Unless the Centre decides to make another attempt to persuade the Akalis to resume negotiations, the latest letter received by the Home Minister from Akali Dal chief Harchand Singh Longowal indicates a deadlock.

Inspector Rattan Chand Sharda, head of the criminal investigation agency at Phagwara in Kapurthala district of Punjab, was shot dead by two unidentified youths, alleged to be extremists.

The government has decided to suspend the movement of trains in Punjab from 6am to 6pm, in view of the apprehension of violence as a result of the threatened “rail roko” programme of the Akalis.

In a day-long swoop on Akali Dal activists in Punjab, the police arrested over 300 persons from various parts of the state as a precautionary measure in view of the “rail roko” call given by the Dal.

Over 700 people were injured, about a hundred of them seriously, when the police fired five rounds in the air, burst hundreds of tear-gas shells and repeatedly lathi-charged to separate Congress (I) and National Conference supporters who clashed in a number of places in the interior of the city.

Akali Dal president, Harchand Singh Longowal, sent his reply to Home Minister, P C Sethi’s fresh invitation for resuming talks to resolve the lingering Punjab problem.

Polling started in a landmark British general election that Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said would “reverberate through our history”. Final opinion polls gave the Tories lead averaging 20 points over the Labour Party.

The Reserve Bank of India will conduct a detailed inquiry into the reported purchase of shares of Escorts by the Swraj Paul companies.

The ruling National Conference has made a clean sweep in Kashmir Valley by winning 22 of the 24 seats. In all, it has bagged 25 of the 43 seats in the state. In Jammu, where Congress (I) won 20 seats, National Conference has got three.

Tense and expectant, over 31 lakh voters in Jammu and Kashmir go to the polls soon to elect a new Legislative Assembly.

Former Indian Prime Minister Morarji Desai received $20,000 annually during the 1960s and possibly even later from the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), according to a forthcoming book by an American investigative reporter.

The Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen S K Sinha, who has been superseded, is believed to have sent in his resignation. Lt Gen Sinha has taken this step in protest against the government's decision to appoint Lt Gen A S Vaidya, GOC-in-C, as the next Chief of the Army Staff.

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi said acquisition of arms by Pakistan was creating hurdles in the way of friendship with that country. Otherwise, relations between India and Pakistan would be on better footing, she said.

Twenty-four leaders of 14 different political parties, including four chief ministers, formed a body described as “opposition council” and squarely blamed the ruling party at the Centre for the present state of affairs in the country.

A confederation of regional parties with a clear-cut socio-economic outlook and sound political approach is favoured by a resolution adopted by the delegates session of the ruling Telugu Desam party.

The Commerce Ministry announced major changes in the import-export policy for 1983-84 with a view of strengthening the base for export production and providing opportunities for upgrading technology, particularly in the case of export-oriented units.