A steely war veteran from India, Ajit Ram sits in an open gas station booth past midnight, his pockets filled with cash and his only protection the hope that the surveillance camera behind him will scare off criminals. In February, the camera didn't stop two men from beating an attendant and emptying the cash register - it wasn't working. The owner fixed it after the killing two weeks ago of another employee at the Westampton filling station.

Lt. Governor John Garamendi of California USA, honoured Baba Ranjit Singh Ji (Dhadrianwale) and Giani Thakur Singh Ji (Damdami Taksal) based on the positive impact they are making on the community. He was mainly attracted by the number of community members influenced by the Parchaar done by these individuals. Baba Ranjit Singh Ji are currently on their 2008 three week Visit to California (U.S.A.) for Gurmat Parchaar.

A tunnel has been found in the Jahaz Haveli of Diwan Todar Mal here. The tunnel runs from ruins of the haveli to a well in fields nearby. SGPC president Avtar Singh said the tunnel was found recently and after taking the haveli from the Punjab Virasat Charitable Trust, barbed wire had been put around it. Pictures from a book were being matched with the haveli after which restoration would start, he added. SGPC members, scholars and persons associated with the restoration work would meet on May 23, said Avtar Singh.

he Punjab Virasat Chairtable Trust has donated Dewan Todar Mal’s Jahaz Haveli to the SGPC. The Dewan performed funeral rites of two younger Sahibzadas of 10th Sikh Master Guru Gobind Singh - Baba Zorawar Singh (9) and Baba Fateh Singh (7) - who were entombed alive by Mughal rulers of the time for not embracing Islam. Prof Kirpal Singh, former professor and Head of Punjab Historical Studies Department, Punjabi University, Patiala, who has been assigned by the SGPC to edit an important religious work on Sikhism, says in history there were references to two Todar Mals.

The samadh of Sher Singh (1807-1843), son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and ruler of Sikh state of joint Punjab, in Lahore has been vandalised beyond recognition. No trace is left of the samadh of his son Kanwar Pratap Singh. Its remains have been painted red and green to merge with the mosque nearby. Bobby Singh, director of the UK-based S.K. Foundation (dedicated to preserving the Sikh heritage), stated this after a tour of Pakistan to The Tribune here today.