R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Faridkot
CREMATED: Balwinder Singh (31), a constable of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), was cremated with military honours at his native village of Phidde Kalan in the district, 15 km from here, yesterday. His younger brother, Lakhwinder Singh, lit the pyre. According to reports, the deceased constable died in a grenade blast on the intervening night of June 28-29 at Berinag in Anantnag district.

Hoshiarpur
SNATCHED: Ishwar, son of Rani of Bheena village, and his four accomplices snatched a Scorpio suv, a mobile phone, a driving licence, a gold chain and Rs 1500 in cash from Narinder Lal of Barhilg of Jalandhar district at Chohal, 12 km from here on the Hoshiarpur-Dharamsala road, on Wednesday. After the snatching, they fled in the jeep. Narinder Lal informed the police who has registered a case in this connection.

Jalandhar
DEMONSTRATION: Hundreds of members of the Punjab Government Transport Workers Union on Wednesday participated in a demonstration here against the Director, State Transport, for his alleged failure to purchase 400 new buses to complete the fleet of buses. They burnt an effigy of the Director, State Transport, and raised slogans against the state government for not implementing the already accepted demands.

BOOKED: The district police has booked three persons, including two employees of Punjab and Sind Bank, for cheating and criminal conspiracy. Police sources revealed that following a complaint by Arun Kumar of Rasta Mohalla, an inquiry was conducted into the allegations of cheating. A case has been registered under Sections 420, 120-B, 465, 471, 218, 380 and 506 of the IPC against the manager of the Subzi Mandi branch of the bank, Gurbir Singh, Chief Manager Baldev Singh Gotra and a businessman Anil Kumar. No arrest had been made in this regard so far.

Khanna
OPIUM SEIZED: According to information, a special naka was laid down by the Khanna police under the supervision of SI Gurjit Singh, In charge CIA staff, Khanna, on Tuesday at Gill Petrol Pump near Bhatian village. The police signalled to stop a car but the driver tried to escape. The police nabbed him. During search one kg opium recovered from the car. A case under Section 18/61/85 of NDPC has been registered.

Ludhiana
MERGED: Following the merger of Ashok Leyland & Finance with IndusInd Bank Limited, Mr S. Nagarajan, Managing Director of the erstwhile Ashok Leyland Finance, has been named Joint Managing Director of IndusInd Bank Limited. Mr S. Nagarajan will be responsible for the retail business division of IndusInd Bank. 

URGED: The Government Pensioners Association (GPA) has urged the Union Government to set up the 6th Pay Commission for the revision of pay scales, allowances and pensions so that its recommendations could be implemented with effect from January 1, 2006. They have sent a letter to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh in this regard.

Medical Camp: Hero DMC Heart Institute would organise a free heart check up camp at Pensioners Bhavan in Mini Secretariat here on July 4. Giving this information, Mr B.R. Kaushal, Chairman, Pensioners Information Centre managing committee said this. On-the-spot tests, including ECG, would be conducted free of cost, medicines would be distributed to the patients and counselling by expert dieticians would also be available at the camp. 

Pathankot
RALLY: The Punjab Roadways Workers Union on Wednesday held a protest rally in front of the local bus stand against the government’s policy of privatisation and ban on recruitment in the department. Mr Ratan Singh and Mr Bansi Lal, spokesmen of the union, said if the government did not do away with the present anti-worker policies of the government, they would intensify the stir.

ELECTED: Dr Beena Misra has been elected First Lady Governor of District 3070 of the Rotary Club for the year 2004-2005. While highlighting the projects to be carried out during her tenure, she said the thrust would be on the development of backward and remote villages in the district and the uplift of the poor.

Sangrur
SUICIDE: Jasbir Singh, alias Jassi (21), a resident of Sunam, allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison on Wednesday. The Sunam police said a case had been registered against Balbir Singh and his two sons, residents of Sunam, under Section 306 of the IPC, as the police had found a suicide note from the body of the deceased in which Balbir Singh and his two sons had been held responsible for his death by the deceased.

HARYANA

AMBALA
Haj Forms: Haj forms are available at the Haryana Wakf Board office, Sardar Patel Marg, Ambala Cantonment. Chaudhary Hamid Hussain, MLA and Chairman the Haryana Wakf Board, said the last date for acceptance of these forms in Haryana was July 10. The forms would be available on all working days, he added.

Killed in accident: One person was killed and four others were injured in an accident on the GT road on Wednesday morning. The incident took place when a car, coming from Jammu and headed towards Sonepat, collided with a truck near the Model Town crossing. While R.L. Kukreja was killed, four other occupants of the car were injured.

PWD workers’ union: The Haryana Government PWD Workers’ Union held a demonstration in Ambala City to press for their demands on Wednesday. Union members said irrigation, public health and building and roads field staff had been ignored for a long time. They said there would be no financial burden if some of the demands were met. Their demands include addition of workcharge service to regular service, jobs to dependents of deceased employees, checking privatisation, starting recruitment and removing irregularities in pay.

Gurdwara management: Mr Harpal Singh Pali, SAD’s Haryana state SGPC candidate, said on Wednesday that local committees comprising Purn Gursikh, Amritdhari members should manage historic gurdwaras of in the state. He was addressing a gathering at Ambala Cantonment. Among others, Mr Harbhajan Singh Josh, Mr Amar Singh Noor, Mr Jujhar Singh Shahpur, Mr Amrik Singh Machonda, Mr Gurmit Singh and Mr Nanak Singh were also present. Mr Pali visited a number of villages including Nurpur, Dudana, Fazailpur, Badhola and Badholi.

Kurukshetra
CRITICISED: The Kurukshetra University Hotel Mess Workers Union at its meeting held under the presidentship of its vice-president, Mr Sushil Kumar, on Wednesday criticised Kurukshetra University’s move to give the hostel messes on a contract. According to Mr Sushil Kumar, the meeting decided that in case the administration gave the messes on contract, they would not hesitate to launch an agitation.

Rohtak
WARNING: Magsasay Award-winner Rajinder Singh Rana has warned of an impending water crisis in the country if steps are not taken immediately to conserve it. Addressing participants in a Rashtriya Ekta Shivir organised by the Ekta Shakti, a local organisation, on Wednesday he said there were only 232 waterless villages in the country in 1951. The number had gone up to 90,000 now. Blaming the multinational soft drink companies for the problem, he said in the USA anti-water privatisation campaigns were going on in 20 states. A similar situation was likely to arise in India sooner than later, he added.

Sonepat
RAIDED: The police raided shops of lottery sellers in different parts of the city on Thursday and arrested three persons in this connection. Those arrested have been identified as Rajinder and Madan of Tara Nagar and Yashpal of Delhi Lajpat Camp, Sonepat. Cash worth Rs 1,800 was recovered from their possession. A case under the Gambling Act has been registered against them.

ARRESTED: Ashok Kumar, alias Shauki, of Rajeev Colony, Sonepat, was arrested near Liwaspur village, 13 km from here, on Wednesday. A country-made pistol was also recovered from his possession. A case under the Arms Act has been registered against him.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Dharamsala
REHABILITATION CENTRE: A vocational rehabilitation centre for the physically challenged will soon be established by the Kangra District Red Cross Society. Disclosing this, Deputy Commissioner and Chairman of the society Shrikant Baldi said the society would open a special disability school for the visually and mentally handicapped. The society, he said, would also commence rehabilitation of streetchildren. He was presiding over the annual meeting of the members of the executive committee of the society.

Hamirpur
WOMAN RAPED: A 50-year-old woman was allegedly raped in a forest of the Saur area of Hamirpur district on Tuesday. The Hamirpur police has registered a case under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code against two persons without naming them. The DSP, Hamirpur, Mr Madan Lal, told this correspondent here that the woman was returning home after meeting her sister at Saur village when two persons caught hold of her in the forest and allegedly raped her. He said the woman had been sent to Hamirpur hospital for medical examination.

Kumarhatti
SUICIDE : A woman from Majra village under Kasauli police station committed suicide by hanging herself from a tree on Tuesday. According to information, the deceased Ramesh Kumari (43) was the wife of Hari Ram. A case was registered and investigations were on.

KIOSKS REMOVED : The Army has removed two unauthorised kiosks from the Kasauli Cantonment Mall road. The Army had already asked owners of around 15 unauthorised kiosks, including those in the Tibetans’ Market, to remove the construction on Army land.

Sundernagar
SENTENCED : Additional Sessions Judge, Mandi, Sureshwar Thakur has convicted a Nepali woman, Anita of Kanshi village, for possessing 2.5 kg of charas and sentenced her to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 10 years and pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh.