R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

JALANDHAR
Office-bearers: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Income Tax Employees Federation: president - Mr G M Bajaj; vice-president - Mr Sohan Lal; secretary-Mr K K Mehta and treasurer - Mr Tilak Raj.

LUDHIANA
Animal welfare camp: An animal welfare camp was organised by the Local People for Animals’ chapter at Kashmir Nagar here on Sunday. About 120 animals, including horses, mules, dogs and cows, were examined by veterinarians. As many as 70 horses were immunised against tetanus and 25 dogs were administered anti-rabies vaccination.

SAMRALA
Appointed: Mr Gurinder Singh Grewal has been appointed General Secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Youth Congress, Mr Davinder Singh Babbu, President, PPYC, said here on Sunday.

Vaccination camp: A hepatitis-B vaccination camp was organised at Malwa College, Bondoi-Samrala, on Saturday by the Youth Welfare Club, Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, and the Notary Club, Morinda. As many as 339 persons were administered vaccine at subsidised rate.

Elected: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Ministerial Services Union, PSEB, Khanna unit: president — Mr Gurbachan Singh; secretary — Mr Jasminder Singh; vice-president — Mr Ashok Kumar Nanda; and treasurer — Ms Joginder Kaur.

TARN TARAN
Wine seized: As many as 96 bottles of English wine have been seized from Jaswinder Singh, Gurmail Singh and Sukhwant Singh by a local excise party, led by Mr Fazal Masih, Sub-Inspector, during a naka at Naurangabad village. A case has been registered and the accused have been remanded in judicial custody.

CHANDIGARH

Seminar: The Build India Group, Chandigarh, organised a seminar on 'Solid waste disposal and clean and safe drinking water' on Sunday at Government High School, Sector 25. Mr S. K. Sharma, President, Environment Society of India, stressed upon the need for clean and safe drinking water for good health. Mr Walia, school Principal, highlighted the achievements of the school. Students presented a cultural programme.

Dance contest: Citi Entertainment Network will organise a dance competition at Tagore Theatre on January 23. According to Media Director A. P. S. Noorpuri, the competition is open to young dancers of the region.

Fete organised: The State Bank of India Ladies Club on Sunday organised 'Fete 2000' at the bank's head office here. Various stalls of eatables and fun games and an on-the-spot painting competition were part of the fete.

Exam for constables: As many as 3,315 candidates appeared for the written examination for posts of constable in the local police. According to a press note, 122 candidates were absent at the nine centres where the test was conducted.

Office-bearers: The following have been elected office-bearers of the State Bank of India Staff Association, Sector 31 branch: Chairman — Mr Suresh Kumar; Vice-Chairman — Mr Anil K. Garg; Secretary — Mr H.P. Singh; and Assistant Secretary — Mr Maqbool Masih.

PANCHKULA
Welfare body: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Panchkula Welfare Association, Sector 8; President — R.P. Malhotra; Senior Vice-President — P.N. Khanna; Vice-President — Jagdamba Gupta; General Secretary — H.K. Sharma, Finance Secretary — V.K. Dhir; Secretary — A.P. Mahajan.

HARYANA

KAITHAL
Goods stolen: The police has arrested Vazir of Kithara village, who was allegedly involved in kidnapping a local businessman last month. A pistol and a cartridge was recovered from him. A case under the Arms Act has been registered. Meanwhile thieves made off with a TV, tape recorders and other electronic goods worth Rs 30,000 after breaking into a shop at Meoli village under the Dhand police station on Friday night. A case has been registered.

PANIPAT
Case registered: On a complaint of Ravi Kanta of Kaithal town, a dowry death case was registered in Qila chowki against her daughter's husband, father-in-law and mother-in-law on Saturday. She had alleged that her daughter, Ashima, who was married to Gopal of Khel Bazar, Panipat, died due to poisoning by her husband and his parents. Her daughter, she said, was being harassed by her in-laws for bringing more dowry.

Electronic goods stolen: Thieves broke into an electronic and photography shop on the Railway road, Samalkha, and decamped with goods worth Rs 25,000 on Saturday night.

REWARI
Youth murdered: A 28-year-old youth, Laxman Singh, was murdered by unidentified youths in Gokalgarh village, 3 km from here, on Thursday night. His body was recovered from a minor canal near the village by the police on Friday. A blood-stained gunny bag was also recovered from the spot. A case has been registered.

Labourers electrocuted: Two labourers were electrocuted when an iron pole which they were installing on a private owner’s plot on the Rewari-Turkiawas road, near here, touched a high tension wire overhead on Saturday. They have been identified as Sarjit of Mirpur village and Birender .

SIRSA
Husband booked: A father of two, Madan Mohan of Rampura village in Punjab, who remarried after conversion, has been booked with 13 others under Sections 494, 420, 120-B and 34 of the IPC. The police said on Saturday that on a complaint of Satya Devi of Rori village in the district, her husband, Madan Mohan, his mother, sisters, brothers-in-law and three others had been booked. She had alleged that Madan Mohan, from whom she had two children, aged 11 and six, remarried after converting to Islam without getting a divorce. She also accused her in-laws of torturing her after her marriage for dowry.

7 teachers held: Seven teachers have been arrested under Sections 323, 324,147,148,343 and 326 of the IPC allegedly for beating a teacher on December 15 in a school. The police said on Saturday that Kishan Chand, a teacher in Government School, Mamera Kalan, had complained that he was beaten up by seven teachers, including Mr Hans Raj, Mr Atam Ram, Mr Mahender Singh, Mr Ramesh Kumar, Mr Surinder Singh and Mr Sanjay Kumar at a party hosted for a DPE.

SONEPAT
Prisoners' plea: Inmates of the Sonepat district jail have reportedly sent a complaint to the Chief Secretary, Haryana, urging him to direct the authorities concerned to stop "inhuman treatment" towards them and provide other facilities to them.

Woollens distributed: Mr M P Garg, president, Rotary Club (uptown), distributed woollen garments and sewing machines among the poor people and students at Kundli village, 25 km from here, on Saturday.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
Farmer’s house gutted: The house of a farmer, Joginder Singh, was gutted in a devastating fire at Panga, 54 km from here, on Friday. The Kotkehloor Janta Yuva Morcha secretary, Mr Balkrishan Thakur, said here on Saturday that a loss of Rs 50,000 had been reported. He urged the district administration to provide immediate financial assistance to the farmer.

CM's decision welcomed: Mr Krishan Kumar Kaushal, a former MLA from Kotkehloor and Chairman of the HP Cooperative Bank, the district BJP President, Mr Subhash Thakur, and the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha district president, Mr Chaman Thakur, have welcomed the announcement made by the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, that 54 persons, who lost their stalls in a devastating fire at the Nainadevi bus stand, 75 km from here, last week, would get an additional Rs 5,000 each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, land for the construction of "pucca" stalls from the Nainadevi Nagar Parishad and free timber from the Forest Department.

Misbehaviour condemned: Mr Amarnath Dogra, a freedom fighter of Karloti, 40 km from here, has condemned the alleged misbehaviour of the driver and conductor of a private bus with a prominent freedom fighter and vice-chairman of the HP Freedom Fighter Board, Mr Tirath Ram of Una, and has urged the Chief Minister to order a high-level inquiry into the incident and take strict action against the guilty . He said freedom fighters should be allowed free travel in private buses.

Dharna staged: The district unit of the HP Education Department Class IV Employees Union staged a dharna and shouted slogans against the district Education Officer here on Saturday in protest against the failure of the officer to hold a meeting of the Grievances Committee despite written directions from the local MLA and Health Minister, Mr Jagat Prakash Nadda, and the Education Minister, Mr I.D. Dhiman.

Lightning kills girl: A 15-year-old girl, studying in class VIII, was killed when lightning struck her on Friday near Chhadol village, 25 km from here. The girl, accompanied by her mother, was carrying fodder on her head and was returning home from the fields, when the mishap took place.

CHAMBA
Plea to CM: A member of the panchayat samiti, Bharmour, and leader of the Bharmour unit of the BJP, Mr Govind Sharma, has in a telegraphic message requested the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, to direct the authorities concerned to arrange wood, kerosene, charcoal and cooking gas for the people in the tribal areas of Bharmour in view of the harsh weather conditions in the region.

KULU
Winter sports: Mr Dunichand Thakur, secretary, Winter Sports Federation, has said the second national winter sports will be organised at Solang Nullah from February 4 to 10. The selection of the Himachal team would take place on January 22 and 23, he said.