Identify mining sites, officials told

Mohali: In a bid to check illegal mining on the panchayati land across the state, the Secretary of the Rural Development and Panchayat Department, Anuraag Verma, directed all district, block development and panchayat officers to prepare a list of mining sites in villages Directing officials to prepare the list within a week, Verma said the step had been taken to check illegal mining and increase the income of panchayats. Verma said complaints of illegal mining on the panchayati land were being received time to time. “In this regard, a letter from the Director of Mining, Department of Industry and Commerce, Punjab, has also been received. After identifying the mining sites, the district, block development and panchayat officers will check illegal mining. They will be held responsible for illegal mining in their areas,” said Verma. TNS

Immigration agent booked

Kharar: The Kharar City police have registered a case under Section 420 of the IPC against Rajvir, an immigration agent at Sunny Enclave here, for allegedly duping Deepika Rani of Kurali of Rs 2 lakh on the pretext of sending her to Canada. The complainant told the police that she had given Rs 80,000 to the accused for sending her to Malaysia. She travelled to Malaysia but returned after a week. Later, the accused promised her to send her to Canada and the deal was settled for Rs 6 lakh. The complainant paid Rs 2 lakh to him. She alleged that the accused neither sent her to Canada nor returned the money. OC

Hit by tipper, man dies

Lalru: A 41-year-old man died after his motrorbike was hit by a rashly-driven tipper near Toffanpur village, Lalru, on Wednesday evening. The deceased has been identified as Harbans Singh, a resident of Patiala. As per the first information report, the victim was returning home with a relative when the incident took place. The police said the victim’s bike was hit by a rashly-driven loaded tipper, coming from the opposite direction, near the Toffanpur village link road. Harbans Singh was rushed to the Civil hospital, Dera Bassi, where doctors declared him brought dead. The accused fled, leaving the tipper behind. A case has been registered at the Lalru police station and the investigation is in progress. OC

Bike set afire in Sec 25

Chandigarh: A motorcycle was set afire by unidentified miscreants at Sector 25 colony. The complainant in the case, Youdhvir Singh of Sector 25, stated that unknown person(s) set ablaze his Splendor motorcycle, which was parked outside his house, on the intervening night of November 21 and 22. The motorcycle was badly damaged in the incident. A case has been registered in this connection at the Sector 11 police station. The police have initiated an investigation in the case. TNS

Road mishap victim dies

Kharar: Gian Chand, a teacher at Rayat and Bahra College near here, who was seriously injured in a road accident near Sahoran village on November 12, succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. Kirandeep, son of the deceased, said his father was returning home on a motorcycle when he was knocked down by a car. He was under treatment at a hospital in Sohana. The police have registered a case under Sections 279, 427 and 304A of the Indian Penal Code and the investigation into it is in progress. OC

SAD (Patiala) prez appointed 

Patiala: Harpal Juneja has been appointed president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Patiala Urban) by party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, a party press release said here on Thursday. TNS

Farmers hold protest

Nabha: Members of the Bharti Kisan Union Ekta (Dakonda) on Thursday held a protest against Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) for supplying insufficient power supply to their tube wells. Hundreds of farmers of this sub-division gathered near the gate of the local grid of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and raised slogans against the department. The protesting farmers said regular power was not being supplied by the department, making it difficult for them to irrigate their agriculture fields. They also submitted a memorandum to the executive engineer and warned the government that if their problems were not solved, they would be forced to intensify their agitation. TNS

Money stolen from gurdwara

Mohali: A theft incident was reported from a gurdwara at Chappar Chiri village here on Thursday. Some miscreant broke open a donation box around 1.30 am and took away money from it. As per Inspector Bhagwant Singh, SHO of the Balongi police station, the miscreant left around Rs 8,000 in the donation box. “Someone might have come and the miscreant has to run away,” said the inspector. The gurdwara management did not know the exact amount in the box. “On an average, the gurdwara receives a donation of around Rs 20,000 in a month and the box is opened on the last day of the month,” said Bhagwant. The police said CCTV cameras were installed in the gurdwara, but these were found non-functional. “We have registered a theft case against an unidentified person. Investigation is on,” said Bhagwant Singh. The case has been registered on the complaint of SGPC manager Amarjit Singh. TNS

Auto driver held with heroin

Mohali: The Sohana police have arrested an auto-rickshaw driver after recovering 25 grams of heroin from his possession here. The accused has been identified as Vikram Singh, a resident of Chalaki village near Morinda. The police said Vikram Singh used to sell drugs to his customers in the Mohali area, where he rode auto-rickshaw. During interrogation, he confessed that he procured drugs from a woman in Sector 40, Chandigarh. Following this, the police also booked the woman in question under NDPS Act at the Sohana police station. TNS

Man falls to death

Mohali: A man (43) died after he fell from a wooden plank at the entrance of a gurdwara in Phase 6 here on Thursday evening. The deceased has been identified as Sarabjit Singh, a resident of Phase 3B1. Eyewitnesses said the victim, who was a construction worker, was working on the dome at the entrance of the gurdwara, when his foot slipped and he fell on the floor. The police said the victim was taken to a nearby hospital. Later, he was referred to the PGI, where he was declared brought dead. A police official said the autopsy of the victim would be conducted on Friday. TNS