R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Abohar
INSPECTION: Lt-Col K.P.S. Rana inspected the NCC units at G D Senior Secondary School here on Thursday and exhorted students to make the NCC an integral part of their education. Principal Praveen Bhardwaj, Mr Aman Sharma, administrator, and Mrs Sonia Sharma, NCC in charge of the girls wing, apprised the visiting officials of activities undertaken so far. Col Rana decorated Mr Lal Chand, a senior teacher, on getting direct commission in the NCC.

DEATHS: Kesari Devi (35), wife of Mohar Singh, a resident of Thakur Abadi, here died at the Civil Hospital here. She had consumed some poison due to frustration over long period of illness, family sources said. Veeru (65) died at Khuikhera, village near here, as he consumed poison by mistake, sources said. Ramesh Kumar, son of Sardara Ram of Dharampura, village died on the spot as a bullock-cart hit him after getting out of control.

ELECTED: Mr Faquir Chand Goyal, formerly vice-president of the Municipal Council, was elected president of the Aggarwal Sabha in a keenly contested election on Wednesday evening. He defeated Mr Subhash Gupta, son of Mrs Rukmani Devi Gupta, a Congress Councillor, in a straight contest held at the Sanatan Dharam Mandir.

BOOKED: The police has booked four persons, including Anil Kumar, Sonu and Pappu, under Sections 452, 323, 34 IPC, for allegedly entering the house of Krishan Kant, son of Ram Swarup, in Dhani Bisheshar Nath and assaulting him to settle some old score. 

Amritsar
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) Amritsar district unit : senior vice-presidents — Mr Kulbir Singh Bajwa and Mr Kulwinder Singh Kahara; vice-presidents — Mr Jasbir Singh Jassi, Mr Manpervesh Singh and Mr Ramandeep Singh; general secretaries — Mr Jasbir Singh, Mr Ajit Pal Singh, Mr Harpreet Singh, Mr Kanwalpreet Singh and Mr Gurseval Singh; secretaries — Mr Kanwaljit Singh, Mr Sukhpal Singh, Mr Aamandeep Singh Rana, Mr Onkar Singh, Mr Amandeep Singh and Mr Gurpinder Singh.

DECISION ON POTA HAILED: Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) member Karnail Singh Panjoli and general secretary of the Dal Khalsa Kanwar Pal Singh on Wednesday welcomed the UPA government’s decision to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). They alleged that the Act was misused by the NDA government against minorities. They described the Rs 10 increase in MSP for paddy, a cruel joke with farmers and demanded MSP increase of Rs 80.

LUDHIANA
GITA GYAN YAJNA: The Gita Gyan Yajna under way at the Shri Ram Sharnam Ashram in Kitchlu Nagar for the past four days is attracting a large number of devotees who throng the ashram for discourses being delivered by Shri Naresh Soni. In his sermon delivered on Wednesday, the holy man underlined the importance of karam yoga as propounded in the Gita. 

BHANDARA: The Shri Vaishno Devi Swaragashram Trust is organising a free bhandara at Naina Devi from August 14 to 23 in connection with the “sawan navratras” under the supervision of Mahant Shakti Sewak Amarnath, according to Mr Shiv Ram Krishan, president of the trust. The ration required for the holding of the bhandara was dispatched on Wednesday along with medicines meant for free distribution among the pilgrims. The trust would also provide free accommodation to the pilgrims, added Mr Krishan.

CONTEST: The management of Shri Gyan Sthal Mandir near the Subhani Building will organise a Krishan Lila contest among children of various schools on September 5, according to Mr Jagdish Bajaj, president of the managing committee. On September 6, a Radha-Krishan contest would also be held for the school-going tiny tots, . Prizes will be given to the winners and the runners-up.

LYRICAL EVENING: The Radha Madhav Sankirtan Mandal will organise a lyrical evening dedicated to Radha-Govind at Shri Ram Darbar Temple in Kitchlu Nagar at 9 pm on August 14, according to Mr Ashwini Grover, president of the mandal. The special evening , at which hymns praising Lord Krishna will be rendered , will be held under the supervision of Mr Raj Kumar Arora, he added.

Tarn Taran
HEROIN SEIZED: The Khalra police on Wednesday recovered 50 gm of heroin from the possession of Ranjit Singh alias Kala of Dhanoa village. A case under the NDPS Act, has been registered. DSP Bhikhiwind was said to be present on the occasion.

HARYANA

AMBALA
PROGRAMME: A teacher’s training programme was organised at Lord Mahavir Jian Public School here on Wednesday. The programme was organised by Jaycees in collaboration with Shri Digamber Jain Sabha. 

DECISION FLAYED: State Bank of India Staff Association on Thursday criticised the reduction in interest rate Employees Provident Fund. District secretary of the association Varinder Kapoor said employees were feeling let down by the government.

COMMON CIVIL CODE: The Hindu Chetna Manch on Thursday demanded that the common civil code be immediately implemented. Mr Bimal Prakash, chief of the manch, said cow slaughter must be banned all over the country.

Hisar
STUDENTS’ PROTEST: A number of students of Chaudhry Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University here raised slogans against ragging and assault on hostellers in front of the Administrative Block of the university on Thursday. Some youths armed with knives and iron rods attacked several inmates of Kailash Hostel on Wednesday.

FORUM:The Senior Educationists Forum has been formed and the following have been elected its office-bearers: patron-Dr Usha Malik; president —Mr Uday Bhanu Hans; senior vice-president —Mr M.R.Bhatia; vice-president-Ms Pushpa Satija; general secretary—Mr R.L.Ahuja; joint secretary—Mr R.K.Grover; organising secretary—Mr G.R.Godara; and treasurer-Mr M.P.Gupta.

FIRE PREVENTION: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Balbir Singh Malik, has made it compulsory for all schools to have fire extinguishers. Stating this here on Thursday, Mr Malik said in case of any laxity, the members of the managing committee of the school concerned would be held responsible.

DHARNA: Employees of various government departments staged a dharna in front of the mini-secretariat here on Thursday. The call for the dharna was given by the Haryana Karmchari Mahasangh against the en masse transfers of government employees. This was stated by Mr M.L.Sehgal, general secretary of mahasangh.

Sonepat
SNAKE BITE: A 22-year-old youth, Manjeet, died of snake bite at Kailana village, about 20 km from here, on Thursday. According to a report, the youth was working in the fields when he was bitten by a snake. The police has sent the body for a postmortem examination.

KILLED: Surinder Kaur (32) was killed in an accident on the G.T. Road, near Kundli village, about 25 km from here, on Tuesday. In another accident, a rehriwala, Lajpat Yadav, was killed when he was hit by a Canter on the G.T. Road, near Kundli village.

According to a report, the driver of the Canter tried to save two youths when they came in front of the Canter. He lost his control on the Canter which overturned injuring two youths.

SUICIDE: A youth, Kushanj, was reported to have committed suicide by hanging himself with a rope in his house at Mahmoodpur village, about 50 km from here, on Wednesday night. According to a report, the police has sent the body for a post-mortem examination.

ATTACKED: A youth Johni Kumar was injured when he was attacked by a group of armed youths near Mehlana village, 5 km from here, on Thursday. The injured youth was hospitalised and stated to be out of danger. The police has registered a case.

MURDERED: Ved Par-kash, a farmer, was allegedly murdered by his brother Chattar Singh and his two sons, Pawan and Praveen, at Bakhtawarpur village, about 15 km from here, on Tuesday. An old enmity is stated to be the cause of the murder. The incident occurred in a field where Ved Parkash along with his two sons Pradeep and Sandeep, had gone to sleep. The alleged assailants also tried to assault the sons but they escaped unhurt. The police has registered a case.

LOOTED: Three armed motor cycle-borne youths are reported to have looted liquor shop at Mohammadabad village on Tuesday. According to a report, the miscreants went to the liquor shop and snatched Rs 2,400 from the salesman and fled.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Hamirpur
Panchkarma: Panchkarma system of Ayurvedic treatment would be made permanent feature at Baba Balak Nath temple, Deotsidh, said Deputy Commissioner Devesh Kumar here on Wednesday. He added there was demand from the people to start this system on a regular basis at Deotsidh, where place was available for the treatment and stay of patients.