Punjab news digest: Mohali youth shot in US; AAP MLA booked, and groom arrested from wedding

Been away? Need the news in one go? Here’s a wrap-up from Punjab, the neighbourhood and the diaspora for July 29.

20-year-old youth from Mohali shot dead in USA

A 20-year- old youth from Mohali who had moved to the US about two years ago was shot dead at a gas station at Sacramento in California late on Tuesday night, local time. Simranjit Singh was staying with his elder sister, Harpinder Kaur, and her husband, Hartejpreet Chauhan, who had settled there several years ago. He had moved there in October 2015 to study engineering and was working part-time as a clerk at a gas station, barely 10 minutes from their house. Read more

AAP MLAs condole demise of Punjab CM Amarinder’s mother

A group of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs, led by Sukhpal Khaira and H S Phoolka, on Saturday met Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh to condole the death of his mother ‘Rajmata’ Mohinder Kaur. They expressed their condolences on the demise of the ‘Rajmata’ and recalled her “great” contribution post-partition and later in her political and social life. Read more

Wanted in 4 cases, groom arrested from wedding in Tarn Taran

The nuisance of unwanted guests at this wedding went to a whole other level. The groom was a fugitive wanted in at least four cases, and police struck just as he was getting married at a religious place in Shahbazpur village , 4 km from the district headquarters, on Saturday. Declared a proclaimed offender, Gurlal Singh, 35, is from Hansawala village in Khadoor Sahib sub-division. The marriage could not b completed as the police team of five Inspectors and a score of other personnel conducted the raid at Nirmal Kutia, premises of a religious sect. Read more

Railway removes mandatory catering service from Shatabdi, Rajdhani and Duronto trains

Passengers travelling in Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto trains can pay less for a ticket if they don’t choose the catering service on board as a part of trial run by the Indian Railways. The new system, which will be implemented from August 1, has been devised following complaints about the quality of food being provided on trains. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) currently runs the pantry on all trains, and catering is mandatory on most luxury trains. Read more

Chandigarh metro project dropped on untenable grounds: Pawan Bansal

Former union minister and city MP Pawan Kumar Bansal criticised the decision to drop metro project for Chandigarh. He said the metro project has been dropped on untenable grounds and cited that the traffic in Chandigarh was growing manifold with the addition of 10,000 motor vehicles in a little over 3 months’ period. Read more

AAP MLA in Punjab booked for assaulting woman, denies charges

An Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Punjab was on Saturday booked for allegedly assaulting a woman, police said. A case was registered against Amarjit Singh Sandoa, MLA from Rupnagar seat, under various sections of IPC including 354 (intent to outrage modesty of woman), 323 (Voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (Criminal intimidation), senior superintendent of police Raj Bachan Singh Sandhu said. Read more

Panjab University’s first transgender student is determined to fight on

Into the second year of her post-graduate course in human rights and duties now, 46-year-old Dhananjay became PU’s first and only transgender student so far in 2016. She scored 55% in her first semester and expects to get a first division in the second, the results of which will be declared soon. In her letter to the V-C, she says, she has requested subsidised fee and hostel facility for transgenders, along with gender-sensitisation sessions across disciplines so that others from the community also feel encouraged to pursue higher education. Read more

5% GST on kilns leads to hike in brick prices in Jalandhar

The 5% goods and service tax (GST) imposed on the brick-kiln industry has led to a hike in the rate of bricks, making it difficult for the common man to realise his dream of building a house. In Doaba, the average rate of 1,000 bricks is between Rs 4,000 and Rs 4,500. This is the biggest annual increase in rates. At present, second-class bricks are available from Rs 2,700 to Rs 3,000 per 1,000 bricks with the rates of the variety being between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,300 last year. Read more

For more stories, visit www.punjab.ht

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