GURDASPUR
Sangat darshan: A sangat darshan was held on Friday at the border village of Toor in this district to solve the problems of the residents of the area. The area comprises of six villages. Mr S.K Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner, accompanied by Mrs Roop Rani and Mr Ram Lal, both MLAs along with district officers of various departments reached Toor for the sangat darshan. Mr Sandhu distributed cheques worth Rs 8 lakh for pursuing development schemes in the area.

HOSHIARPUR
Urged: The local unit of the Punjab Ayurvedic Medical Services Association, urged the state's Health Minister to fill the posts of Director, Punjab Ayurvedic Department and District Ayurvedic officer, here and supply medicines to the ayurvedic hospitals and dispensaries on a priority basis.

KAPURTHALA
Rail coaches: Mr V.P. Ojha, General Manager, Rail Coach Factory (RCF), here has said that the factory has manufactured 8,500 coaches for the Indian Railways till March 99 which comes to 30 per cent of the total production of coaches in the Indian Railways. While presiding over a function in connection with celebration of railway week on Friday, Mr Ojha announced that the RCF had been preparing itself to manufacture high speed coaches on the pattern of coaches to be manufactured by M/s LHB of Germany.

KHARAR
Appointed: The following have been appointed presidents of following blocks of the Ex-Servicemen Cell of the District Congress Committee, according to a press note issued here on Friday. Capt Mohinder Singh (Kharar Block), Subedar Babu Singh (SAS Nagar Block) and Capt Bakshis Singh (Major Block).

MALERKOTLA
Arrested: Abdul Rashid, member of mafia gang of Ilyas and Ijaz of Calcutta, has been arrested. This was disclosed here on Saturday by Mr Arpit Shukla, SSP, Sangrur at a press conference held at police station, Sadar. According to Mr Shukla the accused and his companions had kidnapped Mr Vivek Chatterji at Calcutta and later released him by taking a ransom of Rs 2 lakh. A case was registered by the Calcutta police in this regard. On receiving information from the Calcutta police about Abdul Rashid the Malerkotla police arrested him.

PATIALA
Association: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Sirhindi Bazaar Association: chairman: Mr Dalip Singh; president — Mr Manmohan Singh; vice-president — Mr Mohinder Singh; general secretary — Mr Sabash Chand; and treasurer — Mr Madanlal.

Mahila bachat: The National Savings Organisation and the Directorate of Small Savings of the Chandigarh Administration will observe Mahila Bachat Divas on April 22 at the Sector 20 Government College of Education, where mahila pradhans, PPF agents, small savings authorised agents, sanchayika school heads, teachers incharge and payroll savings group leaders with good track records will be felicitated.

Lecture: In the memory of Ms Suwarcha Paul, a lecture on "Art and Architecture of Chandigarh" by Mr Shiv Singh, a sculptor and painter, will be organised at the Government Museum and Art Gallery on Sunday at 5 p.m.

Building material: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Chandigarh Building Material Suppliers Association: President — Mr Ram Murti Aggarwal; Vice-President — Mr Harish Chander Pahwa; Secretary — Mr C.R. Gandhi; Joint Secretary — Mr Avtar Singh; and Treasurer — Mr Krishan Kumar Chawla.

Blood donation: The Chandigarh Photographers Association will hold its general body meeting and a blood donation camp at the Sector 18 Lions Bhavan on Sunday, according to Mr J.S. Bedi, President of the association.

Function: Sri Guru Gobind Singh Senior Secondary School, Sector 35, celebrated 300 years of the Khalsa on Saturday at the school premises. Justice Kuldip Singh (retd ) presided and gave away the prizes. Games, a cultural programme and a quiz competition were also held.

SAS NAGAR
House owners: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Sector 55 House Owners Welfare Association: President — Mr N.S. Rai; Senior Vice-President — Mr H.C. Kapoor; Vice-President — Mr Randhir Singh; General Secretary — Mr Karam Singh; and Finance Secretary — Mr Mohan Singh.

KAITHAL
Children literacy: Nand Gah village in Guhla subdivision become the first village in the district where 100 per cent children in the 5-14 age group have been admitted to school. The Deputy Commissioner Jaiwanti Sheokand on Friday distributed books and other studies material to three newly admitted students.

KURUKSHETRA
Arrested: Three Maruti-borne persons armed with revolvers, after shooting at a three-wheeler driver Baldev succeeded in looting Rs 10 lakh from the occupant on Pipli-Kurukshetra road here on Friday night. According to the police, during the looting attempt, they fired a shot injuring the driver seriously. He was rushed to the PGI Chandigarh. The miscreants along with the booty, escaped. But one of the miscreants who was later arrested from nearby Partapgarh village, has been identified as Sunil, son of Mahabir, a resident of Arainpur Gharaunda, Karnal.

PANIPAT
Crop gutted: Wheat crop in an area of 25 acres was gutted in a series of fire incidents due to short circuit in Neaulta, Kurar, Dahar and Bhainswal villages of the district on Friday. Mr Surat Singh, president, Haryana Kisan Sabha, demanded compensation from the district administration to the farmers whose crops were ruined.

Fire service week: The district Fire Brigade Department has organised a fire service week, which started from April 14 to 20, in which training of fire fighting is being given to school students and factory workers, according to Mr Bhagwan Dass Ahuja, District Fire Officer.

REWARI
Held for murder: The police has arrested three youths — Jogendra, his nephew Varun and Kalu — all residents of Budhpur village near here, in connection with the murder of a student Pushpender, who was murdered on the premises of Ahir College here on April 7. All three accused have been remanded in police custody.

Temples broken into: Some unidentified youths broke open the locks of the Hanuman temple, Shiva temple, Devi temple and the Shani (Saturn) temple, all situated on the banks of the town's historical tank here on Thursday. They decamped with offerings totalling to about Rs 16,00 from the Hanuman temple. The losses from the other three temples were yet to be ascertained.

SIRSA
Proclaimed offender held: Raju, alias Illu of Mandi Dabwali in the district, who is a proclaimed offender in a criminal case registered against him about seven years, was arrested on Friday. While giving this information, Mr B.S Sandhu, SSP, said on Saturday that the accused along with two other accused had broken into the house of Mazdoor Husain of Mandi Dabwali on October 30, 1992 and stolen Rs 37,000. A criminal case under Section 457/380, IPC was registered and accused was released on bail when he absconded.

Dead: Jagdish Chander of Umalewala village in the district died on spot when his two-wheeler collided with a Haryana roadways bus near Khairkan village in this district on Friday. A case under Sections 28/304-A, IPC, has been registered against the bus driver.
Kids hurt: Two children were injured after a car hit them near Panniwalamota village in the district on Saturday. Both were hospitalised and were stated to be out of danger. The police has registered a criminal case under Sections 279/336/337/427, IPC, (50) against the driver of car (HR-26-5867). The driver has absconded.

Liquor seized: The police seized, 2450 liquor pouches from the house of Ashok Kumar, alias Shoki, at local Kirti Nagar here on Friday. While giving this information, a spokesman of the police said here on Saturday that a raid was conduced after a tip-off. Ashok Kumar has absconded.

Dowry case: Naresh Kumar and his mother Sarvasti Devi of Kheowali village in the district were arrested by the police on Friday in a case registered against them under Sections 498-A/406/323/34, IPC on a complaint by Pushpa Devi in which she alleged that she was married to Naresh Kumar on December 15, 1996 and the accused were demanding a scooter, a colour TV, and cash and were harassing her.

SONEPAT
Recovered: The Sadar police on Saturday claimed to have recovered a truckload of 18 tonnes of rice and arrested five persons in this connection on charge of forgery and cheating. SSP, K.Selvraj told mediapersons here that the arrested persons were Kundan of Kirti Nagar (Delhi), Bharat of Darya Ganj (Delhi), Mohammad Anwar of Bilwasan village (Delhi), Ramesh of Jaurasi Khalsa village (Panipat) and Prem of Yadav Nagar (Delhi). However, the truck driver and conductor have absconded. The arrests followed an FIR registered with the police by Mr Satpal of Tughluqabad (Delhi) alleging that the truck driver Salim had not reached the destination after the truck was loaded from a rice mill situated on the Sonepat-Kakroi road near the city on March 23.

Order: The District Magistrate, Mr P.K. Mahapatra, has issued an order making it obligatory for the residents to go in for the verification of domestic servants and tenants. According to official sources, the order, which comes into effect immediately, will continue until further orders.

YAMUNANAGAR
Appeal: The Haryana Lok Ayukat, Mr I.P. Vashisht, has appealed to the people to complain to him about any corruption charges so that he can take effective steps. While addressing the Municipal Commissioners and Councillors of Yamunanagar, Jagadhri, Buria, Sadhaura and Radaur here on Friday, he suggested that complaints should be genuine soo that no innocent persons could be harassed. Mr Rajiv Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, Yamunanagar and the Superintendent of Police, Mr K.K.Sindhu, also addressed the public.

Gang busted: The police has busted a gang of thieves and arrested three persons. Mr K.K Sindhu, SP, said here on Saturday that goods worth lakh of rupees were recovered from them. He said that on a complaint lodged on April 10 at the Bilaspur police station that Mange Ram had stolen harvester machine, the police arrested the accused, along with Ramesh Kumar and Jasmer. On interrogation the accused revealed that they had been stealing at a number of places in Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar district. The police has recovered a tractor, Rs 1 lakh in cash and other goods from their possession.

Demand: The Himachal Pradesh State Retired Policemen and Officers Welfare Association has urged the state government to announce a 10 per cent increase in dearness allowance on the central pattern and to make it 32 per cent of the salary to retired personnel also at the earliest. At a meeting of association's state executive here on Friday, which was presided over by state president K.L. Chopra, a resolution demanded that the Punjab pattern should be followed and fixed medical allowance per month should be given of Rs 250 instead of Rs 40, travelling concession should be provided and 5 per cent and 10 per cent increase in pension should be given to all pensioners of the age of 70 and 80 years, respectively.

KANGRA
Loans given: More than 500 self-help groups constituted in different rural areas of the district were disbursed Rs 40 lakhs as loans through different banks to make them self reliant. Disclosing this while inaugurating the first computerised branch of Himachal Gramin Bank here on Friday, Mr B.K. Agrawal, Deputy Commissioner, said 1 per cent of the credit plan was being given as loans to these self-help groups.

NAHAN
Ban sought: The local Nagrik Sabha has demanded a complete ban on plying of vehicular traffic in the main bazar here in the day. The sabha has requested the Deputy Commissioner, Sirmour, to issue a notification in this regard as because of the accidents in the past in Naya Bazar area property has been damaged. Two wheelers were also creating problems in the main market, the sabha added.