Akalis object to FM’s meal remark

Chandigarh: The SAD on Saturday hit out at Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal for reportedly saying that farmers shouldn’t mind missing a meal every day, but not compromise on the studies of their children. In a statement issued by the party head office here, SAD spokesman Virsa Singh Valtoha said it was surprising that the minister, instead of working for the welfare of farmers and farm labourers, was asking them to skip meals. Valtoha said the Congress was shying away from its responsibility towards the farming community. TNS

Five dera men held for rioting

Sangrur: The police have arrested five Dera Sacha Sauda followers for allegedly damaging property after the conviction of dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim on August 25. A case has been registered under Sections 307, 353, 186, 436, 427, 120-B and 34 of the IPC and Section 5 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. Unidentified persons had set a school bus afire outside a Naam Charcha Ghar at Kila Hakima village. After an investigation, five dera followers were arrested on Saturday evening — Rajinder Kumar, Bhagat Singh, Amandeep Singh, Pardeep Singh and Narinder Pal Singh. TNS

Ratan Lal joins as RCF general manager

Chandigarh: Ratan Lal, a 1980-batch officer of the Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers, has joined as general manager of the Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala. Born in 1959, Ratan Lal joined the Railways as a probationer in 1982. During his 35-year service, he has worked as additional divisional railway manager of the Bikaner division in the North Western Railway, divisional railway manager of the Rangiya Division (North Frontier Railway) and assistant general manager, North Frontier Railway. Before this, he served as chief electrical engineer, Western Railway. TNS

Cops to probe fake job offers on social media

Chandigarh: Acting against fraudulent persons allegedly trying to dupe public through false advertisements for recruitments, the police have registered a case to probe one such matter. An official spokesperson said a fake post regarding advertisement of vacancies in the state police had been circulating on social media to lure the youth for usurping money from them. He said the police always issued public advertisements for a recruitment drive and uploaded such information on its portal as well. TNS