Tax EXemption
SC refers Punjab’s plea to mediators
New Delhi, April 25
The Supreme Court today sent for mediation Punjab Government’s suit seeking quashing of the Centre’s orders granting duty and tax exemptions/concessions and other incentives to the industrial units in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Two revolvers, 3 cell phones recovered from accused
Police tracing calls to ascertain if murder was pre-planned
Jalandhar, April 25
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajpal Singh Sandhu said here today that they had recovered a .32 bore revolver from the possession of Akali councillor Ram Simran Singh Makkar, alias Prince, the prime accused in the murder of hotelier Gurkirat Singh Sekhon. Prince is a nephew of SAD legislator Sarabjit Singh Makkar.

Amritsar, April 25
Exporters here have high hopes from Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar’s talks with his Pakistani counterpart Zafar Mehmood.

Facilitating trade n Integrated check post (ICP) to facilitate bilateral trade at Attari to be operational after June 30 n Spread over 130 acres, the post will be a completely sanitised zone with dedicated terminals for passengers and cargo n It will have adequate Customs and immigration counters, CCTVs and other passenger amenities n At present, 100-150 trucks cross over to Pakistan daily. With the post becoming operational, this number will increase manifold

Talking to The Tribune, Rajdeep Uppal, vice-president of the Amritsar Exporters’ Chambers of Commerce, stressed on the need to make the integrated check post (ICP) at Attari operational at the earliest. He said Pakistan should also create similar infrastructure on its side. He also sought a separate passage for trade through the Wagah-Attari land route.

“We need to have a second gate which should be dedicated to the movement of trucks. The first gate should cater to VIP movement and the retreat ceremony,” he averred.

Uppal said 70 per cent of the trade between India and Pakistan was indirect and was routed through Singapore and Dubi. The annual trade between both the countries via the Wagah-Attari route was around Rs 1,500 crore, which could grow manifold.

He said there was a need to rethink the barter trade policy in Kashmir as it was having an adverse impact on business.

“While only Kashmiri spices are allowed to be exported, red chillies from Andhra Pradesh and pepper from Kerala are also being sent across the border. Similarly, goods imported from Pakistan through Kashmir, which are duty-free, are being sent to states where we have our interests. It is taking a toll on our business as we are unable to compete with duty-free goods from Pakistan. These issues need to be addressed,” he said. He reiterated the demand for the ‘most favoured’ nation (MFN) status.

Indo-Pak Exporters Association chairman Om Prakash Arora said the trade in fresh vegetables with Pakistan should be made duty-free and the visa norms for traders relaxed.

“At times it takes the traders six months to get visa, which is not good for the cross-border trade. The authorities should ensure that visas are given at the border itself,” he added. He said there were a few items like fresh lemon which were not allowed to be exported via the Wagah-Attari border but the same were being sent to Pakistan from Kashmir. This was not fair.

Meanwhile, Amritsar Deputy Commissioner KS Pannu said the work on the integrated check post at Attari will be completed by June 30.

The Commerce Secretaries of the two countries are to meet in Islamabad on April 27 and 28.

Mohali, April 25
Punjab urgently requires a foodgrain management strategy to overcome the problem of storage and distribution, said Dr MS Swaminathan, Chairman of the National Commission for Farmers, while interacting with mediapersons at the Punjab Agricultural University camp office here today.

It was a pity that a huge quantity of precious foodgrain was being lost to rodents, he said.

Dr Swaminathan, who met Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today after a survey of mandis in different parts of the state, said Punjab urgently needed an integrated strategy for procurement, storage and distribution of foodgrain, from the farm level to the distribution point. He advised the CM to set up a national centre for sustainable agriculture so that the state could work out a strategy on crop diversification to tide over the problem of the depleting water table and soil salinity.

While wheat would remain Punjab’s main crop, the cultivation of basmati should be encouraged as it required relatively less water, he said. The cultivation of maize, especially the quality protein maize (QPM), and pulses also needed to be encouraged.

Referring to his tour of the mandis at Khanna and Khamano, Dr Swaminathan, often referred to as the father of the Green Revolution, said with a bumper crop of 26 lakh tonnes expected from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh and the existing reserves going waste for lack of space, the country was looking to Punjab for food security.

“First, ensure speedy distribution of foodgrain straight to the consumption centers under different central government-sponsored programmes. Second, strengthen the infrastructure for open storage and third set up modernised silos like the one that exists in Moga with a capacity of 2.25 lakh tonnes,” he said. He said he had advocated adequate silos for every 10 lakh tonnes of foodgrain in Punjab. An investment of Rs 600 crore was required to handle each tonne of foodgrain. The fair average quality (FAQ) of grain needed to be ensured all through, from the silos to the distribution point.

The volatility of prices of foodgrain owing to climate change had to be kept in mind and sustainable production was a must for the sake of food security, Dr Swaminathan stressed.

Dr Swaminathan said the minimum support price of agricultural commodities should be based on the actual production expenditure plus 50 per cent more. He presented his book “Evergreen Revolution” to PAU Vice Chancellor Dr Manjit Singh Kang, who was present on the occasion. 

New Delhi, April 25
The Supreme Court today sent for mediation Punjab Government’s suit seeking quashing of the Centre’s orders granting duty and tax exemptions/concessions and other incentives to the industrial units in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Punjab filed the original suit in 2009 contending that its existing industrial units were moving out to the three neighbouring states, as the Centre was not offering any such benefits to the units within the state. The discrimination, which was in violation of Articles 14, 19 and 303 of the Constitution, had crippled Punjab’s industrial growth and resulted in a “huge flight of capital from Punjab to the neighbouring tax exempted states,” it has been contended in the suit. The state has sought the quashing of the Centre’s relevant Office Memoranda dated June 14, 2002, and January 7, 2003, declaring them to unconstitutional and ultra vires.

A Bench, comprising Justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Misra, passed an order sending the matter for mediation. “We are of the opinion that an effort should be made to resolve the dispute between the parties through mediation. Hence, we refer the dispute to the joint mediation by two mediators, namely, JP Singh and Sadhna Ramachandran, learned Senior Advocates of the Delhi High Court, who are two of the foremost experts in mediation in the country,” said the Bench in the order.

The two senior advocates would “mediate jointly. Each of them may appoint one co-mediator of their choice to assist them. The mediators may fix the terms of emoluments of their own and of the co-mediators after consultation” with the Centre and the four state governments, said the SC.

The mediators would fix the time, places and dates on which the parties would appear before them. The mediation proceedings would be “entirely confidential” and the suit would come up before the Bench after the mediators’ report was available, the apex court ruled. However, the Bench has not fixed any deadline for the mediators to submit their report.

The SC noted that the Punjab Chief Minister had made representations to the Prime Minister and the Union Ministers for Finance and Commerce and Industry, drawing their attention to the fact that the incentives granted to the adjacent states were having an adverse impact on Punjab.

The Punjab Vidhan Sabha also passed a resolution on April 1, 2003, urging the Centre to provide similar incentives to the industrial units in Punjab. However, the Union Commerce and Industry Minister wrote to the state government subsequently stating that “it is not possible” to extend such benefits to Punjab.

Jalandhar, April 25
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajpal Singh Sandhu said here today that they had recovered a .32 bore revolver from the possession of Akali councillor Ram Simran Singh Makkar, alias Prince, the prime accused in the murder of hotelier Gurkirat Singh Sekhon. Prince is a nephew of SAD legislator Sarabjit Singh Makkar.

“Another .22 bore revolver was recovered from Amardeep Singh, alias Sunny Sachdeva, son of advocate Manmohan Singh Sachdeva,” he said. The two had concealed the weapons in their houses.

Sandhu said they had also recovered the cell phones of Prince Makkar, Sunny Sachdeva and Prince Narula, son of MGN Educational Trust chairman Gurinder Singh Narula.

“We have sent the weapons and cell phones of the accused to forensic experts,” the officer said.

On Sunday, the police had recorded the statement of Jasdeep Singh Jassu, son of the owner of hotel Regent Park, Arvinder Singh, and recovered the Skoda car used in the crime (PB08V 0505) and his cell phone.

Official sources said the police was trying to get the call details of the four accused to ascertain if the murder was pre-planned.

Earlier in the day, Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa met the father of the deceased, Rajbir Singh Sekhon, and assured justice to the family.

Gikki, owner of hotel Sekhon Grand, was murdered on April 21 midnight outside an eatery in the posh Model Town locality of the city. He was allegedly shot dead by his childhood Prince after an altercation.

The accused have been remanded to police custody till April 27.

Yesterday, Jalandhar citizens had held a candlelight march to express solidarity with the victim’s family. They gathered at Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall and expressed sympathy with Gurkirat’s family.

Sunny Sachdeva was hospitalised in evening after he complained of a bleeding nose. “We took him to the Civil Hospital where doctors found that his blood pressure had shot up,” said a police official.

After medication, he was brought to the police station.

Chandigarh, April 25
Aiming at replacing water-guzzling paddy with high-yielding crops, the Punjab Government today urged the Indian Council for Agriculture Research to establish a pulses' regional research station in the state.

Such a centre, the government hopes, would complement its efforts to establish 'Dr Borlaug South Asian Centre for Research in Maize' at Ludhiana. Pulses and maize are the predominant crops being touted as a replacement for paddy in various parts of the state where they were grown traditionally (before paddy).

In a meeting held with the ICAR officials, including its Director General Dr S Ayyappan, the state government presented its case for access to better technology to break the wheat-paddy cycle. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal presided over the meeting where eminent scientist Dr MS Swaminathan was also present.

ICAR officials were in agreement with the state government that diversification could not take place till farmers were given a good alternative. Dr AK Singh, Deputy Director General of Soil and Water Conservation, said hybrid varieties of maize could provide impetus to diversification.

The government also urged the ICAR to establish a kinnow research station to facilitate increase in horticulture cultivation. Besides, the state demanded construction of two separate ICAR centres on research in diseases which affect milk yield as well as a diagnosis and imaging centre. The Chief Minister also urged that an ICAR centre be opened in south-western Punjab where there was scope for fisheries on 70,000 hectares of land where water was saline and unfit for agriculture.

For his part, the ICAR DG assured the CM of his organisation's commitment to providing research answers as far as diversification and new initiatives on animal husbandry front were concerned. Accordingly, a committee headed by State Farmers Commission head Dr GS Kalkat and comprising Agriculture Director Dr BS Sidhu, GADVASU (Ludhiana) Vice-Chancellor and officials from the ICAR was formed to submit an action plan within 15 days.

Meanwhile, the ICAR has urged the state to encourage artificial recharge of groundwater in order to arrest the fall in its levels over successive years. Dr Swapal Kumar Dutta, Deputy DG (Crop Science), called for earmarking area where paddy was not grown traditionally so that new hybrid varieties of maize or pulses could be offered to farmers in order to make diversification successful. It was also recommended that processing industry needed to be created to encourage farmers to grow soyabean. 

Chandigarh, April 25
The Punjab Government is contemplating a proposal to utilise the rooftops of all government buildings to install photo-voltaic solar panels.

During his visit to science and education town Changzhou in China, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was shown a 1.09 mw solar power plant installed at Changzhou University that entirely met the requirement of the university township.

Impressed by the concept, Sukhbir asked the Secretary, Science and Technology, Viswajeet Khanna, to explore the possibility of using the rooftops of government buildings to tap solar energy. Thereafter, the experiment could be replicated in private, industrial and commercial buildings.

Punjab has already issued instructions making solar water heating systems in all government buildings mandatory.

Summing up the tour to China the Punjab Deputy Chief Minister said that this tour was a leap forward towards our aim to tap 10 percent of the total generated power from the non-conventional energy sector.

The Deputy Chief Minister was accompanied by Member of Parliament Harsimrat Kaur Badal among others.

Ludhiana, April 25
Punjab pools 10 per cent of the milk in the country's total annual production that stands at 112 million tonnes. Despite an increase in the demand of milk and existence of several cooperative societies, lakhs of tonnes of milk go waste with farmers in the absence of proper collection centres and marketing policies in India.

These views were expressed by Dr AK Srivastava, Director-cum-Vice-Chancellor, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal.

Dr Srivastava was in the city to attend the sixth founders day function of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU).

Talking to The Tribune, Dr Srivastava said that dairy scientists were focusing on increasing milk production by boosting crossbreeding.

“But in this exercise, we are losing our own precious breeds. The existing breeds are not being taken care of well by farmers, researchers and scientists.

“For example, the ‘Bechu’ breed, found in Kerala, is resistant to foot and mouth disease. As we are not focusing on this well-established breed, so these are fast vanishing. By paying attention to crossbreeding, we must not neglect the country's good breeds,” said Dr Srivastava.

The scientists need to focus on the prevention of diseases among cattle/buffaloes to boost the dairy industry. It is equally important to reduce the number of less-feeding and non-feeding animals, stressed Dr Srivastava.

He added that during the Green Revolution, 17 million tonnes of milk was produced in India which has increased to 112 million tonnes in recent times.

Seeing the growing demand of milk and milk products in the country, the production needs to be increased at a faster rate, he said.

Sharing his views on the progress made in the dairy sector in Punjab, GS Sandhu, Financial Commissioner, Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries, Punjab, said that the state government was providing subsidy on the purchase and housing of animals. Farmers were being motivated to buy machines to make the process more viable.

“Due to the state government’s efforts, 2,000 commercial dairy farms get established every year in Punjab. We have 4,200 commercial dairy farms and the best belt is Moga-Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib and Tarn Taran,”said Sandhu. 

Patiala, April 25
Demanding a probe and a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the family of the deceased Excise and Taxation Officer (ETO) Ranjit Singh, who allegedly committed suicide on April 23 at Mohali, more than 300 officers of the Punjab Excise and Taxation Department held a meeting here at the excise headquarters in Patiala.

The officers unanimously decided that if the guilty vigilance officers, who tried to implicate the ETO, are not brought to book, the entire department would observe a pen-down strike on April 29.

The meeting of the confederation was held under the chairmanship of Jaskaran Singh Brar, Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner, and Magnesh Sethi, AETC.

Senior officers of the Punjab Excise and Taxation Officers Association alleged that vigilance personnel and smugglers had a nexus and vigilance officers usually backed such smugglers. — TNS

Jalandhar, April 25
A Punjab Police constable allegedly beat up a minor Dalit girl in public over a petty issue of not paying up Rs 10 that she owed for quite some time to his brother who runs a ration depot.

Accompanied by the members of the Istri Jagriti Sansthan, a women rights organisation, the victim today approached the city police after her three-day protest with the Shahkot police had failed to yield any result.

According to information, the incident took place on April 22 when Kanta (17), a resident of Khose village in Shahkot sub-division, along with her mother went to buy wheat from the Public Distribution System (PDS) depot in the village.

Kanta alleged that constable Teerath Singh beat her up mercilessly after she failed to pay up Rs 10 to his brother, Nachattar Singh. “Teerath Singh kicked me and threw me on the floor thrashing like animals,” she said. “My mother shouted for help, but none of the villagers came forward…. Teerath Singh is very influential in the village and owing to his terror, nobody came to help us.”

Jeeto, victim’s mother, alleged that the constable was running a liquor vend, ration depot and a grocery shop from his house. “Constable Teerath Singh is no less than a goon and enjoys clout in the village. He has been posted at Lohian police station for the past around seven years,” she maintained.

When Lohian SHO Manjit Singh was approached, the victim alleged, he did not lodge a complaint and instead told them to opt for a compromise with the constable.

However, the SHO said that it was a family dispute as Teerath Singh was a relative of Kanta. “Nachattar Singh had a fight with Kanta and constable Teerath Singh had come to control the situation. It seems that the victim is working at the behest of certain political groups,” he added.

SSP (Rural) Ashish Chaudhary said, “I have already directed the DSP (Shahkot) to probe the allegations against the constable. If found true, we will immediately initiate a departmental inquiry.”

Saneta (Mohali), April 25
In a move targeted at appeasing the weaker sections, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today laid the foundation stone of 160 low-cost housing complex in Saneta village and also distributed cheques worth Rs 80 lakh as the first instalment to160 beneficiaries hailing from weaker sections of the society.

All beneficiaries will be given Rs 1,10,000 towards the cost of construction on the land allocated for the housing complex.

While laying the foundation stone of the housing project, the Chief Minister also exhorted the big colonisers and builders to reserve at least 10 per cent of the land for the economically weaker sections.

He announced to double the allocation of funds earmarked for the scheme from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh per household in addition to Rs 10,000 each for toilets. The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has also been asked to set up a dispensary, a community centre and a primary school in the vicinity of the upcoming housing complex.

Chairman District Planning Committee Mohali NK Sharma urged the Chief Minister to immediately implement the scheme of land pooling in the sectors 89-93 and up-grade the middle school to a high school at Saneta village. He said nearly Rs 60 crore was being spent on the overall development of villages in Mohali district.

Later, interacting with mediapersons, the Chief Minister said his government was ready to strengthen the institution of Lokpal as per the guidelines/recommendations of the Centre. However, he said Punjab had already set up the Lokpal and added only those, indulging in rampant corruption and other malpractices, should be afraid from this institution. He also strongly pleaded that the black money, stashed in the Swiss Banks, should be brought back. He asked the Centre to show political will to not only retrieve this black money in the country but also to utilise it judiciously for the welfare of the poor and needy.

To another question regarding the prospects of Manpreet’s PPP, the Chief Minister said it was not a political party but a ‘pack of opportunists’ as the most of the leaders who have joined it so far had been denied party tickets or had been expelled from the parties.

Later, the Chief Minister disbursed Rs 2.30 crore as bonus and dividend among the societies out of the earning of milk plant Mohali for the year 2009-10.

He also laid the foundation stone of Verka House to be constructed by the milk plant. The facility would enable the farmers, supplying milk to the milk plant, to organise their social functions at a cheaper rate.

Patiala, April 25
Doctors Federation of India (The Docsfed) is demanding strict action against the Joint Controller Finance and Accounts (JCFA) of the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, for not disbursing the payment of the arrears of the enhanced non-practising allowance (NPA) to the state government doctors from January 1, 2006, as per the recommendations of the Fifth Punjab Pay Commission.

Dr Sharma said, “As per the instructions of the Punjab Government, the revised pay fixation arrears to the government employees, from January 1, 2006 to July 2009, are to be paid in three instalments of 40 per cent, 30 per cent and 30 per cent, in 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively. Accordingly, the government doctors are to be paid 40 per cent arrears of the NPA enhanced from January 1, 2006.”

Dr Sharma said, “But as per the September, 2009, notification of the Finance Department, the revised rate of NPA would be effective from the date an employee draws pay in the revised pay structure, applicable to him in accordance with the provisions of the Punjab Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2009”.

He said since the Punjab Government followed the pattern of the Central Government Health Services (CGHS) for giving NPA to it’s doctors, the Punjab Finance Department notification was based on the August 2008 notification of the Union Government, which reads, “The revised rate of NPA would be effective from the date an employee draws pay in the revised scale applicable to him in accordance with the provisions of the Central Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2008.” He said hence the CGHS doctors had been paid full arrears of the NPA from January 1, 2006, whereas the Punjab doctors were yet to get even the 40 per cent of the amount.

Dr Sharma said a deputation of the doctors working in government hospitals met state Director Health and Family Welfare Ashok Nayyar today. “Dr Nayyar has stated that a committee has been constituted to look into the matter and has assured us that matter would be resolved within one week time,” informed Dr Sharma.

Dr Sharma said in case the demands of the doctors were not met with, they would be forced to launch an agitation.

Patiala, April 25
Representatives of the Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers Association (PSMDTA) have urged the state government for the time-bound promotions for the faculty of medical and dental teachers.

President of the Association, JPS Walia, said their demand were accepted in principle, during a recent meeting, which was convened by Minister Medical Education and Research Tikshan Sud, Secretary Medical Education and Research Anjali Bhanwra and Director Research and Medical Education (DRME) Jai Kishan. He said it was unfortunate that the orders had not been issued so far.

Dr Walia said the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) must give time-bound promotions to the faculty of medical and dental teachers. “Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA) should be paid with effect from January 1, 2006, and the arrears should be disbursed without any delay. Five per cent extra house rent should be granted to the doctors for their emergency duties and the house rent should be calculated from basic pay, NPA and grade pay,” members of the executive committee of the association said. Association secretary Gurmeet Singh said state Financial Secretary should rectify the NPA Notification dated September 14, 2009, to clear the ambiguity in the notification, pertaining to the NPA. 

Ropar, April 25
Following the statewide orders, the Ropar administration has announced a complete ban on the usage of plastic bags from May 1, under the Punjab Plastic Bags (Manufacture, Usage and Disposal) Control Act, 2005.

Only virgin plastic of thickness not less than 30 micron and size not less than 8 X 12 inches will be allowed for use. The administration today convened a meeting of traders and government officials specifying that any kind of breach on ban would invite penalty and punishment as per various provisions of the Act.

With the ban on plastic, its alternatives are not readily available in the market. Ropar district does not have any manufacturing units of plastic bags. There was one unit each at Nurpur Bedi and Morinda, which was shut down.

The district will be dependant on its Mohali and Kurali, which have eight such units.

“Already, established shopkeepers are using bags above 30 microns of thickness. In a way, the ban will not make any difference to such businessmen,” said PS Makkar president Ropar Beopar Mandal.

Another alternative to the plastic bags is promotion of jute and cloth bags. During the last meeting on issue, it was said that the self-help groups and women working in villages could be roped in to prepare jute bags. However, the plan remains of paper.

During the meeting, Deputy Commissioner GK Singh said every manufacturer of polythene would have to print his name, address, registration number, size, thickness and the nature of plastic and codification as per specified standards on each carry bag. The Act also specifies that no one would throw the bags in drain, ventilation shafts, pipe and fittings connected with private or public drainage or at any public place.

District industries officer HS Pannu said plastic manufacturers could be sentenced from 3 months to one-year imprisonment or Rs 25,000 penalty or both can be imposed. He has appealed that all violations of the law and sale of illegal plastic bags to their respective local bodies should be reported. 

Patiala, April 25
The sniffer dogs with the Patiala police assisted the investigating officers and cracked a blind theft case, involving lakhs. The dogs later helped the cops zero-in on the suspects and helped recover the stolen items.

The police claims to have arrested the two accused, who first ransacked the house and later set it on fire to destroy the evidence.

SHO Civil Lines GS Sikand said on the intervening night of April 21 and 22, some unknown persons entered a house in the sewak colony, Patiala, and set the house on fire after committing the theft. The thieves allegedly decamped with currency notes worth Rs 7,219, 78 silver coins, two ATM cards, 20 tolas of gold ornaments, one mobile phone, a damaged TV, a bunch of keys, wrist watch, camera, and other domestic goods.

Sources said the next day a team of the city police carried a thorough search of the crime scene but could not clues as the house was burnt and even taking finger prints was next to impossible.

“A team of sniffer dogs was rushed to the spot, where they suspected something fishy and rushed out into the same colony,” they said.

A senior officer said the dogs were clueless on the road dividing the house of the accused in the same lane. It was after additional efforts were made by the investigating team, the dog squad managed to reach to the house of the suspects.

“On entering the house, the team, including CIA in-charge SS Chauhan and other officers found many suspicious things, including a new television set which had been opened and packed in a jute bag,” he said.

“The sniffer dogs were helpful in the investigation, reach the accused, and helped crack the case,” said Patiala SSP Gurpreet Singh Gill.

The accused Amrit Singh and Lovely were tenants in the sewak colony and revealed that they had committed this crime with the help of Rakhi and Rahul, based in Delhi. “They broke open the locks of house with an iron rod and stole gold ornaments, silver coins, cash and other domestic goods. After the crime, they lit candles near the three doors and cut the hose with a knife. This resulted in a fire and all goods were reduced to ashes. This was done to eliminate all traces of theft,” SSP said. 

Tarn Taran, April 25
The police late last evening arrested two persons after allegedly recovering 2.8 kg of heroin, valued at around Rs 14 crore in the international market, from their possession. A pistol, two magazines, 12 live cartridges and two Pakistan-made mobile phones along with SIM cards were also seized.

Addressing mediapersons, district police chief Preetpaul Singh Virk said the duo was arrested during a naka laid near Bhuchar village, about 35 km from here, situated close to the India-Pakistan border. Virk claimed that the accused, identified as Lakhbir Singh of Mallhia and Kulwant Singh of Chahal villages, had close ties with a notorious Pakistani smuggler, Muhtaz, who threw four packets of heroin over the barbed fence at Gazzal border post into the Indian side about two months ago. Then, the contraband was collected by the accused’s accomplices, from whom Lakhbir got it yesterday and handed it over to Kulwant Singh to further deliver it to their aides for sale. However, the duo landed in police net.

In another incident, the Sarhali police of the district has arrested Sarabjit Singh and Charanjit Singh of Gulalipur village for possessing one quintal of poppy husk.