Briefly State

Sidhu leads protest against excise duty

Local BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday led a protest against the proposed ten percent central excise duty,to be levied on the shawl industry. He said the Shawl manufacturers were already paying 5.5 per cent entry tax on yarn and the proposed duty would ruin their business. BJP leaders said there would be more protests and the issue would be taken to Parliament. “I have already taken up the matter with the leader of opposition in the house,Sushma Swaraj,”said Sidhu.

Pakistani prisoners released

The Indian government on Tuesday released eight more Pakistani prisoners at the Attari border. Most of the prisoners were fishermen who were arrested by Indian authorities for illegally entering Indian territorial waters. “Of the eight prisoners,seven were fishermen while one,Sikender Khan,was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir,” said the Border Security Force (BSF) officials who handed over the prisoners to Pakistani Rangers.

Bus driver,conductor held with poppy husk

The local police on Monday arrested a driver and conductor of a PRTC bus under charges of the Narcotics Substances and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Poppy husks weighing a kilo and half were recovered from them,said the inquiry officer Pal Singh. The duo were arrested from the Bathinda bus stand,on a bus bound to Chandigarh from Suratgarh. They have been remanded to judicial custody.

SGPC condemns racial attacks on Sikhs in US

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee on Tuesday strongly condemned the the attack on Sikhs in California,US that left one person dead and another injured. SGPC termed the attack an incident of hate crime and said it was unfortunate as Sikhs have contributed immensely to the US.

Armed robbery in Amritsar

Armed robbers struck at a house in Rose Avenue and fled with gold on Monday night after securing the keys of the safe from women in the house. This is the second such case after a local businessman was robbed of Rs 16 lakh,at gunpoint,on Saturday. Assistant Commissioner of Police,A S Chahal,said the police were looking for the thieves and had enhanced checking and patrolling measures.

LBP observes women’s day as ‘black day’

The Lok Bhalai Party on Tuesday marked the International Women’s Day as ‘black day’ and staged a dharna in support of women allegedly harassed by their in-laws. Party chief Balwant Singh Ramoowalia said nearly 50,000 women suffered from marital disputes in the state.