Ex-PM’s ashes immersed at Kiratpur Sahib

Kiratpur Sahib: The ashes of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee were immersed in Sutlej at Asth Ghat of Gurdwara Patalpuri Sahib here on Thursday. The ashes were brought here by BJP workers from Chandigarh. Gurdwara Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib head granthi Giani Phoola Singh performed the ardas. Dinesh Kumar, general secretary (organisation) of the Chandigarh BJP unit, said the ashes of the former Prime Minister would be immersed in 101 rivers in the country. TNS

Takht to honour Baba Sucha Singh, Alag 

Amritsar: Two Sikh personalities will be honoured at Akal Takht on Friday. While Sant Baba Sucha Singh Jawdi Taksal will be conferred with the "Shiromani Gurmat Sangeet Parcharak" title, Saroop Singh Alag will be presented the Principal Ganga Singh Shiromani Award. Besides this, a portrait of late Raghbir Singh Bains will also be set up at Central Sikh Museum in the Golden Temple complex. Diljit Singh Bedi, SGPC secretary, said the programme would be held in the presence of Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh and SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal. TNS

Lecturers allotted stations 

Chandigarh: As many as 21 new lecturers of pharmacy were allotted stations by Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, an official press release said here on Thursday. The lecturers recruited were allotted stations against vacant posts at polytechnic colleges in Patiala, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Bathinda and Amritsar. TNS

Sandhu is head of transparency panel

Chandigarh: Mandeep Singh Sandhu was sworn in as the Chief Commissioner of the state’s Transparency & Accountability Commission by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh here on Thursday. Administering the oath to Sandhu, the CM asked him to accord top priority to the prompt redressal of the public grievances by ensuring these services in a seamless and time-bound manner. TNS

Rs 6.47-cr subsidy for dairy farming

Chandigarh: The Punjab Government has disbursed a subsidy of Rs 6.47 crore to the unemployed youth for setting up dairy farms. This was stated by Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu in a press release here on Thursday. TNS

Abohar youth dies of drug ‘overdose’

Abohar: A 28-year-old youth, who had come from Chandigarh to celebrate Rakhi here on Wednesday, was found dead in a washroom of a gurdwara here on Thursday. Some sedatives and injection were found near the body when Pawanpreet Singh’s parents were called to the gurdwara complex. The police said this appeared to be a case of drug overdose. Further details would be available after the autopsy was conducted. Pawanpreet was working with a private company in Chandigarh. He got married last year. OC

SGPC meeting in Chandigarh tomorrow 

Amritsar: The SGPC on Thursday postponed its executive body meeting, which was scheduled to be held on Friday. SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal had called the emergency meeting here, but now it would be held in Chandigarh on Saturday. SGPC secretary Diljit Singh Bedi said various Panthic issues were on agenda. “The meeting was postponed as it clashed with a programme planned at Akal Takht to honour Sikh personalities. Moreover, a meeting was already scheduled in Chandigarh, so it was decided to hold the executive body meeting there,” he said. TNS

Two commit suicide

Muktsar: A 42-year-old man from Malout allegedly committed suicide by jumping into a canal near Tharajwala village here on Thursday. Pawan Kumar, native of Ward 7, spoke to his brother over the phone before taking the extreme step. Meanwhile, a 40-year-old man of Wara Kishanpura village in Gidderbaha allegedly ended his life by consuming poison on Wednesday night. Jagsir Singh had been depressed for the past some time. TNS 

Man booked for sale of sedative to kids

Muktsar: The police have booked a shopkeeper of Rupana village near here for allegedly selling a chemical to children, which they were reportedly using as a sedative. The police had rounded up Ashok Kumar on Wednesday, but nearby shopkeepers staged a protest in his favour thus he was released. He was arrested on the complaint of a woman, whose children were consuming the chemical for the past some time. TNS

Police arrest 12 drug peddlers

Fazilka: The police claimed to have arrested 12 drug peddlers and recovered huge quantity of contraband in the past 24 hours in Fazilka. Fazilka SSP Gulneet Singh Khurana said the police arrested Lakhwinder Singh of Jhuge Gulab Singh village and recovered one pistol and three live cartridges from him. He said the police intercepted a car and recovered 84 kg of poppy husk from car occupants Mithan Singh and Sandeep Singh. OC