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Jail warder nabbed for supplying drugs to inmate
Faridkot, July 3
Another jail warder was nabbed today for supplying 900 synthetic drug tablets to an inmate in the Faridkot Central Jail today. The incident has left the jail authorities stunned over their “inability” to check the consumption and trafficking of drugs in the jail.

Close shave for driver as train hits tractor
Ferozepur, July 3
It was a close shave for Swaran Singh when the tractor he was driving collided head-on with the Fazilka-Ferozepur DMU at an unmanned level crossing (C-31) near Kohar Singh Wala railway station between the Ferozepur-Fazilka section.

Youth beaten to death by mob
Abohar, July 3
A youth who allegedly scaled the boundary wall of a private model school in Gobind Nagari last night was caught red-handed. As the owners of the institution raised an alarm, neighbours rushed and started thrashing the suspect.

Rich tributes paid to Mann
Ferozepur, July 3
Akali stalwart and three-time MP from Ferozepur, Zora Singh Mann was paid rich tributes on his death anniversary. At a function organized at his native village Chak Suhelewala on Sunday, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, ministers, MPs, MLAs and party workers offered their respects to Mann.

Jail warder nabbed for supplying drugs to inmate
Balwant Garg/TNS

Faridkot, July 3
Another jail warder was nabbed today for supplying 900 synthetic drug tablets to an inmate in the Faridkot Central Jail today. The incident has left the jail authorities stunned over their “inability” to check the consumption and trafficking of drugs in the jail.

This is third incident in the last four months.

Three jail warders and a pharmacist were earlier arrested for supplying drugs to the inmates in Faridkot Central Jail which houses over 1600 prisoners and undertrials.

In the latest incident today, assistant jail superintendent Paramjit Singh Sandhu nabbed the jail warder, Davinder Singh, with 900 tablets, all sedatives, which were meant for Navdeep Singh, an undertrial. Two months back, a warder was nabbed when he was entering the jail with over 500 sedative tablets and six grams of smack.

In January this year, the jail authorities had busted a racket and booked a jail warder, a pharmacist and two inmates in the jail for their connivance in the supply of drugs.

A pharmacist in jail, Jagsir Sharma, was caught red-handed after he received a packet, containing about 400 synthetic drug tablets, from two persons in the visitor's gallery in the jail.

For this ‘service’, the pharmacist had received Rs 15,000 from Sherjit Singh, a jail inmate. Jail warder Jaspal Singh had played an important role in settling this deal, said Tejinder Singh Maur, the jail superintendent.

Sources in the jail revealed that the supply of drugs was going on for many months. To tighten the noose around the drug supplier and to break the demand and supply nexus, some time back, some warders in the jail were shifted to other jails but it failed to check the menace. The supply of drugs is almost negligible now and every attempt to smuggle the drugs in the jail has been foiled, claimed Maur. The arrest of the three jail warders and a pharmacist in recently was due to strict vigilance, he said.

Sometimes, the jail authorities tried check the supply of drugs and it led to health problems among these addicts who showed withdrawal symptoms. There are many cases in the local jails when capsicums and toothpaste tubes stuffed with cannabis, opium and drug tablets have been detected.

Close shave for driver as train hits tractor

Ferozepur, July 3
It was a close shave for Swaran Singh when the tractor he was driving collided head-on with the Fazilka-Ferozepur DMU at an unmanned level crossing (C-31) near Kohar Singh Wala railway station between the Ferozepur-Fazilka section. The collision was so intense that the tractor was reduced to smithereens. The front portion of the tractor was tossed into the air and fell at a distance of 50 yards in the fields.

However, Swaran Singh, a resident of Mishriwala, who was driving the tractor escaped unhurt as he fled seeing the approaching train. The rail traffic on this section was disrupted for some time. Meanwhile, a case has been registered against the driver of the tractor at the GRP police station. — OC

Youth beaten to death by mob

Abohar, July 3
A youth who allegedly scaled the boundary wall of a private model school in Gobind Nagari last night was caught red-handed. As the owners of the institution raised an alarm, neighbours rushed and started thrashing the suspect.

The city police arrived at about 5 am and shifted the youth to the Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital but he died during treatment. The youth was identified as Raju.

Senior police officials visited the spot. The family of the deceased lodged a strong protest with the police demanding that a case be registered against those responsible for the death. — OC

Rich tributes paid to Mann

Ferozepur, July 3
Akali stalwart and three-time MP from Ferozepur, Zora Singh Mann was paid rich tributes on his death anniversary. At a function organized at his native village Chak Suhelewala on Sunday, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, ministers, MPs, MLAs and party workers offered their respects to Mann.

Lauding his contribution in the development of this border district, Badal said Mann was among those politicians who put party before self.

Varden Singh Mann, the elder son of Zora Singh Mann, thanked those present on the occasion. — OC