Hoshiarpur, June 24
Surjit Singh, alias Jeeta, resident of Sarihnpur, and Rahul Sharma of Ward No 6, Dasuya, got bullet injuries when Sipy of Nihalpur, Sonu of Bodal, Bhundi of Khun Khun Kalan and Sukha of Johlan allegedly opened fire on them with revolvers while they were eating ice-creams at an ice-cream parlour in Dasuya, 40 km from here, this evening.

Surjit Singh and Rahul Sharma were admitted to the Civil Hospital, Dasuya. According to the SMO of the Civil Hospital, Dasuya, Naresh Kansra, Surjit Singh got a bullet injury on his shoulder and Rahul Sharma on his hand. The condition of both of them was stable.

According to police sources, a property dealer, Harpreet Singh of Pandher along with about 15 persons today came to take forcible possession of 18 marla land of the Wakf Borad, which was already under the possession of Ranbir Singh of Ward No 7, Dashmesh Nagar, Dasuya, who had been running a workshop on it since 1990. But the police intervened and did not allow Harpreet Singh to take possession of the land.

Later, at about 4 pm Sipy, Sonu, Bhundi and Sukha came there and opened fire on Surjit Singh and Rahul Sharma while they were eating ice-creams at a nearby parlour.

The SSP, Rakesh Aggarwal, said a case was registered against Harpreet Singh and others for attempting to forcibly take possession of the land. Ranbir Singh’s group was alleging that Surjit Singh and Rahul Sharma, who belongs to Harpreet Singh’s group, got themselves injured to implicate them in a false case.

He had deputed the DSP, Dasuya, to investigate the matter.

Nawanshahr, June 24
The SSP, Dr Narinder Bhargav, in a press note issued here today said the police during a naka near the Charan head arrested Gurdip Singh, alias Sonu, of Khoja Bet village, Manjit Singh of Beerowal village, and Daljit Kumar, alias Jeeta, of Balachaur, and seized 60 kg poppy husk from them.

Bhargav said the three were travelling in a car coming from Balachaur side and when the police party signalled them to stop, the car driver tried to flee, but the police nabbed them. During search, the police recovered plastic bags containing 20 kg of poppy husk each from Gurdip Singh and Daljit Kumar and one plastic bag containing 20 kg of poppy husk lying in the boot of the car. During preliminary investigation, it came to light that Gurdip Singh, alias Sonu, is son of the owner of Shivalik Hotel, Balachaur, and he along with his two accomplices had been selling poppy husk.

Meanwhile, the police arrested five drug peddlers, including a women, and seized 22 kg poppy husk and 100 gram heroin from them at nakas at different places in the district. Charanjit Singh, alias Channi, of Bharta Kalan village, was arrested by the Rahon police during a naka on Phillaur Road, Rahon, and seized 12 kg of poppy husk. Kamaljit Kaur of Dosanjh Kalan village, Jalandhar district, was arrested by the Behram police during a naka near Kultham village and 10 kg poppy husk was seized from her. Tthe police arrested Gursharan Singh, Gurwail Singh and Gurmail Singh, residents of Tarn Taran district, and seized 100 gram heroin from them.

The Garhshanker police arrested two drug peddlers Baljinder Singh and Mohinder Pal, both residents of Ward No 7, Garhshanker, at a naka near Rawalpindi village and seized 260 g smack, 650 g charas and 40 bottles of Rexcos from them.

Cases have been registered.

Hoshiarpur, June 24
The police arrested two persons in the murder case of migrant labourer Bachan Vishavkarma within 48 hours of the crime. Bachan worked as a watchman at a brick-kiln at Bassi Kikran village.

SSP Rakesh Aggarwal told mediapersons this afternoon that body of Bachan, lying in a pool of blood, was found in the bushes near the kiln on June 21. His throat was slit with some sharp-edged weapon.

The Sadar police has registered a case under section 302 of the IPC.

During investigation, it emerged that Mani, wife of Sonu Masih, of Akarpura PS Qila Lal Singh (Gurdaspur), had illicit relations with bachan. Mani’s husband Sonu had been working in the said kiln for the last four months.

On June 20, Sonu along with his friend Lada Masih of Sahoor, PS Klanaur (Gurdaspur) went to witness the Bhagwati Jagran in Bassi Kikran village. When Sonu Masih and Lada Masih returned to the house of former, they found Mani missing. They started searching her and found her lying on a cot with Bachan. Sonu and Lada caught Bachan after a brief chase near the bushes and slit his throat with a sickle.

Both the accused had confessed to their crime, said Rakesh Aggarwal. 

Pathankot, June 24
Pathankot is all decked up for one of the biggest literary events of the year, the 28th edition of the prestigious Anjuman-e-Dostan-e-Adab-Mushaira slated to be held at Government Girls School, Post Office Chowk, Pathankot, on June 25.

There is a lot of hype preceding the literary event which over the years has seen top names of Urdu literature performing much to the delight of the audiences. Congress leader Dinesh Mahajan, who is also the secretary general of the organising committee, said boarding and lodging arrangements for poets who will converge from all over India have been completed.

He added that the participants are Dr Rahat Indori, Sheenkaaf Nizam, Dr Kumar Vishwas, Johar Kanpuri, Tahir Faraz, Hasan Kazmi, Sabeena Adeeb, Saba Aziz, Atul Ajnabi, Deepak Jain and MS Ruksar Balrampuri. The annual event is rated high in literary circles in India and abroad.

In the past connoisseurs of Urdu literature, including Sahir Ludhiana, Dr Ali Sardar Jaffri, Dr Basheer Badar and Shameen Jaipuri, have graced the proceedings.

Mahajan added that the organising committee was interested in roping in top poets from Pakistan but that move had to be abandoned at the eleventh hour due to visa problems and security concerns. Gurdaspur Member Parliament Partap Bajwa will inaugurate the proceedings.