R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
WOMAN INJURED: A woman was injured critically by an armed youth who allegedly sneaked into her house to steal, late on Thursday night. Balwinder Kaur, a resident of Bhangwan village received severe bullet injuries in the stomach when an unidentified youth shot the woman as her husband Gurdeep Singh tried to grapple with the culprit. The accused along with his two other companions who were waiting outside, fled the scene on a motorcycle after the shooting incident. A case has been registered.

KILLED: One person was killed and one another injured in a road mishap on Friday evening. Arjun Singh, a resident of chowk Tehsilpura was crushed to death when a car hit his scooter while he was returning to Amritsar from Tarn Taran. His brother-in-law was also injured in the accident. A case has been registered. In another incident the police seized 13.5 litres of illicit liquor and arrested Raju of Buta Mandi, Jalandhar in the case.

REIKI CAMP: A three-day camp by the Hayashi Reiki Centre will be organised by Mr Harish Chhabra and Ms Asha Chhabra Reiki grandmasters will supervise the healing for various diseases including migraine, depression and heart problems. The camp will be held on February 3. Mr Harish informed here on Friday.

RJD TO BACK CPM: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has decided to support CPM candidates at Valtoha and Verka constituencies. This was decided at a meeting held here on Friday.

AID GIVEN: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.S. Puri on Friday distributed cheques worth Rs 5000 each donated by the Red Cross Society among six persons who had received serious injuries in mine blasts at the Indo-Pakistan border recently.

LECTURE ORGANISED: The Department of Commerce and Business Management of Guru Nanak Dev University organised a lecture on Emerging Trends in Telecommunication Sector here on Friday. The lecture was delivered by Mr Ghanshyam Rajoria, Manager, Technical HCFL Infotech Limited. The department also organised a lecture on Industrial Development and its impact on Environment. The lecture was delivered by noted environmentalist Sunder Lal Bahuguna of Chipko Movement fame.

BATHINDA
SUICIDE: Piara Singh (60) of Chandbhan village threw himself before a train near Chandbhan village on the Bathinda-Ferozepore railway track, about 20 km from here on Saturday. The volunteers of Sahara Jan Sewa, a local NGO, brought the body to the local Civil Hospital.

CREMATED: A 40-year-old man was found in a critical condition near the local bus stand. The volunteers of an NGO took him to the local Civil Hospital, where he died. The members of the organisation cremated the body after a post-mortem examination.

RECOGNITION FOR NFL: The local unit of the National Fertilisers Limited was accredited with ISO-14001 for maintaining environment management system. Mr C.M. Nagpaul, GM of the unit, said in a press note here on Friday the plant was earlier given I SO-9002 certificate for the manufacture of Fertiliser Grade Urea. The accreditation was given as a result of dedicated team work of all employees of the unit and critical monitoring of various measures required for environment management and control.

MUKTSAR
DENTAL CAMP: A dental check-up camp was held on the campus of a private dental college here on Wednesday. As many as 320 patients were examined. Medicines were given to the patients. Senior faculty members of the college were present on the occasion.

PATHANKOT
4 ROBBERS HELD: The police on Thursday arrested four persons Jagmeet Singh residents of Gurdaspur-Palvinder Singh of Kahnuwan-Amritpal Singh of Qadian and Sukhjinder Singh resident of Gurdaspur. SSP Gurdaspur Lok Nath said on Friday that they used to commit robberies and snatch vehicles night. A car (HP38-1516) used in the crime by the robbers was also impounded, the SSP said.

PATIALA
DEAD: The Founder Director of Physical Education Department. Punjabi University, passed away on January 27. Born on March 9, 1919, and after serving as DPE in several colleges of Punjab, he joined as Director of Physical Education at Punjabi University in 1963. He also visited several countries in Europe to deliver lecturers on sports. He is survived by two sons and a daughter. The antim ardas will be held on Sunday at the Punjabi University gurdwara. 

PHAGWARA
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Senior Citizen’s Forum Hadiabad — president - Mr Satpal Kumra, Senior vice-president — Mr Om Parkash, junior vice-president — Sardari Lal Duggal, general secretary — Mr T.D. Bhardwaj, secretary — Mr Vidya Rattan Shukla, cashier — Mr Gurparsad Chaddha.

SCOOTER RALLY: More than 1000 activists of the General Category (GC) Welfare Association on Saturday held scooter rally here against the anti G.C policies of the government, 92nd Amendment by Parliament for offsetting ruling of the Supreme Court against repeated promotions to SC employees, reservation on basis of caste, to ‘creamy’ layer of the SC, income tax payer SC and to demand constitution of a National Commission for the protection of G.C interests.

SANGRUR
CONVICTED: Mr B.P. Soni, Special Judge, on Saturday sentenced two persons to 10-year imprisonment for smuggling poppy husk. A case was registered against the accused, Popi and Balwant Singh, in Moonak police station four years ago.

CHANDIGARH

PANCHKULA
SCHOOL FUNCTION: The annual function of Sophia International School was celebrated at Yavanika Open Air Theatre here on Saturday. Mrs B. Kataria, wife of the state BJP President and Member of Parliament, Ambala, Mr R.L. Kataria, was the chief guest. A colourful programme by students began with a prayer dance to invoke the blessings of the Almighty. This was followed by various items of song and dance. Later, the chief guest gave away prizes to the winning participants. TNS

HARYANA

YAMUNANAGAR
ART EXHIBITION: Mr Rajeev Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, inaugurated a two-day art exhibition by Mrs Shelly Garg at Hotel Sapphire here on Saturday. Mr Sharma said the function would give a different look to society and culture . 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
BAN ORDERS: District Magistrate Joginder Singh Rana here has promulgated orders under Section 144 of the Cr. PC and banned employment and entry of any person by contractors and others here in Bilaspur district of those come from outside and who are not registered with the respective local Station House Officer. This order will remain effective up to March 6. The order pertains to labourers, masons etc those who trade in shawls and woollens or engaged in petty jobs and plying of rehris.

CONTRACTORS: The District Contractors Union here has objected to the decision of the PWD Department under which work of construction of link roads under the Prime Minister Gram Sampark Sadak Yojana would be given only to big contractors and not to medium and small contractors. Addressing media persons here on Thursday evening after a meeting of the union, district president Ramlok Thakur said that class D and small contractors should be also allotted work.

HAMIRPUR
BANK BRANCH: Mr Babu Ram Mandyal, MLA and Chairman of the Kangra central co-op bank inaugurated a new branch of the bank at Samirpur in Hamirpur district on Thursday. Samirpur is the native village of Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. Mrs Urmila Thakur, Parliamentary Secretary was also present on the occasion. It will be 140th branch of the bank in the state. He claimed that the bank had earned Rs 50 crore profit by November 30 last. A cultural programme was also presented by the school children on the occasion.

EYE CAMPS: The Department of Health and Family Planning has decided to organise free eye camps at four places in Hamirpur district in February. These camps would be organised at Nadaun, Touni Devi, Barsar and Bhoranj on February 4 and 5; 11 and 12; 18 and 19; and 25 and 26 February respectively, according to Dr Pritam singh Dogra, Chief Medical Officer, Hamirpur. He said that free eye camps would also be organised at the Zonal Hospital, Hamirpur on every Saturday and PHC, Sujanpur Tira on every Tuesday. The patients would also be provided with medicines and glasses free of cost.

KULU
CHARAS SEIZED: Two persons were arrested on Thursday and 5.60 kg of charas was seized from them. Mr N Venu Gopal, Superintendent of Police, said here on Thursday that Manoj Kumar of Kalubas tehsil of Rewari (Haryana) was arrested and 3 kg of charas was found tied to his person at Pahli village near Banjar in this district. In another case Prem Singh of Tindar village in Banjar sub division was arrested and 2.650 kg of charas was seized from his scooter number (HP-33-1137). Two cases were registered.

NAHAN
AWARENESS DRIVE: A health awareness campaign was launched by Ms Shyama Sharma, Vice-Chairperson, Himachal Pradesh Planning Board at Moginand village on Friday. While addressing a gathering on this occasion Ms Sharma said 604 camps would be organised in the district.

PAONTA SAHIB
SOCIETY AGAINST CRIME: All India Crime Prevention Society met on Friday. The members appreciated the arrest of Anuj Garg main accused involved in the Rs 25 lakh Excise and Taxation fraud. The society decided to open its District, Sub Division or tehsil level offices and to increase its membership. It was also decided to help the police check criminal and illegal activities in Paonta Sahib area.

LIQUOR SEIZED: The police has seized 11 bottles of illicit liquor from Sataun with the help of Police Post in Rajban and registered a case under the Excise Act.