Jalandhar, October 24
Denying all rumours in political circles over SAD acting president Sukhbir Badal taking over the reins of the government, Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal categorically stated that there was no such move.

Badal was here today to inaugurate the inter-state bus terminus named after Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. The terminus, built on BoT basis, has been constructed at a cost of Rs 14 crore.

The Chief Minister also unveiled a statue of the martyr on the occasion.

Reacting to a query on the economic condition of the state government as described by finance minister Manpreet Badal, to a section of the media, Badal said there was no financial crisis in the state. He said economy was in good health and that was why a number of development projects were being taken up.

However, he cautioned the finance minister to be sure of the facts before airing them. Such statements are always blown out of proportion, he added.

The Chief Minister ruled out any differences with the BJP and claimed that the relations with the alliance partner were still going strong. “There are differences in the families but these get resolved in the end,” he quipped.

The Chief Minister suggested to his political colleagues to let him know whenever they find any administrative problem.

“We are committed to providing a transparent and people-friendly government,” he said.

Approving a flyover near Lyallpur Khalsa College level crossing for easy flow of traffic, as demanded by local body minister Manoranjan Kalia, Badal said the construction work would begin in the next three months.

Nawanshahr, October 24
With the intervention of the district administration, FCI contractors reached a compromise with the Balachaur Truck Union here today on the issue of transporting rice from Balachaur to Ropar. As per the deal, the contractors agreed to employ 60 trucks of the union for transportation of rice.

Earlier in the day, the truck union blocked the gate of the FCI godown and disrupted loading of rice for four hours. The work started only when ADC Pritam Singh Johal, Balachaur SDM Davinder Singh, SP (HQ) Jagtar Singh Kainth and Balachaur DSP Gurmukh Singh Cheema intervened. The civil and police officials remained present there and more than 200 trucks had been loaded till the evening.

The contractors employed trucks for transportation of rice from the FCI godown at Balachaur to Ropar railway station to finally load the produce in a special train. But the truck union’s opposition saw the situation going out of hand and caused a law and order problem in the town.

Besides, the row had started taking a political turn. The FCI contractors have accused chief parliamentary secretary Chaudhary Nand Lal of patronising the Balachaur Truck Union just to settle political scores with them.

About two months ago, former Congress MLA Ram Kishan Kataria, accompanied by the FCI contractors, had also addressed a press meeting here. A few days ago, in a clash between the Balachaur Truck Union and FCI contractors, many truck drivers received injuries. FCI contractors Rakesh Kumar and Vijay Kumar have accused the officials of the truck union of causing hindrances. Besides, Congress leader Om Parkash Khepar, accompanied by contractors, organised a press meeting here on the issue.

Hoshiarpur, October 24
Parshotam Lal (50) of Kohthla Khurd in Nawanshahr, who had been serving as a sevadar in the temple of Banga Gotra Jathare at Chack Natha village for the past 20 years, was found murdered in an adjoining room of the temple this morning. Marks of injury with a sharp-edged weapon were found on the head of the deceased Parshotam Lal.

According to SP (D) Sushil Kumar, Parshotam Lal had been residing in a room adjoining the temple of Banga Gotra Jathare and had been serving in the temple as a sevadar for the past 20 years.

Nihang Piara Singh, who was also from Kohthla Khurd village, joined Parshotam Lal and had been living with him for the past 20 days. Piara Singh used to consume liquor in his room. Parshotam Lal and members of the managing committee of the temple persuaded him not to do so. When he did not stop drinking, Parshotam Lal and president of the managing committee Om Parkash instructed him to leave the temple.

But Piara Singh did not leave the temple and stayed there.

The SP (D) said Piara Singh was the main suspect in the murder case. A case under section 302 of the IPC was registered against him at Mahilpur Police station.

Hoshiarpur, October 24
The Garhshankar police last evening booked Kapil Dev of Gajjar village under sections 377 of the IPC for sodomising a minor boy of his village.

Husan Lal of Gajjar village stated that he along with his two sons went to see Dashera fair at Jaijon Doaba village on October 20. After the end of fair in the night, he sent his elder son Pankaj Kumar (12) with Kapil Dev, who also had came there to see the fair. Later, he and his younger son returned to the village on a bicycle. On the way he heard screams of a boy. When he went to inquire the matter, he saw that Kapil was sodomising his son. On seeing him, Kapil fled on his motorcycle.

Meanwhile, the police has arrested two migrant labourers Jawala and Ganesh, both of Muzafarpur in Bihar, for raping a teenaged daughter of a migrant labourer at Panam village on October 21. — OC