‘SC students forced to give up higher studies’

Protest over diversion of water to Abohar

ABOHAR: The Congress organised a dharna here on Thursday alleging that excess water from inundated areas of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s home district of Muktsar was being diverted to the Abohar sub division. Farmers,labourers and party leaders assembled at the Sadar Bazaar Chowk here to stage the dharna. Leader of Opposition Sunil Jakhar lashed out at the SAD BJP government for not widening and cleaning the drains that,he said,had been constructed for Rs 500 crore. He alleged that Central grants for disaster management and natural calamities were siphoned off.

Toshakhana Sewa complete: SGPC

AMRITSAR: SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar on Thursday said sewa of priceless articles presented by Maharaja Ranjit Singh and other prominent personalities as deep respect and devotion towards Golden Temple was complete. The articles are lying in the Toshakhana of Golden Temple. The sewa was started in May,Makkar said.

CM: Secure release of Bandar Abbas crew

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to personally direct the Ministry of External Affairs to make use of all diplomatic channels to secure the immediate release of 35 Indian crew members and Captain S S Cheema,of Shipping Corporation of India owned motor tanker Desh Shanti,being held at Bandar Abbas in Iran since August 12,2013.

Panchayat secy caught ‘taking’ bribe

Chandigarh: The Punjab State Vigilance Bureau on Thursday allegedly nabbed a panchayat secretary,Tejinder Singh,posted in Fatehgarh Sahib district accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000. A vigilance bureau team led by Inspector Ravinder Singh allegedly caught Tejinder,posted at Kotla Jattan village,accepting the bribe from complainant Beant Singh,a former sarpanch of the village. He added that the complainant approached the Bureau and alleged that panchayat secretary was demanding a bribe of Rs. 30,000 for conducting audit of the gram panchayat.

Banned drugs seized from BJP leader’s store

Moga: Banned drugs were seized from a medical store owned by BJP leader S Arora in Kot Isey Khan division during late-night raids on medical stores conducted by the health department in Moga and Kot Isey Khan on Thursday. Drug Inspector Gurpreet Singh along with police officials raided Arora Medical Store in Kot Isey Khan and found banned drugs. Arora,however,said that ‘officials were acting in a partial manner and said he will present bills for the medicines.’