Nabha MC president 
Batish joins SAD@@@@NABHA: Local Municipal Council president Gautam Batish has joined the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) with a couple of his colleagues. This was disclosed by veteran Akali leader and former Cabinet minister Raja Narinder Singh at a press conference at his residence here. Four independent councillors belonging to Ramesh Singla had already joined the SAD. Batish said his family had served the Congress for 40 years, but got little respect. — OC@@@@11 girls tie knot at @@mass marriage @@@@SANGRUR: Eleven girls of poor families were married off at a mass marriage ceremony organised by the local Lehragaga Niwasi Sabha here on Saturday. The total expenditure (about Rs 5 lakh) on the marriages of the girls was done by the sabha with the assistance of some organisations and individuals. Every couple was given gifts worth Rs 50,000. President of the sabha Rajinder Goyal said of the 11 girls, four were from Sangrur and seven from different villages, including Kunran, Mangwal, Hasanpur, Rampur Jawaharwala and Ghanaur Jattan. The function was inaugurated by Sangrur ADC Dr Indu Malhotra and attended among others by Sangrur SSP Arun Pal Singh, vice-president of the SAD Parkash Chand Garg and an industrialist from Mandi Gobindgarh Narain Singla Lehrewale. Singla also donated Rs 21,000 to the sabha. The owners of the Magnum marriage palace gave the site to the sabha without charging money. — TNS @@ @@Sukhbir Badal permitted 
to visit Italy@@@@ROPAR: The Special Court, Ropar, on Saturday granted permission to Sukhbir Badal, acting president of the SAD, to visit Italy from January 6 to 12. He has been granted permission against the submission of bail bonds. Sukhbir had earlier moved an application before the court for permission to visit Italy on the pretext that he wanted to woo entrepreneurs there to invest in Punjab. — TNS

Armed attack @@Nabha: There was panic in Niasa Wali bazar here after a group of youths, brandishing swords and iron rods, attacked the owner of Sarabjit Photostat and Confectionery Store today. Shop owner’s cousin Baljit Singh was seriously injured. — OC

One booked @@Nawanshahr: Police has registered a case under sections 363/66 IPC, against Ashok (30) for allegedly eloping with a 20-year-old girl, a resident of Musapur road here. City SHO, Rakesh Kumar, said a case has been registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by the girl’s father, Madan Lal. — OC@@@@Cow killing @@Jalandhar:Several Hindu organisations expressed their resentment over the killing of a cow. The corpse of the cow was found lying in the area near the Burlton Park.This is the second such incident within a few days in the district. Earlier, the body of the cow was recovered in a village.@@While a case has been registered in this regard, SSP Arpit Shukla said the man who would inform about the miscreants would be rewarded. — TNS@@@@Prof honoured@@Amritsar: Dr R.P.S. Boparai, professor and head of the department of orthopaedics, Government Medical College, here has been honoured with the “Vidya Ratan Gold Medal” by the All-India Business Development Association, New Delhi. — OC

Dowry case@@Bathinda: Talwandi Sabo police has registered a case of harassing a woman for dowry against Pritam Singh, Gurdan Singh, Angrej Kaur and Harpreet Kaur, all residents of Talwandi Sabo on Friday. Police sources said the case has been registered after the investigation by DDA (Legal) and on 
the order of the SSP, Bathinda. —TNS@@@@Theft@@Bathinda: The director of a chemical firm reported to the police alleging that some unknown person has stolen a truck bearing number PB-08AF-9121, carrying 320 bags of seed on Friday from Haji Rattan road, Bathinda. Police sources said the complainant had stated the amount stolen was worth Rs 6,25,000. A case of theft has been registered at Kotwali police station under section 379 of the IPC. —TNS@@@@Annual meet@@Bathinda: Aklia College of Education for Women celebrated its first old and new students meet on Saturday. On the occasion, principal J.D. Singh said that NCTE has permitted them to run the ETT programme. The chief guest at the function, Member of Parliament, Paramjeet Kaur Gulshan, released the first volume of the college magazine 'Vidya Darpan'. —TNS@@@@Launched@@Bathinda: After opening their outlets at Patiala, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Ludhiana, Vishal Mega Mart on Saturday launched its first Mega Mall at Haji Ratan Chowk, Civil Lines, Bathinda. Vipin Sharma, regional CEO, Vishal Retail, said that the firm started its journey in 1986 from a small shop of 50 square feet in Lal Bazaar, Kolkata. ``For Vishal, this is the 79th mega retail store of the country and sixth in the state.'' —TNS@@@@Dalit Sena@@Bathinda: Kiranjit Singh Gehri, president, Dalit Sena, demanded an inquiry into the clash between authorities of New Guru Kashi Bus Transport and ITI students, who were agitating regarding bus passes. Some days back, cops had lathicharged the ITI students and even reportedly misbehaved with girl students, against which an FIR should be lodged, Gehri said. —TNS@@@@Criticised@@Bathinda: Ashok Kumar, president, District Congress Committee, Bathinda, has criticized the lathicharge on ITI students, Anganwari workers and reluctance on the part of the government in Behman Jassa Singh Agni Kand. "The SAD-BJP government is failing in every aspect and is forgetting the promises made before the elections," he alleged. —TNS@@Jawan drowned @@Abohar: An Armyman from district Tarn Taran drowned in the Indira Gandhi canal in the neighbouring Sriganganagar region on Friday, sources confirmed today. The police was told by the commanding officer of a regiment that Anoop Singh (34) of Rasoolpur village in Tarn Taran slipped into the canal during patrolling. He had arrived to participate in an exercise, the official said and added that the rescue efforts made by his colleagues failed. The body was recovered late last evening. —OC@@@@Honoured@@Ferozepur: At a function held here, the State Bank of Patiala (SBOP) employees union honoured Ashok Sharma, Sukhdeep Bhardwaj and Kanwaljeet Bhui for their selection in the All India SBOP Employees Federation. Naresh Kashyap, president of the union, Ferozepur city, thanked the central leadership for giving such an honour to the Bathinda region. — OC@@@@Elders’ Day@@Ferozepur: At a function organised by the police department to celebrate the Elders’ Day, Ishwar Chander, deputy inspector-general, Ferozepur Range, honoured the retired police employees. The DIG said the problems of the retired police employees should be solved on a priority basis. SSP Dinesh Pratap Singh, Harjinder Singh SP (HQ) and Harjinder Singh deputy superintendet of police (D) were also present on the occasion. — OC @@@@Received@@Abohar: Long awaited development plans in the Gopi Chand Arya Mahila College received a boost when Sheela Chaudhary presented to the college a cheque valuing Rs 2.47 lakh for welfare activities, principal Neelam Arun Mittu said on Saturday. Sheela Chaudhary is daughter-in-law of Shriram Chaudhary, a former president 
of the local municipal 
committee. — OC