The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

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PUNJAB

ABOHAR
Gang busted: The Rawatsar police has busted a gang considered responsible for a series of thefts and arrested seven of its members, including two women, sources in the Sriganganagar police said on Wednesday. They were identified as Sushila, Durga, Chiranji, Gajanand, Karan, Ranjit and Gopal.

PSEB staff to stage dharna: All technical employees of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) will participate in dharna and protest rallies in circle offices on June 1 along with children and women of their families to mobilise opinion against the privatisation of the board. The decision was taken in a three-hour meeting of the Technical Services Union here on Wednesday.

AMRITSAR
Course upgraded: Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) has upgraded its four-year course in sugar technology to B. Tech sugar and alcohol technology duly approved by the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Dr Satinder Kaur, professor and former HOD said the graduates of this course were in great demand in the Indian industry to meet the growing need of ethanol as a bio-fuel.

BARNALA
Memorandum presented: Convener, Zabar Virodhi Action Committee, Surinder Singh Sadhowalia met SSP, Barnala, Paramjeet Singh Garewal here on Thursday regarding the alleged excesses being done by the Akalis on their rivals. The convener presented a memorandum to the SSP to look into the matter of alleged forcible possession of B.G.S. School by Baba Tek Singh, internal committee member of the SGPC.

Intoxicant tablets, injections seized: The police seized a big haul of intoxicant capsules, tablets and injections from different spots near Barnala on Wednesday. The police captured the tablets and injections from Naveen Kumar on the Baja-Khanna road and Sanjiv Kumar and Chetan Kumar from Bathinda. A case has been registered.

Hoshiarpur
Cash, gold chain snatched: At least seven unidentified motorcycles-borne youths assaulted Rajan Katna son of Ashok Katna of ward No. 11, Mukerian with sharp edged weapons while he was collecting cash from shopkeepers at local Deva Colony and snatched Rs 55000 cash and a gold chain from him last evening. After looting and injuring him, the robbers fled on their motorcycles.

Husband burnt: A man was set ablaze by his wife, mother-in-law and brothers-in-law at Kasba Mohalla, Dasuya yesterday. According to the police, Harmesh Kumar (35) son of Surinder Kumar of Kasba Mohalla, alleged that his wife Shama alias Umma, mother-in-law Kanta, brother-in-law Vinod Kumar and Mintu, cousin brother of his wife, all of Jhangia, sprinkled kerosene on him while he was taking rest on a cot at his house and set him ablaze. He was seriously burnt and was admitted in Civil Hospital, Dasuya where his condition is critical.

Jawan booked: The Mukerian police on Thursday booked army personnel Palvinder Singh, his brother Narinder Singh, and sister-in-law Seema, all of Akaam village under Section 304 B of the IPC following the death of the Palvinder’s wife. The father of the deceased, Mangat Dass, of Swar village told police that his daughter Meena Kumari was tortured and maltreated for more dowry by in-laws. He said Palvinder and brother and sister-in-law allegedly gave Meena some poisonous substance.

Person cheated: The fake travel agents have duped person of Rs 5 lakh in the name of sending his son to foreign countries. Dasuya Police has booked Paramjit Singh, his wife Balwinder Kaur alias Binder, residents of Dashmesh Nagar Tanda under Section 420 of the IPC.

TARN TARAN
250 examined at medical camp: As many as 250 students were examined in a free of cost Homoeopathic medical camp organised at Government High School, Lalughuman, on Thursday.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Dharamsala
‘Yatra’ to mark Mother’s Day: Local NGO ‘Yatra’ and the Kangra Art Museum are jointly organising a function on the eve of Mother’s Day on May 13 in the museum. NGO president Bharti Katoch said that discussions on ‘responsibilities of mother and child and their relations in the prevailing society’ and ‘changing scenario of parental ideology’ would be held on the occasion. A painting competition reflecting mother and child relations would also be organised.

Kumarhatti
Rs 237 cr for irrigation schemes: A sum of Rs 237 crore was being spent on irrigation schemes in the state during the current fiscal, Deputy Speaker Dharmpal Thakur said after performing the foundation stone lying ceremony of a Rs 21-lakh lift irrigation scheme at Chakhar-Bughar village in Arki tehsil on Wednesday. Over 8,154 hectares of land had been brought under irrigation facilities by implementing minor irrigation schemes during the past four years. Under the rural water supply scheme, over 6464 habitations were provided safe drinking water by spending Rs 354 crore during the past four years.

MANDI
Man attacked: One person was seriously injured in the neck after he was attacked with an empty bottle at a friend's party near Pandoh on Thursday. The victim has been identified as Sunil Kumar, resident of Baina, was rushed to the Zonal Hospital Mandi where he underwent surgery and was given blood transfusion. The police has registered as case under Section 307 of the IPC against the accused Sonu. He is yet to be arrested.

HC Bench at Mandi sought: The Citizens’ Council, Mandi, has demanded that a Bench of the high court should be set up at Mandi. In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, CCM president P.C. Bisht and general secretary T.P. Kapur have said that Mandi is central zone for Mandi, Kullu, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Lahaul-Spiti districts and setting up a high court Bench here will help litigants who have to go to Shimla spending a lot of money and time.

NAHAN
Boy still untraced: The Paonta Chamber of Commerce, the Sirmaur Truck Operators Union and the Paonta Beopar Mandal have expressed concern over the inability of the police to trace Davender Singh, a class X student who has been missing for two weeks. Leaders of these bodies held a meeting on Wednesday and later met Paonta SDM Amita Mahajan and Deputy SP Shubhra Tiwari urging them to expedite action in the case.

Suicide bid by convict: A convict, Karam Chand 33, hailing from Kangra district, who is undergoing life imprisonment in a murder case at the local model central jail tried to commit suicide by slashing his veins on Wednesday, local medical authorities reported. The inmate had been suffering from throat infection and protested to have better medical treatment which was allegedly denied by the jail administration.

Nurpur
Six injured in clash: Six persons were injured in a clash at Kuliana village in this subdivision on Wednesday evening. The police has booked Kishan, Kishor, Umesh, Puran, Doddu, Balwan and Sohan Singh following the complaint of Gurcharan Singh. In a cross-case lodged by Puran Singh, Gurcharan, Mangal, Chhunko, Kamal and Deepak have been booked. Personal enmity is stated to be the cause of the clash. No arrest has been made so far.

Dowry case registered: Following the complaint of Suman Bala of Muktial village the police on Thursday booked her husband Suresh Kumar, mother-in-law Shakuntala Devi and sister- in-law Neelam Devi for demanding dowry. According to the complaint, Suman Bala, married to Suresh Kumar five years back, was being meted out inhuman behaviour by the accused. The complainant had earlier gone to the local gram panchayat but the accused failed to mend their ways, forcing her to approach the police.

SOLAN
Two convicted under NDPS Act: Additional Sessions Judge S.C. Kainthla on Thursday convicted two men, Gurbachan Singh and Rajesh Kumar, in two separate cases under Section 15 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment of 6 and 5 years, respectively. A fine of Rs 50,000 and Rs 40,000 was imposed on them, respectively, with an additional sentence of one-year rigorous imprisonment in case of default of fine. The police had recovered 30 kg poppy husk from the house of Gurbachan Singh on February 23, 2005. While, Rajesh was caught with 18.4 kg poppy husk on January 11, 2004.