R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Abohar
FUNDS: The Democratic Citizens Forum has urged the Deputy Commissioner, Ferozepore, to release funds from the District Planning Board to reconstruct the Maharshi Dayanand Marg, which is part of the Abohar-Hanumangarh Road here.

Barnala
LIFE TERM: The court of the Additional Sessions Judge Fatehdeep Singh has awarded life imprisonment to three accused in a murder case. The deceased Asaim Hussain was working as a helper for local tailor Raju. Asaim demanded his one-and-half-year payment of Rs 20,000 from his master. But Raju did not want to pay him. So he hired two killers Mandeep Singh and Afsan Hussain. On the Divali night on November 4, 2002, they killed Asaim.

LOANS GIVEN: As many as 411 loans were disbursed at a loan mela organised by the State Bank of Patiala (SBOP) in Sangrur district. Addressing the gathering at Shanti Hall here on Friday the AGM, Mr Vinod Kochhar, revealed that this was for the first time in the district that the SBOP had distributed loans to rickshaw pullers for purchasing new rickshaws under the IDR scheme. Mr Hussan Lal, Deputy Commissioner, presiding over the function said the Central Government had made a provision to distribute 1 per cent, of bank credit under this IDR scheme. Mr Satish Garg, Chief Manager, SBOP, Mr Charanjit Mussafir, Manager, Agriculture Development Bank, were also present on the occasion.

Batala
ARRESTED: The Batala police has seized a huge quantity of pirated CDs and VCDs of blue films. According to Dr Jitender Kumar Jain, chief of the Batala police, one Rakesh Kumar, alias Sonu, has been arrested in this connection.

Bathinda
BODY FOUND: Volunteers of the Sahara Jan Sewa recovered the body of an unidentified youth from a railway drain of Kotbhai distributary, 15 km from here, on Friday. The body was shifted to the local Civil Hospital where a post-mortem examination was conducted.

Dera Bassi
SHORTLISTED: A US-based multinational computer company has shortlisted 12 students of Sri Sukhmani Institute of Engineering and Technology here to provide them with jobs. Lt-Col N.S. Julka (retd), training and placement officer of the college, claimed that the institute had been selected for a six-month industrial project training in some companies, who have offered stipend to the selected candidates after the completion of the project training.

FATEHGARH SAHIB
CAs’ Association: Chartered accountants belonging to Fatehgarh Sahib, Sirhind, Mandi Gobindgarh and Khanna here on Saturday formed the Chartered Accountants Association. The following are the office-bearers for 2005-2006: Patron — Mr Raja Dutta, president — Mr Rupinder Puri, vice-president — Mr S.P. Kansal, secretary — Mr Kapil Dev, joint secretary — Prem Kumar; and cashier — Mr Lalit Gupta.

Hoshiarpur
ARRESTED: The police on Friday arrested Satnam Singh and his wife Asha Devi of Jia Natha village, father-in-law and mother-in-law of Jaswinder Kaur, under Sections 406 and 498A-IPC. According to the police, Jaswinder Kaur made a complaint on Friday against her husband Sarwan Singh and her mother-in-law and father-in-law accusing them of torturing her for bringing inadequate dowry.

PRESENTED: Mr Kulwant Singh, president of the Gymkhana Club, on Saturday presented a draft of Rs 21,000 on behalf of the club to Mr D.K. Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner, Hoshiarpur, for tsunami victims.

SEIZED: The Mahilpur police on Friday arrested Kailasho, her daughter Usha and son-in-law Mukhtiar Singh and one Sat Pal of Chhowni Kalan under Sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act and seized 16 bags of poppy husk weighing 5.92 quintal. Later the police raided the house of Kailasho and also recovered 25 grams smack there. A separate case under Sections 21,61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has also been registered against her.

Jalandhar
NABBED: The police has arrested two robbers on the allegations of robbing rail passengers and recovered two country-made revolvers and cartridges from their possession. The accused have been identified as Gora Nishad and Pappu Nishad. Both of them hail from Bihar.

Patiala
PRIZE DISTRIBUTION: The annual prize distribution function of Lucky Public School was celebrated on its premises here on Saturday. The function was presided over by the founder of the school, Mrs Prem Lata Mogla. Tiny tots presented traditional Punjabi folk dance like Giddha while others sang patriotic songs. Mrs Mogla honoured the participants and those who have excelled in the school.

ELECTED: The Executive Body of the S.D. Sabha (regd), Patiala, today unanimously elected the following office-bearers: president — Mr Lal Chand Jindal; senior vice-president — Dr Sohan Lal; vice-president — Mr Vijay Mohan Gupta; general-secretary — Mr Ravinder Dhir; manager — Dr Pawan Kumar Singla; press-secretary — Mr Narinder Kumar Goel and secretary — Mr Rakesh Kumar.

ASSOCIATION: Mr Gulzar Singh Khaira has been elected president of the Model Town Residents Welfare Association. Other office-bearers are: vice-president — Mr Mulak Raj Verma; secretary — R.P. Verma and treasurer — Mr Ashok Kumar Goel. 

SELECTED: Tina Dhaliwal, a student, has been selected to receive the honorary award recognition by having her biography published in the 28th Annual Edition of the The National Deans List-2005. Ms Dhaliwal has received a communication to this effect from Mr Parke H. Davis, chairman of the National Academic Affairs, USA.

Function: The annual function of Lucky Public School was held on the school premises here on Saturday. It was presided over by founder of the school Prem Lata Mogla. Tiny tots presented colourful performances. Ms Mogla honoured the participants and those students who had excelled in academics.

SD Sabha: The executive body of the S.D. Sabha (regd), Patiala at its meeting held here today have elected the following office bearers of the S.D. Sabha for two years. President — Mr Lal Chand Jindal; senior vice-president — Dr Sohan Lal; vice-president — Mr Vijay Mohan Gupta; general secretary — Mr Ravinder Dhir; press secretary — Mr Narinder Kumar Goel; and secretary (school library) — Mr Rakesh Kumar.

Elected: Mr Gulzar Singh Khaira has been elected president of the Model Town Residents Welfare Association. Other office-bearers are: vice-president — Mr Mulak Raj Verma; secretary — Mr R.P. Verma; and treasurer — Mr Ashok Kumar Goel.

HARYANA

Bhiwani
Suicide: A man committed suicide by hanging himself in a closed factory at Milakpur village on Thursday. The dead body was brought to the Civil Hospital for post-mortem examination and the police has registered a case on the statement of the father of the deceased who has been identified as Balwan, son of Tek Ram. The watchman of the factory had informed the police about the incident.

Karnal
BODY FOUND:The police recovered a body from the local Atal Park, on Thursday. The deceased has been identified as Satish (24), resident of Wajidan Road, here. A spokesman for the police said inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC had been initiated.

Panipat
POWER THEFT: The Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam caught 38 consumers stealing electricity here during February, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Mehtab Singh said in a press note issued on Friday. The press note said FIRs were lodged against 17 of them, whereas fine was recovered from the remaining 21 consumers. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Sundernagar
STRIKE: Workers of the 800 MW Kol Dam continued their strike for the second day on Thursday in protest against the alleged beating up of a driver by Central Industrial Security Force jawans. The workers have been abstaining from work in protest against the beating up of the employees since Wednesday.