Kandahar hijacking: summons to former CMs, 5 others
Patiala, September 9
The special designated anti-hijacking court of Inderjit Singh Walia issued summons to seven persons, including former Chief Ministers, on Friday in a case relating to the hijacking of flight no: IC 814 which, while on its way from Kathmandu to New Delhi, was hijacked to Kandahar on December 24, 1999.

Inside Babudom
DFO not posted back despite CM’s orders
Infighting in Department of Forest
Hoshiarpur, September 9
There seems to be no end to infighting in the Department of Forest over the posting of Division Forest Officer (DFO), Garshankar. The IFS officer, Mr Harbhajan Singh, has not been posted back as DFO, Garshankar, despite orders in this regard from the Chief Minister and the Department of Personnel.

Unscrupulous elements devise new ways of power theft
Patiala, September 9
A trader of Sangrur district, running a big poultry farm, was found stealing power from the electricity transformer by changing the neutral wire with the phase wire and thus slowing down the meter without tampering with the same when the mobile metering test squad (MMTS) of the enforcement wing of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) carried out checking of the premises in the recent past.

POLITICS

Dullo differs with CM over Left alliance
Ludhiana, September 9
Contrary to the stand taken by the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh towards the left parties, the Pradesh Congress Committee president, Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, once again appealed to the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) to join hands with the Congress to defeat the communal and divisive forces.

Senior Congress leader joins SAD
Tarn Taran, September 9
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) received a shot in the arm today when a senior Congress party leader, Mr Kulwant Singh Chohla, former Chairman, Block Samiti, Chohla Sahib, along with his many supporters, joined the party under the Leadership of Mr Ranjit Singh Brahampura, MLA and senior vice-president, SAD.

Punjab economy in shambles, says Kanwaljit
Lalru, September 9
Joining issue with the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, over his claims of Punjab being the number one state in the country, the former Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, today alleged that Punjab economy was in shambles with unemployment assuming alarming proportions.

Bhattal panel holds meeting
Chandigarh, September 9
Various issues relating to the welfare of Punjab employees were discussed at length at the first meeting of Cabinet subcommittee headed by the Deputy Chief Minister, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, here today.

Rally against NCERT books

COMMUNITY

Protest against nursing home
Tarn Taran, September 9
Activists of Shiv Sena today shouted slogans against a nursing home here today for discharging a woman soon after delivery who died last night due to excessive bleeding.

150 pledge eyes
Patiala, September 9
As many as 150 persons pledged to donate eyes at a function organised here today to commemorate the closure of National Eye Donation Fortnight as part of the National Blindness Control Programme.

AGRICULTURE

BKU, arhtiyas trade charges over clash
Bathinda, September 9
The BKU Ugraha today accused the district administration of siding with commission agents following the registration of a case against some farmers for their yesterday’s clash with arhtiyas.

CRIME

Mother-son duo get 10-yr jail
Barnala, September 9
The court of Additional Sessions-Judge, Mr Fatehdeep Singh, awarded 10 years’ imprisonment to two persons including a woman, today. The accused are Muktiar Kaur, wife of Dalip Singh, and Amritpal Singh son of Dalip Singh. The court sentenced the 10-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh each to the mother-son duo in a poppy husk case. In the case of non-payment of fine, both accused will have to undergo 2-year additional imprisonment.

Revolver, gold ornaments stolen
Sangrur, September 9
In a broad daylight theft, thieves stole a .32 bore revolver, 80 gm of gold ornaments and Rs 20,000 in cash from the house of Raghwar Dayal Gupta in Guru Nanak Colony here today.

EDUCATION

Polytechnic staff block traffic
Hoshiarpur, September 9
More than 650 members of the Punjab Polytechnic Staff Joint Action Committee, led by their president, Mr Gurbaxshish Singh, blocked vehicular traffic on the Talwara-Mukerian road, 80 km from here, this afternoon in protest against the proposed privatisation of polytechnics and ITIs by the Punjab Government. Later, Mr Romesh Chander Dogra, Technical Education Minister, Punjab, intervened and got the traffic resumed.

Students’ performance disappoints Principal Secy
Fatehgarh Sahib, September 9
Mr Sarvesh Kaushal, Principal Secretary Education, today made a surprise visit at Mata Gujri Government Senior Secondary School, adjoining the house of the Deputy Commissioner.