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Police bust terror module, 3 arrested from Jammu
Gadkari promises Rs 952 cr for upgrading state roads
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R’sthan cops in tizzy over bodies found in canals
Bihar residents arrive at the Rajpura railway station on Monday. Photo: JS Virdi
AAP kicks off campaign with roadshow in Patiala
Badals neglecting Patiala: Captain
Withdraw draconian law: Left parties
Congress, BJP workers spar over foundation stone
Namdhari sect feud turns ugly
Water level increases in Bhakra dam
Quash FIR against 11 students: Union
Teachers protest Amritsar cane-charge
Murder accused in juvenile home dies
NAPA to approach PM for re-probing riots
Claim on reduction in blood charges a farce: NGO to Jyani
This Rakhi, ask brothers to respect women: WC chief
Fazilka gets de-addiction centre
141 employees found absent during raid
Ropar institute fined Rs 4 lakh for power theft
Rs 429 cr for border, kandi areas
Man kills wife, mother-in-law
HC: Place on record policy on premature release of prisoners
HC stays state govt’s letter to MCI
Faridkot
Maharaja case
Pathankot ex-SMO convicted for fraud
4 held for killing teen outside college
IIT prof killed in road mishap
Three booked for cheating
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Police bust terror module, 3 arrested from Jammu
Jalandhar, August 4 Arrested from Jammu, the trio were planning to carry out strikes in Punjab. They have been identified as Harpreet Singh alias Harmeet alias Pintu of Simbal Camp, Karanjit Singh alias Pamma of Basti Gobind Puri and Sarwan Singh Shabba of Narri, all places in Jammu. The police said the module was being controlled by Ranjit Singh Neeta, KZF chief, and Harminder Singh Mintu, KLF chief. Their funding was reportedly being done by Khalistani sympathisers in Spain and the UK. Nirmal Singh Dhillon, Inspector General of Police, Zone-II, Jalandhar, said following intelligence inputs, they launched an operation, with Senior Superintendent of Police (Jalandhar-rural) Narinder Bhargav camping in Jammu for two days. A case under Section 17, 18 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Section 153-A, 121 and 120-B of the IPC and Section 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered at Bhogpur police station. Dhillon said Pintu and Pamma along with their associates had formed a gang for terrorist activities. He said the KZF and the KLF were trying to combine their resources and operatives to launch terrorist attack in the near future. Police investigations revealed that Pintu had obtained arms training in Pakistan in 1997 and had developed close links with Mintu. Pamma had gone to Thailand in January on a 90-day visa, from where he reportedly went to Pakistan on the basis of fake documents. Dhillon said it is believed that Pamma underwent arms training in Pakistan. Thereafter, he returned to Jammu where he had been running a travel agency at Satwari Chowk. The Inspector General said investigations found out that those funding the duo had been sending money through hawala. He said the arrested terrorists were being brought to Jalandhar where police remand for their sustained interrogation would be sought to unmask the module and to arrest their associates.
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Gadkari promises Rs 952 cr for upgrading state roads
New Delhi, August 4 This assurance was given by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal here today. Gadkari told Sukhbir that his ministry had sanctioned a grant of Rs 94 crore for the construction, repair and widening of roads. Sukhbir sought a review of the 2009 amendment to the formula for calculating “annual accrual” under the Central Road Fund Scheme. He said the state was facing losses on account of the change in the norm effected by the UPA government. Prior to 2009, 60 per cent weightage was given to fuel consumption and 40 per cent to the geographical area while computing the annual accrual. But the amended rule provided for 30 per cent weightage to fuel consumption and 70 per cent to geographical area, Sukhbir said. Officials of the Punjab Government claimed that Gadkari’s response to the the issues raised by Sukhbir was positive. He had agreed to review the amended formula. He had also said he would talk to the Ministry of Environment and Forest to expedite clearances for the completion of various road projects in Punjab. The deputy CM reportedly sought the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for the four-laning of the Zirakpur-Patiala section of NH-64. He emphasised the need for according approval to the four-laning of the Patiala-Bathinda section and upgrading the Jalandhar-Moga-Barnal section
of NH-71. The Deputy Chief minister told the Union Minister that with the Environment and Forest Ministry yet to give its clearance, work on widening the Amritsar-Bathinda stretch of NH-15 and the Sangrur-Patiala-Khanauri stretch had
been delayed.
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R’sthan cops in tizzy over bodies found in canals
Faridkot, August 4 As these canals originate from Hari Ke Barrage in Ferozepur, the confluence point of the Satluj and Beas rivers, the Rajasthan Police believe that most of these bodies were of people who were murdered and dumped by criminals in the canals in Punjab in a bid to walk scot-free. Hari Prasad Sharma, district police chief, Ganganagar, said the police of the areas where Indira Gandhi Canal and Gung Canal run through in Rajasthan were “heavily burdened” due to unidentified bodies. “After starting at Hari Ki Barrage, these canals run over 900 km through Rajasthan. The free flow of water in these canals and their distributaries in Rajasthan keep churning out bodies,” said Sharma. As most of the bodies are “highly decomposed”, the police “declare these as unidentified” and dispose them of. The fact that these canals are used as a “safe” option by criminals to dump bodies is evident in Faridkot, from where Indira Gandhi Canal runs through. In the past 10 days in Faridkot, the bodies of two youths — Lovepreet Singh (19), and Jaspreet Singh (21) — were dumped in the canal. However, both the bodies were extricated from the canal before these entered Rajasthan. The body of a 45-year-old woman from Kotkapura, who allegedly committed suicide by jumping into the canal, was recovered four days ago near Surewala village of Hanumangarh district. Besides 303 “unidentified” bodies recovered in Sriganganagar and 401 in Hanumangarh in the last seven years, many other were recovered in canals, some were reported, others were not. It is also a routine affair for farmers of Mohangarh and Ramgarh areas in Jaisalmer district, wherein lies the tail-end of Indira Gandhi Canal. In three years, the police have spotted over 70 bodies in Indira Gandhi Canal, said Sankar Singh, SHO, Mohangarh. Neerja Khanna, an advocate in Jaipur, has filed a writ petition in the Rajasthan High Court, demanding a CBI probe into the matter. The Ganganagar police, in their report to the high court, have stated that bodies were flowing to Rajasthan from Punjab every day. “Coordination between the Rajasthan and Punjab police is very necessary to identify these bodies and solve criminal cases,” said Gurdit Singh Sekhon, a member of a joint action committee in Faridkot that has been holding protests against alleged lackadaisical attitude of the police in tracing 29 persons missing from Faridkot in the past 19 months. Mohnish Chawla, Director Inspector General, Faridkot, who is heading a SIT)to solve cases pertaining to missing persons in Faridkot, said they had already started working with the Rajasthan Police
to solve these cases.
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Flood fear drives Bihar migrants to Punjab
Rajpura/Patiala, August 4 The Jansewa Express that comes from Saharsa in Bihar today brought a large number of distressed migrants to the Rajpura railway station. They have come to Punjab in search of work after abandoning their livestock and property back home. Packed in every nook and corner of almost all the coaches, these migrants were clinging on the only hope that they would be able get work in the industrial sector since the paddy season is almost over. "In 2008, I had lost two of my brothers. This time, we decided to follow the district administration's instructions to vacate our village in Supaul," said Kaka Ram from Purnia. "It is better to work with my old employers in Amritsar than to wait for relief and rescue in camps set up in various schools near our village," he said. Another migrant Chander Kumar hailing from Saharsa who reached Rajpura with his family said: "We saw death and destruction in 2008. We have decided to leave Bihar and find work in a hosiery unit in Ludhiana where I had worked four years ago. "While the authorities in Bihar have told us to vacate our houses and shift to relief camps, it is not possible to survive without work for long. The little savings I have are enough for a few months. I am in touch with my brother who is employed in Samrala," he said. "The flood-prone areas in Bihar are Khagaria, Araria, Madhubani, Bhagalpur, Purnia, Supaul, Saharsa and Madhepura. The situation is critical there so we have come to Punjab," said Ram Kumar who will stay with his relative working in a tannery in Jalandhar. Many others belonging to villages along the Kosi alleged they were forcibly evacuated. They said they were asked to abandon their cattle and property and move to safer places as there was a fear of a high tide that could sweep the villages along the banks of the
Kosi.
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AAP kicks off campaign with roadshow in Patiala
Patiala, August 4 The roadshow was started from Chotti Baradari. After passing through Sheranwala Gate, Sher-e-Punjab market, Arya Samaj, Triveni Chowk, Jaurian Bhathian and Anardana Chowk, it finally culminated at Dharampura Bazaar. AAP leader Jassi Jasraj, who had contested the Lok Sabha election from Bathinda, was also present. Adaltiwala addressed meetings at Jaurian Bhathian, Anardana Chowk and near Punjab State Power Corporation Limited's office at Sheranwala Gate. He said the city residents had taught a lesson to the SAD and the Congress in the recent Lok Sabha elections and the same would be repeated in this byelection. "The Patiala Municipal Corporation has done nothing for development of the city which speaks volumes of the SAD-BJP's misrule. Similarly, Preneet Kaur despite being Patiala MP for 15 years and a Union minister failed to bring any major project for the constituency," he alleged. Jassi alleged: "People in Punjab are fed up with the SAD-BJP combine. Their leaders are hand in glove with the sand, drug and transport mafias while the Congress had been at the centre of multi-crore scams. The voters in the state are aware of wrongdoings of both these parties which became evident in the Lok Sabha election. They will vote for AAP in both Patiala and Talwandi Sabo byelections."
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Badals neglecting Patiala: Captain
Patiala, August 4 "The Badals have been discriminating against the whole of Punjab except Lambi and Bathinda, but they are particularly neglecting Patiala for obvious reasons," he alleged. Corroborating the charges levelled by former Patiala MP and his wife Preneet Kaur that the Akalis had discriminated against Patiala, Captain said ever since the Akalis came to power, they had not sanctioned a single penny for the city.
'Funds diverted to Lambi'
Addressing a series of meetings here today, party candidate Preneet Kaur the state government was on the verge of bankruptcy. It had sold vast land in Patiala under the optimum utilisation of vacant government land for hundreds of crore rupees, but instead of spending the proceeds on the city's development, the same were diverted to Bathinda and Lambi, she alleged.
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Withdraw draconian law: Left parties
Jalandhar, August 4 Addressing the gathering, the leaders said the "draconian" legislation was an attack on the democratic rights of the people and should be withdrawn. They also demanded abolition of property tax, increase in old age and widow pension to a minimum of Rs 3,000 per month and minimum wages for unskilled workers at Rs 15,000 per month.
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Congress, BJP workers spar over foundation stone
Ferozepur, August 4 It all began when Pinki along with his supporters came to the newly constructed state-of-the-art eye block ahead of its inauguration and noticed that his name was not etched on the foundation stone. Pinki took up the matter with the Civil Surgeon, YK Gupta. Probably not amused with the reply, the miffed MLA spoke to Jyani on phone and conveyed his concern. When Jyani arrived to inaugurate the block, he tried to sort the matter and cajoled the restive MLA. However, during the press conference later, things again turned unruly when Jugraj Singh Katora, BJP district president, failed to mention Pinki's name in his address. Already upset over the sequence of events, Pinki's supporters started arguing with Katora. Before the sparring could have turned worse, the rain God intervened and everyone rushed inside the building. Jyani and Pinki later apologised for the incident.
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Admissions in schools for meritorious students begin
Gen KAS Bhullar, project head, said that owing to a large number of applicants, many could not get admission in the stream of their choice. He said each of the special schools had 300 seats in the non-medical stream and 100 each in the medical and commerce streams. “We have to maintain a ratio of 60:40 for boys and girls in each stream. The merit list for both is made separately. But with the number of girl applicants being high, some students could not got admission. The hostel accommodation is also in the ratio of 60:40. We are trying to adjust most of the students and are looking for a way out,” he said. At least 2,533 students have been admitted to the special schools. As many as 4,702 students of government schools had secured 80 per cent marks and above in Class X. Under the “Society for Promotion of Education for Poor and Meritorious Students of Punjab Scheme”, the government intends to provide top-class education to meritorious students and help them prepare for competitive exams. For the purpose, special schools have been opened in Mohali, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala. Sources said 1,800 girls and 733 boys had been given admission in these schools. As many as 1,671 students, among them 1,080 girls, had opted for the non-medical stream, 440 students, including 360 girls, for the commerce stream and 422 students, 360 of them girls, had opted for the medical stream. The school at Bathinda had admitted 458 students. In Ludhiana, 397 students, in Patiala 447 students, in Jalandhar 415 students, in Amritsar 414 and in Mohali 405 students had been admitted.
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Namdhari sect feud turns ugly
Ludhiana, August 4 They refused to acknowledge him as Satguru. The action committee members blamed him for “throwing out his elder brother and mother from Bhaini Sahib for grabbing the sect’s property”. The action committee stated that while successive Satgurus had been elevated by their predecessors, Uday Singh was “selected” by Mata Chand Kaur after the demise of Satguru Jagjit Singh. Meanwhile, the indefinite fast by couple Harvinder Singh and Parveen Kaur entered the fourth day today. The action committee said the condition of Parveen Kaur had worsened following which they had met Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal. “The DC has made it clear that the administration will not interfere in the internal matters of the sect. We will now decide our next course of action tomorrow,” said Navtej Singh, spokesperson for the action committee. Lakhvir Singh of the Namdhari Darbar termed the allegations as blasphemous. He demanded strict action against the action committee members for maligning the image of revered Satguru for “vested interests”. The followers of Thakur Uday Singh and his elder brother Thakur Dalip Singh have been at loggerheads since last year.
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Water level increases in Bhakra dam
Ropar, August 4 A review of the situation would be done soon and in case the water level rose near to 1,670 feet by August 15, more water can be released, said BBMB Member, Irrigation, SL Aggarwal. The filling of the dam has been satisfactory till now as its maximum storage capacity is 1,680 feet. The filling period is considered up to September 20. Taking into account the water inflow over the past several days, it was presumed that the level would be around 1,665 feet at least by August 15. But in case the level inched towards 1,670 feet, more water will be released after consultation with the partner states of Haryana and Rajasthan, said Aggarwal. The inflow in Bhakra dam was 49,765 cusecs on Monday, as against 48,351 cusecs the same day last year. The outflow was recorded at 25,458 cusecs against 35,126 cusecs last year. The Pong dam water level, which depends largely on rains, however, remains a cause for concern for the authorities. Aggarwal said the level in the dam, having capacity of 1,390 feet, was recorded at 1,337.18 feet on Monday, as against 1,368.31 feet last year. As rains have eluded the region this year, the inflow in the dam was recorded at 23,952 cusecs today, as against 33,055 last year.
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Quash FIR against 11 students: Union
Sangrur, August 4 They were demanding cancellation of a case against 11 students of the college. The case was registered against them for allegedly attacking employees of a private transporter at the bus stand of Bahadurpur village, near Mastuana Sahib, three weeks ago. The dharna was led by PSU leader Shankar Badra who alleged the police had registered a false case against the students even though they were not involved in any violence. Badra said private transporters had put up several nakas between Sangrur and Barnala. They harassed students on the pretext of checking tickets and forced them to buy tickets ignoring their valid bus passes, he alleged. Kulwinder Sekha, district president, PSU, said the FIR lodged against 11 students must be quashed. He said government bus passes should be valid for private buses as well. He said if the administration failed to accept their demands they would intensify their agitation.
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Teachers protest Amritsar cane-charge
Sangrur, August 4 Led by union district president Sukhvir Singh, the protesters demanded release of their colleagues, strict action against the policemen who resorted to lathicharge on the teachers and merger of 5,752 schools being run under zila parishads and municipal councils with the Education Department. They later staged a dharna and handed over a memorandum enlisting their demands to Deputy Commissioner Arshdeep Singh Thind. Bathinda: The ETT teachers blocked traffic for more than 30 minutes and burnt an effigy of the government on the GT road outside Hanuman Chowk. The police forcibly dragged the union members into their vehicles and took them to various police stations. Union district president Gurjit Singh Jassi has condemned the police action. DSP (City) Gurjit Singh Romana said the protesters blocked the GT Road and affected traffic for about half an hour. Tarn Taran: The police registered a case against ETT teachers for trying to block traffic at Harike, 32 km from here, on Sunday. The teachers held a protest march here on Monday and burnt an effigy of the state government.
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Murder accused in juvenile home dies
Fatehgarh Sahib, August 4 The accused's counsel Bharat Verma said the Fatehgarh Sahib police had arrested the boy along with Jaskaran Singh on June 2 in a murder case. He said a local court had allowed his bail application about 16 days ago and his family was told to furnish bail papers on August 2. But due to poor financial condition, accused's grandfather Telu Ram could not furnish the bond papers, he said. Verma said when the minor was produced in the court on August 2, he appeared ill with swelling on his face. He said he had asked the accompanying policemen to get him medically examined. Verma said the boy's family today received a call from the Ludhiana police that the boy was not well and was being taken to hospital. Later, they were informed that that their son died during treatment, he said. He alleged the police was also putting pressure on him to become prime witness in the case. He said the family had sought a probe into his death by an independent agency. Sukhcharan Kaur, superintendent of juvenile home, Ludhiana, said the accused attended the court hearing on August 2, but fell ill on Sunday evening. She said the boy was admitted to the local Civil Hospital where he later died. On a query about swelling on the boy's face as alleged by deceased's counsel, she said the accused was suffering from some allergy, but he was otherwise fit and fine.
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NAPA to approach PM for re-probing riots
Jalandhar, August 4 Association executive director Satnam Singh Chahal has written: “We understand that this is the best time to have an audience with you in Washington or in New York to raise our issues in Punjab, which are not being addressed since several decades. The issue of 1984 anti-Sikh riots is our main concern. Since the successive governments have failed to provide justice to the victims, the Government of India should set up a commission of inquiry, headed by a Supreme Court judge, for probing the entire conspiracy”. He said the commission should be asked to submit its report within six months. “Special dedicated courts should be set up to expedite the delivery of justice where FIRs had been registered and challans presented,” he wrote.
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Claim on reduction in blood charges a farce: NGO to Jyani
Abohar, August 4 The charges of blood per unit had been increased from Rs 300 to Rs 500 in government hospitals and from Rs 750 to Rs 1,450 in private hospitals by the Health Department from July 1. Nar Sewa Narayan Sewa president Raju Charaya, a state awardee, and its secretary Bittu Narula told the minister, during the inauguration of a drug de-addiction centre here, that claims being made on reduction of charges through TV news channels were “misleading”. The NGO claimed that Abohar topped in the Ferozepur division in organising blood donation camps but the enhanced charges had infuriated donors. Jyani assured to take up the matter with the officials concerned. They told the minister that Centrally funded and state-run ambulances were charging Rs 10 per km from patients whereas the better-equipped private ambulances were charging only Rs 8 per km. The NGO also produced before the minister lab reports which indicated that about 27 per cent of the patients examined at free medical camps in Timber Market and Dhaani Bisheshar Nath village here reported positive to hepatitis B but the Health Department had been limiting its campaign merely to organising awareness camps in the hospital. How could poor people afford an injection worth Rs 750 to get rid of the problem, the NGO members asked Jyani. He earlier inaugurated the 10-bed de-addiction centre developed at a cost of Rs 55 lakh here. Senior Medical officer Jagdish Chander Takkar told him that the number of OPD patients had gone up in the Civil Hospital up to 450 but there was a dearth of medicos and para-medical staff due to which they had to work for 18 hours almost everyday.
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After much dithering, Mohali police to seek production remand of ‘conman’
Chandigarh, August 4 Devinder Gill is accused of duping several Punjab police officials and other influential persons on the pretext of offering them state-of-the-art facilities at a 2.5 acre farm house in Mullanpur (now New Chandigarh). Officials confirmed in the evening that the production remand will be sought as earlier there was uncertainty over the issue. Though Devinder Gill alias Devinder Thapa was declared a proclaimed offender, the police was not able to pursue the investigation due to a direction by the state Vigilance department, which had reportedly stalled the investigation pending a vigilance inquiry. The vigilance inquiry was regarding allegations of misuse of authority by some senior policemen to threaten Gill. A senior official not willing to be quoted admitted there was a directive from the Vigilance but the law had to take its course. “We are duty bound to seek production of a proclaimed offender.”
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This Rakhi, ask brothers to respect women: WC chief
Abohar, August 4 Addressing a function at BRG Government College, Sriganganagar, 40 km from Abohar, Jain said youths had led a protest over Noida medico girl’s gang rape and murder, which had forced Parliament to enact a new law against sex-related crimes. “If someone tried to harass you, don’t hide it. Even the misuse of social media should be fought with bravely,” she said and announced the launch of helpline number 181 for women. She advised the authorities to set up a women counselling center at the district headquarters. She later held a meeting to listen to grievances.
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Fazilka gets de-addiction centre
Fazilka, August 4 Official sources said the construction of the centre was started in October 2013 and was scheduled to be completed by June 15 this year. Medical Officer Dr Chander Mohan Kataria has been assigned the post of Nodal Officer. However,
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141 employees found absent during raid
Chandigarh, August 4 The raid was conducted by a team led by Gurpreet Sapra, Special Secretary (Personnel), who inspected the office in Sector 34, Chandigarh, at 9.10 am. Senior officials, including two Directors, Dr Karamjit Singh and Dr Jatinder Kaur; Dr. Diljeet Singh Cheema, Joint Director; Saroj Bala, Deputy Director; Piara Ram, Joint Controller; Dr Shashi Kant, Dr Vinod Berry, Dr Apramper Kaur Sidhu, Dr Bhag Mal, and 20 others doctors were missing when the checking was done. The inspection team collected all attendance registers and submitted a report to the Chief Secretary, who has asked Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, to seek an explanation from the erring staff.
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Ropar institute fined Rs 4 lakh for power theft
Ropar, August 4 On July 22, PSPCL officials found that the power supply was being drawn directly by the institute by bypassing the electricity meter. The institute is situated at Shekhupur village on the Ropar-Bela road. Bawa Singh, SDO, PSPCL, said an electricity meter with a sanctioned load of 40 KV was installed at the institute. The authorities had deposited Rs 5 lakh for power consumption in the last one year. After the detection of theft, the power supply to institute was snapped and the offender was asked to deposit Rs 4 lakh as penalty. The money was deposited with PSPCL following which the power supply was resumed, the SDO said.
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Rs 429 cr for border, kandi areas
Chandigarh, August 4 Presiding over separate meetings with SAD-BJP MLAs from 16 Assembly segments of Fazilka, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts and 17 segments of kandi districts of SAS Nagar (Mohali), Ropar, Nawanshahr, Hoshiarpur and Pathankot here, the Chief Minister asked the Deputy Commissioners concerned to finalise the proposals for seeking funds under Border Areas Development Fund and Kandi Area Development Fund.
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Man kills wife, mother-in-law
Ferozepur, August 4 This morning, Jasbir came to take back his wife and children. He had a spat with his mother-in-law. He hit his wife and mother-in-law with a sharp-edged weapon. They died instantly. He then asked the neighbours to call the police. The couple’s children Gurleen (9) and Ranbir (6), who witnessed the killings, were in a state of shock. Gurpreet Singh Toor, SSP, said the murder weapon had been recovered.
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HC: Place on record policy on premature release of prisoners
Chandigarh, August 4 The state has already been asked to amend its existing policy to incorporate the outer limit for submission of verification report by the police authorities. The directions were issued in February this year on a petition filed by Kulbir Singh against the state of Punjab and other respondents. Quoting an example, the counsel for the petitioner, Navkiran Singh, had told the court that the Police Department took two years for furnishing verification report in case of one Santokh Singh. Attributing corruption to delay in submitting police reports, Navkiran Singh had added that in the April 2013 policy, specific time period for furnishing verification report had not been provided. Punjab Additional Advocate-General, on the other hand, had submitted that “the time period was available” in subsequent affidavits. He further submitted that the issue “pertaining to mentally incapacitated convicts, who have completed the sentence, would also be incorporated in the policy”. Taking up the matter, the Bench had asserted: “We are of the view that there should be one comprehensive policy and, thus, the time period for police authorities concerned to submit verification report with outer limit specified should be incorporated in the policy itself and, thus, the amended policy may be issued by the Principal Secretary to the Government of Punjab, Department of Home Affairs, incorporating this aspect as also the aspect pertaining to mentally incapacitated convicts. This will also provide the necessary checks and balances as, if the policy is violated, there are bound to be consequences on the officers”. As the matter came up for viewing the compliance of the orders, the State counsel requested for an adjournment. The counsel claimed he has received instructions that the file was with the Chief Minister, “where after it will be placed before the Council of Ministers and only then the amended policy can be placed on record”. Taking a note of the request, the Bench asserted: “We grant two months’ time to do the needful. The amended policy be placed on record at least a week before the next date of hearing, failing which the Principal Secretary concerned shall remain personally present in court”. The case will now come up on October 10.
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HC stays state govt’s letter to MCI
Chandigarh, August 4 The orders by Justice K Kannan came on a petition filed by Zoya Gill and five others against the State of Punjab and other respondents through counsel Deepak Sibal and Saurav Verma. Justice Kannan fixed August 25 as the next date of hearing. Sibal contended that candidates securing a minimum 50 per cent marks in the All-India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) were considered eligible for admission to MBBS in the state’s medical colleges. The rules also specified that 15 per cent seats were to be reserved for NRI candidates. But in the AIPMT examinations, only three candidates could make it. As a result, 90 seats remained vacant. Sibal argued that the seats were to be converted to the general pool if the NRI aspirants did not qualify. But the Deputy Secretary, Medical Education and Research, wrote an impugned letter dated July 9 to the Medical Council of India to lower the eligibility criteria. He said the Deputy Secretary’s action of writing the impugned letter to lower the “eligibility criteria is wrong and illegal and is liable to be quashed”. The respondents were “acting under the pressure and influence of private colleges, who are contemplating a financial loss to the tune of crores of rupees as each NRI seat generates an approximate revenue of Rs 80 lakh.” Seeking directions to prohibit the respondents from lowering the eligibility criteria, he insisted that relaxing the criteria laid down by the government was against public interest as the “medical profession effects the public at large and unqualified persons can cause serious prejudice to public health”.
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Faridkot
Maharaja case
Chandigarh, August 4 Gurpreet Singh had moved an application in January this year. The application was dismissed amid strong opposition by counsel for the Maharwal Khewaji Trust as well as the Maharaja’s daughter, Amrit Kaur. In his application, Gurpreet Singh had said that Amrit Kaur had on February 14, 1996, entered into a deed for a total consideration of Rs 65 lakh, which was paid to her. The application mentioned that the general power of attorney was registered too. Gurpreet intimated the court that as per the deed, he was to get a major share of the property in case the suit challenging the will, by which the Maharwal Khewaji Trust was made caretaker of the Maharaja’s property, was decided Amrit Kaur’s favour. Considering the application, the court issued a notice to Amrit Kaur, who strongly opposed the plea. It was argued that the application was filed after a considerable delay and, hence, should be dismissed. The court had in 2013 declared the Maharaja’s daughters as legal heirs of his property.
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Pathankot ex-SMO convicted for fraud
Pathankot, August 4 The case was registered by the Vigilance Bureau (VB) after it had received a complaint. It accused the SMO and Sanjeev Kumar for purchasing medicines in violation
of norms. The chemist was pronounced guilty for raising false bills in connivance with the SMO. Deputy Superintendent of Police Naresh Thakur (VB), while talking to The Tribune, said the complaint was filed in 2013 and after a comprehensive inquiry, the Bureau registered a case against the duo. He said it was found that medicines were being purchased from Sanjeev
without going through the proper process of inviting tenders. He said though the sentence is a bailable once, no arrest had been made in this regard. “They can challenge the verdict in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, but we too are prepared to fight the case since we have solid evidence,” he said. A pharmacist, Balraj Sharma, who was also facing trial in the case, has been acquitted.
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4 held for killing teen outside college
Muktsar, August 4 Among those arrested is Vishal Kumar who led a group of students and allegedly fired bullets at a Swift car resulting in the death of Gurjeet Singh of Chak Modikhera village in Abohar subdivision of
Fazilka district. The deceased had come in support of student leader Amar Sandhu. The latter had put up posters inside the college complex declaring himself president of the college students’ union. Gurjeet, who was seated in the Swift car, was hit in his back. Iqbal Singh, Station House officer, Sadar, said: “Four younths, including the main accused, have been arrested.” Earlier, Lovepreet alias Lovely, Deepu and Saurabh Khokhar were booked by the police. Among others named in the FIR were former district Youth Akali Dal president Pushkar Brar of Fattanwala village.
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IIT prof killed in road mishap
Ludhiana, August 4 The incident took place last night when she was returning to Ropar after attending a meeting in Ludhiana. Eyewitnesses said the car driver reportedly lost control over the vehicle which fell into a drain at Dhandi village near Samrala. The incident took place at around 9:30 pm. The bodies of both the victims were recovered within an hour of the accident. A case has been registered.
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Three booked for cheating
Abohar, August 4 Santokh Singh of Abohar had alleged that the trio had duped his family by claiming to get his son Nishan Singh, an accused in a drugs case, released by using their “connections” with top officials in Punjab Police. — OC
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New Delhi, August 4
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Chandigarh, August 4
Politely refuse gifts offered
by your brothers on Raksha Bandhan and instead, take a word from them that they will help protect modesty of
women