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PUNJAB

Amritsar
Theft of ‘bir’: SGPC forms probe panel: The SGPC has set up a five-member high-level committee to probe into the theft of an ancient “bir” of Guru Granth Sahib from a gurdwara at Lalganj in Bihar. SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said on Thursday it was unfortunate to see reports regarding theft or sacrilege of “birs” every other day. He said such instances were hurting the religious sentiments of the community. The SGPC team would probe into the incident and also approach the Lalganj administration to seek stringent action against the culprits.

Bathinda
Refinery begins supplying pet coke: The refinery of Hindustan-Mittal Energy Ltd (HMEL) has started marketing pet coke produced by it. The first consignment was flagged off by MA Tankiwala, chief operating officer, HMEL, and RR Handa, vice-president (Project), on Wednesday. Pet coke is consumed by textile industry, paper mills etc. The HMEL will produce 9 lakh tonnes of pet coke every year. The refinery also has its own thermal power plant.

Ludhiana
Ghazal sanwad: Punjabi Sahit Academy is going to organise “ghazal sanwad” and workshop at Punjabi Bhawan on March 3 and 4, said pesident of the academy, prof Gurbhajan Singh Gill. A research paper and “ghazal” presentation would also be organised.

Moga
Engg students held for snatching: Two engineering students of a local institute were arrested by the Ludhiana police on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in many cases of snatching. The police said it had recovered six stolen mobile phones and two motorcycles from them. The students, Gagandeep Singh and Sanjiv Kumar, had admitted that they took to crime for a lavish lifestyle and drugs, the police claimed.

Tarn Taran
5-year jail term for three cops: The court of sessions judge has sentenced Sub-Inspector Sawarn Singh, head constables Ravinder Singh and Rajinder Singh to five-year imprisonment for helping an accused in a murder case. Session's Judge Nirmal Singh also indicted 13 other persons in the case. The victim, Harbhajan Singh, was killed in 2006.

Phagwara
Five thefts in a day in Phagwara: Five cases of theft were reported in and around the town on Wednesday. Cosmetics worth Rs 4 lakh were stolen from a godown at Model Town locality while two gas cylinders were taken away from Government Middle School at Chack Hakim village. The other burglaries were reported at Thapar Colony, Bilga village and Goraya.

Undertrial escapes, 2 cops suspended: An undertrial, Bikramjit Singh alias Vikki of Verka village in Amritsar, who was lodged at Phagwara sub-jail in a case of illegal firearms, managed to give cops the slip from the local Civil Hospital. He was admitted there on Monday. Two police personnel, Gurmail Singh and Baljit Singh, have been suspended.

HARYANA

Chandigarh
Sex racket busted: The police has unearthed a sex racket in Faridabad with the arrest of five women and two men. The police got a tip-off that a prostitution racket was being run from a house in Sector 3, Faridabad. It was revealed that a lady namely Sonu, who lived in the house on rent, had been allegedly lending the house for prostitution purpose. On the basis of specific information, a team was constituted, headed by Inspector, Women's Cell, Ballabhgarh Asha Rani who raided the house and made the arrests.

Hisar
Padma Shri award: A Hisar-based metallurgist Dr Lokesh Kumar Singhal, will be conferred the Padma Shri award in view of his achievements in the field of science and engineering. Singhal is currently working as chief consultant with Jindal Stainless Limited (JSL) here. The 69-year-old metallurgist has won several international awards, including the BD Basil gold medal and Sir Robert Hadfield medal.

Theft bid: A thief broke open an ATM of Punjab National Bank here but failed to draw the cash. The ATM, which is located on the Dabra Chowk was without a security guard. The thief who had covered his face with a cloth stayed in the ATM for about two hours. He succeeded only partially. He was able to prise the machine open, butfailed to retrieve the cash box. He left the ATM in frustration.

HODAL
Principal booked: The police has booked a principal of a private school on a charge of sexually molesting a class IX student of his institute. Virender Singh, DSP, said the principal was being interrogated. He would be arrested if the charge against him was proved true. Bharat Lal, owner and principal of Payare Lal Senior Secondary School, located in Sondh village, allegedly misbehaved with the student in his office.

PAWAL
Board constituted: The government has constituted a district-level board in Palwal with Deputy Commissioner as its chairperson to look in the interest of rape victims. A district spokesperson said various departmental heads, including the police, department relating to child and women development and the District Civil Surgeon, are members of the board. He said the board had been constituted in accordance with a notification of the state’s Department of Women and Child Development.

Rewari
Boy killed: Satya Prakash (17) of the nearby Punsika village died after his motorcycle was hit by a tractor on Thursday. Satya Prakash, who was critically injured, died in a hospital here. The mishap took place when he was on his way to Rewari. The tractor driver fled soon after the accident.

Cash looted: Two motorcycle-borne miscreants looted Rs 67,000 from Nakul Kumar, an employee of a local trader, here on Thursday. The looters were identified by the victim as Rajesh Gujjar and Lakhia Gujjar of Mohalla Gujarwara here. The shop owner had given him the above amount for getting it deposited in a bank. A case has been registered against the duo.