Tribuneindia...Regional Briefs

	REGIONAL BRIEFS	Friday, December 31, 1999
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AMRITSAR
Two dead: Two persons died on Tuesday as cold winds swept over Punjab. Balwinder Singh died at Fatapur village on the outskirts of the city while the second death occurred in the Mand area of Majitha police district.

FATEHGARH SAHIB
Sub-treasury office: A sub-treasury office will be set up in the next financial year at Bassi Pathana, according to the Punjab Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh. This was stated by him at a function organised at Bassi Pathana, 3 km from here on Thursday. He distributed cheques worth Rs 5,100 among 81 Dalit families under the Shagun Scheme. The government has also decided to give Rs 50,000 to homeless Dalits and Rs 20,000 for repair works.

Camp: About 280 patients were examined and given free medicines at a medical check-up camp organised by Lions Club Chandigarh Greater at its multipurpose project building at Karsan on Thursday. They were also provided with facilities like X-ray, ECG and blood testing.

Disbursed: The Sector 10 branch of State Bank of Patiala, informed that approximately Rs 1 crore had been disbursed as loans under their Personal Loan Segment. This was stated during a customer meet held at the Sector 16 General Hospital on Wednesday.

SONEPAT
Arrested: The Kharkhauda police has arrested Mahabir of Silana village for allegedly kidnapping and assaulting Devinder, a bus conductor on December 9, while he was waiting for the bus at Kharkhauda Bus Stand. The SSP, Mr K.P. Singh, said here on Thursday that the arrest followed the registration of an FIR by Devinder. He alleged that the culprit along with two others forcibly pushed him inside a car and had taken him to a nearby field were he was thrashed up.

Road accident: Kanwar Lal (42) of Bhigan village was killed and eight others were injured when a bus collided with a tempo on the Sonepat-Murthal Road, near Atul nursery, 4 km from here, on Thursday. The injured persons have been identified as Shah, Anil, Satpal, Balwan, Anil, Sunder Lal, Rajesh and Baldev. The condition of three was stated to be serious and they have been sent to Delhi for treatment. The bus driver, however, managed to escape. A case has been registered against the accused.

FIR registered: The Kharkhauda police has arrested Howa Singh of Thana kalan village for allegedly raping a woman of the same village on December 21. The SSP, Mr K.P. Singh, said here on Thursday that the arrest followed the registration of an FIR by the woman.

Labourer dies: Prabhati Lal (34) a labourer fell down from the shed and was killed on the spot. He was working on the shed of a factory 3 km from here on Wednesday. The victim belonged to Titauli Village in Rajasthan. The Mazdoor Union has demanded compensation for the bereaved family.

Suicide case: Pushpa (20) reportedly committed suicide by consuming poisonous substance at her house in Bhatgaon village, 15 km from here on Wednesday. According to the police, she reportedly took this extreme step following a family quarrel members.

Killed: Ravi Kumar (23) died when a tonga in which he was travelling overturned near Pio Munyari, 18 km from here on Wednesday. According to the police, the victim was going to Aterna village.

KANGRA
Fast: A trade union leader, Mr Harish Guleria, has decided to resort to fast unto death for the alleged failure of the Telecom Department to restore hundreds of telephone lines in Ranital area of this district. He alleged that Ranital Telephone exchange stopped functioning on November 5, due to damaged underground cables. As a result telephone lines of Ranital, Rajiana, Bhangwar, Daka Palera, Galian, Darkata and Tripal went out of order. He said a complaint was faxed to the Grievances Cell which is working directly under the Communication Minister, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, but nothing has been done so far.

Theft: Resentment prevails among local residents against the police as it has failed to solve even a single case of theft. According to the police, the thieves burgled a locked house in the Housing Board Colony of the town and decamped with goods worth thousands of the rupees. A dog squad was pressed into service but it failed to trace the thieves.