Dharna: The Pendu Mazdoor Union, Punjab, staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office here on Monday to protest against encroachments on panchayat land at Ghugh and Fazalpur villages by some anti-social elements. Addressing the protesters, Mr Tarsem Peter, General Secretary of the union, criticised the present Akali-BJP government for creating mismanagement in the panchayats of the state.

LUDHIANA
Arrested: The police has arrested one Chaudhary Rakesh Verma for his involvement in preparing a forged power of attorney on backdated stamp papers and selling a piece of land on the basis of the fabricated document.

MOGA
Contaminated water: Residents of various localities here complained on Monday that they receive contaminated drinking water supplied by the Moga Municipal Committee. They complained that water contained dust, grease and other dirty substances. In some localities, residents said they had not received drinking water for several days.

Trees burnt: A large number of trees belonging to the Forest Department were burnt in a fire in several villages in the district, including Langeana Nawan, Langeana Purana and Nathuwal. According to reports received here on Monday, the cause of the fire could not be known.

PATIALA
Yoga camp: The Director, Youth Welfare, Punjabi University, Patiala, has organised a 15-day yoga camp for the welfare of the youth at the local Mohindra College. The camp will continue until September 29. Mr M.L. Kumbra, a yoga expert, is conducting the camp daily from 6.45 a.m. to 7.45 a.m.

DERA BASSI
Nominated: The following have been nominated office-bearers of the Joint Students Front of Government Degree College for 1999-2000: President — Mr Surinder Singh; Senior Vice-President — Mr Mukesh Raggav; Vice-President — Mr Daljit Singh; Junior Vice-President — Mr Surinder Singh; General Secretaries — Ms Inderpreet Kaur and Mr Harish; and Joint Secretaries — Mr Khushwant Singh and Mr Paramjit Singh.

Elected: Mr Bharat Bhushan Jain was elected President of the district unit of the Haryana Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Monday. He has also been the Vice-President of the Haryana Rice Millers Association.

Robbery: A trader was reportedly robbed by a miscreant here on Monday. According to the police, the trader was going on his bicycle to a bank to deposit Rs 30,000 when the unidentified miscreant snatched his bag of cash. The police has registered a case.

FATEHABAD
Strike: A strike by the members of the local District Bar Association entered its 63rd day on Tuesday. Five members of the association, Mr Gian Parkash, Mr Pradeep Jhajhra, Mr H.S. Garwal, Mr M.S. Saini and Mr Satpal Rathi, sat on a dharna on Tuesday.

Elected: The following have been elected office-bearers of the district unit of the Haryana Agriculture Development Officers Organisation: President — Mr Rajinder Sherdia; Vice-President — Mr Nand Lal; General Secretary — Dr B.S Narang; Joint Secretary — Dr Sukhwinder Singh; and Treasurer — Dr Rohi Ram.

Camp: The Bharat Vikas Parishad organised a free medical check-up and consultation camp on Monday. Dr H.K. Gawdhi was the project in charge. Medicines were distributed free of cost among the patients.

KURUKSHETRA
Elected: The following have been unanimously elected office-bearers of the local Shri Guru Ravidas Mandir and Dharamshala Sabha: President - Mr Sudarshan Kumar; Vice-Presidents - Mr Ami Lal and Mr Lal Singh; General Secretary - Mr Om Parkash Pathania; Joint Secretary - Mr Raghubir Singh Mehraj; and Treasurer - Mr Ashok Kumar.

PANIPAT
Dowry death: On the complaint of a dowry victim’s father, the Model Town police here has registered a case of dowry death against Sunita's husband Dheeraj, mother-in-law Krishna, brother-in-law Vikram and sister in-law Yashika, under Section 304B and 34 of the IPC. According to information available, Sunita, daughter of Mr Ishwar Singh of Begumpur village in Karnal district, was married to Dheeraj Malik of Siwah Garhi village in the district on May 5, 1998. Mr Ishwar Singh, alleged that he received a call from her in-laws informing him that Sunita had committed suicide. He alleged that Sunita was hanged with a rope after she was killed by her in-laws.

ROHTAK
Demonstration: Officials of the local Punjab National Bank wore black badges and held a demonstration on Monday at their regional office here in protest against the non-acceptance of their demands. The officials demanded that the promotion policy should not be changed in an arbitrary manner and the sub-committee, constituted allegedly at the behest of the Union Government, should be dissolved. They sought a check on "anti-officers" policies of the government.

Dowry death: A woman was allegedly murdered by her in-laws at Bohar village near here. According to an FIR lodged by the father of the victim, he found his daughter Darshana, dead when he went to meet her. He alleged that her-in-laws could not explain the cause of her death. The police has registered a case under Section 304-B of the IPC against Darshana’s husband Satish, her mother-in-law, father-in-law and sister-in-law.

Killed: A rickshaw puller was killed when he was hit by a jeep on the Sonepat road here on Monday. The driver of the jeep has been booked. According to police sources, the accident occurred when the jeep hit the cycle rickshaw from behind. Ram Mehar, the rickshaw puller reportedly died before he was shifted to the hospital.

SONEPAT
Burnt to death: A woman labourer was burnt to death and her father sustained serious burn injuries in a stove burst incident in their house at Khewra village, about 13 km from here, on Monday. According to the police, the victim has been identified as Gita Devi and her father as Jag Mohan. They originally belong to West Bengal.

Body found: The Ganaur police recovered on Monday the body of a 25-year-old unidentified woman, lying in the fields of one Yunus Ali, at Bega village, about 25 km from here. According to the police, the cause of her death can be ascertained only after a post-mortem examination.

Telephone services: The district remained cut off from the rest of the country for about four hours on Monday following a major fault in the electronics telephone exchange here. The Telephone District Manager and other officials succeeded in removing the fault around 3 p.m and restored the telephone services.

Abducted: Pooja, a 15-year-old girl, was reported to have been abducted on Monday by three youths at Jakhauli village, about 15 km from here. Mr Nand Kishore Chauhan, the father of the girl, has lodged an FIR with the police.

Rape attempt: An attempt to rape a girl by three youths on Monday was foiled at Purkhas village, about 19 km from here. It is alleged that all three youths forced their way into the house of the girl who was asleep. When they tried to rape her, she raised an alarm and the youths immediately fled. A case has been registered with Ganaur police station.

Promoted: The Haryana Police Department has released a list of nine constables of the district who have been promoted as Head Constables with immediate effect. These constables are Khilla Ram, Puran Singh, Hari Kishan, Satbir, Ishwar, Surinder, Krishan, Dharampal and Dharam Singh.

Arrested: The anti-crime branch of the district police has arrested a criminal Ranbir, alias Bira, in connection with a murderous assault at Jahri village of the district last month. According to the police, another culprit Jagbir had already been arrested.