Jalandhar, January 16
Local Congress leader Sukhmeet Singh, alias Deputy, reportedly close to Jalandhar MP Rana Gurjit Singh, is the kingpin behind the kidnapping of city youth Gagan Mickey who was released for a ransom of Rs 1 crore.

Stating this, DIG, Jalandhar range, Narinder Pal Singh said Sukhmeet, along with seven accomplices, had hatched a conspiracy to kidnap Gagan for getting a huge ransom.

The DIG said four of the eight accused surrendered before the police today. They included a Congress councillor from Ward No. 26 Sukhmeet Singh, Varinder Singh, alias Kinda, Jasbir Singh, alias Jassi, and Jatinder Singh Sabhi (all residents of Jalandhar district).

Attempts were being made to nab the four absconding accused, including Prabhjit Singh, Manga, Harpreet Singh, alias Happy, and Harpal Singh, he said, adding that the ransom amount could not be recovered.

The DIG said the police had enough scientific evidence against them and the entire story would be told before the media after nabbing the four absconders. He denied the police had already arrested some of them.

The DIG said the entire operation to solve the kidnapping case was handled in a professional way and SSPs of Jalandhar and Kapurthala Arpit Shukla and Rakesh Agarwal, respectively, did a commendable job.

Narinder Pal Singh said several teams had been formed to catch the accused after zeroing in on at the gang of eight members. They were left with no option but to surrender before the police, he added.

Deputy and his seven accomplices committed the crime in a Bollywood style. Son of a city-based developer and film distributor Subash Nanda, Gagan, had been kidnapped from a nearby Jandiala village by several masked persons at gunpoint on Wednesday morning.

The kidnappers called up his family demanding a ransom of Rs 5 crore. Later, the deal was struck for Rs 1 crore.

Acting on the directions of the kidnappers, members of Gagan’s family boarded a Delhi-bound train and threw a bag containing the ransom amount out of it near a Rajpura bridge, they said, adding that after getting the ransom money the kidnappers released the youth who reached at his house on Thursday night.

The police had suo motu registered an FIR of kidnapping under Sections 364 A, 34 IPC and 25, 27, 54, 59 of the Arms Act at the Nurmahal police station, the DIG added.

Ropar, January 16
The claim of the Punjab government that a grant of Rs 200 crore has been released by the Centre for development projects at Anandpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo notwithstanding, union minister for tourism and culture Ambika Soni has said the grant still needs the approval of the union Cabinet.

Talking to The Tribune here today, Soni said she had cleared the proposal as submitted by the Punjab government. A few suggestions put forward by Congress MLA from Nangal K.P.S. Rana, including the strengthening of road leading to the Naina Devi temple, were also acknowledged, she added.

She said the Ministry of Culture had sanctioned a project worth Rs 1,500 crore for the development of Nanded Sahib in Maharashtra. The grant included the upgradation of road from Anandpur Sahib to Nanded that would be named after Guru Gobind Singh.

Mohali, January 16
Prof Laxmi Kanta Chawla, health and family welfare minister, Punjab, held a high-level meeting of the Department of Health and Family Welfare to gear up medical facilities in the wake of reports of bird flu cases in West Bengal.

Professor Chawla said in view of the reported outbreak of bird flu symptomatic cases in West Bengal, where culling of birds had been ordered due to impending disease symptoms, stress was being laid on surveillance and preparedness to deal with any possible outbreak in the state. She said control rooms at the state HQ as well as district HQ had been established. Rapid Response Teams (RRT) were on an alert to immediately tackle and investigate any averse situation.

She further directed civil surgeons to ensure that medical and paramedical staff should be sensitised about the disease and symptoms and ensure availability of sufficient quantity of symptoms medicines, antibiotics, anti-pyretic and IV fluids in an emergency to tackle any bird flu patients.

She said although there was no reason to panic, however, if any case was reported in the future it would be treated free of cost at government hospitals.

Tilak R. Sarangal, secretary, Health, said the district health authorities had been asked to review and report any early warning signals (increased number of cases / deaths). The National Contingency Plan for avian flu, circulated by director-general of health services, New Delhi, had been forwarded to all civil surgeons in the state for necessary action.

Dr Roshan Sunkaria, secretary, health-cum-managing director, PHSC, said the Government of India through the National Institute of Communicable Diseases had been requested by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, to arrange the supply of tami flu as precautionary measure as the drug is presently not available in India.

He said civil surgeons should also coordinate with the Department of Animal Husbandry and this should be carried out at the district-level also in case of a possible outbreak. 

Chandigarh, January 16
Former Congress minister Lal Singh today said president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Rajinder Kaur Bhattal should continue to hold office of the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) till the Lok Sabha elections.

Denying that he was aspiring to displace her, Lal Singh said there was no truth in reports that he had met the party high command in this regard. “I did not meet any leader of the party high command to lobby for becoming leader of the CLP,” he said. There appears to be motive behind spreading such rumours, he added. “I am not in the race to become leader of the CLP,” said Lal Singh on the phone.

Lal Singh said he wanted Bhattal to continue as president of the PPCC and also leader of the CLP in the Punjab Assembly. He said such an arrangement would be in the interest of the party.

During her visit to Chandigarh a few days ago, Margaret Alva, general-secretary of the All-India Congress Committee, had stated the one-leader, one-post formula would also be applicable in case of Punjab. She is in charge of the party affairs of Punjab, Haryana and union territory of Chandigarh. At present Bhattal holds the office of the president of the PPCC and also of the leader of the CLP.

Amritsar, January 16
Various Sikh organisations based in the countries across the world have joined hands to seek representation for the Sikh diaspora in the United Nations.

Serious efforts are afoot to float an international gurdwara parbandhak committee so that burning issues relating to the Sikh community, including ban on turban in France, could be taken up at the world platform.

The American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the UK-based Sikh leaders like Avtar Singh Sanghera and Manmohan Singh Bajaj have discussed the issue with other Sikh leaders based in other countries. More Sikh organisations have come forward to support the cause.

President of Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Southall Middlesex, UK, Himmat Singh Sohi has called upon the world Sikh leadership to get united on a single platform to get the common problems of the Sikhs resolved. Sohi emphasised the need for a mature leadership at the world level, which could be possible by floating an international gurdwara parbandhak committee or a similar association. UK-based Sikh scholar Jasdev Singh has endorsed the views of Mohi.

Sikh leaders based in different countries are likely to meet the Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, for his approval for the proposed committee.

“I think there is a need for Sikhs to share their experiences and address their issues through international institutions as well as in the countries where they are based. Perhaps the time has come to establish an international association of gurdwaras. Such an organisation could seek NGO consultative status at the United Nations similar to that given to major bodies of other religions. Sri Guru Singh Sabha will be willing to work with any gurdwara-based organisation towards this goal,” he said.

Earlier, SGPC’s ambitious plan of incorporating 10 NRI Sikhs in its general House ran into rough weather with the American diaspora rejecting it.

American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Yadvinder Singh is of the opinion that the need of the time for Sikhs was an international body of gurdwaras rather than NRI co-options to the SGPC.

The AGPC chief said the body should get membership at the United Nations as there was no representative body of the Sikhs at the UN. All other religions have representative bodies at the UN.

Attari, January 16
Three Pakistani nationals, including two terrorists, were handed over to the Pakistan Rangers by BSF officials at the Attari-Wagah joint check-post here today.

Jamil Ahmed, a terrorist, arrested by the Army in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir in 1993, said he had crossed the border along with 14 other men. He said after an encounter with security forces in Poonch 10 members of his gang returned to Pakistan while three were killed and two arrested. He said later 10 members, who had returned to Pakistan, killed the informer along with his family, who had tipped off the Indian security forces about their plan. He said he was sentenced for 10 years and after spending 15 years was finally returning to his native country.

Another terrorist Jassar Ali said he was anxious to meet his family members, including his three sisters and two brothers. He said he had crossed the border from Kupwara in July 1994 with a mission to kill one of the officers in Jammu. He said he was immediately arrested in Jammu after his arrival and sentenced to 10-year rigorous imprisonment.

However, Mohammad Riyaz, a resident of Bakshiwal in Pakistan, said he wanted to go to Canada and find a job there as his friends were already there. Not being able to get visa from Pakistan, his friends asked him to enter India and contact an agent in Chandigarh who would help him get relevant documents. He then entered India from Ferozepur in 2000 and reached Chandigarh where the agent got him a passport in the name of Vikrant. He then proceeded to New Delhi where he was to board a flight for Canada. However, immigration officials arrested him.

Bathinda, January 16
The Malwa region has always been an area from where the Army recruits in bulk, but drug addiction here is taking its toll and the youth of the area are losing out to their counterparts from the rest of the state due to poor physique and low educational standards.

Brig D.P.Singh, deputy director-general, Recruitments (Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir), who was here in connection with an Army recruitment rally, admitted that the physical and educational standards of youth in the region were not compatible with those of other areas like Patiala, Jalandhar and Ludhiana where a large number of tall, well-built and educated youth appear at the Army recruitment rally. When asked if drug addiction was telling upon physical and mental health of the youth in the Malwa region, Brigadier Singh said it was indeed a cause for alarm.

The low educational standard was affecting the performance of candidates who had to undergo strenuous physical and mental tests to qualify for recruitment. The literacy rate in Punjab as per the 2001 census was 69.95 per cent while the literacy rate of Muktsar, Mansa, Sangrur and Bathinda districts was 50.67, 52.50-60.04 and 61.34 per cent, respectively, he said.

Candidates meeting the laid down standards and found fit in the medical examination will appear for the Common Entrance Examination (CEE) to be held at the Government Rajindra College in Bathinda on January 27 for all categories except Sol Clk /SKT for which the test will be held at Ludhiana under the aegis of the ARO (Army Recruitment Officer), Ludhiana, on February 24.

The written test is conducted in five subjects- English, Hindi, general knowledge, science and mathematics. He said over 20,000 candidates came for the recruitment rally and 5,500 were issued tokens after height measurement and scrutiny of documents. These candidates were undergoing physical fitness test and medical examination by a team of doctors.

The response of the youths from six districts of Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Faridkot, Moga and Ferozepur had been overwhelming.

Chandigarh, January 16
In a soldierly gesture transcending nationalities, the Indian Army has constructed a war memorial dedicated to all soldiers who have laid down their lives while serving under the United Nations flag in Lebanon.

The memorial was inaugurated at the headquarters of the Indian contingent based in southern Lebanon yesterday, which also coincided with the Army Day celebrations to commemorate the first Indian Commander-in-Chief, Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa taking over the reins of the Indian Army post-Independence.

Ever since the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon was inducted in the strife-torn country in 1978, as many as 262 peacekeepers have lost their lives while preserving peace. Their names are etched on the granite stones which adorn the memorial.

Over 30 contingents from across the globe have served in UNIFIL on a rotational basis. Several contingents have constructed cenotaphs for fallen soldiers of their respective countries, but this is the first war memorial which has been constructed in collective honour of all martyrs of UNIFIL, according to sources in the Army Headquarters.

The project was conceived when Colonel of the Punjab Regiment, Major-Gen K.J.S. Oberoi visited 15 Punjab Infantry Battalion Group (INDBATT-9), presently deployed in Lebanon, in June 2007. The construction was undertaken by Capt Rajesh Unnikrishnan and sappers of the battalion’s Engineers detachment.

At the inaugural function, wreaths were laid at the memorial by the UNIFIL Commander, Major-Gen Claudio Graziano and INDBATT-9 Commanding Officer, Col Advitya Madan, General Claudio, an Italian officer, appreciated the Indian Army’s gesture and also complimented the battalion for its operational and humanitarian achievements.

Chandigarh, January 16
Punjab's former director-general of police Sarbdeep Singh Virk's petition for transferring the investigations of cases against him to the CBI will come up for orders on Thursday. 

As the mater came up before the high court for final hearing, Justice H.S.Bhalla quizzed state counsel Reeta Kohli on the repealing of the Vigilance Act, 2006, and on the action initiated by vigilance director in light of the allegations levelled against SSP Surinder Pal Singh. He is allegedly the complainant and also a member of the investigating team.

Kohli said the probe against the petitioner could not be handed over to the CBI without the state's consent. Referring to an FIR registered at Kharar regarding the alleged grabbing of land belonging to a war widow, Kohli informed the court that the petitioner has not been named as an accused in the case so far. Following this, the plea filed by Virk for quashing the FIR was dismissed as withdrawn.

Mohali, January 16
The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has released the date sheet for Class XII (Senior Secondary) annual examination in government, aided and affiliated schools across the state.

Giving this information here today, board’s chairman Dalbir Singh Dhillon said the Class XII (Senior Secondary) annual examinations for humanities, science, commerce, agriculture, technical, home science and engineering groups to be conducted by the board would commence on March 1. Releasing the date sheet for the examinations, he listed the schedule of the written examinations that would end by April 1.

He said the all theory papers would be held between 2 pm and 5.15 pm daily. The geometrical perspective and architectural drawing paper would be held between 2 pm and 6.15 pm. The papers of environment education, elements of building construction, electronics engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and engineering drawing would be held between 2 pm and 4.15 pm.

Dr Dhillon said from this year on 15 minutes additional time would be given to the students to read the paper carefully before the start of the examination. The question papers would be distributed to the students at 2 pm but the answer sheets would be given to them at 2.15 am. These would be collected at 5.15 pm at the end of the examination. The blind and physically handicapped students would be given one hour more time for a paper.

Dr Dhillon clarified that the centre superintendents concerned would display the date sheet for practical examinations at their respective centres.

Ludhiana, January 16
A special investigation team of the city police has nabbed an alleged international RDX smuggler from near Sardayu village along Indo-Pak border in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan. He had allegedly supplied 22 kg RDX to Shingaar bomb blast accused Gurpreet Singh.

SSP R. K. Jaiswal told a press conference this evening that the smuggler identified as Mohammed Ali, alias Aliya, was nabbed by a team of the Ludhiana police led by SP (Detective) Gurpreet Singh and CIA in charge Arvind Puri.

The team travelled for over 40 hours at a stretch along with Gurpreet, taken on a transit remand, to specify the place from where the explosives reached India via the Pakistan border.