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Boy dies, 36 hurt as school bus overturns
Family members of Class VII student Kulwinder Singh (inset) who was killed in an accident near Phagwara on Wednesday. Phagwara, May 14
A student was killed, while 36 others sustained injuries as the bus of Sri Guru Harkishan Model Senior Secondary School overturned, here on Wednesday afternoon. The deceased, identified as Jatinder Singh of Pandori village, was a student of Class VII.

Family members of Class VII student Kulwinder Singh (inset) who was killed in an accident near Phagwara on Wednesday.

Ravi Inder wants central rule in Punjab
Jalandhar, May 14
The Akali Dal 1920 has demanded President’s rule in Punjab alleging that the law and order situation was deteriorating in the state. Addressing mediapersons, party chief Ravi Inder Singh said the clashes in the zila parishad and block samiti poll were an indication of the things to come in the coming days.

Alliance makes clean sweep in Batala
Batala, May 14
The counting of votes for zila parishad elections was held at Medhodist School here today. In Dyal Garh zone No 20, Sukhvir Singh Walha of the SAD-BJP combine defeated his nearest rival Balwidner Singh Laddi by 7,730 votes. Laddi got 10,782 votes, where as Sukhvir Singh Walha got 18,712 votes.

It’s murder of democracy, says Rana Gurjit
Nawanshahr, May 14
While the counting for the block samiti seats is still going on, the results of the zila parishad seats have gone in favour of the ruling SAD in the district. The SAD has won seven zila parishad seats and the Congress three seats.

SAD candidate Balbir Kaur wins by 5 votes
Unfair counting alleged in Birampur
Hoshiarpur, May 14
Congress workers, led by former MLA of Shamchaurasi segment in the district Ram Lubhaya, blocked traffic in front of the counting centre at J.R. Polytechnic College on the Hoshiarpur-Jalandhar road here from 7 pm this evening.

	ZP poll results out; Cong leaders disrupt traffic in Jalandhar Ruling combine accused of widespread rigging Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 14 Two former Congress MLAs and party supporters today blocked the traffic on the GT Road near Lyallpur Khalsa College railway crossing for more than an hour levelling allegations against Akali MLAs for manipulating the counting results of zila parishad poll declared this afternoon. Gurkanwal Kaur and Kanwaljit Singh Lally, both former MLAs, sat down on a dharna at the tri-junction blocking the traffic on all three sides from 4.20 pm to 5.30 pm while raising a demand of reelections in a free and fair manner. Alleging highhandedness of the Akali MLAs in influencing polling officials inside counting centres to make the result in their favour, the Congress leaders said the administration had failed to check their interference there. They alleged that MLAs Jagbir Brar and Sarabjit Singh Makkar were allowed to enter the centre but when they too tried to barge in, they were stopped at the gates, clearly indicating the connivance of the administration with the ruling party leaders. The Congress leaders were protesting specifically against the declaration of the result of the Patara zila parishad poll at a counting centre at Hans Raj Stadium. They alleged that their candidate Chaman Lal was initially declared winner with a marginal difference but later the result was changed to announce the victory of SAD candidate Sham Lal. The women protestors and young boys created quite a furore at the site. Police officials turned up in large numbers but the protesters refused to lift the dharna. Later, SPs Rakesh Kaushal and Satinder Singh visited the spot and managed to pacify the agitators.
	Home Shame Rape bid on maid, 2 booked Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, May 14 The Mehtiana police booked Parminder Singh, resident of ward No 4, Bhogpur (Jalandhar), and Alvir Singh of Kheria Majja (Kapurthala) for attempting to rape a 20-year-old maid at Ajram village yesterday. A case has been registered under sections 376, 511 and 34 of the IPC. The police said the girl was working as a maid in the house of Lal Singh at Ajram village where Lal Singh’s granddaughter along with her husband Alvir Singh had been residing for the past four years. When she was doing household chores yesterday in the house, Parminder Singh knocked at the door. When she inquired about his visit, he told her that he had been sent by Alvir Singh for some work. When she opened the door, Parminder Singh allegedly dragged her to a bedroom and tried to rape her. The girl cried for help. A passerby, Joginder Ram of the same village, heard her cries and rushed to the house. Sinder Pal of Deh village also came there. Both overpowered Parminder Singh and handed him over to the police. The girl alleged that Parminder Singh in connivance with Alvir Singh made an attempt to rape her.
	Boy dies, 36 hurt as school bus overturns Tribune News Service Phagwara, May 14 A student was killed, while 36 others sustained injuries as the bus of Sri Guru Harkishan Model Senior Secondary School overturned, here on Wednesday afternoon. The deceased, identified as Jatinder Singh of Pandori village, was a student of Class VII. The condition of at least six persons out of the total injured is stated to be serious. The driver of the bus Jasbir Singh also received injures. While some of the students with minor injuries were discharged after first-aid, others were admitted to different hospitals. The ill-fated vehicle (HR 67 0472) was going towards Banga from Phagwara. According to sources, the accident took place when the bus driver tried to overtake a tractor-trolley. A migrant labourer Shambu Jahan was also injured while rescuing the injured.
	Ravi Inder wants central rule in Punjab Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 14 The Akali Dal 1920 has demanded President’s rule in Punjab alleging that the law and order situation was deteriorating in the state. Addressing mediapersons, party chief Ravi Inder Singh said the clashes in the zila parishad and block samiti poll were an indication of the things to come in the coming days. He alleged that the political dissent was not being tolerated and put down with an iron fist. “Akali ‘goons’ have not even spared leaders and workers of their alliance partner, what to talk of the common people,” he pointed out. He alleged that the civil servants and the police had been forced to remain mute spectators. Besides, a large-scale rigging had taken place in several districts and no action was taken, he added. Commenting on the withdrawal of resignations by the BJP, he said it was mere an eyewash. The ministers and parliamentary secretaries had ridden roughshod on the feelings of workers who had been bashed up by the Akalis. The ministers were more interested in saving their ministerial berths than giving an ear to the voice of the people. He alleged that the corruption had reached an all time high as the money was being openly demanded in government offices. Condemning the attack on the media in Bathinda, Singh said it did not augur well for the democracy since the people had the right to be informed and the Press was doing the same.
	Alliance makes clean sweep in Batala Batala, May 14 The counting of votes for zila parishad elections was held at Medhodist School here today. In Dyal Garh zone No 20, Sukhvir Singh Walha of the SAD-BJP combine defeated his nearest rival Balwidner Singh Laddi by 7,730 votes. Laddi got 10,782 votes, where as Sukhvir Singh Walha got 18,712 votes. In zone No 21, Harjeet Kaur Sekhwan of the SAD-BJP combine defeated her nearest rival Manju by 5,154 votes. Harjeet got 15,368 votes, whereas Manju of Congress got only 10,214 votes. The result at Medhodist school was declared by J.S. Garewal, SDM-cum-returning officer, Batala. The result of Quadian zila parishad elections were declared by Parkash Singh naib-tehsildar-cum-returning officer, Quadian. In zone No 17, Chain Singh of the SAD defeated his nearest rival Sahib Singh Mand of the Congress by 985 votes. Chain Singh got 3,449 votes, whereas Sahib Singh got only 2,464 votes. In zone No 18, Kawaljit Kaur of the SAD defeated her nearest rival by 6,928 votes. Kawaljit got 16,254 votes and Balwinder Kaur of the Congress got only 9,326. In zone No 19, Tarlok Singh Bath of the SAD defeated his nearest rival Jagir Singh of the Congress by 7,379 votes. Tarlok Singh of the SAD got 4,112 votes whereas Jagir Singh got only 1,139 votes. — OC
	It’s murder of democracy, says Rana Gurjit Our Correspondent Nawanshahr, May 14 While the counting for the block samiti seats is still going on, the results of the zila parishad seats have gone in favour of the ruling SAD in the district. The SAD has won seven zila parishad seats and the Congress three seats. In the Garhi Kanugo zone, Karamjit Kaur (SAD) defeated Balwinder Kaur (Cong). In the Pojewal zone, Darshan Lal (SAD) defeated Bhajan Lal (Cong) while in the Bairsian zone Davinder Pal Kaur (SAD) defeated Manjit Kaur (Cong). In the Rattewal zone Congress candidate Dharam Pal won the poll defeating Manohar Lal of the SAD. In the Kultham zone, Inderjit Kaur of the Congress defeated SAD nominee Charan Kaur. In the Bahrowal zone, Congress nominee Harmesh Virdi was defeated by SAD candidate Kashmiri Lal. In the Khatkar Kalan zone, Congress candidate Pritam Singh remained successful by defeating SAD nominee Swaran Singh. In the Mukandpur zone, Tirath Singh Chahal (SAD) won over Jagdish Chander of the Congress). In the Aur zone, Ajmer Singh of the SAD remained victorious by defeating the Congress candidate. In the Daulatpur zone, Congress nominee Jaswinder Kaur Rani was defeated by SAD candidate Ram Lal. The counting and the result of the Daulatpur zone remained controversial. First, it was the BSP which raised an objection over the counting process and resorted to traffic jam in front of the counting centre on Chandigarh Road here for about half an hour. The situation was handled with the intervention of SDM Upkar Singh. After some time, when the Congress nominee was declared defeated by a margin of 26 votes only, Congress workers protested, terming foul play. Congress nominee Jaswinder Kaur Rani, district Congress president Kuldip Rana, block president Chaman Singh Bhanmzara, Prem Singh Langroya, Lalit Mohan Pathak, Youth Congress leader, Satvir Singh Palli Jhikki, among others, blocked traffic and raised slogans against local SAD MLA Jatinder Singh Kariha. “The Congress nominee has been declared defeated at the behest of the SAD MLA,” said Congress workers, alleging that the Congress counting agents were pushed out of the centre when the SAD MLA along with a number of SAD workers entered the centre. While the civil and police administration tried to pacify the agitators, Congress MP from Jalandhar Rana Gurjit Singh reached there and the local party workers got a boost. Then the Congress workers held a procession from the counting centre to Chandigarh Chowk and held a dharna there. The dharna was lifted after 8 pm. Rana Gurjit Singh termed it “murder of democracy” in broad daylight by the SAD. “It is an indication of desperation among the SAD leaders,” said Congress leaders, adding that the ruling SAD had actually lost the mandate of the masses and now the SAD leaders had been resorting to such tactics. Kariha, when contacted on the phone, while categorically denying the allegations of highhandedness on his part, said the people of the area were well aware of the fact that it was not his style and tradition. He reminded the Congress leaders that it was the late Congress minister Dilbagh Singh who resorted to such high-handedness.