R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AHMEDGARH
ALLEGATION: Mr Parkash Singh Badal, President SAD and former Chief Minister, has accused those ‘black sheeps’ of trying to destabilise the Sikh Panth whom the Sangat had been recognising as Panthic leaders for more than 25 years. He was addressing a gathering of party activists near the local municipal Children Park after honouring Mr Joginder Singh Bhatiani, an SGPC member, who had voted for party’s candidate. He added that Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra had betrayed the Panth by getting Sikh representatives humiliated by the police at the instance of the Chief Minister. Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, President, SGPC, also criticised Mr Tohra and Mr Talwandi for joining hands with the Congress to destabilise the Panth. Mr Chiranjilal Garg, a former minister, Mr Baldev Mann, General Secretary, SAD, Mr Gagan Deep Barnala, SAD MLA, Mr Happy Verma, General Secretary, AISSF, Mr Karnail Singh and Mr Jagwant Singh Jaggie, President, SAD local unit, also spoke on the occasion.

AMRITSAR
3 COPS BOOKED: The Majitha police has booked Sub Inspector Rajinder Kumar, Head Constable Gurpal Singh and Constable Jaswant Singh of Beas police station for allegedly keeping Mr Kulwant Singh under illegal detention. According to an FIR lodged at Beas police station in Majitha police district, Mr Kuldeep Singh of Beas lodged a complaint in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 20 this year. The court appointed a Warrant Officer, Mr Rajan Nanda, in the case. Mr Nanda held an inquiry and found Mr Kulwant Singh from the house of the Head Constable. Ms Sashi Prabha, SSP, Majitha, has confirmed the registration of a case in this regard.

STIR THREATENED: Mr Hansa Singh, district president of the Border Sangharsh Committee, on Thursday threatened to launch an agitation from December 23 in protest against the non-issuance of compensation to border farmers by the government. In a press note issued here, Mr Hansa Singh said the committee would hold a flag march for one week in the first phase of the agitation.

BATHINDA
LOK ADALAT: Mr Lakhbir Singh, District and Sessions Judge, held a meeting with senior officials of insurance companies here on Thursday. He said a lok adalat would be held in the city on December 21. He said rent cases, matrimonial cases and complaints under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act would be taken up.

ELECTED: The following have been elected the office-bearers of the district chapter of the Government School Lecturers Union: president (Bathinda district) — Mr Mahesh Kumar, GSSS Chack Ruldu Singh Wala; president (Bathinda tehsil) — Mr Gurcharan Singh, GSSS, Bhuchu Kalan; and president (Rampura Phul tehsil) — Mr Sukhdev Singh, GSSS, Mandi Phul. This was stated by Mr Prem Sagar, press secretary of the union, in a press note issued here on Thursday.

KILLED: Sukhdev Singh, 50, of Jodhpur Pakhar was killed on the spot when his tractor trailer met with an accident. The police has registered a case under Section 304-A of the IPC in this connection.

TRAINING CENTRE: The Ek Noor Welfare Society opened its centre to train women in stitching at Jassi Pau Wali village. This was stated by Mr Ashwani Kumar, general secretary of the society, in a statement issued here on Thursday.

2 DEAD: Gurjant Singh was killed when a tractor trailer on which he was travelling overturned. Wooden logs stacked in the trailer fell on Gurjant Singh. In a separate incident, an unidentified person, aged about 40, was killed near Kot Fatta village, 18 km from here, on being hit by some vehicle.

AWARENESS CAMP: Dr Mehboob Singh Sran, project in charge, Red Cross Deaddiction Centre, organised a drug awareness camp at Government Senior Secondary School, Sangat. Residents of the village were made aware about the ill effects of drugs. 

HOSHIARPUR
SCRIBE DEAD: After struggling for life for four months at various hospitals, Shiv Kumar Puri, Editor of Jan Gatha, a local Hindi fortnightly, succumbed to his injuries at CMC, Ludhiana, on Thursday night. He was 47 and is survived by his wife, father, a son and a daughter.

LUDHIANA
FREE CAMP: Bhai Ghanayya ji Seva Sanstha, Haibowal Khurd, will organise a free eye operation and medical camps in Golden Avenue Colony on Sunday, according to Mr Shamsher Singh, president of the sanstha. Mr Kartar Singh, president, Guru Gobind Singh Sevak Jatha, Civil Lines, will inaugurate the camp.

SHANI TEMPLE: The foundation stone of a Shani temple was laid on the premises of Shri Gita Mandir in Vikas Nagar, Pakhowal, near here on Thursday by Mr Manohar Lal Verma. Among those who attended the function were Pandit Suresh Attre, Pandit Manglanand, Mr Satish Parbhakar, Mr Ram Chhabra, Mr Ashok Gupta, Mr Ram Krishan Saluja and Mr Rajan Uppal.

IDOL INSTALLED: An idol of Lord Ganesha was installed at Shiv Mandir, Gaughat, amid the chanting of hymns on Friday, according to Pandit Lalit Mohan Shastri, temple priest. A langar was organised at the end of the installation ceremony. Mr Krishan Gupta and Mr Satish Gupta were among those who attended the function.

PRAYER MEETING: Shrimad Vijay Vallabh Surishwer ji Maharaj would visit the city on December 18, according to Mr Sikandar Lal Jain, Chairman, Bhagwan Mahavir Jain Seva Sansthan. He said the holy man would address a prayer meeting at 9.30 am in Baba Gajja Jain Dharamsala in Sunder Nagar on December 18 before proceeding to Ambala.

CARDIAO SURGEONS: Hero DMC Heart Institute team has been further reinforced with the joining of two more heart surgeons, Dr Devapriya Marik and Dr Sarju Ralhan. Both the doctors have done more than 3000 open heart surgeries together and have special expertise in doing beating heart procedures, which is known to reduce the hospital stay soon after heart operation.

MACHHIWARA
OPERATED UPON: Dr S.N. Tiwari, local Lions Club, organised a camp at the local Civil Hospital under the guidance of the SMO, Dr Harwinder Singh. At least 85 women were operated upon in this camp. The president of Club, Mr Satwinder Mohan Singh, Mr Narinder Pal Jit Singh, Mr Gurnam Singh Nagra, and Dr Parveen Goyal, distributed a kit of five utensils among each patient.

NAWANSHAHR
DISTRIBUTED: The Ek Noor organisation of Pathlawa, at a function organised at Surapur village, about 10 km from here, distributed five tricycles to handicapped, 45 sewing machines to widows, woollen clothes and shoes to 141 needy students belonging to 21 schools of the area on Friday. This was stated by Mr Inderjit Singh Baria, chairman of the organisation.

DIABETES CAMP: Mr Baldev Nayyar, district chairman (diabetes awareness), Lions Club 321D, in collaboration with the Lions Club (City Smile), Banga will organise a diabetes awareness-cum-treatment camp at Doaba Resort, Banga, on December 15.

VISIT: Dr Amarjit Singh, a US-based NRI and colorectal surgeon, will visit Guru Nanak Mission Hospital, Dhahan Kaleran, for one week from December 16 and examine the patients.

PHAGWARA
NABBED AFTER 11 YRS: Proclaimed offender Gurmel Singh, alias Mela, nabbed on Wednesday was sent to judicial custody till December 24. He had jumped bail and was nabbed after 11 years. He belongs to Kanahr village under Payal police station. He was wanted under Sections 407 and 389, IPC, and was declared PO by court under Section 299, CrPC.

WOMEN’S CELL: A police women cell has been set up in the Phagwara subdivision, according to local DSP Harmanbir Singh Gill. A woman havildar and two women constables would man the cell. Six NGO activists would be associated with the cell set up for speedy redressal of women grievances. Also, members of youth clubs from colleges would be given a capsule course at the Police Lines, Kapurthala, the DSP said.

TRAVEL AGENT BOOKED: A case of fraud and criminal breach of trust has been registered against a travel agent and his three companions under Sections 420 and 406 of the IPC for cheating a villager Kewal Ram of Rs 5.30 lakh on a false promise of sending him abroad over a year ago. The amount was given to the travel agent Vikramjit in two instalments, it was learnt here on Thursday.

SAMRALA
RALLY: Anti-Corruption Front organised a rally here on Friday in the tehsil complex under the presidentship of Mr Rashpal Singh. While addressing the rally Mr Malwinder Singh, Mr Sital Singh, Mr Malkiat Singh Ghuman, Mr N.K. Sharma, Mr Lachhman Singh Rai, Mr Mehma Singh Kang, urged the participants bring to their notice if any government employee or mediator were demanding bribes. On this occasion the executive members like Mr Darshan Singh Balion, Prof Pannu, Mr Braham Dev Anjan, Mr Makhan Singh Captain, Mr Khanna, Mr Prem Sagar Sharma and former Deputy DEO, Mr Ranjit Singh were present. They appealed to the residents of the town to nominate honest persons in the coming Municipal Council elections.

NON PLYING OF BUSES: Residents of Bhanglan, Gharkhana, Baghaur, Sarwarpur, Barwali, Goslan, Kotla Bharri, A Bharri, Kotla Ajner , Malikpur and Lalheri villages are suffering as transporters like Ajit Tpt. Co, Nabha Tpt Co, Vishawkarma, were not plying their buses from Samrala-Khanna via Bharri since long. Many persons have to return home after waiting at bus stands for hours together. The district President of the Lok Bhalai Party, appealed to the Transport Minister to take action against the transporters and cancel their routes.

CHANDIGARH

SAS NAGAR
FORTIS MD’S CLAIM: In response to the story carried by the Chandigarh Tribune on December 12, the Medical Director of the Fortis Heart Institute has claimed in a press note that the patient who died in the hospital that day had been briefed of his serious condition and had signed the high-risk consent form at the time of the surgery. He also pointed out that the patient was a confirmed diabetic and hypertensive according to the records available with the hospital.

HARYANA

AMBALA
STRIKE: Employees of the Municipal Council, Ambala Sadar, have decided to go on strike from Monday if their demands are not met. The Municipal Council employees are claiming that an employee was allegedly assaulted by municipal councillor Bimal Prakash. They decided to go on strike on Friday to demand action against the municipal councillor. The Deputy Commissioner, Ambala, Mr D.D. Gautam, has already directed the Additional DC to look into the complaint filed by the municipal councillor.

THREE HURT: A series of accidents took place on the GT road near Nau Gaja Pir on Friday morning. Kalawati sustained injuries in the accident and she was taken to Civil Hospital, Ambala Cantt. She said nine vehicles were involved in the accident but there were no major casualties. In another accident, two persons were injured in a collision between a truck and a bus on Saha-Panchkula road. Narmail Singh and Sukhwinder Kaur sustained injuries in the accident which took place at about 8.15 a.m.

BHIWANI
ONE KILLED: One person was killed when a jeep and a motorcycle collided near Kadma village in Charkhi Dadri subdivision on Thursday. The motorcycle was heading towards Kadma from Charkhi Dadri when a jeep hit it. The rider died on the spot. The police has registered a case in this regard. In another incident, a jeep carrying several passengers collided with a motorcycle near Hui village on the Badhra road. The driver lost control and the vehicle rammed into a tree, due to which eight persons were injured.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CHAMBA
PROTEST MARCH: Unemployed teachers of the district on Thursday took out a protest march through the main bazaars of the town to register their protest against the alleged step-motherly treatment meted out to them by the state government. They teachers criticised backdoor entries in government jobs and warned to continue their agitation till they got employment.

CORPS DAY CELEBRATED: The 5682 Battalion of Kalka Cantonment celebrated its 242nd Corps Day on Thursday. Col. S.K. Chabra was the chief guest. A cultural programme was also organised on the occasion.