R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Bathinda
RALLY: Members of the Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP) Employees Federation on Monday organised a rally at the gate of the GNDTP in connection with the strike to be observed on April 19 and 20, according to Mr Malkit Singh Saini, general secretary of the federation.

Fazilka
MEDICAL CAMP: A three-day multi-specialty free mega medical and health awareness camp was organised by the Seth Shankar Dass Daulat Ram Nagpal Charitable Trust, Abohar. Patients were examined by eminent allopathic and homoeopathic doctors from Delhi, Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Panchkula, Ambala and Mohali. According to Mr Jagdish Chander Nagpal, president of the trust, about 2,000 patients suffering from different ailments were examined in 25 OPDs.

Hoshiarpur
Strike: PSEB employees will observe strike on April 19 and 20 throughout Punjab in protest against the proposal to privatise or convert the board into a corporation. This was stated in a press release by Mr Om Parkash, general secretary of the Ministerial Services Union of the PSEB here on Monday.

Booked: On the complaint of Ms Shardi Kumari, wife of late Bidhi Chand of Narangpur, the Hajipur police has registered a case under Sections 306 and 34, IPC, against her son-in-law Naresh Kumar for allegedly compelling her daughter Meena Kumari to commit suicide. In her complaint she alleged that Naresh Kumar used to torture Meena. Her body was found in the Kandi canal near Dehpur village on Sunday.

JAGRAON
NRI'S booked: Tittoo, Arjinder Singh and his father all of Hamirpur (Rajpura), now settled in USA, are alleged to have stolen passport and other important documents from the business premises of the firm Babu Ram Vinod Kumar, G.T. Road, Jagraon, and the local police has registered a case under Sections 379, 419, 120B IPC on the complaint of Vikram Gupta. According to the information, the incident took place on May 31, 2003, and the case was registered after holding enquiry by the police. No arrest has been made, so far.

One shot at: Amarjit Singh Patwari of Bughipura and two other persons allegedly fired shots injuring Sukhwinder Singh of Kilian Wala, District Ferozepore, when dispute arose among them in the Regency Garden Marriage Palace on Jagraon-Ludhiana G.T. Road, 16 km from here. The Dakha police has registered a case under Sections 307, 336, 84 IPC 25, 27, 54, 59 of Arms Act. The injured has been admitted to Civil Hospital, Moga. No arrest has been made so far.

Assaulted: In another incident, Harminder Singh and 4 or 5 persons, who had come to attend a marriage at Ayali Kalan, allegedly assaulted Jugraj Singh with sharp-edged weapon and sticks who were also present in the said marriage palace. The injured has been admitted to Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, and the Dakha police has registered a case under Sections 324, 323, 506, 148, 149 IPC on the statement of Jugraj Singh injured of Ayali Kalan. No arrest has been made, so far.

Electric motor stolen: Balbir Singh and Bagicha Singh of Khurshaidpur allegedly stolen electric motor valuing Rs 7,000 belonging to Harnek Singh of Salempur. The Sidhwanbet police has registered a case under Section 379 IPC.

Jalandhar
INAUGURATED: Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, Minister of Local Government, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour and Employment, inaugurated a Rs 14.35 crore project of the sewage system at Nagra here on Sunday. The minister said another project on water supply and streetlights would be soon started at a cost of Rs 25 lakh. He said a social welfare fund of Rs 450 crore was being created by the government for the benefit of the Scheduled Tribes, widows, hapless women, the elederly and the physically disabled.

Kapurthala
WHEAT STOLEN: The driver of a transport company allegedly fled with nearly 300 bags of wheat in a tractor-trailer. He was to transport the grain from the mandi to a godown situated on Kala Sanghian Road here on Sunday. The driver was identified as Balbir Singh of Punjab Trading Company. A case has been registered under Sections 379, 381 and 120 B of the IPC.

COUSIN HELD: A six-year-old boy was murdered allegedly by his cousin by strangulating him with a piece of cloth at Sultanpur Lodhi on Monday. Malkit Singh alias Tony has been arrested by the police for the murder of Jagjit Singh, son of Mr Jeet Singh.

Nawanshahr
FUNCTION: The local Arya Samaj organised a function to mark its raising day here at Ved Mandir, New Teachers’ Colony on Sunday. Mr Om Parkash Arya, president, Arya Parishad, Punjab, presided over the function. 

CHANDIGARH

PANCHKULA
SC VERDICT: The Supreme Court has ruled in favour of Sri Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board in a case of land acquisition of 57 acres in the Mansa Devi Complex. Deputy Commissioner, Brijendra Singh, said that this land had been acquired by the state government, but the land owners had gone to court against this.

HARYANA

Sonepat
KILLED: A student was killed and another seriously injured when their motor cycle was hit by a truck on the Sonepat-Kakroi road here on Monday. The victim had been identified as Deepak (18) and the injured as Mohit. The truck driver escaped leaving the truck there. The police has registered a case.

FIRE INCIDENTS: A large quantity of fruits was damaged in a fire which broke out in a godown at Kharkhauda town, 19 km from here, on Sunday night. A large number of residents gathered at the site and brought the fire under control. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. The loss is still being ascertained by the owner. In another incident, electricity gadgets worth lakhs were burnt when transmission lines touched each other after they were hit by a vehicle loaded with fodder at Rai village, about 13 km from here.

ELOPED: A young girl was reported to have eloped with her paramour from his house in Ward No. 12 at Kharkhauda town. The girl has taken away some cash and other gold ornaments worth thousands from her house before eloping. The parents of the girl had lodged a complaint with the Kharkhauda police.

BODY FOUND: The body of a woman was found floating in a canal near Moi Hooda village, about 20 km from here, on Monday. She had been identified as Ms Suman, wife of Mr Anil of Saudhapur village in Panipat district. She had been missing from her house for the past few days. The police has sent the body for a postmortem examination. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Chamba
CROPS DAMAGED: The fierce squal accompanied with hailstone and sleet in the high-altitude areas of Chamba district on Sunday night badly hit the flowering plants of apple, peach and plum, thereby causing an extensive damage to the fruit plants. Experts feel that the prospects of a good yield of fruits cannot be expected this season if the hail continues.

BBC CHIEF: Mr Daulat Ram has been re-elected president of the Bharmour Block Congress (Committee, according to Mr Thakur Singh Bharmouri, MLA.

Shimla
RELIEF FUND: Mr Gulab Singh Thakur, Bushaher Contractors Union president, presented a cheque for Rs 1.01 lakh to the Chief Minister as their contribution to the rehabilitation of Sarpara village which was destroyed in a devastating fire a few days ago. The women’s club of the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam also presented a cheque for Rs 5100 towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.