The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

NEWS AND VIEWS

PUNJAB

HARYANA

JAMMU & KASHMIR

HIMACHAL

REGIONAL BRIEFS

NATION

OPINIONS

MAILBAG

BUSINESS

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WORLD

SPECIAL COVERAGE

CHANDIGARH

LUDHIANA

DELHI

R E G I O N A L B R I E F S

PUNJAB

ABOHAR
Tractor-train collision: A tractor-trolley loaded with sand collided with a passenger train, near here, on Saturday. The 1-SHB passenger train left Pucci railway station for Abohar at 8.55 a.m. The tractor-trolley driver tried to cross the unmanned crossing near the village at 9 a.m. Train driver Sheeshpal managed to control its speed and applied brakes. Yet, the train collided with the tractor-trolley as its driver had fled leaving the vehicle on the railway line. The rail traffic remained disrupted for about half an hour.

AMRITSAR
Buses impounded: As part of a special drive to check illegal plying of buses, the Transport Department here on Saturday impounded half-a-dozen buses, despite pressure from certain “influential” people associated with the transport agencies.District Transport Officer Vimal Setia said the buses were impounded for violation of permit rules. Even though the buses had tourist permit, they were operating as stage carriers, stopping in every city on way from Chandigarh or Delhi to add more passengers.

Khalra panel: The Khalra Mission Organisation claimed on Saturday that an injured Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was caught alive and later killed by security forces. They urged the local police to register an FIR against those guilty. The organisation has levelled these allegations on the basis of references made in a book written by a former joint secretary of the Department of Internal Security, Government of India, that the post-mortem report of Bhindranwale stated that he had died of multiple fractures.

BARNALA
Demolished: A few miscreants demolished the newly constructed boundary wall of Government Elementary School at Patti Sekhwa. Village sarpanch Satnam Singh has approached the deputy commissioner and alleged that it was done at the behest of Akali MLA Malkeet Singh Keetu. Deputy commissioner R.L.Mehta has ordered the police to probe into the matter and take necessary action.

BATHINDA
4 bodies found: Four bodies have been recovered from different places of the district during the past 24 hours. One body was recovered from a bench on platform No. 4 of the local railway station. The second body was recovered from the Bathinda branch of the Sirhind canal. The third body of a youth was found from the bushes in Phase III of the Urban Estate locality of the town. The fourth body was recovered from Behman Kaur Singh Wala village in the Talwandi Sabo area. All have been sent for postmortem examinations at a few hospitals.

Hoshiarpur
20-yr-old raped, two booked: The Sadar police has booked two persons, including a woman, in a rape case involving a 20-year-old girl of Rorian village. The police has booked Sita and Laddi both residents of Rorian village, under sections 376, 324 and 120-B of the IPC.

Job avenues: The Employment Department has set up a special cell for generating job opportunities for the educated youth. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will head the cell. This was stated by adviser to the Chief Minister Daljit Singh while talking to mediapersons here on Saturday. Daljit Singh said major industrial houses in the state were facing shortage of skilled workers. The cell would arrange for youth’s training as per the needs of these industrial houses.

Kharar
400 driving licences issued: The district transport office issued 400 learners’ driving licences at a special camp held at Sunny Enclave on Saturday. The DTO department held this camp in association with the Nishkam Sewa Samiti, Sunny Enclave. DTO Balbir Singh said the department’s target was to make 400 licences and owing to an overwhelming response 700 forms were sold. Till 4 pm, 400 licences had already been issued. Balbir Singh added that holding such camps not only facilitated public but also led to revenue generation for the department. The next camp would be held at Sohana. SMO Dr Deepak Bhatia was also present at the camp with his team of doctors and paramedical staff.

Phagwara
Chain snatched: Two unidentified motorcycle-borne youth snatched a five-tola gold chain from a woman near her house in Hargobind Nagar on Saturday noon. The woman, Kamla Rani, was going to market at the time of incident.

CHANDIGARH

Mohali
30 power theft cases: As many as 30 cases of power theft were detected in four villages falling under Zirakpur division during raids conducted by officials of the Punjab State Electricity Board. Fines to the tune of Rs 2 lakh were imposed. R.S. Pathania, SDO, said here on Saturday that the raids were conducted early in the morning and it was found that some villagers were allegedly stealing power through kundi connections. The raids were conducted in Macchli Khurd, Macchli Kalan, Chuhar Majra and Saidpur villages.

HARYANA

Ambala
Talent search contest: A talent search competition was held at Arya Girls College, Ambala Cantt, on Saturday. In quiz, the team comprising Pooja, Preeti, Anupama, Renu and Dolly was the winner. In poetry contest, Anupama was first while Himani and Neha stood second. In speech contest, Sheenam and Dolly were first while Madhu and Renu stood second. In song contest, Preeti stood first while Anupama was second. In dance contest, Ishu and Himani were first while Mamta and Neha were second. In painting competition, Barjinder and Seema were first while Pushpanjali and Anju stood second.

BJP asks Cong MP to quit: The local unit of the BJP has demanded the resignation of Congress MP Atama Singh Gill, who was allegedly found in a government rest house with two women under suspicious circumstances. A meeting of the party presided over by its president Sushil Aggarwal passed a resolution demanding the resignation of Gill on moral ground. Aggarwal said a public representative had no right to sit in Parliament after such a shameful incident. Senior leaders of the party Rajinder Guddu, Prem Gupta, Arvind Jain, Kripal Singh Saggu, Satpal Jain, Satpal Maggo and Ashwani Dhingra were present in the meeting.

Pinjore
Visited: Minister of water resources Prof Saifuddin Soz visited the premises of Delhi Public School, Pinjore, today. He was accompanied by his wife during the visit. School vice-chairman Dr D.R. Arora, principal Samson Masih, staff and the students welcomed them. Prof Soz lauded the efforts of the management.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
Dhiman joins BSP: Causing ripples in the Congress party in Geharwin reserved constituency here in district, Dila Ram Dhiman, a former zila parishad chairman and a prominent Congress party leader and former state secretary of the party, has left the Congress and joined the Bahujan Samaj Party of Mayawati here, in presence of top BSP leader Major Vijay Singh Mankotia yesterday along with his hundreds of supporters. The BJP also lost its prominent Kisan leader and former BJP Kisan Morcha State vice-president Raj Kumar Chandel, who also announced joining the BSP along with his supporters, in a meeting organised by the BSP here.

Chamba
Appeal to CM: The Chamba Welfare Association has urged the government to remove ugly wooden khokhas from the Chowgan in a phased manner. In a letter mailed to the Chief Minister on Friday general secretary of the association Tej Singh Jasrotia appealed to the Chief Minister that “since Chamba has been declared as a ‘heritage town’, the norms laid down for conserving and preserving the heritage should be adhered to strictly”.

MC decision: The local municipal council has decided to revoke the permits of 23 of the 137 rehri-phadi owners who were not regularly pursuing their business. The council was contemplating to build a market for rehri-phadiwalas in. However, the council planned to accommodate them for now by allotting them stalls near the chowgan No.3 in a phased manner.

DHARAMSALA
Dedicated: Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Saturday dedicated the tribal girls' hostel constructed at a cost of Rs 96 lakh to Government PG Degree College, Dharamsala. While addressing the felicitation function organized by the Old Students Association of the college, he said Amity University would soon start its campus construction work near here to provide students with the latest educational facilities.

HAMIRPUR
Suicide: A boy and a girl reportedly committed suicide in Ukhali village on Friday night. Pooja Kumari (17) and Manoj Kumar (19), both students of Ghumarveen College, were found hanging from a ceiling fan hook in a room of the outhouse owned by the family of the boy this morning. Police said the duo had eloped from their houses four days ago.

Kullu
Seminar: The Public Relation Society of India (Shimla unit) in collaboration with the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) project Parbati-II organised a seminar on ‘Media and Public Relations - Challenges and Responsibilities’ for journalists and PR professionals at Nagwain on Saturday.

SUNDERNAGAR
Seized: The police arrested two persons, including a women, and seized 800 gm charas and 150 gms of opium from their possession on Friday. According to information the police officials of Slapper police post nabbed a motor cycle which was being driven by accused Mohinder Pal of Kullu and Krishana Devi of Ropa, Bajoura Kullu was sitting with him. On the search the contraband was recovered from them. A case has been registered.