AMRITSAR
Suicide: Santokh Singh (55) committed suicide at his home in Kucha Dyal Singh locality here on Wednesday, allegedly by hanging himself from a ceiling fan with the help of his turban, the police said on Thursday.

Ban: The District Magistrate, Mr Gurinder Singh Grewal, has banned the use of loudspeakers in the district from 10 p.m to 6 a.m. The order was issued on Wednesday for the convenience of public and the student community. The ban will remain in force till September 9.

GARHSHANKAR
One held: The Garhshankar police has arrested Dilbag Singh, alias Baggu, under Sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act for allegedly possessing 40 kg of poppy husk. In another incident, the Mahilpur police has arrested Naresh Kumar and Rakesh Kumar under Sections 61 and 11 of the Excise Act for allegedly carrying 288 bottles of IMFL.

JALANDHAR
Appointed: Mr Anil Kumar Dutta has been appointed General Secretary of the Punjab Youth Congress (Legal Cell) by Mr Davinder Singh Babbu, President, Punjab Youth Congress.

Passports: The passport applications received in the passport office here up to serial number 402/14998/99 till March 4, 1999, have been processed and passports despatched to the persons concerned.

New exchange: The Department of Telecommunication has installed a new 512 port c-DoT digital electronic exchange at Jadala in Nawanshahr district. Mr Rajesh Wadhwa, General Manager, Telecom, Jalandhar, said on Wednesday that subscribers with NSD/ISD/RSD on their telephones could lock and unlock NSD/ISD/RSD by dialling a secret code.

LUDHIANA
Honoured: Dr J.P. Singh, Assistant Professor, Department of Soil and Water Engineering, Punjab Agricultural University, has been honoured with the Jawaharlal Nehru Award, 1998, for his research in the area of surface and ground water management.

MALERKOTLA
Drowned: Jagtar Singh, a resident of Kila Rehmatgarh, was drowned in Lasada drain on Wednesday. His body was not traced so far.

Nominated: Mr Mohammad Ayub Khan has been nominated President of the Malerkotla block of the Samajwadi Party by Mr Teja Singh Tiwana, member of the party's National Executive, according to a party press note.

MOGA
Gang busted: The district police has busted a gang of "kale kachhewalas" operating in Moga district with the arrest of six members of the gang, according to Dr Sharad Chuhan, SSP, here on Thursday. He said the police had solved several cases of theft and murder. They were arrested from Sekha Kalan village.

PATIALA
Adult education: Under the literacy campaign, the Rotary Club here, in collaboration with State Bank of Patiala, Rajindra Hospital branch, started a three-month teaching programme for adult illiterate women in Abchal Nagar, on July 18.

PHAGWARA
Ardas Divas: The youth wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal on Wednesday organised Ardas Divas(prayer day) at the local Model Town Gurdwara in memory of the Kargil martyrs. A blood donation camp was also organised for the wounded soldiers.

PANCHKULA
Functions: The Friends Social Services Society will organise a cultural programme by school children, lectures on national integration and a blood donation camp at Sri Guru Ravi Das Bhavan, sector 15, on Saturday to pay homage to the martyrs of 'Operation Vijay'. Brigadier Satya Dev (retd), Secretary, Rajya Sanik Board, Haryana, will be the chief guest and Mr Lehri Singh, a former MLA, will preside.

Lok Shakti: The Haryana Pradesh Lok Shakti on Thursday welcomed the merger of the Lok Shakti and the Samata Party into the Janata Dal. Mr Bharat Raj Bairagi, party General Secretary, appealed to Mr Om Parkash Chautala to join hands with the Janata Dal and expressed his support to the leadership of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee.

HISAR
Petition rejected: The Presiding Officer of the Environment Court on Thursday rejected a petition filed against the Panipat Thermal power plant by the Haryana Pollution Control Board on September 4,1995. The board asserted the wastage of the plant had caused air and water pollution in the surrounding villages.

KAITHAL
Cases settled: As many as 297 cases were settled at an open durbar at Kalayat, 27 km from here on Wednesday. The function was presided over by the Deputy Commissioner.

REWARI
Dharna: Members of the local unit of the Uttariya Railway Mazdoor Union, led by their President, Mr Rati Ram, and Secretary, Mr K.K. Saxena, organised a dharna here on Wednesday to demand cancellation of the transfer of Mr R.B. Saxena, Divisional Vice-President of the union. They also demanded improvement in the drinking water supply.

SIRSA
Electrocuted: Karam Kaur (50) of Dhani village, near Ding Maur, was electrocuted on Wednesday. According to sources, she was going to fields when she came into contact with a live electric wire. She died on the spot.

Two held: Lilu Ram and Passu Ram of Sanga village were arrested on Wednesday on a charge of raping two women on July 15. According to police sources, a case under Sections 376, 342, 506 and 34, IPC, was registered on a complaint of Mr Gurjeet Singh, sarpanch of Sangha village.

SONEPAT
Two injured: Two persons were injured in a clash between two groups at Aurangabad village, near here, on Wednesday. A dispute over the auction of panchayat land is stated to be the cause of the clash. The police has registered a case.

YAMUNANAGAR
Ban: The District Magistrate has banned the processions, assembly of four or more persons and carrying weapons within 500 metres of Industrial Training Institute. According to the DM, the order under Section 144, CrPC, will remain in force till July 31