R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

ABOHAR
Employees stage protest: The Technical and Mechanical Employees Union staged a dharna and held protest rally at the office of the Executive Engineer, Central Works, Division, on Malout Road here on Wednesday. Those who addressed the gathering included Mr Piara Singh Mangat, vice-president, state unit, Mr Suba Ram, president, Mr Ratipal, senior vice-president, Mr Shyam Chand, vice-president, Mr Banwari Lal Chopra, secretary and Mr Lajja Ram, president, Technical Services Union of the PSEB among others. They demanded that the Subdivisional Officer, who had allegedly threatened the union members during a negotiation meeting, must tender unconditional apology over his conduct and illegal transfers of senior activists of the union. The leaders alleged that the Congress government in the state had spearheaded a campaign to weed out corruption, but no vigilance action was initiated to check large-scale bungling in the construction of roads and buildings. The union demanded a CBI probe into the functioning of the Central Works Department.

BATHINDA
Three booked for rape: Three persons have been booked for raping a girl at Gurusar village, near here, a couple of days back. The victim is a student of Class XII. According to sources, the accused persuaded the victim to accompany them in a car to Jalal village. They took her to a secluded room in the fields and raped her before fleeing away. The girl reached her home next morning and narrated the incident to them. On the basis of the victim’s statement, the police has booked Kuldeep Singh, Buta Singh, and Gagu Singh under Sections 363, 366, and 376, of the IPC.

HOSHIARPUR
Insurance co. penalised: On the complaint of Ms Reena Rani, a resident of Garhi Mansowal village of this district, the District Consumer Forum, has directed the New India Insurance Company Limited to make payment of Rs 80,000 along with Rs 5,000 as damages and Rs 1,000 as litigation expenses to the complainant within two months failing which she will be entitled to get interest @ 9 pc per annum. Ms Reena Rani had filed a complaint under Section 12 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, against the insurance company after her car was stolen in January 2002 at Chandigarh. 

Case registered: On the complaint of Mr Janki Dass of Satnaur, the Garhshankar police has registered a case under Section 366 of the IPC against Rajinder Singh, son of Kishan Singh, of the same village here on Tuesday for allegedly abducting his daughter. In his complaint, Mr Janki Dass alleged that on the intervening night of July 3 and 4, Rajinder Singh kidnapped his 23-year-old daughter on the pretext that he would marry her. 

Booked: On the complaint of Ms Paramjit Kaur of Phagwara, the Garhshankar police has registered a case under Section 406 of the IPC against her husband, Gurjeet Singh, and mother-in-law, Balvir Kaur, here on Tuesday. In her complaint, she alleged that she was married with Gurjeet Singh on April 11, 2001. After her marriage she went to Canada with her husband and handed over her jewellery to her mother-in-law. But when she came back and asked her mother-in-law to return her jewellery, she refused to return the same. 

NAWANSHAHR
Arrested: Mr Arun Pal Singh, SSP, in a press note issued here on Wednesday, said the police party led by Mr Swaran Singh, SHO City, had arrested Krishan Lal, Amit Kumar, Rakesh Kumar, alias, Vicky and Deepak Kumar under Sections 51, 52 A, 63, 66 and 68 A of the Copyright Act, 1957 and Section 420 of the IPC for preparing and selling fake CDs. As many as 1095 CDs, 11,230 inlay cards, one writer, one UPS, CD player and one TV was recovered from them.

Patiala
MEDICAL CAMP: The SDSE Senior Secondary School in collaboration with the local branch of State Bank of Patiala organised a free medical camp for students here on Thursday. Dr B.P.S Gill, Dr Sarita Mittal and Dr Aniljeet Singh headed the teams. They advised students to eat healthy and nutritious food. The camp was inaugurated by Prof Sohan Lal Gupta.

CHANDIGARH

MOHALI
SEMINAR: A seminar of Punjab Government primary school teachers was organised at the local Government Primary School, Phase 3B1, as a part of the Central Government Sarv Sikhia Abhiyaan on Wednesday. The teachers were given tips about upgrading the knowledge of their subjects. 

Panchkula
Doctor honoured: Dr Manoj Gupta, Senior Medical Officer, General Hospital, Panchkula, was honoured by the district administration for his commendable services in the field of medicine and cardiology, during the Independence Day celebrations. He had been honoured by the Himachal Governor on June 24, and conferred with the Balraj Sahni National Award for meritorious services in medicine. 

Honoured: Mr S.C. Dhall, Senior Manager of State Bank of Patiala, Kalka, was honoured by the Kalka Administration for being the best banker. He was honoured by the SDM of Kalka, Mr Maheshwar Sharma, during the Independence Day celebrations. 

Celebrations: The week-long Independence Day celebrations at Kendriya Vidyalaya-2, Chandi Mandir concluded on Wednesday with a colourful cultural programme. Competitions in poetry recitation, patriotic songs and inter-house group song competitions were held.

I-DAY: Residents of Islamnagar village, near Pinjore, got together for the 59th Independence Day celebrations for the first time on Tuesday. Celebrations were held in Government Primary School, where Ms Shamsher Kaur, Chairperson, Block Samiti, Raiton, unfurled the national flag.

ELECTED: Mr Gurjeet Singh has been elected chief patron, Mr S.S. Sodhi — patron and Mr Sukhbir Singh president of the HUDA Junior Engineers Welfare Association. The elections were held here on Wednesday. The other office bearers are Mr M.P. Sharma — general secretary, Mr A.K. Sodhi and Mr R.P. Punia — senior vice presidents, Mr A.K. Gupta, Mr Ram Phal and Mr S.K. Gandhi — vice presidents, Mr Mohinder Singh — cashier, Mr Hira Lal and Mr K.S. Kataria — joint secretaries and Mr Karam Chand — divisional secretary. 

Blood camp: As many as 69 units of blood were collected at a blood donation camp organised by the Cost Accountants Society at Shakti Bhavan on Thursday. Lt-Gen O.S. Lohchab, Chairman of Haryana Power Utilities, inaugurated the camp. Donors were given gifts, informed Mr D.C. Arya, president of the society.

Urged: Mr B. L. Tandon, founder of the Peoples Voce Gods Voice (PVGV) has urged the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, to enforce the Right to Information Act in Haryana. He said many states, including Punjab, had decided to enforce the Act, which meant more transparency and accountability in government functioning .

HARYANA

Fatehabad
Cop falls to death: The Station House Officer of the Bhattu Kalan police station in this district died under mysterious circumstances at his residence on Tuesday night. The deceased, Bhim Singh (50), apparently died of fall from the terrace of his house, but how he fell from the terrace is still a mystery.

Jhajjar
Cheat remanded: A local court in Bahadurgarh remanded the accused who had defrauded the people worth crores of rupees about two months ago, in 10 days police custody on Wednesday. The police had produced him before the court after arresting him from Tanjavur district in Tamil Nadu five days ago. According to the police sources, the accused Chandran opened shop and offered various household items on half the prices by making bookings 15 days in advance. However, when he collected about Rs 1 crore in advance booking, he disappeared on the night of June 7.

KARNAL
Three booked for kidnapping: The district police has booked three persons for allegedly kidnapping a city-based taxi driver Om Prakash here. According to police sources, Naveen of Kalbehri village along with his two companions had hired his taxi for Hardwar on July 31 but they did not return. Om Prakash’s elder brother Kaptan Singh alleged that the taxi hirers might have kidnapped him. On his complaint, a case under Section 365 was registered at city police station. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
Exonerated: The District and Sessions Judge, Mr S.K. Chaudhary, here, has exonerated and acquitted Sucha Singh of Naal village of Tanbel gram panchayat (near here, from the blame under Section 18 of the NDPS Act. The Bilaspur Sadar police had arrested him last year after showing a recovery of 145 gm of charas and 100 gm of opium from him.

NAHAN
Bridge inaugurated: The Speaker of the HP Vidhan Sabha. Mr G.R. Musafir, inaugurated a newly constructed foot bridge at Shewla in Pachhad area of Sirmaur district on Wednesday. The foot bridge constructed at a cost of Rs 2.15 lakh was completed in a record time by the Forest Department. Addressing a public meeting on the occasion, he appreciated the efforts of the Forest Department which facilitated the process of construction, enabling farmers with the regular connectivity in this remote part of the district.