R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Jalandhar
Religious conversions: Condemning the charges of “forceful religious conversion”, the Punjab Christian Movement and United Pastor Association, has said that action be taken against all those religious bodies that have been trying to spread rumours against the minority community. Mr Hamid Masih of the Punjab Christian Movement said that anyone trying to suppress the freedom to practise religion should be taken to task.

Lohri celebrations: The Mahatma Hans Raj Samvedna Samiti of Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidayalaya visited the Apahij Ashram here on Friday and celebrated Lohri with its inmates. The student members of the society presented a cultural programme, which included dances, folk songs and skits. The members distributed sweets and eatables among the inmates. They enquired about the health and needs of the physically-challenged inmates as they interacted with them. Ms P.P. Sharma, Principal, Ms Geetika Mahajan, in charge of the society, and Ms Laxmi Sharma, coordinator of the cultural programme, accompanied the members of the society.

Phagwara
Move flayed: The Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker, Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, on Friday took exception to the move of the Union Home Ministry to make it mandatory for passengers travelling by the proposed Amritsar-Nankana Sahib Bus between India and Pakistan to get security clearance from the Punjab Police. Talking to news persons here, Mr Atwal underscored the need of a hassle-free travel between the Holy Cities of the two countries. “It is not possible for passengers to shuttle between police stations for getting the clearance. The procedure would be cumbersome and irritatingly long,” he said, adding that no such clearance was mandatory for passengers of Delhi-Lahore bus, Samjhauta Express or air travellers.

Girls arrested: The police here arrested two teenaged sisters when they were fighting over sharing of the booty they allegedly had stolen from a marriage party at Kohara in Ludhiana district. Over Rs 21,000 has been recovered from the duo. It is learnt that the girls, Priyanka (14) and Komal (13), from Golekheri village of Pachaur in Rajgarh had stolen a bag containing Rs 21,520 from a marriage hall in Kohara. After committing the crime, the girls started squabbling over the issue of sharing the booty. A passerby informed the police about it and the duo was arrested on Friday.

Students injured: A fog-induced poor visibility caused an accident in which two private school vehicles were involved at nearby Uchapind village on Thursday. Four girl students and two drivers sustained injuries in the accident. 

HARYANA

HISAR
Nominated: The state secretary of the Haryana chapter of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), Mr Vijay Sharma, has been nominated as the new state general secretary of the parishad. This was stated by Mr Vinayak Rao Deshpande, central secretary of the VHP, following a state-level meeting of the parishad held at Jind. The VHP has also decided to organise 2,000 programmes on Shri Ram Mahotsava at different places across the state. 

Body found: The body of an unidentified 28-year-old man was found near the canal on Rajgarh Road here on Wednesday. The body reportedly has injury marks in the neck and the head. The police has registered a case in this regard. 

REWARI
RI in rape case: Ms Ritu Tagore, Additional District and Sessions Judge, here has sentenced a youth, Jai Prakash, a resident of Shiv Colony, to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment, holding him guilty of raping a minor girl (13) of Gulabi Bagh Colony in July, 2004. Besides, the Judge has imposed a fine of Rs 5000 on the convict. According to the prosecution, Jai Prakash, who was a frequent visitor to the victim’s house, criminally assaulted the girl when her parents were away.

SONEPAT
Criminal arrested: The police on Thursday claimed to have arrested a criminal, Devinder of Jatheri village, in connection with the alleged murder of a youth, Jasbir, alias Jassa, of Jiwan Vihar Colony on the Sonepat-Dewru road on December 2. According to police sources, the police has already arrested a contractor, Narinder, his wife, Jagwanti, and a partner, Sandeep, in this connection. The number of arrests made in this case has risen to four.