APRIL 15, 1984, FORTY YEARS AGO

SHOOTING IN PUNJAB

THREE PERSONS, INCLUDING a top extremist and a Nirankari leader, were killed as terrorists stepped up their activity in Punjab in the last 24 hours. (However, according to UNI, two more persons were killed in the state.) Surinder Singh Sodhi, a proclaimed offender and the right hand man of the militant Sikh leader J S Bhindranwale, was shot dead in Sindhi Hotel opposite the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar.

‘EXAGGERATED’ CLAIMS

THE CONGRESS (I) high command is expected to take a final decision on the fate of the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ramrao Adik after party president Mrs Indira Gandhi seeks his personal explanation about the alleged misbehaviour abroad. Adik, who rushed to the Capital as soon as he arrived in Bombay after his ill-famed foreign trip, said that what appeared about him in the press was exaggerated.

POWER TRANSFER TALKS

THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT and the 15party opposition alliance resuming their talks discussed the modalities for transfer of power to an elected government. The two sides held their first round of talks on April 11. President Ershad led the government side at the twoand-a-half hour talks at his official residence while the 15- party alliance was headed by Hasina Wajed, president of Bangladesh Awami League.

BHAKRA CANAL ISSUE

THE RAJASTHAN GOVERNMENT has not agreed to the closure of the Bhakra canal as desired by the Punjab government to divert the canal waters to the Ropar thermal plant for cooling. The first unit of 210 MW of this plant is nearing completion and Rajasthan’s refusal will delay the commissioning of the plant. Punjab governor B D Pande had a talk overthetelephonewithunioncabinetsecretary Krishna Swami.