Bathinda, June 22
The Bathinda Municipal Corporation's focus on removing encroachments has always been on the posh and easy accessible areas, while the "one of the most affected areas - Parasram Nagar,” has been ignored.

Vegetable and fruit vendors have encroached upon roadsides in the area. This is proving to be a traffic hazard and creating parking problems.

As soon as one enters the western part of Bathinda after getting down from the railway over bridge (ROB), encroachments become visible. Rehriwalas occupy both sides of the road, making the passage narrow not only for vehicles but also for pedestrians. Traffic jams are frequent here.

Call it a result of indifferent attitude of BMC officials or weakness not to be strict with the encroachers that the encroachers have been defying the orders of the civic body. "Encroachment of footpath and roadsides by these fruit and vegetables vendors force us to walk on the main road. This not only obstructs the free flow of vehicular traffic but also threatens our life," J.C. Raheja, a resident of the area, said.

Being the only commercial area on the western part of the city, Parasram Nagar is buzzing with both people and vehicles. The civic body has failed to do anything substantiate that it can be appreciated for.

The scenario on the Amrik Singh Road is no different as vendors are selling fruits and vegetables in rehri-free zones, while the authorities concerned are turning a blind eye to it.

These encroachers alleged that the police and BMC officials often took money from them and allowed outdoor display. They also added that they had informers in the department who informed them before the start of anti-encroachment drive. The shopkeeper rued that the size of their shops was small and it didn't attract much customers.

Kamal Kant, executive officer, BMC, agreed to such encroachments and assured that these will be removed in a day or two.

Bathinda, June 22
Colleges in Bathinda have started admission process for the session 2009-10. The Government Rajindra College is planning to start two professional courses relating to food processing and beverage services apart from the regular courses.

The duration of both the courses would be of one-and-a-half year and the fee for the each course would be around Rs 16,000. There are 40 seats in each course. Students with 50 per cent marks in class XII would be eligible to take admission depending on the number of seats.

Professor N.K. Gosain of the DAV College, Bathinda, said the college had already started registration of the students. Around 200 prospectuses have been sold and a prospectus costs Rs 125. "We admit students on 'first come first serve' basis, if one meets the eligibility set by the Punjabi University, Patiala.

For the BCA and the BBA courses, the eligibility is 45 per cent marks in Class XII and for the SC/ST and backward class students, 40 per cent marks are required. For the PGDCA, the candidate needs to be a graduate in any discipline.

For the admission in B.Com, the student should be from commerce stream with 40 per cent marks in Class XII., Class XII in Arts, maths and economics with 45 per cent marks and Class XII in science with 50 per cent marks. The admissions would begin from June 29 to July 8 without late fee, sources from the college added.

Raj Gupta, principal of the Swami Vivekananda College said that the college had been selling prospectus for 15 days. "The cost of the prospectus is Rs 100," the principal said, adding, “We admit students on first come first serve basis. We have eligibility criteria set for some courses such as BSc (IT) and BCA for which a student needs 50 per cent marks in Class XII. For fashion designing we consider talent and not marks,”

There are 30 seats each in BCA, BSc (IT), diploma courses, PGDCA and diploma in stitching & tailoring has 40 seats.

The SSD College and the Khalsa College have also started selling their prospectuses. 

Bathinda, June 22
On the call given by the State Sector Bank Employees Association (SSBEA), employees of the State Bank of Patiala (SBoP), Bathinda, held a demonstration in front of the zonal office of the bank here on Monday.

They raised slogans against the management of SBI for taking initiative for merging associate banks with SBI by the Board of State Bank of Indore.

In a press release issued by State Bank of Patiala Employees Union here today, All India Bank Employees Association will go on one-day strike on July 6 against the merger of associate banks. — TNS

Bathinda, June 22
The Revenue Patwar Union, Bathinda, today condemned the assault on Tehsildar Major G.S. Benipal (retd) in Ludhiana on June 19 and termed it as a shameful and cowardice act by Akali workers.

In a press release issued by the Revenue Patwar Union, Bathinda, today, the union expressed solidarity with Major Benipal and urged the state government to take exemplary action against the accused that chose to take law into their own hands.

In an emergency meeting held at Ludhiana today, tehsildars, revenue officers and kanungos decided to observe indefinite pen-down strike from 11 am to 2 pm at all headquarters from Tuesday. 

Ferozepur, June 22
The BSF sleuths belonging to the 8th Battalion today seized a huge consignment of fake Indian currency from the fields between the zero line of the Indo-Pakistan border and the barbed wire fencing in Amarkot area.

According to the sources in the BSF, the consignment was concealed beneath the ground in the field near border outpost Kalsian close to the border pillar 133/21.

The BSF officials said that the total value of fake currency was Rs 11,99,000 and the notes were in denomination of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500.

They further told that one farmer identified as Pargat Singh, son of Bhan Singh, has also been arrested in this connection.

Sources in BSF told that Pargat was allegedly acting as a courier for another person identified as Harcharan Singh, who is lodged in the Central jail, Amritsar in connection with case under NPDS act.

Sources further revealed that Pargat, who belongs to Khasa area in Taran Taran district owns four acres of agriculture land and was offered Rs 5,000 par lakh fake currency to retrieve the consignment from the fields and hand it over to another agent.

BSF officials said that there had been several such instances when the farmers going beyond the fencing have indulged in cross border smuggling of drugs, narcotics and fake currency. 

Sriganganagar/Abohar, June 22
The body of an intruder from Pakistan, who had been gunned down by the Border Security Force (BSF) during the wee hours on Sunday, was buried near the International border last evening as the Pakistan Rangers during a flag meeting refused to accept it.

As per the information, the BSF men opened fire as the suspect Pak national sneaked in the Indian territory about 125 meters from the Zero line in between pillar number 317/1 and 317/2 near Naggi check post in Srikaranpur area of the district Sriganganagar.

Seven bullets hit his chest and feet killing him on the spot. Aged about 25-30, the intruder was wearing salwar-kurta, the traditional dress of Pak nationals. Search resulted in recovery of the Pakistani currency worth Rs 190, besides, Pakistan made cigarette pack and matches.

He is believed to have travelled from Hasalpur to Bahawal Nagar, the rail ticket that was found in his pocket indicated. The burial was preceded by post-mortem in the Civil Hospital, sources said. 

Hanumangarh/Abohar, June 22
Four members of a family were killed in village Rajasar Baas located on the Sonadi road near Rawatsar in the Hanumangarh district late last night, sources said.

As per information available, the minor son of a milk vendor, who visited the house of Lal Chand Suthar (32) on Monday morning to know why he had not turned up to collect milk, started crying and rushed back on seeing four bodies lying in a pool of blood.

The DSP Nevil Clork, who rushed with the police force on receiving the information, found that Suthar, his wife Saroj, daughters Nisha and Sumrin had been brutally killed using a sharp-edged weapon that is used normally for cutting wood.

A local resident, Bhupinder Asija, confirmed that dog squad and FSL team had reached the village from the district headquarter. The visiting police teams found goods lying scattered on the floor but the sleuths suspected killers had done so to mislead them. It does not appear to be a simple case of theft or loot, a cop said.

Preliminary investigation indicated that in-laws of Suthar in Ellenabad town of Haryana had reportedly sought help of some known criminals through Suthar to sort out a land dispute.

Officiating superintendent of police Yad Ram Bansal also visited Rajasar and held discussions with the investigating teams.

Later, the police indicated working on some other clues, which they said will not be made public at the moment. Shell shocked farmers from some neighbouring villages including Sajjasar have assembled in Sonadi.

The police in the evening handed over the bodies to their relatives after getting post-mortem conducted in the Civil Hospital at Rawatsar. 

Abohar, June 22
Some suspects were being interrogated in killing of a property dealer, Harbans Narang (55), inside his house, located on the Seetogunno road, on Saturday night, sources said. His daughter-in-law Parminder Kaur has regained conscious during hospitalisation.

Harish, son of the victim, told the police that he locked the house from outside while leaving for jagran. Three unidentified persons scaled the boundary wall, caught hold and pushed Parminder to wall causing head injury. The dog squad from the district headquarters and forensic lab experts arrived but are clueless so far, sources said. — OC

Abohar, June 22
One Mahabir (20) was crushed to death by a Rajasthan Roadways bus near village Kallarkhera on Abohar-Sriganganagar road today, sources said.

As per the information, the victim was on a visit to some villages to mobilise people for participating in a religious function. He was talking to someone near a jeep that was parked on the roadside when Amritsar-Gharsana bound state roadways bus allegedly hit him resulting his death on the spot. The bus driver escaped after the mishap, he has been booked by the Khuyiansarwar police.