Amritsar, November 8
At least 12 armed persons tried to grab a prime property worth crores of rupees, belonging to Dr Barinderjit Singh, a resident of Ranjit Avenue, late Sunday evening.The armed men took the guards and migrants, who were acting as caretakers of the property, hostage for more than two hours.

The police team, led by Sub-Inspector Amrik Singh, which went to the spot after receiving a complaint, was fired at by the accused, who had climbed up the roof.

More police force was brought in following which the site was gheraoed. Later, nine armed men were caught and the rest goons fled away.

A case under sections 307, 382, 427, 148, 149 and 353 of Indian Penal Code and sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered against them.

The police recovered two rifles (.315 bore), four double barrel guns (.12 bore) and one revolver (.32 bore) from the spot.

Barring one, all the accused belonged to various areas of Tarn Taran district. Those arrested are Rishi of Tirath Nagar (Amritsar), Jaimal Singh of Manakpur village, Jhirmaljit Singh of Sabrah village, Jaspal Singh of Sheron village, Amajit Singh of Chardi Patti village, Prabhjit Singh of Marri Sorr Singh, Gurjant Singh of Daleri, Sumit Kumer of Baler Road and Kala Singh of Frandipur.

During investigations, the name of a ruling party MLA from Tarn Taran figured in the case who reportedly tried to pressurised the police. However, the police authorities refused to comment on this. Dr Barinderjit, who is posted as Medical Officer in Lopoke, said the 2,500-sq yard plot located on the GT Road belonged to him and he had kept a security guard Hardeep Singh with a gun and two watchmen Hira Singh and Puran Singh for the purpose.

He said the armed men jumped over the wall and the captured watchmen and security guard. They snatched their mobiles, gun and locked them in a room after beating them. When he got the information, he called up the police.

Amritsar, November 8
Acting on the complaint lodged by Dr Inderjit Singh, registrar, Guru Nanak Dev University, the cantonment police today booked as many as 14 persons, including a girl, reportedly belonging to Khalsa College, in connection with creating ruckus and capturing the stage during the inter-university zonal youth festival held at the university premises on November 1.

The incident had led to the inter-university zonal youth festival being deferred for an indefinite period.

Those booked also include one Mankirat Singh Dhillon, president of the college unit of Student Organisation of India, besides former students of the college.

The police registered a case under section 419, 427, 146, 147, 186 and 353 of the Indian Penal Code against them.

All the teams of the Khalsa College were banned from participating in any youth festival for two years after an enquiry found the college bhangra team guilty of including two outsiders in its team.

The university had also disqualified all the achievements of the students of the said college during the festival.

This enraged the students, who forcibly entered the university premises and captured the stage.

Dr Inderjit Singh, registrar, Jagjit Kaur, director youth welfare and Harbans Singh, security officer of the university, in its complaint, alleged that the accused also clashed with security persons and university staff, besides damaging property.

Besides Mankirat Singh Dhillon the other accused include Sandeep Wahla, Gursharan Singh Chhina, Ranjodh Singh Samrah, Wariam Singh Hundal, Ranjit Singh Bawa, Jatinder Singh, Gurpartap Singh, Gurlal Singh, Harpreet Singh, Gurbhinder Singh, Sukhjinder Singh, Rajinder Singh, Simranjit Kaur and about 500 unidentified students.

Dr Daljit Singh, principal of the college, feigned ignorance about the registration of the case and added that he could comment only after going through the facts given in the FIR. 

Jalandhar, November 8
In a meeting with Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti, officials of the Punjab Pollution Control Board, municipal corporation, Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) and Punjab Irrigation and Drainage Authority, renowned environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, along with more than 200 residents of various villages situated alongside the Kala Sanghia drain, warned to block the flow of the drain in the coming days.

He accused the officials concerned for their alleged failure to check the drainage of untreated industrial effluents and sewerage waste of the city into the Kala Sanghia drain.

Members of various panchayats alleged that such promises couldn’t be materialised as industrialists and authorities concerned are hands in glove over the issue.

Baba Daya Singh of Gurdwara Tahli Sahib and members of Vatavaran Bachao Chetna Forum were also part of the delegation.

A memorandum in this regard was also submitted to the office of the Deputy Commissioner. DC Priyank Bharti has demanded status report regarding the steps taken in this regard by various departments. 

Jalandhar, November 8
The members of Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, a front organisation of the BJP, today burnt an effigy of US President Barack Obama at the local Company Bagh Chowk following his remarks over providing 50,000 jobs to US citizens and soft stance on Pakistan.

Surinder Anand, a representative from the manch, said despite talking about global terrorism, President Obama has been keeping a soft stance on Pakistan. “The Indians are being deprived of good job opportunities in the US”, he added.

Hoshiarpur: Activists of the local unit of the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, led by their president Krishan Lal, burnt the effigy of US President Barack Obama.

The effigy was burnt regarding Obama’s visit to India, against his dual policy to appease Pakistan, at the local Kamalpur Chowk here this afternoon. Earlier, they assembled at the local Town Hall and went to the Kamalpur Chowk in a procession and raised slogans against the US President.

Nawanshahr, November 8
Two unidentified motorcycle borne miscreants reportedly snatched gold ornaments and cash amounting to Rs 10,000 from Hardeep Singh, his wife Balwinder Kaur and aunt Ram Murti, residents of Laroya village, who were traveling in a Maruti car near the Jhingeran-Gunachaur road here on Monday evening.

As per available information, Hardeep, along with his wife and aunt, was returning from Langeri village. When they reached near the Jhingeran-Gunachaur link road, two motorcycle borne miscreants stopped their car and snatched two chains, two ear-rings, a bracelet and cash amounting to Rs 10,000 from them. The police, after receiving information, immediately reached the site and started investigation.

Nawanshahr, November 8
Hundreds of students and members of truck/tempo unions, Kisan Sabha, anganwari workers, CDPOs, supervisors and rural medical officers visited the Red Ribbon Express to witness exhibitions as well as to attend training and counseling sessions to learn various life skills to fight the menace of AIDS. Ultra modern gadgets set up in the train aroused the interest of the people, especially youth, to discard taboos and hesitation to acquire proper education regarding AIDS.

In the counselling coaches of the Red Ribbon Express, more than 100 people availed the facility of counseling, medical and clinical tests on the second day.

Training was imparted to CDPOs, anganwari workers and rural medical officers at the auditorium.

Besides, Blood Donors Council, a local NGO, associated with voluntary blood donation and safe blood transfusion, organised a mega blood donation camp in the special bus brought here by the Punjab State AIDS Control Society.

Civil Surgeon Rakesh Gupta inaugurated the camp and as many as 101volunteers donated blood on the occasion.

Jalandhar, November 8
In an initiative aimed at taking technologies from campus laboratories to the farms, the officials of the Punjab Technical University today held the first meeting of their recently set up Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) at its campus.

Presiding over the meeting, Vice-Chancellor Rajneesh Arora called for the role of technical institutes associated with the PTU in upgradation of technology used in farming and non-farming sector in rural area of Punjab. He said not just technical institutes, even public sector undertakings, government departments and NGOs would have to join in to coordinate for the purpose.

The VC said initially 10 engineering colleges of the PTU were volunteering for the purpose and later all 110 colleges, most of them being located in rural areas, could play the role.

The college managements, staff and the NSS volunteers of these colleges would have to interact on a regular basis with opinion leaders and farming community from these villages to know their priorities and understand their basic technical issues.

He said Dr Chander Parkash, assistant professor, biology, had been appointed as the convener of the programme. Various documentaries and presentations on the issues were taken up. The members were apprised of next meetings at Bathinda, Mohali and Ludhiana.