278 FLYING SQUADS TO CURB CHEATING IN PUNJAB SCHOOL BOARD EXAMS
• Harjot Bains orders senior officials to conduct surprise inspections, with a special focus on border area schools
•Punjab Govt committed to maintain integrity of examinations process, says Bains
•School Education Minister encourages students to choose hard work over shortcuts in life
Chandigarh, February 23:With an aim to curb cheating in the board examinations for classes 8th, 10th and 12th in the state, Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has set up 278 flying squads comprising three members each, revealed S. Harjot Singh Bains, Minister of School Education Minister, Punjab.
Reaffirming the commitment of the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, to ensure fair conduct of the board examinations, the School Education Minister said that the flying squads will be led by District Education Officers (DEOs), Principals, members of the PSEB, and members of the Board’s Academic Councils. These teams will carry out surprise inspections at examination centres to prevent cheating.
He also directed the senior officials of the department to conduct surprise inspections, with a special focus on border area schools, to prevent any form of cheating or irregularities during the Board examinations, while asking them to ensure that all students adhere to the rules for creating a fair and just environment for them.
Over 8.82 lakh students will appear for the Class 8, 10, and 12 board exams in the state, S. Harjot Singh Bains stated, adding that this significant number reflects the importance of these examinations in shaping the educational futures of the students. He emphasised that the government is dedicated to maintaining the integrity of the examinations process and ensuring that every student has a fair chance to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. The implementation of flying squads and surprise inspections is a crucial step in this direction, aiming to create an environment where academic honesty is upheld and valued.
He encouraged the students to choose hard-work over shortcuts in life, emphasising that true success comes from dedication and consistent efforts rather than deceitful methods. By committing themselves to their studies and embracing challenges, students can develop valuable skills and knowledge that will benefit them in the long run.
Moreover, the journey of education is not just about passing exams but also about personal growth and character development. By choosing to work hard, students not only enhance their academic abilities but also cultivate traits like resilience, discipline and integrity. These qualities are essential not just in academics but in all aspects of life. He also extended best wishes to the students for a brighter and fulfilling future.
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NRI Punjabis express their gratitude to the Punjab Government for holding NRI Milnees
I am always at the disposal of NRI Punjabis, Says Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal
Chandigarh 23 February 2025:The state government has started online NRIs Milnee programmes to address the grievances of NRI Punjabis so that their problems can be resolved immediately. These NRI Milnees are being held on monthly basis. The NRI Affairs Minister personally heard the problems and complaints of NRI Punjabis through online video conferencing. Then their grievances were forwarded to the concerned departments and ADGP of NRI wing of Punjab Police for forthwith redressal.
NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that that 100 complaints were received in 1st online NRI Milnee and 103 complaints were received in 2 nd online NRI Milnee. In this connection, he added that 109 complaints were received out of which 56 complaints received through email and 53 complaints on whatsapp number in 3rd online NRI Milnee. The Government of Punjab will leave no stone unturn to resolve their grievances at the earliest. He appealled to the NRIs to participate in online NRI Milnees so that their concerns can be sort out immediately.
It is pertinent to mention here that we have already held 9 NRI Milnee through offline mode. As per NRI Milnees - 2024 report, 309 complaints were registered and out of these 256 have been disposed of. Remaining complaints are being monitored by the Deputy Commissioners and SSPs of the respective districts jointly at their level.
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191 contesting candidates left in the fray for the General Elections to the Municipal Councils of Tarn Taran, Dera Baba Nanak and Talwara, Says SEC Raj Kamal Chaudhuri
Chandigarh 23 February 2025:The Punjab State Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhuri informed that 191 contesting candidates left in the fray after the last date of withdrawal of nominations for the General Elections to the Municipal Councils of Tarn Taran (District Tarn Taran), Dera Baba Nanak (District Gurdaspur) and Talwara (District Hohiarpur).
He further disclosed that number of contesting candidates left in the fray after withdrawal of nominations for the General Elections to the Municipal Councils of Tarn Taran (District Tarn Taran), Dera Baba Nanak (District Gurdaspur) and Talwara (District Hohiarpur) are 113, 37 and 41 respectively.
The Poll will be held on 02.03.2025 from 7.00 AM to 4.00 PM and the counting of votes will take place on the same day at the polling station itself, after completion of the poll.
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Vigilance Bureau nabs clerk red handed accepting Rs 20000 bribe from widow
Chandigarh, February 22, 2025:The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state, on Sunday, has arrested Suresh Kumar, a clerk posted at the Nagar Council, Malout, in Sri Muktsar Sahib district, for accepting a bribe of Rs 20000 from a underprivileged widow.
Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said that the aforementioned accused has been arrested based on a complaint lodged by a resident of Malout.
He further added that the complainant has approached the VB and alleged that the accused had demanded a bribe of Rs 50,000 for releasing money under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Mission to construct dwelling house but the deal has been struck to pay the bribe in instalments.
The spokesperson added that after preliminary verification of this complaint, the VB officials laid a trap and apprehended Suresh Kumar red-handed while he was accepting Rs 20,000 as a first instalment of bribe at the house of complainant. The tainted money was recovered on the spot from the accused in the presence of two official witnesses.
In this regard a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the said accused at the VB police station, Bathinda range and further investigation was under progress, he said.
The Bureau has reiterated its commitment to eradicate corruption and urged the public to report any instance of bribery through the Chief Minister’s Anti Corruption Action Line number 9501-200-200. The spokesperson added that the Bureau would conduct enquiries/ investigations strictly in accordance with law on the complaints received and would ensure appropriate action against the corrupt public servants if allegations were found to be true and factual.
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PUNJAB POLICE BUSTS EXTORTION RACKET BACKED BY GANGSTER GURDEV JASSAL; ASI AMONG TWO HELD
— POLICE TEAMS RECOVER ₹83L EXTORTION MONEY, ILLEGAL PISTOL, TOYOTA FORTUNER LEGENDER AND MAHINDRA SCORPIO FROM THEIR POSSESSION
— PUNJAB POLICE COMMITTED TO MAKING PUNJAB A SAFE AND SECURE STATE AS PER DIRECTIONS OF CM BHAGWANT SINGH MANN
— ACCUSED ASI SURJIT SINGH AND HIS ACCOMPLICE ANKUS MAINI WERE COLLECTING EXTORTION FUNDS FOR GANGSTER GUDEV JASSAL, SAYS DGP GAURAV YADAV
— ACCUSED ASI SURJIT SINGH HAS BEEN DISMISSED FROM THE SERVICE
— ACCUSED ASI USED CUT OF PROFITS FROM EXTORTION MONEY TO PURCHASE FORTUNER LEGENDER AND TWO PLOTS: SSP BATALA SUHAIL QASIM MIR
CHANDIGARH/BATALA, February 23:In a major breakthrough amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Batala Police has busted a major extortion racket being operated by USA-based Gangster Gurdev Jassal with the arrest of its two operatives including an Assistant Sub-inspector (ASI) Surjit Singh posted in Batala and recovered Rs 83 lakh extortion money, illegal firearms, and luxury vehicles from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Sunday.
The other arrested operative has been identified as Ankus Maini, a resident of Kalanaur in Gurdaspur.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigation has revealed, on February 4, associates of Jassal opened fire at a petrol pump of a Kalanaur-based businessman with an intention to intimidate him and extort money from him. After continuous threat calls and demand of Rs 1 crore as extortion money, the businessman eventually paid Rs 50 lakhs on February 11, he said.
He said that Jassal’s gang used foreign numbers for threats and coordinated payments, ensuring that the extortion funds were routed through multiple intermediaries. Probe revealed that ASI Surjit Singh and Ankus Maini were involved in the collection and distribution of extortion funds, he said.
The DGP informed that the accused ASI Surjit Singh has been dismissed from the service under article 311(2) of the Indian Constitution. Further investigations are on to establish backward and forward linkages in this case, he added.
Sharing operation details, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Batala Suhail Qasim Mir said that some days back, Station House Officer (SHO) of Police Station Sadar Batala received an intelligence input regarding a local police officer’s involvement in handling extortion money.
Following inputs, an operation was launched leading to the arrest of the ASI and upon his confession regarding concealing a large cache of money at his house, a team reached his residence at Harnam Nagar, Batala, where a staggering Rs 76.32 lakh in cash was recovered from a concealed compartment, he said, while adding that following his arrest, ASI Surjit Singh claimed that the money was sent by his son, who is settled in USA.
The SSP said that during technical investigation the person who had handed over the money to the ASI was also tracked and eventually accused Ankus was arrested, who disclosed that the amount he had handed over to ASI is basically extortion money extorted by USA based Gurdev Jassal. Police teams have also recovered Rs 5.91 lakh and one .32 bore pistol along with two cartridges from the possession of Ankus, besides, impounding his black Mahindra Scorpio car (PB-11-CU-1000).
He said that further probe has also revealed that ASI’s two sons are in close contact with Gurdev Jassal, facilitating the transfer of extorted funds to the gangster in exchange for a cut of the profits, using which the accused ASI has recently bought two plots and a brand-new Toyota Fortuner Legender, which has been impounded by the police teams.
A case FIR no. 14 dated 14/2/2025 was registered under section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act at Police Station Sadar Batala, and later sections 308(2), 111 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and section 25 of the Arms Act were added.
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NANDED MURDER CASE: PUNJAB POLICE ARRESTS KEY SHOOTER AMONG TWO BKI OPERATIVES; TWO PISTOLS RECOVERED
— PUNJAB POLICE COMMITTED TO MAKING PUNJAB A SAFE AND SECURE STATE AS PER DIRECTIONS OF CM BHAGWANT SINGH MANN
— ARRESTED PERSONS WERE INSTRUCTED BY HARWINDER RINDA AND HAPPY PASSIAN TO CARRY OUT TARGETED KILLINGS IN PUNJAB, SAYS DGP GAURAV YADAV
— FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS ON, MORE ARRESTS AND RECOVERIES LIKELY: AIG SSOC DR SIMRAT KAUR
CHANDIGARH, February 23:In a major blow to cross-border terror networks amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Police has arrested two operatives of the banned terrorist outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), including the key shooter involved in Nanded murder case and recovered two .32 bore pistols along with five cartridges from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Sunday.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Jagdish Singh alias Jagga of Harike Pattan in Tarn Taran, the main shooter, and his accomplice Shubhdeep Singh alias Shubh, a resident of village Joneke in Tarn Taran. The operation was carried out by the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC), SAS Nagar, based on credible intelligence inputs.
As per the information, the Nanded incident, which occurred near Gurdwara Gate No. 6 outside a Sikh colony on February 10 this year, targeted Gurmeet Singh, a local resident out on parole. Gurmeet, previously accused in the 2016 murder of Rinda’s brother, sustained injuries but survived. However, his accomplice, Ravindra Rathod, succumbed to critical injuries after the attack. After carrying out the attack, accused Jagga returned to Punjab, where Shubhdeep alias Shubh facilitated his hideout and provided financial support.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that both the arrested persons were directly linked to Pak-based BKI terrorist Harwinder Singh Rinda and USA-based Happy Passian.
He said that as per their initial disclosure, the accused Jagga confessed to have committed a murder and severely injured another in Nanded, Maharashtra, following Harwinder Rinda’s directions. Both the arrested accused persons were also instructed by their foreign-based handlers to carry out targeted killings in the state as part of a larger coordinated terror operation, he added.
The DGP said that further investigations are underway to establish backward and forward linkages in this case and expose the full network.
Sharing operation details, AIG SSOC SAS Nagar Dr Simrat Kaur said that in an intelligence led operation, police teams had arrested Shubhdeep Singh alias Shubh on Friday from Sunny Enclave, Kharar and recovered one .32 bore pistol along with two cartridges from his possession.
During interrogation, accused Shubhdeep revealed his role in providing hideouts and logistical support to Jagdish Singh alias Jagga before, during, and after the Nanded murder, she said, while adding that acting on these leads, the SSOC team swiftly arrested Jagdish Singh alias Jagga from Phase 1 in Mohali. Police teams have recovered one .32 bore pistol along three live cartridges from his possession.
In this regard, a case FIR no 1 dated 21.02.2025 has been registered under section 25(1) B of the Arms act and sections 249 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Police Station SSOC, SAS Nagar.