Sarabjit: Residents express solidarity Bhikhiwind, March 17 Residents of this border town to express solidarity with family members of Sarabjit Singh, on death row in Pakistan, organised a dharna here today. BJP leaders Sadanand Chopra and Raj Kumar Sharma and SAD leader Arjan Dal Kalsi urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to convince Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to show magnanimity and benevolence towards Sarabjit, as he had shown in the case of Kashmir Singh. PM urged to intervene Appeals pending Sukhpreet Kaur holds a photograph of her husband Sarabjit Singh at their residence in Bhikhiwind village on Monday.—AFP

Kidney Trade Still Thriving
PO’s interrogation leads to arrest of 6
Amritsar, March 17
The chance arrest of a proclaimed offender (PO) and his subsequent interrogation in an NPSA case today led to the arrest of five persons, including middlemen, which established beyond doubt that the kidney scam is still thriving in the holy city. Much before Gurgaon, Amritsar was the hub of kidney racket, which flourished with the connivance of doctors and officials.

Economic Survey of Punjab
Slowdown in agriculture, manufacturing
Chandigarh, March 17
The economic survey of Punjab reveals a slowdown not just in agriculture, but also in the manufacturing sector. Though there is an increase in gross state domestic product (GSDP) and per capita income, agriculture production and power generation has shown a negligible increase.

State Concerns
Rising debt, expenditure on police
Chandigarh, March 17
What should cause a major worry for the SAD-BJP government in Punjab is the mounting debt and shooting expenditure on the police. As per the budget estimates, the debt by the end of the next fiscal year will touch Rs 57,369 crore that will be 278.49 per cent of the revenue receipts and more than 50 per cent of the total gross state domestic product of the state.

COMMUNITY

Another ’84 victim points finger at Sajjan
Mohali, March 17
Another victim of the 1984 riots in Delhi has spoken up for the first time and accused Congress leader Sajjan Kumar of instigating mobs to attack gurdwaras and Sikhs in Delhi. Harvinder Singh Kohli of Dera Bassi said at a press conference here today that he wanted to become an eyewitness in the case and demanded action against Sajjan Kumar.

Traffic blocked to seek Parveen’s release
Patiala, March 17
Supporters of Parveen Kaur, a resident of the Mata Gujri Sahara Trust Hostel, who was arrested by the Haryana police allegedly for being a human bomb to kill Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, here today blocked traffic for several hours on the Sheranwala Gate Chowk.

Integrated checkpost
Notices to land owners
Amritsar, March 17
The government has issued notices to farmers and land owners, both within the fence area and outside on the border with Pakistan, for setting up a modern integrated checkpost at Attari to facilitate trade with Pakistan.

COURTS

Moga Sex Scam
Verdict reserved on anticipatory bail plea of Tota Singh’s son
Chandigarh, March 17
Justice Mahesh Grover of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today reserved the verdict on anticipatory bail petition filed by Barjinder Singh, son of Punjab’s former minister and senior Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) leader Tota Singh, in Moga sex scam.

Installation of Electricity Poles
Residents can’t object, says HC
Chandigarh, March 17
The Punjab and Haryana High Court, in a vital judgement, has differentiated between nuisance and inconvenience. It has also made it clear that inconvenience necessarily does not warrant court’s interference.

Liquor Vend Allotment
‘Rules bent to favour Chadha group’
Chandigarh, March 17
In a petition filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, four liquor contractors have alleged that liquor vend allotment rules were bent in Ropar district to favour the Chadha group.

CRIME