Tarn Taran, July 22
One Gurmukh Singh (38) was killed and his father Gian Singh seriously injured when their neighbours opened fire last night in Valtoha village. The police has registered a case under sections 302 and 307 of the IPC, and sections 27, 54, 59 of the Arms Act against three brothers identified as Amrik Singh, Rasal Singh and Balbir Singh.

According to the information, Gurmukh, who was a head constable and was posted at police-post Kairon, went to see his brother Resham Singh. As soon as he knocked at the door the accused opened fire on him. On hearing the fire shots Gian Singh came out of the house when the accused opened fire leaving him seriously injured. Gurmukh Singh was brought to the hospital where the doctors declared him dead. Gian Singh is said to be out of danger. A land dispute is said to be root cause behind this incident. The accused fled away soon after the firing incident.

Jalandhar, July 22
The police today claimed to have arrested four persons of a gang involved in robberies at petrol pumps and of luxury cars on national highways. The police recovered three cars, a .315-bore Indian pistol, two sets of police uniforms, car lock-breaking devices, glass cutters, iron rods, a red beacon and VIP parking stickers.

The gang was allegedly involved in robbing petrol pumps on national highways at gunpoint while also stopping cars at isolated stretches and robbing passers-by of their cash, jewellery and even cars.

On a tip-off, the CIA staff nabbed four members of the gang, including kingpin Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopi, of Jandiala Guru, while they were on their way to make a similar attempt in an Innova vehicle which they had looted from Kapoor village.

The other three arrested persons are Kamaljit of Jandiala Guru, Raghuraj Sharma and Kuljit Singh, both of Ferozepore.

However, two other persons of the same gang, Goldy and Gurpartap of Tarn Taran, fled from the spot. The police has also recovered one Honda City and an Indica car.

Making these revelations, SSP R.K. Jaiswal said the gangsters had tied up with Rohit Bhatia, Bikram Singh, Amandeep Singh, Balwinder Singh, Palwinder Singh, alias Bhola, all of Amritsar, and Ashwini Kumar of Faridkot for selling off the looted cars. He said 19 more cars were to be recovered which would be possible only after the arrest of these dealers.

Hoshiarpur, July 22
People of the town today witnessed the partial solar eclipse of this century as the dawn broke. Residents went on to the rooftops to witness the solar eclipse and offered prayers for a happy and prosperous life.

People were seen donating money and uncooked food, etc. to the poor.

Thousands of pilgrims took a holy dip in the sacred Panchtirathi Sarovar at the heritage place of Kaleshwar Mahadev on the banks of the Beas, 62 km from here, in Himachal Pradesh on the occasion. After the eclipse they offered prayers to Lord Shiva in the ancient temple.

BATALA: Although the solar eclipse was not seen in the industrial town of Batala as well as the surrounding areas, from 4 am devotees started paying obeisance at religious places.

Thousands of people visited the Achaleshwar Temple, 7 km from here, on the Batala-Jalandhar road and took a holy dip in the pond. People also visited gurdwaras and offered prayers.

Amritsar, July 22
The Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) demolished an illegal dargah constructed on a government park land in Housing Board Colony in Ranjit Avenue here today.

The PUDA authorities took the action after the matter was brought in the knowledge of Deputy Commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu by the Tarakshil Society, who immediately ordered to demolish the structure.

The activists of the society alleged that a property dealer along with another resident constructed the dargah by encroaching the land in the park and starting selling oil and sweets to the people coming to the place. — TNS