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SYNTHETIC DRUG RACKET |
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Iraq crisis:
Fate of several Punjabis hangs in balance
Amritsar boy recalls poor working conditions
NRI Sabha may seek UN help
680 Punjabis trapped in Iraq: Govt
Takht Patna Sahib row rages on
Falling teaching standards forcing youth to migrate: HC
PPCC chief, Manpreet slam sugar price hike
Capt takes on Makkar over Haryana SGPC
Govt to pay for singer Barkat’s treatment
2,000 Murrah buffaloes identified for improving breed in Moga
Punjabi varsity withholds 100 degrees
Canal breach triggers protest in Abohar
Capt questions concessions to refinery
Sukhbir now seeks feedback on email
Experts inspect de-addiction centre 11 days on, killers of bank guard at large
Attack on
dalits
BFUHS to conduct study on drug abuse Badungar is BC panel chief
Air-India crash victims remembered
Two jail inmates scuffle with security guards
Police chase away tipplers from open ‘pub’; liquor vendors warned
Newlywed girl among 2 killed in accident Youth booked for molesting minor sister 2 poachers nabbed
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SYNTHETIC DRUG RACKET
Jalandhar, June 24 His questioning, that began at 10 am, went on till 5.30 pm. Sources said the questioning primarily pertained to the disclosures by druglord Jagdish Bhola. The latter is behind bars in the Rs 6000-crore synthetic drug racket. On May 22, Akali minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur had resigned from the Cabinet "on moral grounds" following reports of the alleged involvement of his son in the Rs 6,000-crore drug racket. As he came out of the ED office, Damanvir said: "I have answered all queries." Despite several attempts, the ED authorities refused to give
any details. Bhola has reportedly told the police that Damanvir introduced Varinder Raja, a Delhi-based synthetic drug supplier (now lodged in the Patiala jail) to the Goraya-based businessman, Chunni Lal Gaba. The latter is close to Akali leader Phillaur. Bhola has alleged that Varinder would get pseudoephedrine (use to make synthetic drug) from a pharmaceutical factory in Gagret in Himachal Pardesh. The unit is owned by
Gaba.
Looking back
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Iraq crisis:
Fate of several Punjabis hangs in balance
Jalandhar, June 24 This will bring some respite to hundreds of Indian youths whose companies in Iraq have confiscated their passports and are demanding huge sums of money to return them. The MOIA has urged such youths to contact the Indian Embassy in Iraq with a photocopy of their passports to board a flight back home. While the ministry has also assured support to hundreds of Indians working in Iraq as illegal migrants, it has hinted at their possible prosecution by respective state governments. “Those who have entered Iraq through the ECR status need worry about their passports or other travel documents since the Indian Embassy in Iraq has got their identification details from the Protector of Emigrants’ office. “We can also issue emergency exit certificate to those who are working there as illegal migrants, but they may face prosecution on their return to India by respective state governments. “Any Indian who wants to come back should contact our office immediately in Baghdad as no document is required in such a crisis-like situation,” said Prem Narain, secretary, MOIA. Most of the youths from Punjab have gone to Middle-East countries such as Iraq through unscrupulous agents and a majority of them are working illegally. Some of them have entered Iraq on a tourist visa that does not require an emigration check. As a result, details of most of them may not be with the Indian Embassy.
Illegal workers to get govt help
Role of Protector of Emigrants The Protector of Emigrants (POE) is responsible for granting emigration clearance to intending emigrants under the Emigration Act, 1983. The POE looks into the treatment received by emigrants during their journey to a country, their period of stay and return 17 ECR countries India has listed 17 countries as ECR nations. They are: Iraq, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Syria, Lebanon, Thailand What is ECR? Under the Emigration Act, 2003, Indian citizens cannot migrate unless they obtain emigration clearance from the Protector of Emigrants’ office. But certain countries (currently 17) do not have strict laws regulating the entry and employment of foreign nationals and have thereby been categorised as emigration check required (ECR) countries by India. All nationals visiting any of the ECR countries with ECR-endorsed passports for employment require emigration clearance.
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Amritsar boy recalls poor working conditions
Amritsar, June
24 He admitted that ISIS terror was palpable in the country with videos of terrorists killing people in cold blood going viral. He was unhappy with the working conditions of migrants in the country. “Our movement was restricted to the work area and lodging facility. We were not allowed to move outside the company premises. I didn’t even see the Basra city. We were only served bread (not
chapati), a vegetable and rice thrice a day, besides a bottle of soft drink once a week.” They used to cook their own meals since the food served was not enough to see them through the 10 hours of grueling work every day, he
added. Jassa said his firm arranged for his air ticket but was yet to pay him the wages for the past one-and-a-half months. A matriculate, Jassa used to work as a regular medical practitioner
(RMP) at a clinic in Fatehgarh Churian before getting a job in Iraq. He used to earn around Rs 5,000 per month then. “I landed in Iraq in December 2012 after paying Rs 1.6 lakh to a
Moga-based travel agent.” “We were promised $600 per month in wages and we got the same,” he claimed. In all, 337 Indian workers from different states were engaged at the township project he was working for in Basra, he said, adding that they would return by June 28. When asked whether he would like to return to Iraq, he replied in the negative but said he would like to move to some other country. His father Pyara Singh and sister
Usha, who works at National Clinical Laboratory, said they were overjoyed to see him back.
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NRI Sabha may seek UN help
Jalandhar, June 24 "It's been 10 days and the Government
of India has failed to provide the details of even a single youth from Punjab.
All they say is they are trying to locate them in Iraq. This is a crisis
situation. We cannot sit idle and wait for things to get worse. We will seek
help from the UN and the ILO if the government fails to rescue our boys,"
said Jasvir Singh Gill, president, NRI Sabha, Punjab.
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Takht Patna Sahib row rages on
Amritsar, June 24 The postponement of Takht Sri Patna Sahib Management Committee meeting scheduled for June 22 by the Sarna group and the subsequent move by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to hold a meeting on their own
has triggered a fresh confrontation. As Avtar Singh Makkar, who is a member of Takht Sri Patna Sahib Management Committee, today claimed that the meeting held by him was legal,
the Sarna group termed it as “illegal”. Talking to The Tribune, Makkar claimed that the meeting was constitutional. “Eight of the 15
members attended the meeting and they empowered me to chair the meeting,” he said. He said the meeting had cancelled the “unconstitutional decisions” taken by the committee in the past. Makkar said the meeting had decided to reinstate Giani Iqbal Singh and cancel the appointment of Giani Partap Singh as additional head granthi. It had also been decided that funds utilised by Takht Sri Patna Sahib Management Committee office-bearers to contest the case lodged against them by Jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh would be recovered from them as these belonged to the gurdwara. A five-member committee had been constituted to probe "financial irregularities" and to run day-to-day affairs as the Takht's annual budget had not been passed till date. Usually, this was done before March 15, Makkar said. But the Takht Sri Patna Sahib Management Committee general secretary, Charanjit Singh, said they had postponed the June 22 meeting as Akal Takht had issued orders to maintain a status quo. They had been informed about Makkar’s arrival in Patna and they did not want another clash, he said. "Also, there were reports that a Women's Commission team
would visit Patna in connection with the complaint filed by Giani Iqbal Singh's wife against
him," he said. He accused Makkar of trying to take over Takht Patna Sahib management committee. He said Makkar’s move to reinstate Giani Iqbal Singh and cancel the appointment of Giani Partap Singh was against the Akal Takht’s directions. Calling the meeting held by Makkar as “totally unconstitutional,” he said they were seeking legal opinion in this regard.
Makkar to meet Rajnath Avtar Singh Makkar, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief, said he would soon be meeting Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh over the issue of a separate gurdwara panel for Haryana. Threatening to expose the Congress' game plan, he said the Sikhs in Haryana were aware of the forces that wanted to weaken the
SGPC.
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Falling teaching standards forcing youth to migrate: HC
Chandigarh, June 24 The observations by Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Arun Palli came on a petition filed by Ravinder Sharma and another petitioner against a bank. The assertion is significant as allegations of marginalised Indian students suffering from discrimination in educational institutes abroad are not so uncommon. Otherwise also, the pitfalls of seeking a career in alien lands have now come to the fore following the abduction of Indians in Iraq. Taking up the petition, the Bench asserted: “Education is an instrument of empowerment. This is the philosophy behind various steps taken by the Government of India and the state governments for furtherance of education to empower the young generation. “Unfortunately, the inadequacy of educational institutions as well as absence of requisite quality is again a matter of common knowledge. For years, no attention was paid to the important aspect of ensuring adequate remuneration to the teaching faculty, with the result that persons never took to teaching. “One fine day, we could not have produced the requisite number of teaching faculty to meet the needs of teaming millions of new generation. The aforesaid is the principal reason why, at great cost and personal inconvenience, parents are sending their young ones for education abroad. Australia is one such destination.” The Bench was told that Rs 13 lakh was sanctioned as loan in November 2006 to the petitioners for their son’s education in Australia after they mortgaged a small chemist shop. “Apparently, their hope was that after completing his education, their son would be able to work and raise sufficient funds to repay the loan. This did not materialise, as has been happening in the current economic situation all over the world. Moreover, their son was not keeping good health…. The petitioners defaulted in complying with their financial obligation….” The Bench added that the petitioners within a short period repaid the loan at 10.25 per cent per annum interest. “The bank, however, seeks to take a stand that it must recover every penny of interest like shylock”. The Bench said the petitioners had paid Rs 10.58 lakh against initial loan of Rs 5.97 lakh, including interest at annual rate of 10.25 per cent; and the net difference was only about Rs 2 lakh. “In the peculiar facts and circumstances of the present case, we are inclined to treat the loan as satisfied…,” the Bench concluded.
Requisite quality absent Unfortunately, the inadequacy of educational institutions as well as absence of requisite quality is, again, a matter of common knowledge. For years, no attention was paid to the important aspect of ensuring adequate remuneration to the teaching faculty, with the result that persons never took to teaching…. This is the principal reason why, at great cost and personal inconvenience, parents are sending their young ones for education abroad. — A High Court Bench
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PPCC chief, Manpreet slam sugar price hike
Chandigarh, June 24 He urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to clear his stand on the matter as his party was a partner in the NDA government. People’s Party of Punjab president Manpreet Singh Badal also criticised the move to increase sugar prices. He said all sections of the society would be affected. In a statement, Manpreet said it was strange that the party which had been assuring voters of pro-people measures had backtracked. “If this is Modi’s vision of wonderland, one can imagine the situation in the coming days. It seems that this government is reciprocating the help it had received from the corporate sector during the election,” he added.
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Capt takes on Makkar over Haryana SGPC
Amritsar, June 24 “We are supporting an independent body for managing gurdwaras in Haryana so that the Badals have no say in it,” he said. Amarinder suggested to the SGPC chief that he must understand the popular sentiment and not follow the diktats of the Badals. “It is time for you to set a healthy precedent and assert independence and authority of a great and powerful institution like the SGPC,” he told Makkar.
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HC order leaves 102 students in a spot
Faridkot, June 24 These students deposited Rs 6.6 lakh for the management quota seats and Rs 2.2 lakh for the government quota seats on June 21, 22 and 23. The fee was collected on the spot during counselling. Now Adesh University has invited the students to appear for counselling for 150 MBBS seats tomorrow (June 25). The Punjab Government had on June 16 stopped counselling for admission to Adesh Institute amid allegations that the institute was charging “excess” fee. Adesh Institute challenged the order in the High Court and issued a public notice on June 20, declaring that any student taking admission in Adesh University through counselling conducted by the Punjab Government at Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, will be doing so at his/her own risk. Now that the High Court has allowed Adesh University to conduct provisional counselling, 102 students who have already deposited their fee with Baba Farid University face an uncertain future. Dr DS Sidhu, Registrar, BFUHS said: “The counselling to fill seats in Adesh Institute was purely on merit. Now the state government must take a decision on the fate of 102 students who have already deposited their fee.” Several parents today complained that it was still unclear whether or not their wards should appear for re-counselling by Adesh University. The university said all eligible candidates who had submitted their applications by June 16 had been asked to attend counselling tomorrow.
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Govt to pay for singer Barkat’s treatment
An official spokesperson said the state government would bear the expenses on the singer’s treatment.
Applications sought
The government has sought applications from teachers for state awards to be conferred on Teacher's Day this year. Eligible teachers have been requested to submit their applications through the district education officers, after getting these processed by the district selection committee, by July 7. No application would be accepted after that, said an official spokesman.
Provision for burial grounds
With lack of burial grounds for minority communities becoming a contentious issue in the state, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asked the Finance Department to make regular budgetary provision for the purchase of land for cemeteries and burial grounds. The decision was taken by the Chief Minister after he met a delegation of the Minorities Commission here. The delegation was led by the commission chairman, Munawar Massih. An official spokesman said the government was committed to the welfare of the Muslim and Christian communities. With the expansion of cities, cemeteries and burial grounds were either being occupied or shrinking.
Land for Massih Bhawan
Accepting another demand of the delegation, the CM agreed to allot 1,695 square yards of land for the construction of Massih Bhawan in Amritsar. Badal also ordered Gurdaspur DC to hand over the possession of Massih Bhawan to the society overseeing the project.
Pollution centres
In a special drive, the state government has set up 421 centres to check pollution by vehicles.
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2,000 Murrah buffaloes identified for improving breed in Moga
District Magistrate Parminder Singh Gill and Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry Department, Nazar Singh said the selected animals were being artificially inseminated with quality semen under progeny testing scheme. They said this project was being implemented at 19 centres of the district by tagging ears of the buffaloes for regular monitoring and health check-ups to increase the graph of milk production. “We are using semen of healthy bulls to improve the breed,” the officials said. Gill said a majority of the selected buffaloes were those which gave over 15 litres of milk. “The bull calves of these buffaloes will also be developed as quality bulls for further reproduction,” he said. Nazar Singh said efforts were being made to save livestock from diseases. As many as 1.5 lakh injections against hemorrhagic septicemia and 3.3 lakh injections for foot and mouth disease had been administered to cattle. Besides, 5,000 doses of ETV to goats had been given during the past few months in the district. Moga district is the repository of some of the best cattle and buffalo genetic resources in the country. Besides good trade of milk and its products at the local level, one of the most renowned food processing industries, Nestle, is also located here in Moga city, which has employed over 12,000 youths.
The project
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Punjabi varsity withholds 100 degrees
Patiala, June 24 Surprisingly, the university authorities did not conduct the exam in the past three years, when the students were still studying. The university took this exam in the first year of
BTech. Thus, only those students who took admission in the first year could take the exam. Students claimed if it was mandatory for everyone to clear the exam in order to get their degrees, the authorities should have conducted the exam before they completed their last semester. One of the students requesting anonymity said it was an irresponsible act on the part of the authorities since they needed the degrees to get jobs. “The authorities say they will hold a meeting shortly and hold the exam within 10 days. However, we have lot of interviews lined up. We can’t be expected to cancel everything and take the exam,” he rued. Dr Pawan Kumar
Singla, Controller of Examination, said he was not aware of the matter.
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Canal breach triggers protest in Abohar
Abohar, June 24 They said due to the 30-foot-wide breach in the canal, half a dozen farmhouses, 30 acres of agricultural land and kinnow fruit plants in some orchards had submerged. As the flow of vehicles got suspended, Tehsildar Darshan Singh Sidhu and Irrigation Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Pawan Kumar Bishnoi and others visited the village and asked the protesters to end the dharna after getting the flow of water checked from the headworks. They said pumping sets would be installed to drain water from fields and the
breach would be plugged by Wednesday. The Tehsildar directed revenue patwari Rati Ram to conduct a survey to give compensation to affected farmers. Irrigation Department beat in charge Jag Ram was shifted immediately for not informing
the authorities promptly about the breach. Losses reported The protesters said the overflowing of the Sukhchain sub-canal due to rain had resulted in a 30-foot-wide breach, submerging half a dozen farmhouses, 30 acres of agricultural land and kinnow fruit plants
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Capt questions concessions to refinery
Chandigarh, June 24 Amarinder said he was against giving "undue concessions" to the refinery jointly owned by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited-Mittal Energy Limited (HPMEL). The former Chief Minister said the setting up of such a major project was expected to generate jobs and improve economy. But this had not happened. "However, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, for reasons best known to him, offered several concessions, whether in terms of soft and interest-free loans or VAT exemption (Rs 2,000 crore) for another 15 years, that too when the state was starved of funds," he said. Amarinder said he welcomed investment in Punjab, but not at the cost of the state's economy. "If you have to provide loans and undue concessions to the investor, what is the point of the investment,” he asked.
— TNS
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Sukhbir now seeks feedback on email
On his Facebook page, Sukhbir yesterday wrote: "I often hear the complaint that the government is not listening to people. Although we (he and Chief Minister) hold sangat darshans to meet people to learn about their problems, it is not possible to meet all citizens and listen to their grievances. Now, you can write to me directly at sukhbirbadal2014@gmail.com." "Through this email you can apprise me of your problems. It may not be possible for me to reply to every email, but I will take note of every word you send," Sukhbir wrote on his Facebook account, which at present has 5.09 lakh followers.
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Bus carrying students falls into Ghaggar, 1 dead
Patiala, June 24 Reports said one of the injured, a girl from Ludhiana, died on way to the Government Rajindra Hospital. The Deputy Medical Superintendent of Rajindra Hospital said the condition of one of the boys was
critical. He had been referred to the PGIMS, Chandigarh. Police sources said at least 25 students were seriously injured and 12 students had been hospitalised with multiple
fractures. The SDM of Samana, Arvind Kumar, made all arrangements to transport the injured to the Rajindra
Hospital here.
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Air-India crash victims remembered
Vancouver, June 24 Wreaths were placed at the monument that bears the names of the victims who died on June 23, 1985. While Air-India flight 182 was blown into pieces above the Irish Sea, killing all 329 on board, the second blast took place at the Narita airport in Japan, killing two baggage handlers. The bombings were blamed on the Sikh separatist group, Babbar
Khalsa. The only person convicted for the crime, Inderjit Singh Reyat, is serving time for lying under oath and concealing the identity of a potential suspect. The victims’ families were seen comforting one another as speakers sought "full justice" and punishment for all those involved in the crime. Pervez
Madon, who lost her husband, said she wished for a dignified closure. Renee Sarojini
Saklikar, author of “Children of Air-India”, was also at the gathering. She lost her aunt and uncle in the tragedy. She was seen being comforted by her husband and New Democrat Party MLA Adrian Dix at the memorial service. Later, he spoke on her behalf. Major
Sidhu, vice-president of the Ross Street Sikh Temple, was one of the key
organisers. His sister and her two children were among the passengers on board the ill-fated Flight 182. Overcome by grief, he found it difficult to address the gathering. So his wife spoke on
his behalf. The Deputy Counsel General of India, Amarjeet Singh, spoke on the occasion. So did MPs Jinny Sims and Jasbir
Sandhu, MLA Harry Bains and former MLA Dave Hayer, whose father Tara Singh Hayer was murdered in 1998. He had agreed to testify in the Air-India case. Various Hindu and Sikh temples of lower mainland arranged buses to bring people to the memorial service. Free food was served on the occasion after prayers. Earlier, prayers were held for victims at the York Center Gurdwara in Surrey. A candlelight vigil was organised by the Vedic Hindu Temple.
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Two jail inmates scuffle with security guards
Sangrur, June 24 The SHO said a case had been registered against Harpreet and Buta under Sections 353 and 186 of the IPC on the complaint of jail officials.
Clash in Amritsar jail
Amritsar: A verbal spat over a petty issue between two prisoners took an ugly turn at the Amritsar Central Jail when supporters from both sides joined in and attacked each other with bricks. Amit Kumar, a prisoner who received serious head injuries, was referred to the PGI, Chandigarh. Another inmate Hukum Singh was also injured. He is being treated at the jail hospital. The jail authorities said an FIR would be registered against Jatinder Singh, Gurjeet Singh and at least six other prisoners who were involved in the clash. Sources said Jatinder and Gurjeet entered into a verbal duel with Amit and his fellow inmate Shankar over tampering of a cable TV connection. The spat took an ugly turn when others, including Hukum Singh and Ashok Kumar, joined in. Later, they started throwing bricks at each other. Jail Superintendent RK Sharma said Deputy Superintendent Balkar Singh Bhullar had been told to inquire the matter.
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Police chase away tipplers from open ‘pub’; liquor vendors warned
Abohar, June 24 The tipplers and the liquor shop staff was caught unawares when Deputy Superintendent of Police Jagdish Bishnoi along with two station house officers stormed in the market at 10 pm. Witnesses said the policemen chased the tipplers, numbering more than 60, and bicycles, footwear, bottles, snacks were all left scattered behind. The police also warned the liquor venders who had been allegedly providing tables, chairs and other facilities besides charging money from the rehriwalas for doing brisk business by providing snacks. Residents alleged many complaints had been lodged during police-public meetings but the police did not act earlier as liquor contractors were known to have political links.
— OC
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Four months after Damanvir Singh, son of former Punjab Minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur, was first summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the synthetic drugs case, he appeared before the ED today. He was reportedly questioned for more than seven hours. He reached the ED office at 9.45.
His questioning, that began at 10 am, went on till 5.30 pm. Sources said the questioning primarily pertained to the disclosures by druglord Jagdish Bhola.
The NRI Sabha, Punjab, today threatened to
approach the United Nations (UN) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO)
if the Central Government fails to bring back stranded Punjabis from Iraq. The
sabha said it would seek UN's help to track the exact number of stranded
Punjabis and approach the ILO to secure the release of wages and passports of
youths working for companies there.
Chandigarh, June 24
Amritsar MP Capt Amarinder Singh today took a dig at SGPC
president Avtar Singh Makkar over the formation of a separate SGPC for Haryana.
Ridiculing the claim of Makkar that he (Capt) was seeking a separate Haryana body to weaken and undermine the authority of the SGPC, Amarinder said: “Everybody knows the SGPC was once a powerful body. But now it has been reduced to a naught by the SAD.” He said he understood his (Makkar’s) compulsion to oppose the Haryana body.
Vancouver, June 24
Chandigarh, June 24
Moga, June 24
Muktsar, June 24