R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Abohar
College teachers observe strike: On the call given by the Central Federation of College Teachers, members of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union observed strike here today. The president of the union, Rajesh Khatri, said the strike was in protest against the state government for not lifting a ban on recruitment against posts vacated after retirement of staff during the past decade. 

Barnala
Ludhiana youth ends life in Barnala: The body of a youth from Ludhiana, Mohit Uppal (32), was today found along the road in Bhadaur. Bhadaur SHO Bhupinder Singh said the police had also recovered a suicide note wherein Mohit held his wife Manisha responsible. The SHO said Mohit Uppal was involved in the sale and purchase of automobiles. He said the actual cause of the death would be known only after receiving the post-mortem report. The SHO said the police had registered a case against Manisha under Section 306 of the IPC on the basis of the suicide note. 

Barnala man held for killing son: Balwinder Singh, who had allegedly shot dead his 25-year-old son Nirmal Singh a few days ago at Dhilwan village in this district, was arrested by the police on Thursday. Station House Officer (SHO) of the Tapa police station Sanjiv Singla said the police would seek Balwinder’s police remand tomorrow as the weapon used in the crime was yet to be recovered. Following an altercation between the father and the son, Balwinder allegedly opened fire on Nirmal with his rifle, killing him on the spot. On a complaint by the deceased’s wife, the police had registered a case against Balwinder.

Bathinda
Legal literacy camp held: A legal literacy camp was organised at Jassi Pauwali and Naruana villages during the past two days. The camp was organized by the district legal services authority lead by its chairman, who is the district and sessions judge of Bathinda.

Ludhiana
3 killed in accident : Three persons were killed in a road accident near Jodhan village on Pakhowal Road on Thursday evening. The police said one of deceased, who was driving a car, hit two pedestrians near Bath Castle Resort. The two died on the spot while the driver was rushed to a hospital where he also breathed his last.

Pay tax from April 1: The Ludhiana Municipal Corporation will levy property tax from April 1. The city will be divided into eight zones and each zone will have a different unit value, which will be fixed by a committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner. The total amount of property tax to be paid by a city resident will be calculated on the basis of the unit value as well as a set formula.

Muktsar
Post office employee killed in Gidderbaha: Four armed persons allegedly killed Krishan Lal Sharma, who was working as a mail overseer at the Malout post office, in Mallan colony on the Malout-Bathinda highway on Thursday. The victim succumbed to his injuries on way to the hospital. On a statement of the deceased’s son, Sandeep Kumar, the Gidderbaha police registered a case of murder against Hardeep Singh alias MLA, Kaku Singh, Jagdev Singh and an unidentified person. No one has been arrested so far. 

Ropar
51 kg of poppy husk seized: The local police has seized 51 kg of poppy husk from Sarabjit Singh of Bara village in the district on Wednesday. The police said Sarabjit was riding a motorcycle when he was intercepted near Raion Kalan village. On a search, the police found 51 kg of poppy husk from his possession, said Ropar SHO Manvir Singh Bajwa. 

Sangrur
Man held with stolen vehicles: The Dhuri police has arrested a person and recovered a stolen Maruti Swift car and a Toyota Innova vehicle from his possession. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harcharan Singh Bhullar said following a tip-off, a police team put up a naka and arrested Mandeep Singh of Kherri Nagaiyan in Patiala district with the stolen vehicles.

HARYANA

Fatehabad
Woman down with swine flu: The throat swab of a married woman from Khajuri Jati village in this district has tested positive for swine flu. With this, the total number of cases of H1N1 infection in Fatehabad district has gone up to 16, said Civil Surgeon Suraj Bhan Kamboj. One death due to swine flu has been reported in Fatehabad this year.

Jhajjar
One killed in road mishap: Manjit of Kaloi village was killed while Shashi Kant of Rithal village was seriously injured when their motorbike was hit by a tractor-trolley near Rohtak bypass here today. Shashi Kant has been admitted to the PGIMS, Rohtak, where his condition is stated to be critical. The police has booked the trolley driver for rash and negligent driving.

Karnal
Dharna at Jantar Mantar: Personnel below officer rank (PBOR) from sepoy to Subedar Major and their equivalent ranks in the Navy and Air Force would sit on a dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on March 17 if increment in pension on the analogy of one-rank-one pension was not accepted. 

Panipat
DC takes charge: Sameer Pal Sarao has taken over as the Deputy Commissioner of Panipat in place of Mona Srinivas. An officer of the 2002 IAS batch, Sarao said that solid waste management, regulating traffic and safe drinking water would be his top priorities. The endeavour would be to provide transparent, responsible and efficient governance. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

MANDI
4 arrested, 2.1 kg charas seized: The Mandi police has arrested four persons, Gain Chand from Padhar in the first case and Umesh Chandel, Ravinder Thakur and Kartik Thakur from Sarkghat in the second, under the NDPS Act, recovering 2.1 kg charas and 8 gm smack from them, respectively.