Moga, January 13
Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Moga, Karunesh Kumar Kakkar, today sent the Indian-born Canadian citizen, Jagdev Singh, facing a charge of allegedly murdering former MLA Nachattar Singh Gill, father of the state DGP, Paramdip Singh Gill, to judicial custody for 14 days.

He was picked up by the police two days back after a case of theft under sections 457 and 380 of the IPC, was registered against him, his two cousins including Gursewak Singh, Sarabhjit Singh and one of his friends Shamsher Singh, all residents of this town. On Tuesday, the CJM sent him to one-day police remand.

While producing him before the CJM at his residence this evening, the police demanded further extension of a five-day police remand but the NRI’s legal counsel Ramesh Grover objected to it and argued that this case was registered against his client under the pressure of the DGP, who was bent upon keeping him behind the bars by registering false cases against him.

The CJM, while accepting the plea of the defence counsel, rejected the application of the police and sent him to judicial custody for 14 days even as the police added sections 447, 427 and 511 against him during the investigation.

Meanwhile, Grover filed the bail application of Jagdev Singh before the CJM, which was accepted by the court and fixed for coming January 18 for discussion and decision on it.

This was the third criminal case registered against the NRI during the past one year apart from the murder case of the DGP that was already pending against him. Two separate cases of forgery and corruption were the other two cases registered against him.

Muktsar, January 13
The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) today launched an attack over the “decaying” system of governance, during the party conference. President of the SAD (A), Simranjit Singh Mann, lashed out at the ruling SAD (B) as well as the party in opposition—Congress.

He asked all to break the rulers-followers nexus that misuse power for the sake of personal benefits.

Mann demanded a ban upon the enrollment of migrants as voters of Punjab as well as the issuance of ration card to them. He alleged that the state government was directionless and had no policy to eradicate unemployment, poverty and corruption.

Among other demands, the declaration of Punjab and other states as no-fly zone, transfer of Chandigarh and other Punjabi speaking regions to Punjab, conversion of all sign- boards related to names of villages and cities as well as of government institutions in Punjabi, were main.

In the largely attended gathering, the party leaders passed several agendas including the enrollment of Gurudwara votes which he said should be open only for those whose names have Kaur and Singh as their last names.

Meanwhile, leaders of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) also organised a political conference on the occasion. After paying homage to the 40 Mukta, leaders accused the prevailing system for all evils in society. They also accused the SGPC of not promoting Sikhism but indulging in leg-pulling of each other. National general secretary of the party Narender Kashyap and state president Avtar Singh Karimpuri, raised the issues related to inflation, economic difference in society, unemployment.

Bharti Kisan Union leaders also staged a rally where Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, chairman, Punjab Mandi Board was the key speaker.

Abohar, January 13
Senior members of the managing committee including Luxmi Devi, Prem Lata, Puran Chand Bansal and Sushil Garg joined the staff and students in lighting the Lohri during the function held at the Kenway College of Education here today.

Speaking on the occasion, vice-principal Dr Sushila Narang said while Lohri is essentially a Punjabi festival, it is celebrated in some other states of the North India as well. The function was organised by the Waris Shah Association headed by Urmil Kataria and Ajmer Singh.

Meanwhile, ‘Charkha mera Rangla’ presented by Gursimran Kaur enthralled the gathering during the Lohri celebrations at the LRS DAV Senior Secondary School here on Wednesday.

Prahi Rida Group and Hastinder Jassal presented dances. Simran Dhingra and Gauri Munjal conducted the function.

Naresh Sharma exhorted the gathering to bid adieu to polythene bags. Havan Yagya was also performed by Ashok Purohit.

Mansa: People of Sammaon village today celebrated the Lohri for girls following the Nanhi Chaan programme of Bathinda MP, Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

Women, who had given birth to girls during the last one year, assembled at the village to celebrate Lohri.

Leader of the Istri Akali Dal, Chitwant Kaur Sammaon, said that 55 girls were born during the last one year and Lohri was being celebrated for them. All the girl children were present with their mothers on the occasion.

Friends’ Welfare Club president, Gurtej Singh, presented prizes to all the girls. They said that Nanhi Chhaan campaign had played a key role in creating a positive mindset for girls.

It is notable that people have been celebrating Lohri for girls on a large scale in Mansa. An impressive function, Dhian di Lohri, was organised by the Sabhyacharak Chetna Manch, Mansa, in which, Harsimrat Kaur Badal participated and conveyed the message to save girl child and trees.

Abohar, January 13
The Technical Services Union (TSU) today resolved to organise dharna and demonstration against the executive engineer of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) here on January 22. President Bhanwar Daan informed that a meeting of the divisional unit of the TSU, presided over by him, today, chalked out a plan for organising protest rallies on January 16 at the sub-division number 1, on January 18 at Khuyiansarwar on January 21 at the sub-division number 2 and 3.

The TSU is spearheading the agitation against suspension of five leaders, who had also been booked by the city police for allegedly giving “corporal punishment”, to two sub-divisional engineers by keeping them standing within the circle drawn by the union workers during the last month.

Abohar, January 13
Coming down heavily on the local municipal council here, legislator Sunil Jakhar said today that most public places have virtually been converted into garbage dumps. Regretfully, the council had not attended to the complaints regarding garbage dumps and overflowing sewerage outside the Government Girls Senior Secondary School, he said.

Addressing a meeting in ward 17 here, he alleged that a small bridge constructed over the sewerage channel in Rajiv Nagar, collapsed due to use of sub-standard material, Jakhar alleged.

Bathinda, January 13
A two-year-old boy from Bathinda, Happy, suspected to be suffering from swine flu was admitted to the Civil Hospital here today. The sample of his throat swab was collected, which will be sent to the PGI, Chandigarh, for test tomorrow.

District Health Officer Dharam Pal Singh Sekhon said another Bathinda resident Baljit Kaur (60), who had tested positive for swine flu, had been undergoing treatment at the Adesh Hospital near here for the past two days.