Jalandhar, October 31
The local Lyallpur Khalsa College in association with Punjab Jagriti Manch today celebrated ‘Punjab Day’ with a colourful cultural programme.

Punjab Minister for Tourism and Cultural Affairs Hira Singh Gabria was the chief guest on this occasion. The college management along with the members of Punjab Jagriti Manch submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal highlighting the need to implement Punjabi language in letter and spirit.

The management emphasised on the need to introduce Punjabi language signboards in the state and sought active participation of the Language Department in promoting the language in the state. The occasion was graced by a 41-member Pakistan-based delegation from ‘Indo-Pak Punjab Psychiatric Society’, who were here for an international level conference till today.

Among the delegates were Professor Haroon Rashid Chaudhry, Suraiya Khannum, Mina Leghari, Jaffar Leghari, Shahzadi Tawana, Dr. Afzal Javed, Mirrat Gul Butt, Dr. Altaf Qadir, Dr. Muhammad Asif and others.

On this occasion the students enjoyed a colourful folk programme by renowned Punjabi singers. Sufi singer Hans Raj Hans added charm in the event with his soul stirring Punjabi numbers.

The highlight of the day was a melodious number presented by Suraiya Khannum who left the audience asking for more. Principal of the college, Dr. Jaspal Singh Randhawa said that the college would make the ‘Punjab Day’ celebrations a regular feature and would celebrate it with colours of Punjabi folk in the years to come.

Jalandhar, October 31
The District Congress Committee (DCC) paid homage to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her 25 death anniversary here today. The DCC organised a condolence meeting, presided over by its Senior Vice-President and advocate Kanwal Sachdeva, at Congress Bhawan.

Gurdaspur: PPCC Secretary Raman Bahl today urged the party men to be ready to make any kind of sacrifice for the protection of unity and integrity of the country as did former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi 25 years ago. On this occasion, a blood donation camp was held in which 28 units of blood were donated to Civil Hospital Gurdaspur.

Hoshiarpur: Functions were organised by the Ambedkar Mission Club at Dasuya, Block Congress Committee at Garhdiwala, Training Cell of the PPCC at Dhoot Kalan, Block Congress Committee at Miani and local Congress Committee at Hoshiarpur today.

Secretary, PPCC, Jasbir Singh Pal, general secretary, Training Cell of PPCC, Capt Malkiat Singh, Principal Buta Ram, general secretary of the Block Congress Varinder Singh Gilizian, president, local unit of the Congress, Hoshiarpur, Onkar Nath, and many others garlanded the portrait of Indira Gandhi and paid floral tributes to her for her.

Phillaur: Tributes were paid to former Prime Minister Late Indira Gandhi, on her 25th death anniversary in a function held at Phillaur today. Former minister Santokh Singh Chaudhary presided over the function.

Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary, President, Jalandhar Youth Congress (rural) also paid tributes to the slain leader.

Jalandhar, October 31
District Magistrate-cum-Deputy Commissioner Ajit Singh Pannu today put complete ban on bursting sound emitting firecrackers between 10 pm to 6 am and also banned the use of loudspeakers and public address system above the limit of 10db(A) at public places.

He also banned blowing of horns during night hours in residential areas and put complete ban on the use and manufacture of pressure horns.

The order of the District Magistrate also reads that all the public places where loudspeakers, public address system or any other source of noise pollution are being used, the user or owner shall install a display board in prescribed format indicating the information regarding the provision of the Noise Polluting Rule-2000 and will comply with the noise standards. Orders shall remain in force from October 24 to December 23.

Ashwani Gupta expressed his happiness over his reappointment. He considers his reappointment as recognition of the hard work put in by him during his previous tenure. Gupta said his reappointment would give him fresh inspiration and strength to work for the betterment of the bank. Gupta said he had been able to introduce a couple of reforms in the bank’s working. He had the opportunity to work in all the committees of the bank, such as, Executive Committee, Risk Management Committee, Fraud Committee, Customers’ Committee and so on.

Amritsar, October 31
An Ajnala-based woman was allegedly set afire after pouring kerosene over her by her in-laws for want of dowry on Thursday. She was rushed to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in a critical condition where she succumbed to her injuries today. The police has booked Sukhwinder Singh and Sawinder Kaur, husband and mother-in-law, respectively, both residents of Panjgaraya village.

According to information, the deceased, Kulwinder Kaur, was married to Sukhwinder Singh about two years ago and had two sons from the marriage. Mohan Singh, a resident of the Faizpura area and father of the deceased, in his complaint lodged with the police alleged that Sukhwinder Singh and Sawinder Kaur used to harass and beat his daughter brutally for dowry. They had thrown her daughter out of the house earlier. However, the matter was settled by the village panchayat.

He said on Thursday the accused poured kerosene on her and set her on fire. She was rushed to the hospital in serious condition. The deceased’s family came to know about the incident through a village resident. They also rushed to the hospital, where Kulwinder died.

Hoshiarpur, October 31
With the arrest of two persons, including a woman, the district police has claimed to solve a blind murder case of Gulshan Kumar, alias Goldy, who was found brutally murdered on a bridge near Eama Jattan village on February 16.

The SSP, Parmod Ban, said here today that following the recovery of the body of Gulshan Kumar, the Garhshankar police had registered an FIR under sections 302 and 120 B of the IPC. The police arrested Hardeep Kaur, wife of late Mohinder Singh of Binjon, and Harjinder Kumar, alias Bhinda, son of Kishan Lal of Bugra, last night in this connection.

For solving the case a special investigation team, headed by the Garhshankar DSP, was formed. During investigation, it was emerged that there had been a quarrel between deceased Gulshan Kumar and Jujhar Singh, son of late Mohinder Singh of Binjon, on some issue and the former had got registered a case under sections 307, 326, 324 and 342 of the IPC at Mahilpur police station and the proceedings of the case were going on in a court. Later, Hardeep Kaur emerged as the main suspect in the case and she was arrested.

During interrogation, Hardeep Kaur confessed that on the lure of giving money and sending abroad she got Maninder Singh, alias Sonu, of the same village, ready to kill Gulshan Kumar.

Maninder Singh along with Raju of Pandori Ganga Singh, Harjinder Kumar, alias Bhinda, Sema, Seepa and Bholu, all of Bugra, assaulted Gulshan Kumar with baseball bats, lathis and iron pipe and killed him on the bridge near Aema Jattan village. At that time, Charanjit Singh, alias Nikka, was accompanying deceased Gulshan Kumar and all accused threatened him with dire consequences if he narrated matter to anyone, said Parmod Ban, adding that raids were being conducted to nab the remaining culprits.

Amritsar, October 31
The State Special Operation Cell here today seized two kg of heroin from a notorious Indo-Pak smuggler identified as Gurmukh Singh, alias Gokha, of Rajoke village falling under Tarn Taran district.

Acting on a tip-off, a specially constituted police party of the cell nabbed Gokha near Gill Farm Marriage Palace situated on main GT Road, near Daburji area, where he was waiting for a party to deliver the consignment. Preliminary investigations revealed that Gokha had received the contraband from a notorious Indo-Pak heroin smuggler in Mehndipur village in Khem Karan sector of the Indo-Pak border, a few days back.

The sources claimed that earlier consignments of 14 kg of heroin and five revolvers seized by the special operation cell during April and January month last year had some links with Gokha.

P.K. Rai, SSP, SSOC, said during interrogation it was revealed that conceal and clear method was used to smuggle heroin. A case under section 21/29/61/85 of the NDPS Act has been registered. The accused had been sent to police remand till November 3.

Nawanshahr: The Mukandpur police has arrested a drug peddler, Rani, of Khanpur village and seized 100 grams of smack from her possession. It is worthwhile to mention here that, earlier, Rani was arrested by the Nurmahal police under sections 15, 61, 85 of the NDPS Act and was sentenced to 10-year imprisonment.

In March this year, she managed to escape from the police custody, while she had come out of Ludhiana Jail on the pretext of buying medicine. Besides, another drug peddler, Baljit, alias Bagga, of Kahma village was also arrested and 50 grams of heroin was seized from him, informed Jagdip Singh Sidhu, DSP, Banga.