PATHANKOT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come out in sharp criticism of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress. AAP and Congress are birds of the same feather. If Congress is original, then AAP is its photocopy, Modi said at an election rally in Punjab’s Pathankot.Lashing out at the Congress and the AAP, Modi said, “The Congress has got a partner-in-crime. One pushed Punjab’s youth into drugs and the other is getting young people addicted to alcohol. Even on the anniversary of the Pulwama attack, the people of Congress could not stop their sins. They are again asking for proof of our army’s bravery. I express my gratitude to the brave jawans and ex-servicemen that they have locked the mouth of the Congress by giving a befitting reply”, he said. Modi also alleged that giving the Congress another chance would jeopardize the very security of Punjab.“While in Congress, Captain Amarinder Singh opposed such moves by the party. Now, he too has left the party”, Modi said. “They abandoned Kartarpur Gurudwara in Pakistan. Should they have not made efforts to keep it in India? In 1965, if they tried, we would have had Gurunanak’s birthplace in India,” he said.The Prime Minister said that the National Cadet Corps (NCC) system will be strengthened in schools across the Punjab border, thereby enhancing national sentiment among children in the region.

KANNUR: The police said that there was a definite plan in the incident where a youth was killed in a bomb blast during a wedding celebration. The gang had also prepared a backup plan if the first didn’t work out-to kill with a sword if the bomb did not explode.

On the day of the incident, a group of four people waited in a car with swords near the wedding house. Prior to the bombing, militants had caused conflict in the area.

The accused had a total of three bombs. One of them was hurled. The second one hit Vishnu on the head. A third was found by police at the scene. Accused have admitted that they had experimented by bombing the previous day as well.

Mithun, Akshay and Gokul have so far been arrested in connection with the murder. While Akshay was throwing bombs at his foes, one struck his own friend Jishnu on the head, killing him.

On the wedding eve, songs were played at the wedding house and Akshay disconnected the sound box. With this, a quarrel broke out between the two parties. However, police are doubtful whether the violence was due to a dispute over songs or some other reason.