R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

BATALA
Bridge completion: Mr A.K. Sinha, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, said here on Friday that Rs 25 lakh would be spent for the widening of Hansli bridge on the Jalandhar road. The work on the bridge would be started in the second week of February, he added.

FARIDKOT
Memorial sought: Residents of Tehna village have urged the Punjab Government to set up a memorial in memory of Havildar Parminder Singh, who laid down his life while fighting enemies in Jammu and Kashmir on January 5.

MALERKOTLA
Holiday: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anirudh Tiwari, announced a local holiday in Sangrur district on January 17 on account of Kuka Martyrdom Day and on January 19 to commemorate the martyrdom day of Shaheed Sewa Singh Thikriwala. All educational institutions, government and semi-government offices, boards and corporation offices would remain closed on these days.

Suspect held: The police has arrested the main suspect, Kamikar Singh, alias Mikkar Singh of Bhaddi village, Ludhiana district, in connection with the murder of a journalist, Gian Chand Sharma. A case had already been registered.

MOGA
Arrested: The Baghapurana police arrested Binder Singh of Chandpurana village on Friday and recovered a 12-boregun along with some cartridges. Romesh Chand Arora of Sukhanand village was arrested for carrying 24 bottles of country-made liquor.

NAWANSHAHR
Case registered: The Balachaur police has registered a case against Resham Lal, Jawali and Chanan Ram of Karawer village on the complaint of Mr Gurdial Singh of Bhangal Kalan village for allegedly burning his daughter, Kulwinder Kaur, on Wednesday. Mr Gurdial Singh alleged that his daughter was being harassed by her in-laws for bringing less dowry.

Resentment: Resentment prevails among residents of Khibewal village as the tubewell in the village has not been functioning for the past couple of months for want of repairs. This has affected the sowing of crops. Earlier, the residents had themselves got it repaired.

PATIALA
Birth anniversary: The birth anniversary of Sant Harnam Singh will be celebrated at Sanyasi Ashram, Raghu Majra, on Monday. Besides customary rituals, blankets and other utility items will be distributed among the needy and two journalists — Raju Timriharan and Jaspal Singh Dhillon — will be honoured on the occasion.

SANGRUR
Smugglers arrested: Two liquor smugglers, Sher Singh alias Sheri, and Ginder Singh, both residents of Bakhatgarh have been arrested by the Sehna police in Barnala subdivision, according to Mr Ishwar Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police. As many as 60 bottles of liquor were seized from them.

Arrested: Balwinder Singh, alias Binda, an absconder, has been arrested by the Sehna police, according to Mr Ishwar Singh, district police chief, Barnala. He was one of the accused in a case of attempt to murder.

SAMRALA
Body found: The body of an aged Sikh was found on Saturday from the backyard of the new bus stand. The police has sent the body to the local Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

CHANDIGARH

Conference: A conference on 'Pain — Boon or Bane' was organised at the conference hall of DAV College, Sector 10, on Saturday by Khayal, a multilingual organisation of writers, poets and scientists. This was followed by an interactive session with speakers and a poetic symposium.

Blood donation: A blood donation camp will be organised by GGDSD College on Monday. Lions Club Greater, Chandigarh, and Lions Club Shivalik, Chandigarh, will collaborate for the camp, which will be inaugurated by Mr K.A.P. Sinha.

Elected: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local unit of the State Bank of India Staff Association: Chairman — Mr Baldev Singh; Vice-Chairman — Mr Rakesh Kumar Verma; Secretary — Mr Dilip Katyal; Assistant Secretary — Mr S.C. Jindal; and Treasurer — Mr Ravi Arora.

Quiz: A quiz on Sikhism will be organised by the Sector 40 Gurdwara on Sunday. A free stitching training centre will also be inaugurated at the gurdwara.

HARYANA

HISAR
Notice on arms: The District Magistrate, Mr Apoorv Kumar Singh, has directed the licence holders of arms in the district to deposit their arms at the nearby police stations or arms dealers by January 25. The order which was released here on Friday said the step had been taken to ensure peaceful Assembly elections scheduled to be held on February 22. All arms dealers were directed not to sell or transfer any arm till the elections end.

NARNAUL
Market closed: The local market was closed on Saturday in protest against burglaries committed on Friday. Various associations assembled at Azad chowk and took out a march. They blocked traffic at Mahabir Chowk for one hour and demanded the suspension of some police personnel.

Poppy husk seized: The Excise Department intercepted a truck on Nangal Chaudhry road on Friday and seized 72.07 quintals of poppy husk. The driver has absconded. A case has been registered.

PANIPAT
Elected: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Panipat Yarn Dealers' Association: president — Mr Dalip Dua; vice-president — Mr Hari Mohan Gupta; secretary — Mr Gopal Krishan Sethi; and treasurer — Mr Manohar Lal.

ROHTAK
Held for gambling: The police has arrested Joginder and Surinder on charges of gambling. An amount of Rs 3,000 was recovered from them. A case under the Gambling Act has been registered.

Award: Dr Raj Bala Chaudhary, Principal, Chhotu Ram Memorial Public School, which is being run by the Jat Education Society, here has been selected for Bal Sahyog Award-1999 for excellence in education.

SONEPAT
Inaugurated: Mr Vishnu Bhagwan, Principal Secretary to the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, inaugurated a Rs 18-lakh two-storeyed building of the District Rural Development Authority here on Friday. The building has a computer room, five other rooms and a big hall.

Campaign launched: The Senior Citizens Council, Jagadhri, has launched an awareness campaign for eye donation under which 150 persons donated their eyes. This was stated by Mr R.K. Jain, president of the council, here on Friday.

Suicide attempt: Pushpa Devi, a housewife, reportedly made an attempt to commit suicide by setting herself on fire in her house at Khatik Basti here on Friday. She was stated to be in a serious condition.

Hurt: A labourer was injured when he was allegedly attacked by two persons with knives at a brick kiln near Hassanpur village on Friday. A dispute over money was stated to be the reason behind the incident. A case has been registered.

Accident: Two persons were injured when their motor cycle was hit by a vehicle here on Friday. Both were stated to be out of danger. According to another report, a man was crushed to death by a vehicle on the Sonepat-Bahalgarh road near Osram factory on Friday.

Threat: The local unit of the Haryana Rajya Bijli Karamchari Manch threatened to launch an agitation if the HVPN authorities failed to redress the grievances of the employees by January 20. The decision was taken at a meeting of the manch held at Fazilpur power complex on Friday.

YAMUNANAGAR
Looted: Miscreants looted some cash and forcibly took away the jeep from Manoj Kumar of Shimla Jutan village on Thursday. According to the police, four car-borne youths committed the crime near Dhudla village. A case has been registered.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

SHIMLA
Blood donation camp: About 42 persons donated blood at a special camp organised by Ashadeep, a local non-government organisation, in view of the acute shortage of blood at the Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital here. The camp was inaugurated by a veteran blood donor, Mr Vasudev Kuthiala.