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PUNJAB

Batala
Two held with narcotics: Sukhjit Singh, resident of Nangal village, was arrested with 30 gm of smack by a police party, headed by SI Swaran Singh. While talking to the mediapersons here on Thursday, Rashpal Singh, SP (D), said a case under Section 21 of the NDPS Act was registered at Ghoman police station. Meanwhile, a man was arrested near canal bridge between Bijliwal village and Mirja Jaan village, and 100 gm of narcotic powder was seized from him. Gurdeep Singh, SSP, said on Wednesday that a police patrol party arrested Kuldeep Singh of Mirja Jaanwhen village near canal bridge between Bijliwal village and Mirja Jaan village and seized 100 gm of narcotic powder from him.

BATHINDA
NSS camp held: The inaugural NSS camp of the Punjabi University College of Engineering and Management, Rampura Phul, was conducted successfully in the campus. Under the supervision of assistanmt Professor S. Pardeep Singh, students displayed high level of commitment towards social service and cleaned the entire campus under the 'Clean Surroundings' campaign. The message was also communicated to the local community. Vanita Garg, in-charge of the students and other staff, lauded the efforts of the students.

Chandigarh
Support for Khalsa College teachers: The Punjab unit of the National Students Union of India on Sunday announced that it would form a joint action committee in league with students and striking teachers to ensure their demand against the conversion of the Khalsa College, Amritsar, into a private university was accepted by the state government. NSUI president Govind Khatra said they would first hold meetings with students and teachers and then take up their issues with the college management. He said if the students and the teachers were sidelined, then the NSUI would stage protests.

Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan, who is also the chief patron of the Punjab District Attorney Association, being honoured by the members of the association during a state-level function in Jalandhar. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

Jalandhar
Candlelight vigil in Canada for martyrs: Despite showers, members of the Indo-Canadian community gathered at Surrey’s Holland Park in Canada on Friday evening to pay their respects to the victims of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919. A candlelight vigil was organised by the Indo-Canadian Workers’ Association (ICWA) and Fraser Valley Peace Council (FVPC) and silence was observed in the memory of the victims. Satirist Bhagwant Mann was the guest speaker at the event. Mann insisted that the struggle for independence would have to continue as the poor in India have no access to basic amenities.

Khadoor Sahib
Nishan-e-Sikhi inauguration today: Brainchild of noted environmentalist and social campaigner Baba Sewa Singh Khadoor Sahibwale, Nishan-e-Sikhi, a multi-storey educational centre, will be inaugurated here on Monday. Philanthropist Kartar Singh Thukral from Singapore, who contributed immensely in the construction of the building, will dedicate Nishan-e-Sikhi to society at 11 am. This will be followed by the ‘bhog’ ceremony of an Akhand Path organised to mark the occasion.

Nabha
Prisoner injured in attack in Nabha: Sinrandeep Singh alias Deepu, a prisoner, was seriously injured when he was attacked by five fellow prisoners with a sharp-edged object inside the maximum security jail here on Sunday. According to police sources, Deepu was first beaten up and then attacked with a knife on his cheek and back by Gurpreet, Sandeep, Rinka, Jagtar and Amandeep. The victim was admitted to the civil hospital here where he received 17 stitches on his cheek. A case under Sections 307, 334 of the IPC has been registered. The victim held Gurpreet responsible as he was a close associate of Amritpal Singh for whose murder Deepu had been imprisoned.

Nakodar
Illicit liquor seized: The Shahkot police on Friday claimed to have seized 68.430 litres of illicit liquor from Baopur village here. The SHO, Onkar Singh Brar, said acting on a tip-off, a police party raided the spot and seized illicit liquor along with six running furnaces and 920 kg lahan. Seven cases against 15 persons were registered under the Excise Act.

Nawanshahr
431 students get degrees: Degrees were conferred upon 431 students - 273 of B.Tech, 23 of M.Tech, 83 of MBA, 30 of B.Pharma and 22 of M.Pharma - at a convocation of the Rayat Technology Centre of Excellence here in the district. Suresh Kumar, Secretary, Technical Education, addressed the gathering. Prof H.S Bains, Registrar, Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, gave away degrees to students.

Phillaur
New Director: Rohit Chaudhary, Director, Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur, has been transferred as IG, Railways, Patiala, while Ishwar Chand Sharma, IG of the GRP, has been appointed Director, Punjab Police Academy.

HARYANA

A factory on fire in Faridabad FARIDABAD
Fire in factory: A fire broke out in a factory, Brite Brothers Ltd, in Sector 24 here on Saturday. It took firefighters about four hours to tame the fire. Luckily, no was injured in the incident. According to Dalbir Singh, SHO, Munjesar, the loss is yet to be assessed. The unit produces plastic trays used in refrigerators.
A factory on fire in Faridabad. Tribune photo: Sayeed Ahmed

KAITHAL
Samiti’s demand: The Haryana Pradesh Chamar Sangharsh Samiti has demanded the revival of the Chamar Regiment in the Army, which had been disbanded after World War II. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently, Gaje Singh Muwal, president of the samiti, has drawn his attention to the existence of the Chamar Regiment in 1943.

REWARI
5 goats killed: Five goats died after they consumed some “toxic” fruit of a wild hedge in the forest area of Kosli on Sunday. The goats belonged to a poor shepherd, Pooran Singh, of Kosli. Village elders have urged the district administration to provide adequate financial assistance to the shepherd.

Student held: The police has arrested a teenager, Rahul (18), a student of Class XII, on a charge of raping his 14-year-old schoolmate, a student of Class X, at her house in the nearby Beriawas village on April 9. Rahul was produced in the court of JMIC Ishwar Dutt Sharma on Saturday, who remanded him in judicial custody.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Bilaspur
Shopkeepers warned: Shopkeepers and business houses that provide SIM cards of various cellular companies to customers in the district have been warned by the police to ensure that they provide these to genuine customers only after establishing their identity and address. Superintendent of Police Santosh Patiyal said here on Sunday.

MANDI
Cong President bereaved: Kagdu Devi, mother of state Congress President Kaul Singh Thakur, died on Sunday due to a sudden heart attack on the way from her native Shambal village to a private hospital here. She was 85. She was cremated here in the evening. Governor Urmila Singh, Chief Minister PK Dhumal, Congress leader Vidya Stokes, PWD Minister Gulab Singh Thakur, CWC member Dhani Ram Shandil and other Congress leaders expressed grief over the death of Kagdu Devi.

Plea for opening museum: Artists, NGOs and writers on Sunday made a plea to open a museum in a heritage building of Damdama to protect local collectors’ artefacts and paintings. They went on to add that the two villages of Shiva Badar and Magru be declared as heritage villages as these have a unique style of Pahari architecture.

NURPUR
Working of police station reviewed: Director General of Police (DGP) of Himachal Pradesh DS Manhas on Saturday visited a local police station and reviewed its working before proceeding to Chamba district. Accompanied by IG (North) PL Thakur and Kangra SP Daljeet Thakur, the DGP took note of deficiencies prevailing in the police station.

DEHRADUN

DEHRADUN
Dist conveners of Cong appointed: State Congress chief Yashpal Arya has appointed district conveners for the proposed “Satyagrah Yatra” to be taken out by the party in the state next month. Laxman Singh Lamgarhia has been appointed convener of Pithoragarh, Harish Chand Durgapal and Sher Singh for Champawat, Mahesh Sharma and Mahendra Singh for Almora, MLA Gopal Singh Rana for Nainital, Mahender Singh Pal for Udham Singh Nagar district and Parkash Joshi for Bageshwar district. The party will take out the 3,500-km yatra to highlight the “failures” of the present BJP government.

Red Cross Society meeting: Governor of Uttarakhand Margaret Alva will preside over a meeting of the Uttarakhand state unit of the Indian Red Cross Society at the Red Cross building on Sahasradhara Road here on Monday. The Governor, also the Chairperson of the Uttarakhand state unit of the Indian Red Cross Society, will give instructions regarding the budget allocation for disaster management and imparting of skills to non-military civilians for protection from natural disasters.

Camp office of ‘Abhivyakti’: To facilitate the people living in the rural areas with the basic civic amenities, a camp office of “Abhivyakti”, a voluntary organisation, has been set up in Simyad village, Dahrkot, Gram Sabha, Raipur, here on Sunday. “Abhivyakti” aims at spreading awareness among people for the development of villages.

Kumaon
Meat sellers fined: Meat sellers in Haldwani, who violated the government orders by continuing with the sale of meat on Mahavir Jayanti, were fined during a special drive carried out by the administration. According to information, officials of the Food and Civil Supplies Department carried out surprise checks at various shops and fined eight shopkeepers for violating the orders. They also destroyed 70 kg meat, which was being sold by them. The places where the checks were carried out included Kaladhungi Road, Mangal Padav, Sindhi Chauraha, Kathgodam and Tikoniya.

Awareness drive: The Fire Department has launched a fire prevention awareness drive in Haldwani and its adjoining areas. Under the drive, officials are visiting various commercial establishments and manufacturing units to give tips on how to prevent fire incidents, particularly during the summer season. They are also giving various demonstrations to generate awareness among the people. The drive will continue for the next three days during which the department also aims to cover schools, banking institutions and residential complexes.

Under-age driving: A special drive has been launched in Haldwani, wherein police officials are challaning minors driving two wheelers. Over the past two days, the drive was carried out on Bareilley Road, Kaladhungi Road and Nainital Road. Rash driving, particularly by schoolchildren, has become a matter of concern in this township. In the past one year, several children have been killed in road mishaps at Haldwani.

Shortage of LPG cylinders: Residents of the Ghasmandi area of Rudrapur have been facing a shortage of LPG cylinders. They alleged that an artificial scarcity of cylinders has been created, resulting in its sale on the black market. The said a cylinder gas was being sold at Rs 800 on the black market. They have requested the administration to intervene in the matter.

Disputed land: A large number of personnel of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) have been deployed at a disputed piece of land in the Sitarganj area of Udham Singh Nagar district. There has been a dispute regarding a piece of land between local BSP legislator Narayan Pal and the IAF officer, Air Marshal Dalinderjeet Singh (retd). The land measures 3 acres and is located on the Kitcha road.