Hoshiarpur, August 25
A truck-car collision left one person dead and two others seriously injured near Nasrala on Saturday.

The injured have been shifted to DMC Ludhiana. The deceased has been identified as Tarlok Chand son of Amar Chand of Ferozepur. The injured are Subhash and Nasib Singh, both of Ferozepur.

Meanwhile, Ajmer Singh son of Tarlok Singh of Jawra succumbed to his injuries in a private hospital at Jalandhar today.

Ajmer along with his wife was going to Jahura on his scooter when a motorcycle, coming from the opposite direction collided with his vehicle.

Tanda police has registered a case under sections 304 A and 279 of the IPC against the motorcyclist Som Raj, son of Mukhtiar Masih of Kullian.

In another incident, 35 students of SVN DAV High School, village Pandori had a miraculous escape when their bus turned turtle near village Langah. No one was hurt in the incident except a girl Manpreet Kaur, who received minor injuries.

Hoshiarpur, August 25
It was an emotional reunion of local youth Ramji who was released along with 34 other prisoners by Pakistan on August 13 with his family members who were struggling to get the former free for the last two years.

After arriving at his native place Sutehri Khurd, Ramji along with his mother went to the residence of MP Avinash Rai Khanna to thank him for ensuring his release.

Narrating his tale of woes, Ramji said he went to Lebanon from Hoshiarpur in 2004 in search of greener pastures.

He stayed there for some months. Then a travel agent duped him on the pretext of sending him to Greece. He left Lebanon and proceeded towards Greece with the said agent on foot.

After travelling for three days, the agent left him in Turkey. He stayed there for 10 days and while crossing Turkey-Greece border was arrested by the police.

After staying in jail for 9 days, the Turkey police sent him to Iran from where he was sent to Pakistan via Baluchistan border.

He received a 15-day imprisonment in Pakistan. But he remained in Queeta jail for 7 months and on June 26, 2006 was transferred to Kot Lakhpat jail.

Khanna said many Indian youths were still languishing in Pakistan jails. Ramji appealed to youths, who were keen on going abroad for earning livelihood, not to be misled by the travel agents.

Jalandhar, August 25
Following a meeting with representatives of the Safai Karamchari Union, local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia today accepted their long-pending demand and made an announcement to withdraw the mohalla sanitation scheme in the state soon.

MC commissioner C.S. Talwar was also present at the press conference. Kalia said a new scheme would replace the existing one.

Giving a brief outline of the new project, he said the workers would be directly accountable to the corporation or council authorities.

The mohalla societies would not play the role of an intermediary, he added. The minister further said there would be a fresh recruitment wherein preference would be given to those already working with the MC.

He added that those who have remained absent for long or have shirked work would not be taken. The posts of 14 supervisors would also be advertised, added Kalia.

The union leaders seemed satisfied after the announcement, even though no assurance on hike in salaries, regularisation and pension scheme was announced.

Jalandhar, August 25
With the arrest of four persons, a five-member gang of vehicle lifters was busted by the Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA) of the district police.

The police recovered a stolen Maruti, three motorcycles and some sharp-edged weapons from the gang members.

The arrested members of the gang have been identified as Rakesh Kumar alias Tony Gill of Patti Mehna Bilga village, Satnam alias Sonu of Khera village, Balwinder Singh and Lakhwinder Singh alias Lakha, both of Talwandi Butian village.

However, the fifth member Jaspreet Singh alias Jassa of Bhode Saprawa village managed to flee. A case has been registered and the investigations are on.

Meanwhile, SSP Arpit Shukla said Lakha was already booked in a case under section 8 of Punjab Good Conduct Provision Act 1962 at Shahkot police station.

Similarly, several cases of robbery were already registered against another accused Rakesh Kumar.

Jalandhar, August 25
Lok Adalats are playing a major role in reducing the number of pending cases in different courts.

It is evident from the fact that as many as 19,625 cases were disposed of in Lok Adalat organised at district courts complex here on Saturday.

The Lok Adalat received 20,060 complaints this time out of which 19,625 were successfully disposed of.

From the total complaints 16,697 cases were related to traffic challans which were sort out bythe 20 benches of adalat.

Phillaur, August 25
Private contractors would now maintain services, including booking of tickets, at 14 halt stations at five railway sections of Ferozepore division. Tenders have been invited for the same.

The halt stations include Banga and Nawanshahr on the Phagwara-Nawanshahr rail section, Mallupota between Behram and Banga railway stations on the Phagwara-Nawanshahr section, Kariha between Banga and Nawanshahr on the Phagwara-Jejon Doaba section, Kultham Abdulla Shah between Phagwara and Banga on the Phagwara-Nawanshahr section, Sulhani station between Talwandi and Ferozepore on the Ludhiana-Ferozepore section, Mehngrowal station between Saila Khurd and Jejon on the Jalandhar-Jejon section, Garna Sahib station between Dasuya and Khuddakurala on the Pathankot-Jalandhar section, Chauntra station between Jogindernagar and Ahju, Tripal between Lunsu and Jawalamukhi, Baijnath between Baijnath and Ahuju and Majheran between Baijnath and Panchrukhi on the Pathankot-Jogindernagar section, Ajitgill between Gangsar and Romana Albel Singh on the Ferozepore-Bathinda section, Gandhra between Nakodar and Malsian on the Lohian-Ludhiana section and Kotla Gujran between Majitha and Fatehgarh Churian on the Amritsar-Dera Baba Nanak railway section.