R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMLOH
SBP FUNCTION: The State Bank of Patiala celebrated the New Year at a function for pensioners on Thursday. Mr N.K. Walia, Manager of the bank, assured the senior citizens that the bank would strive to provide efficient service whenever they visited the bank. 

Batala
Resentment: Resentment prevails among small saving agents as post offices are asking them to get New Year cards of the post offices’ issued to them by the higher authorities. The post offices are charging Rs 17 on each card, including stamp for Rs 5, the agents said on Thursday, seeking a high level probe into the matter.

Hoshiarpur
Booked: A case of cheating for getting a bank loan of Rs 2 lakh sanctioned was reported in Dasuya on Wednesday. According to police sources, Madan Lal had lodged a complaint to the police against Bodh Raj of Kainthan. In his complaint he alleged that Bodh Raj had taken Rs 20,000/- from him for getting the loan sanctioned. He neither got the loan sanctioned nor returned the money. A case under Sections 406 and 420, IPC has been registered.

Arrested: The police has arrested Jasbir Kaur of Saila Khurd under Sections 302 and 120B, IPC, according to the SSP here on Wednesday. She has been arrested in connection with the murder of Gurmukh Singh of Saila Khurd on Wednesday.

Duped: The police has registered a case under Sections 406, 420 and 506, IPC, against two travel agents for duping Onkar Singh of Rs 2.8 lakh on the pretext of sending him abroad.

Stamp shortage: There is a shortage of postal stamps and other stationery in post offices here. No postal stamps of any denomination except 50 paise is available. A spokesman for the Postal Department said the stock of postal stamps had not been received from the headquarters.

Power cuts: Resentment prevails among small-scale industrialists against the PSEB for regularly imposing undeclared power cuts. The production had come to a standstill, they said.

LUDHIANA
NSS CAMP: Volunteers of Government College learnt about contagious diseases on the sixth day of the 10-day NSS camp being held at Pratap Wala village. Dr Pradeep Kapur of Oswal Cancer Hospital delivered a lecture on tuberculosis. A patient can recover after six months’ regular treatment, he said. Mr Nachittar Singh of the village thanked Dr Kapur on behalf of the villagers for giving them valuable information. — OC

CPO CLUB: The Central Post Office has formed a Manoranjan Club, with the following office-bearers: chairperson—Ms Manisha Bansal; presidents—Mr Chaman Lal Verma, Mr N.K. Saini and Mr Major Singh; secretary—Mr Jasbir Singh Dua; deputy secretaries—Mr Gulzar Singh and Mr Surinder Sethi; treasurer—Ms Usha Tiwari; and deputy treasurer—Mr Vijay Kumar. 

LASHKARA UTSAV: Dinesh Kumar of Nakodar has been declared winner of the first prize, a world tour, in the third draw of the ongoing Lashkara Utsav. The celebrations include activities like road shows, music shows and star nites. There were 30 winners of the second prize. 

Protest March: Employees of the Punjab State Electricity Board on Friday held a rally in the suburban division office against the "corporatisation" of the board. Later, carrying black flags, they held a protest march to the office of the SDM, where they raised anti-government slogans. They submitted a memorandum demanding that the board should not be divided. 

Phagwara
One dead: One person died while five others were injured in separate accidents here. Hira Lal, a gardener of the PWD Rest House, was crushed to death by an oil tanker late on Wednesday in Hargobind Nagar. Meanwhile, five occupants of a car were injured in an accident near the Phagwara bypass on Thursday.

CHANDIGARH

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been declared office-bearers of the Bhim Yuva Parishad: chief coordinator — Mr Dharmvir Ananrya; coordinator — Mr Gulab Singh Brar; general secretary — Mr Chitrender Kumar; treasurer — Mr Anil Kumar; and convener of the local unit Mr Ashok Kumar Birla.

HARYANA

Hisar
PARISHAD CHIEF: Mr Zile Singh Telanwali was elected president of the local Zila Parishad on Thursday. Eight Zila Parishad members boycotted his election. They also, in a memorandum to the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court demanded that the election be cancelled as officials had violated provisions of the Panchayati Raj Act.

RECOVERED: Members of the Jeev Jantu Kalyan Samiti, Jind, have recovered 75 bullocks from three trucks near Hansi, about 30 km from here. Seven bullocks were killed due to suffocation in trucks. These bullocks were being taken from Punjab to Uttar Pradesh. This was stated by Mr Surender Kumar, president of the samiti, at Hansi on Thursday.

CONG MEETING: The district unit of the Congress has expressed concern over the increasing indiscipline among party leaders in the state. A meeting was held under the chairmanship of Mr Ramji Lal, district president of the party, here on Thursday.

Kaithal
CELEBRATED: Mr V.K. Bakshi, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Kaithal, addressed members of the District Bar Association here who had assembled to celebrate the New Year after the opening of courts on Friday.

B. PHARMA CLASSES: The B. Pharmacy classes will start in the local RKSD (PG) college from the new academic session. This was stated by Mr Y.K. Mangal, president of the college governing body while addressing members of teaching staff, members of governing body and college select committee in the college premises on Thursday.

GANG BUSTED: The police has busted a gang of criminals who were allegedly making plans to loot passersby near Mundri. The police has seized a country-made pistol, a motorcycle, and some sharpedged weapons from the possession of three gang members. This was stated by the SP here on Thursday.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Bilaspur
CAMP: A five-day Yuva Mandal Programme Camp organised by the Nehru Yuva Kendra concluded at Markand, 28 km from here, on Friday. Youth coordinator Som Dutt Zard said 30 persons took part in the camp.

Kangra
WOMAN KILLED: A woman was killed in a road accident on Thursday. The district additional police chief, Mr Santosh Patial, said Nainee, a resident of Channi, was hit by a vehicle on the G.T. Road and she died on the spot. A case under Sections 279 and 304 of the IPC has been registered

Kumarhatti
ARRESTED: The police has arrested an employee of Samtel Electronics Device Limited, Parwanoo, on charges of stealing spare parts used in making picture tubes. The suspect has been identified as Pradeep Kumar Sharma.

CHARAS SEIZED: A man was arrested on Thursday from Arki for allegedly carrying about 2 kg charas. Acting on a tip-off, the police arrested Tulsi Ram, who was on the way to Batal village.