R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

ABOHAR
Dowry case: A local court on Wednesday remanded Devi Lal and his father, Thakar Dass, both residents of a village near Gharsana, in police custody for four days in connection with a dowry case registered against them under Sections 406 and 498-A of the IPC at the Khyiansarwar police station.

Protest: Shopkeepers of Nai Abadi closed their shops and held a procession here in protest against the poor water supply and faulty sewerage in the area. Addressing the protestors, a senior office-bearer of the Durgiana Market Association alleged that the Municipal Council had become a den of corruption and nobody bothered to redress their complaints.

AMRITSAR
Cultural programme: ‘‘Jashan-2000’’, a cultural programme of Guru Nanak Dev University, was inaugurated here on Wednesday by Mrs Mohinder Kaur Soch, wife of the Vice-Chancellor. Mrs Soch lauded the importance of cultural competitions as these provide a platform to the students to display their talent. Mr Bikram Singh Ghuman, Dean, Student’s Welfare, was also present.

BARNALA
Case registered: The police has registered a case against Mahan Shakti Rice Mill, Dhanaula, 10 km from here, under Section 406, IPC, and arrested Darshan Singh, SSP, Ishwar Singh said on Wednesday. He said three partners of this rice mill belonging to Barnala had been booked for misappropriating rice stocks.

BATALA
Elected: The following have been elected office-bearers of the State Bank of India Staff Association: president — Mr Charan Dass; vice-president — Mr Narinder Singh; general secretary — Mr B.D. Sharma; joint secretary — Mr K.L. Gupta; and treasurer — Mr Rajinder Khanna.

Collision: A Punjab Roadways conductor was killed and a cop injured when their scooter was hit by a truck in the Akademi area on outskirts of the town on Tuesday, the police said. Mangal Singh (40), the conductor posted at Batala depot of the roadways, died on the spot while head constable Ravinder Singh (30) suffered injuries on his head and left leg. The cop was referred to Guru Nanak Hospital, Amritsar.

BATHINDA
Blood donation camps: As many as 50 persons donated blood in two camps held by the local police in collaboration with the Sahara Welfare Club and the United Welfare Society here on Sunday. The camps were organised to mark the death anniversary of Devinder Kumar Sharma, a police Inspector, who was killed by terrorists. Mr Pawan Kumar Rai, ASP (City), inaugurated the camps.

Computerisation: Mr Jaspal Singh, Deputy Commissioner, in a press note issued here on Wednesday said the revenue records of 35 villages of the district had been computerised. He said with this sellers and buyers would get copies of registration immediately. He said computers would also be installed at Rampuraphul, Talwandi Sabo and Bathinda tehsil offices.

Contest: Teena Sukheja, a student of the local DAV College, bagged the first prize in a two- day inter-college cultural meet, which concluded at Bhai Asa Singh Girls College, Goniana, 15 km from here, on Wednesday. Manider Brar another student of the college won the first position in the poem recitation contest. The college team also lifted the running trophy in the ‘‘shabad gayan’’, contest and Gurpreet Singh won the first prize in ‘‘ghazal’’ competition, according to Mr S. Marriay, Principal of the college.

FARIDABAD
3 purses snatched: Armed miscreants on Wednesday snatched the purses of three women near Hanuman Temple after they had taken out cash and jewellery from the lockers of a bank. When the women resisted they fired in the air to scare away the people and escaped in a car and motor cycles. The Kotwali police has registered a case.

FARIDKOT
Seminar: The local Lions Club organised a district-level traffic awareness seminar here on Wednesday. Nearly 300 persons attended the seminar. Dr Arun Kumar Araon, SSP, said a team each had been constituted at Faridkot and Kotkapura to educate people, particularly children, about the traffic rules.

GARHSHANKAR
Ten-year-old girl raped: A 10-year-old mentally retarded girl was raped at Bhagora village under the Mahilpur police station in Garhshankar tehsil. The police has arrested Parkash Singh, alias Pashi, under Section 376 of the IPC on a complaint of the father of the victim.

Camp: The Civil Hospital here organised a family welfare camp on Wednesday. The Health and Family Welfare Director, Mr Randhir Singh, was present on the occasion.

PATIALA
VDS camp: Under the voluntary disclosure scheme, started by the PSEB for the regularisation of domestic load, a camp was organised by Dr Gurcharan Singh, President, Residents Welfare Association, Urban Estate, Patiala, at Gurdwara Kalgidhar, Phase-1. More than 200 people participated in it and approximately Rs 1 lakh was deposited with the PSEB on the spot. Superintending Engineer TPS Gambhir was present on the occasion. — TNS

Students' visit: Students of Blossoms Public School visited Milkfed plant here on Thursday to see various milk processing techniques. The students were taken around the factory where they were shown procedures of milk reception, pasteurisation, processing, packing and testing. — FOC

PATHANKOT
Medical camp: The Lions Club (Greater) organised a free eye operation camp at the Kabara Hall on Thursday. Nearly 300 patients were examined and 50 cataract operations performed, according to Mr V. Sagar Verma, Chairman of the club.

Raising Day: The Corps of Signals celebrated its 89th Raising Day somewhere in the Northern sector on Thursday. A large number of officers attended the celebration. Col J.K. Jha, Commanding Officer, Northern Command, was the chief guest.

CHANDIGARH

Police criticised Criticising the Chandigarh police for not solving the advocate disappearance case, the Sikh Lawyers Association on Thursday demanded that immediate steps should be taken for finding the lawyer. In a press note, the association President, Mr N.S. Minhas, stated that the police had registered a case of kidnapping but had not taken any step to trace and book the culprits. Advocate Pradeep Kumar Sharma has been missing from the Sector 17 Inter-Bus Terminus since February 8. — TNS

Ambassadors' visit: Mr Mohammad Salah Al Mukhtar, Ambassador of Iraq to India, will visit Chandigarh on March 4 to attend the millennium function of the India-Iraq Cultural Society to be held at the Sector 36 Dev Samaj College of Education, Mr P.S. Goraya, President of the society, announced on Wednesday. — TNS

Annual Jayanti Mela: The two-day annual Jayanti Mela in connection with Magh Chaudas Purnima will be held at the historic Jayanti Devi Temple, 12 km from here, from Friday. Elaborate arrangements have been made by the Chandigarh Administration for the devotees visiting the temple by plying special buses from the Sector 17 ISBT. Langar will also be served on both days of the mela. — TNS

Kashmir chosen president: Mr Kashmir Singh Thakur and Mr Jatinder Singh Uppal have been elected President and General Secretary, respectively, of the Haryana Directorate of Employment Non-Gazetted Employees Association. — TNS

Mandal supports bandh: The Chandigarh Beopar Mandal supported the bandh which was observed on Thursday on a call given by the Sector 17 Traders Association regarding amendments to the building bylaws. — TNS

Botany seminar: The Department of Botany in Panjab University will organise a two-day national seminar on Man and Forest in collaboration with the Dayanand National Academy of Environmental Sciences, from Friday, according to a press note issued here on Wednesday. Professor Jeffery Burley, Director of the Oxford Forestry Institute in the UK and President of the International Union of Forestry Research Organisations, will inaugurate the seminar. — FOC

Employees' protest: Employees working in the Sector 16 General Hospital and government dispensaries continued their dharna in support of their demand for the grant of patient-care allowance to them. Mr Somnath and Mr Pritam Singh sat on a chain dharna on Thursday. Leaders of various other unions today addressed the employees and supported their cause. —TNS

HARYANA

AMBALA
College seeks grant: Guru Harkishan Khalsa College Panjokhra Sahib, on Wednesday, sought a grant-in-aid from the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala. A memorandum regarding the demand of the college was submitted to Mr Chautala when he visited the historic Panjokhra Sahib Gurdwara to attend the annual gathering here. The others present on the occasion included an SGPC member, Mr Surjit Singh Niddar; MP Mr Ratan Lal Kataria; former Deputy Speaker, Mr Faqir Chand Aggarwal; and Mr Ranbir Singh Fauji. — TNS

KURUKSHETRA
Office-bearers: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Haryana unit of the Telecommunication Engineering Services Association (India) (I): president — Mr D.S. Sandhu, DET, Kurukshetra; vice-presidents — Mr D.S. Gujral, SDE, Ambala; and Mr V.N. Handa, DE (Transmission), Karnal; circle secretary — Mr R.C. Kalia, AGM, Ambala; assistant circle secretary — Mr J.C. Gupta, SDE, Ambala; and Mr A.K. Gupta, SDE (Transmission), Ambala; organising secretaries — Mr N.L. Tanwar, SDE, Hisar; and Mr B.B. Sharma, SDE, Rohtak; treasurer — Mr D.B. Batra, SDE (Transmission), Ambala; and Central Executive Committee member — Mr C.M. Gupta, SDE, Panipat.

SIRSA
Two held: The police has arrested two miscreants and recovered stolen goods worth Rs 1.5 lakh from their possession, the SP said on Wednesday. The miscreants have been identified as Anil Kumar and Anup Kumar.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

HARMIRPUR
3 Sentenced: Mr M.R. Chaudhry, Sessions Judge, Hamirpur, has sentenced Sushil,Karamchand and Prem Chand to five years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 4,000 each for raping a woman on November 10, 1995. In case of default in payment of fine, the accused have to further undergo two years' rigorous imprisonment.