from their possession.

The smugglers have been identified as Wariam Singh and Gurbax Singh of Jammu.

SSP Rakesh Agarwal said that they smugglers had been nabbed at a special naka laid after a tip off at Chacho Ki turning point near petrol pump in Phagwara by CIA staff Kapurthala and special staff Phagwara under the supervision of DSP (D) Jagjit Singh.

The two accused were nabbed from a truck parked near Somal Dhaba, GT road, Phagwara. As much as four kg heroin was also recovered from the truck. Agarwal said that the accused had purchased heroin from Jammu and Kashmir and were taking it to New Delhi.

One of the accused Gurbax Singh had already spent five years in Tihar jail for smuggling of heroin, he added.

Meanwhile, an FIR under Sections 21/61/85 of NDPS Act at Sadar police station of Phagwara has been registered

Jalandhar, March 22
Renowned Punjabi singer Manmohan Waris’s secretary Deepak Bali was injured after some unidentified persons shot him, near the under-construction Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences on Garha Road, on Wednesday night. According to the preliminary reports three bullets had hit Bali, who is also the managing director of Plasma Cassettes Company. Following the incident Bali was rushed to a private hospital, where he is stated to be out of danger. When contacted, Senior Superintendent of Police Arpit Shukla confirmed that Bali had been injured in the attack by some persons. “The police was finding out who were the assailants and what was the cause of attacking Bali,” he added. 

Phagwara, March 22
A farm hand and a contract labour were electrocuted in two separate incidents here today.

Jaswinder Singh (33) died on the spot at nearby Mandhali village today at around 7.30 am after he came in contact with an electric fence, put up by one Jagir Singh to protect his wheat crop from stray animals.

In another incident, Ravi Kumar (27) of Virka village inadvertently touched a low-lying live wire when he climbed on to an overhead tank in his house for cleaning it this morning.

Kapurthala, March 22
Rail Coach Factory Sports Association organized RCF-VAJRA Golf Tournament at RCF Golf Course on Tuesday. The tournament was played between the RCF golfers and the golfers from VEPTA Jalandhar.

The objective of the tournament, in which 74 golfers participated, was to strengthen the relation between railways and Army. Lt. Gen. Noble Thamburaj along with the other Army officers participated in it.

The RCF-VAJRA cup was won by VAJRA corps. AS Cheema of VAJRA was declared as the best golfer of the tournament whereas Lt. Col. J.S. Dhanoa obtained the second position.

In the longest drive event, Gunit of VAJRA got the first position whereas Master Haque of RCF remained at second. In the other events ‘nearest to pin’ JS Johal of VAJRA got the first position whereas Gursimar Kaur got the second position.

Women putting was also organized, in which 28 women participated. Speaking on the occasion Gurdev Singh, FA & CAO and the President RCF Sports Association said RCF has many sports facilities which are rarely available in any organization. He said one must utilize these not only for the recreation but also to keep oneself fit.