R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

CHANDIGARH

Cricket trials today: The Cricket Council of India will conduct trials for Punjab and Chandigarh teams on May 17 and 18, respectively, in Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 40-B, here at 2 pm. The teams will participate in the forthcoming national cricket tournament to be held in Chandigarh from May 26.

JAMMU & KASHMIR

JAMMU
Third route plan from Katra to Bhavan: The Environment Awareness Forum has asked the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board to make public the proposed plan for construction of third track from Katra to Bhawan - exclusively for mules, which are used for carrying goods. The forum in a press statement demanded that the plan be made public for scrutiny and expert opinion. The statement said: “Trikuta Hills are of very recent origin. Already, this hill has been subjected to reckless construction that has caused irreparable loss to it by blasting the hills, which further led to the removal of forest cover.” The forum rued that Trikuta afforestation project, involving crores of rupees, could not bring out any tangible results.

Body found: The police found an unidentified body from the Rajeev Nagar Colony near the Tawi on Saturday. The body has been kept in Government Medical College, Jammu, for identification.

Rajouri
Hizbul overground worker held: The police has arrested an overground worker of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit from the Kandi area here. The girl, identified as Zahoor Fatima (26) of Targayin village, was allegedly providing logistic and strategic support to militant commanders operating in the Buddhal and the Kandi area of Koteranka tehsil. Police sources said a police party arrested a overground worker of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit who allegedly used to provide vital inputs about the movement of security forces to the militants commanders in this district.

Srinagar
Majboor’s death condoled: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has condoled the death of noted Kashmiri artiste and actor Ghulam Ali Majboor, who died on Friday. Remembering his contribution in the field of performing arts, the Chief Minister said Late Majboor had a unique style of pun and satire. He said his stinging one-liners, which were usually true reflection of the happenings in society, would be sorely missed. Expressing sympathy with the bereaved family, Omar prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul.

Jawan found dead: An Army jawan, identified as Pramod Kumar, posted at the 320 Field Regiment in the Tanda Army Camp allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan. His body was reportedly found hanging from a ceiling fan at his barrack in the Tanda Army Camp in Akhnoor sector. A case under has been registered. The Army has also initiated a court of enquiry to ascertain the reason behind the alleged suicide.

Udhampur
CT Scan machine sought: The Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS), Udhampur, has taken serious note of the delay in installation of a CT Scan machine in the hospital and asked the authorities concerned to expedite the process. Due to non-availability of the CT Scan machine, a large number of patients have been facing hardships. Samiti chairman Balwant Singh Mankotia has asked the medical superintendent of the hospital to write to the higher authorities for getting additional allocation of funds for the purchase and installation of the CT Scan machine in the hospital.

DEHRADUN

House burgled: A case of theft has been reported from Vasant Vihar area here. The house of Bhagwati Prashad was burgled yesterday night at around 3 am by four miscreants, who decamped with jewellery and some cash. The miscreants are supposed to have made their way into the house through a window. Bhagwat Prashad has lodged a FIR with the police and search is on to nab the culprits.