Sukh Ram meets Virbhadra
New Delhi, January 29
Weighing its options for the Lok Sabha elections, the Himachal Vikas Congress has started talking to the Congress about the possibilities of a tie-up. The HVC, which had contested the last parliamentary election in alliance with the BJP and continues to be part of the NDA, seems to be inching closer towards the Congress now.

Talwandi hospitalised
Ludhiana, January 29
A senior Akali leader and former President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, is reported to be seriously ill. He was admitted to the Hero-DMC Heart Centre last night. Dr Gurpreet Wander, Director of the centre, described his condition as critical.

Woman molested, beaten up in public
Dhariwal, January 29
In a bizarre incident, henchmen of a wine contractor today allegedly molested and beat up a woman in full public view in the busy bus stand area here, which led to a complete bandh in this border town.

Engg college Director booked for graft
Patiala, January 29
The Punjab Vigilance Department has registered a case of misappropriation of funds against former Director of the Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dr M.P. Kapoor. He recently took over as Director of the Punjabi University College of Engineering.

Commission agents cheat farmers Lohian Khas (Jalandhar), January 29 A large number of farmers of villages in the Mand area and dependants of some NRIs have been left in the lurch by certain commission agents, who have allegedly refused to pay them for their produce and return the money deposited with them by dependants of NRIs.