R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Chandigarh
Engineer held  taking bribe: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday caught a Water Supply and Sanitation Department Superintendent Engineer allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 from a Mohali-based contractor. The CBI arrested the accused, NK Dheer, at his office in Sector 34 and also seized the bribe money. CBI officials said the contractor had complained that the Punjab Sanitation Department owed him Rs 30 lakh for supplying them sanitation equipment.

Jalandhar
Youth Cong to hold camps for jobless: The Punjab Youth Congress will be holding camps for the unemployed youth in each of the 117 assembly segments of the state. Youth Congress state president Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary said they had been directed by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to help the youth either secure jobs or get unemployment allowance of Rs 1000 per month, as announced by the ruling alliance partners (SAD, BJP) in their elections manifestoes. Till date, no allowance had been released to any unemployed youth, he alleged. 

Patiala
Power unit bags national award: Punjab State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC), which operates under Punjab State Transmission Corporation Ltd, has bagged the runners-up award for 'Best Performing SLDC in NR' at the Power Awards-2013 ceremony at Panaji, Goa. This category of award, related to performance of SLDCs in the country, has been instituted for the first time considering the importance of secured grid operations in today’s unified national grid scenario.The awards in various categories were given away by Devendra Chaudhry (IAS), Additional Secretary Power, Ministry of Power, Government of India, to recognise the contribution of organisations to the power sector of the country.

Verdict upheld in murder case: The court of Additional Sessions Judge, Patiala, Varinder Aggarwal today upheld an earlier court verdict in the case of Darshan Singh versus the State of Punjab, in which the police had accused Darshan of being involved in the murder of Punjab Rashtriya Sikh Sangat president Rulda Singh. Earlier, the court had not found enough evidence against Darshan and had acquitted him of the charge. Rulda was shot at on July 28, 2009, by two assailants, who later fled in a car.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
Man commits suicide: Kalu Ram (32), a resident of Nepal, living in Nihal Sector here for the past several years, reportedly committed suicide in his room on Tuesday. Reports said the deceased was living with his sister, brother and three children. He was found hanging by his sister. The police has registered a case. The body has been sent for post-mortem to the Regional Hospital here. The cause of the suicide is not known yet. 

Material worth Rs 1 lakh stolen: Thieves struck at Ashok Kumar's shop at Panj Peeri on the National Highway No. 21, 30 km from here, on Saturday night and stole material and vehicle spare parts worth Rs 1 lakh. Reports said nobody was in the shop when the theft occurred. In another incident, thieves stole silver ornaments and decorations of idols worth several thousands of rupees from the Luxmi Narayan temple at Rishi Kesh under the Dammali gram panchayat, near here, after breaking its locks. The police has registered cases in both the incidents and further investigations are on. 

Woman injured after fall: Monika Devi, wife of Dev Raj, was seriously injured when she fell down from a slab of her single-storey house at Matiyar village under Ghumarwin subdivision on the Bilaspur-Mandi border, 60 km from here, on Monday. Reports said Monika was sweeping the upper part of the slab with a broom when her foot got entangled with something there and she lost balance and fell to the ground. She was rushed first to the Ghumarwin Civil Hospital and then to the Regional Hospital, Hamirpur where her condition was said to be stable.

NURPUR
Thieves decamp with jewellery: Thieves reportedly committed theft in a house at Sidhpur Ghat under the jurisdiction of Jawali police station on Monday night.The police said house owner Bir Deen reported in his complaint that the thieves decamped with Rs 90,000, gold ornaments weighing 60 grm and silver jewellery. The thieves locked members of the victim's family from outside and decamped with cash and jewellery. The police has registered a case under Sections 379 and 457 of the IPC. 

DEHRADUN

Leopard cub sighted: A leopard cub was sighted in the Canal Road locality here on Tuesday. Residents who first saw the cub in a plot at 7 am immediately reported the matter to the forest authorities. Malsi range forest officials reached the spot and laid a trap. However, seeing a huge crowd, the cub ran towards the forests adjacent to the Barighat river. Forest officials said the cub looked to be around one-year-old. Malsi forest official Ashok Kumar said the presence of a female leopard could not be ruled out.

Two Kanwariyas sent to jail: Two Kanwariyas,Vikram and Bittu of Panipat, who had allegedly manhandled a couple on EC Road on Monday morning, were sent to jail on Tuesday. The duo rammed their bike into Vishal Thapa and his wife and also manhandled them. To save him and his wife, Vishal had to open fire into the air. Both Vikram and Bittu, who were coming from Mussoorie, were drunk during the scuffle. They were presented in a court today, which sent them to jail.

Orientation for freshers: Law College, Dehradun, on Tuesday organised an orientation programme for freshers. The college management welcomed the new students to the college. University Chancellor Jitendra Joshi also wished them good luck for their future. Principal, Law College, Dr Rajesh Bahuguna, gave a detailed account of the alumni of the college, who are well-settled in the legal profession. Addressing the students, the Chancellor said, “The college has established the best library needed for law course and students from almost 24 states have taken admission here to pursue legal education." 

Classical dance competition: An inter-house classical dance competition was organised at Unison World School here yesterday. The students from class IV to class VIII participated in the competition. All the dancers started their performance with Shiv Vandana. The participants exhibited great poise as they mesmerised the audience by soulful Kathak performances. Daffodil House was adjudged as the winner of the competition with Tulip House getting the second position followed by Jasmine House. Pandit Kanta Prasad Mishra, a renowned artiste of Banaras Gharana, judged the event.