Abohar
3 sentenced to life: Three residents of Amritsar have been sentenced to life imprisonment for killing a canter driver in Sriganganagar, sources said on Wednesday. Gurmeet Singh Sonu, Lakhwinder Singh Lakha and Balkar Singh, all residents of Madikhera village in Amritsar had gone to Sriganganagar to meet their relatives. On January 11, 2006, they allegedly conspired to loot an onion-loaded canter. They lured canter driver, Radheyshyam, and helper, Umesh, into having intoxicant-laced tea. Later, they killed Radheyshyam with the help of an iron rod.
12 booked: About 12 three-wheeler drivers and their helpers have been booked for attacking a driver of the Punjab Roadways. Among those booked are Amarjit Singh, Prem Kumar, Jagsir Singh and Vicky. They chased a Punjab Roadways bus of Moga depot and attacked its driver, Hardev Singh, and smashed its windowpanes when the bus halted at Kallarkhera village on Tuesday.
Held under NDPS Act: A Punjab Roadways bus of the Moga depot was intercepted near Diwankhera village and its driver Lakhbir Singh Panjgrain arrested under Section 15/61/85 of the NDPS Act for possessing 8 kg poppy husk.
Rescued: A Dalit peon, Ram Kumar Tank, who was allegedly locked by a gatekeeper inside the subdivisional office of the Department of Water Supply and Sanitation, was rescued on Tuesday. Tank had pulled up the gatekeeper for consuming liquor during duty hours. The gatekeeper allegedly locked him inside the office and left with the keys. Executive engineer and a subdivisional engineer were informed about the incident but no action had been taken so far.
Amritsar
Young scientist award: Prof Pran Nath Mehra Memorial Trust, Patiala, has conferred the Young Scientist Award for 2006 upon Reader, Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Satwinderjeet
Kaur. She had also been awarded BOYSCAST (Better Opportunities for Young Scientists in Chosen Areas of Science and Technology) Fellowship.
Batala
Crop gutted: Fire destroyed the standing wheat crop spread in 25 acres on Tuesday. Those fields were owned by eight farmers. Fire started at Marrianwalla village and spread towards Nawan Pind village covering 1.5 kms. Three MC fire engines were pressed into action to extinguish the fire.
Barnala
One killed in rail mishap: Om Parkash (65), a retired Punsup employee, was crushed to death under the Haridwar-Ganganagar intercity express, while he was trying to cross the railway track. He is survived by his wife and three daughters. The railway authorities have registered a case and the body handed over to the family members.
Bail plea withdrawn: In a surprise move PPCC vice-president Kewal Singh Dhillon has withdrawn his anticipatory bail application. Earlier, he had moved the application apprehending his arrest in the liquor case. His counsel, Rahul Gupta, refused to divulge the reason behind this move.Hoshiarpur
Dal formed: Balmiki Majhebi Christians from across Punjab formed an organisation of their own and urged the Punjab government to recruit employees into various departments from the community.
They unanimously elected Master Vinod Kumar as state president of the newly formed organisation in a meeting here on Wednesday. Kumar has been authorised to nominate the other office bearers and to form its units in all the districts of state. Woman ends life: Ritu Devi, wife of Avtar Singh of Bhatian Rajputan (Mukerian) committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance last evening. Following her statement in which she confessed that she had consumed some poisonous substance in a rage, Mukerian Police registered a case under Section 309 of the IPC against her.
Jalandhar
Draw for liquor vends today: According to the assistant excise and taxation commissioner, Jalandhar-1, the draw of lots for the allotment of liquor vends of Jalandhar-1 and Jalandhar-2 will be held at Red Cross Bhavan on Thursday at 9 a.m.
Samrala
Honoured: A social worker of the area and senior Akali leader Jathedar Gurdev Singh Mushkabad was honoured here on Wednesday by Akali workers and members of trade unions on his return from the USA. Jathedar Mushkabad has offered 5 acres for an ashram for old citizens. He will get the rooms constructed after meeting local MLA Jagjeewan Singh Kheernian shortly.
Elected: Jathedar Jagir Singh Behlolpur has been elected president of the newly formed body Saini Brotherhood. The office-bearers of the body are Darshan Singh, vice-president, Amar Singh, secretary, Sardara Singh, cashier, and Bhajan Singh, Nirmal Singh, Amrik Singh and Gurmeet Singh, executive members.The body has decided to perform the marriages of needy poor girls, and help in the education of poor children of Samrala
tehsil.
Sangrur
41 more bank branches: Malwa Gramin Bank, the only regional rural bank sponsored by the State Bank of Patiala, will install two ATMs in its branches at Sangrur and Patiala this year. Bank’s chairman N.K. Bansal said the bank plans to double the number of branches from the existing 41 to 82 in five years. The bank would also open its branches at Bhadaur and Nayal (Patran) villages.
Women and youth wings: The Punjab Khatri Sabha will form women and youth wings in all towns and cities for strengthening its base in the sate. Its acting president Daljit Singh Zakhmi said on Wednesday that there was a need to unite the Khatris on one platform throughout the state.PHAGWARA
House donated: Canada-based NRI Kuldip Singh Pardesi and his wife Manjit Kaur donated their two-kanal house to the village gurdwara at nearby Malikpur village on Tuesday. The couple handed over the keys of the house to Phagwara MLA Swarana Ram and SGPC member Jarnail Singh Wahid at a brief function. They wish to open a free dispensary and a training centre for the girls in a portion of the house.
