R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
Free medical camp: The society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) organised a free medical camp here on Monday. About 150 injured and maltreated animals were treated and medicines given. Besides people were also advised to be kind to animals.

LUDHIANA
Arrested: The police has arrested six persons — Manohar Singh, Jasbir Singh, Ravinderpal Singh, Surjit Singh, Krishan Chand and Balwinder Singh for indulging in "satta" business. Cases under the Gambling Act have been registered against them. Mr Kuldeep Singh, SSP, said Rs 4953 were seized from the arrested persons.

PATIALA
Condemned: The Punjab State Electricity Board Engineers’ Association here on Sunday condemned the trifurcation of the UP State Electricity Board, which had forced its engineers to go on strike. In a statement, the association general secretary, Mr H.S. Bedi, said this move of the Uttar Pradesh government was undemocratic.

PHAGWARA
Stabbed: Three persons allegedly stabbed to death Pyarelal and injured Babli, both employees of a wine shop in Mehsampur village of Phillaur subdivision on Sunday. A case has been registered against the suspects.

Distillers: The district police has nabbed 12 distillers in a fortnight-long campaign against illicit liquor. In another case, a proclaimed offender, who had absconded in August, 1995, was arrested recently. A .355 bore rifle was seized from his possession, Mr Arun Kumar, SSP, said here on Monday.

CHANDIGARH

Blood donation: As many as 203 persons, including staff members and students of SD College, Sector 32, donated blood at a camp organised by Lions Club Chandigarh Shivalik and Lions Club Chandigarh Greater on Monday. Mr S.C. Vaid, Principal of the college, also gave a cheque for Rs 31,000 for the Orissa relief fund to the chief guest, Mr K.A.P. Sinha, DPI (Colleges).

Office-bearers: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons: President — Dr Varghese Mani; General Secretary — Dr Rajesh B. Dhirwani; President-elect — Dr A.P. Setia; Vice-President — Dr Kishore Nayak; Joint Secretary — Dr J. Sabharwal; and Treasurer — Dr R. Borle.

Diabetes camp: As many as 475 persons were examined at a free diabetes camp at the Sector 17 Plaza on Monday. The results of the investigations will be posted to them by Wednesday.

HARYANA

HISAR
Two-child policy: The Save Earth Save Humanity Movement (SESHAM) has welcomed the decision of the Madhya Pradesh Government to deny jobs to those with more than two children. Mr Sushil Rajpal, General Secretary, of SESHAM, urged the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, to implement the policy in the state and bar persons with more than two children from contesting elections, he added

Fellowship: Dr Ram Singh, Associate Professor of Entomology, Haryana Agricultural University, has been elected as fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, London. The honour has been bestowed on him for his contribution in the area of host plant resistance (HPR) in vegetables.

ROHTAK
Seized: The CIA staff arrested a person on Sunday night and seized 16 kg of poppy husk from him. Sunder Das Arora of Rohin (Delhi) arrested near Hanuman Mandir on Bhiwani Road. A case under Section 15 of the NDPS Act has been registered.

SONEPAT
Harassment: Mr D.K. Sharma, Judicial Magistrate, has sentenced Pyare Lal, a constable of the Delhi police and his son, Sushil Kumar, to six months’ rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 200 each on them under Section 498A of the IPC. Mrs Nirmala, daughter of Mr Devi Ram of Jawahar Nagar, had lodged a complaint of harassment for bringing insufficient dowry against them.

Threat: Mr Dharamvir Singh Chotiwala, a resident of Harsana Kalan village and the president of the Rai Vikas Manch, on Monday urged the Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, to direct the police to provide security cover to him. He claimed that after he decided to contest the forthcoming assembly elections from Rai, he was being threatened by anti-social elements.

Inaugurated: Mr Y.S. Josef, Deputy Divisional Manager of Syndicate Bank, inaugurated a new branch of the bank in Sector 14 here on Sunday.

Prize distribution: Swami Dayanand Saraswati, founder of Shri Ram Krishan Sadhna Kendra, Murthal, gave away prizes to students at the annual prize distribution function of Shambhu Dayal Modern School here on Sunday. Mr Suman Singh Sharma, manager of the school, read out the annual school report. A cultural programme was also presented.

Injured: The city police has failed to achieve a breakthrough in a shooting case that took place on January 13, outside an eating joint near the Subhash Chowk. Rajiv, alias Tinoo, had sustained bullet injuries when car-borne youths had fired at him. He was hospitalised and is stated to be out of danger.

Bodies recovered: The city police recovered the bodies of Hari Om (32) and Bala (25) from near a drain passing through the old Housing Board Colony here on Sunday. The police suspects it to be case of suicide and has sent the bodies for a post-mortem examination.

YAMUNANAGAR
Workshop: The Dina Nath Kohli Charitable Trust, Jagadhri, organised a workshop on knee replacement here on Sunday. Orthopaedic surgeons from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Punjab attended the workshop. As many 40 patients were examined.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

SHIMLA
Dhama: Employees of the office of the Divisional Commissioner here sat on dharna on Monday in protest against the decision of the government close down the offices of Divisional Commissioners in the state. The employees have been sitting in dharna against the government's decision for the past Six days.