POLITICS

CM supporting Tytler: SAD (A)
Amritsar, October 6
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s silence over the clean chit given to Congress leader Jagdish Tytler for the 1984 riots by the CBI has proved that he is hand in glove with the Congress government at the Centre.

SAD (youth) gen secy dead
Chandigarh, October 6
Balraj Singh Bhunder (40), national general secretary of the youth wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), died here early this morning following a heart ailment. He was cremated at his native village Bhunder, near Sardulgarh in Mansa district, this afternoon. He was son of general secretary of the SAD and former Akali minister Balwinder Singh Bhunder.

COMMUNITY

Bankers demand holiday on Aggarsain Jayanti
Sangrur, October 6
The All-India Gramin Bank Officers Association today asked the Punjab government to declare a holiday on the occasion of Maharaja Aggarsain Jayanti on October 12 under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. Bank employees and other staff covered under this Act felt that by not declaring this a holiday the government was discriminating against them.

300 hectares to come under forest cover
Fatehgarh Sahib, October 6
The district forest department has decided to bring around 300 hectares of land under forest cover in the district soon. Currently, less than 1 per cent of the total land of the district is under forest cover.

7 of family missing for over 2 years
Fatehgarh Sahib, October 6
Despite having announced cash rewards and making all possible efforts, the district police have been unsuccessful in tracing seven members of a family, who had gone missing in May 2005.

Overbridge project facing delays
Fatehgarh Sahib, October 6
The much talked about railway overbridge that was proposed to be constructed on the busiest railway crossing of the historical town of Sirhind has failed to take off even as the tenders were called in and elaborate plans were prepared ready by the Union Ministry for Railways and the state government.

Forensic Medicine
No takers for MD seats
Patiala, October 6
The MD forensic medicine course in government medical colleges of the state is not finding any takers. There are five seats of MD in forensic medicine - two in Patiala and three in Amritsar medical college.

Tributes paid to Bharpur Singh
Chandigarh, October 6
The Sikh Educational Society and the Punjab Heritage and Education Foundation have expressed shock over the death of Bharpur Singh, who had served the society for 15 years as its secretary. The society runs eight educational institutions, including colleges in Punjab and Chandigarh.

COURTS

Orders on Virk’s bail plea reserved
Rupnagar, October 6
District and Sessions judge Rekha Mittal has reserved orders on the bail application of former Punjab DGP Sarabdeep Singh Virk and Congress leader Vinay Pal Dimpy for October 8.

CRIME

7 booked for illegal sand mining
Moga, October 6
Two panchayat members of Mahlakhurd village, falling under Baghapurana sub-division, have alleged that three of their co-members, including sarpanch and four others, have been fleecing the panchayat of revenue worth lakhs earned from mining sand.

Sexual assault by godman alleged
Faridkot, October 6
After a woman alleged she was sexually assaulted by godman Bickerdin, the police registered a case against the accused here today.

Suicide Bid
Dismissed cop dies
Bathinda, October 6
Gurjant Singh (50), a dismissed cop of Behman Jassa Singh village in Bathinda district, who had set himself and four members of his family on fire, succumbed to burn injuries at the PGI, Chandigarh, last night. He was admitted here on October 1 with 80 per cent burn injuries.

EDUCATION

IGNOU to empower disabled
Khanna, October 6
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has signed an MoU with the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) to make joint efforts in promoting education programmes for the empowerment of people with disabilities.

Syndicate meeting goes soft on VC
Patiala, October 6
In what could be termed as victory for vice-chancellor of Punjabi University, Patiala, Swarn Singh Boparai, today’s much hyped syndicate meeting ended without any din. The meeting was being considered significant due to the recent statement of the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal that the government would write to the Governor against the VC.

Students’ Death
Homeopathic colleges remain closed
Abohar, October 6
After the death of four BHMS direct degree students of the local HMCA in a road mishap yesterday, all homeopathic medical colleges in Punjab and Chandigarh were closed today as a mark of condolence.

NRI Quota
Admissions of students cancelled
Amritsar, October 6
Guru Nanak Dev (GND) University yesterday ordered the cancellation of admissions of about 150 students of various courses under the NRI quota. The decision, which evoked flak from the students, was taken in view of the strong indictment by the Punjab and Haryana High Court judgement.