H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Virbhadra’s election hailed
Hamirpur, March 4
There was jubilation all around in the district after the announcement of election of Mr Virbhadra Singh as HP Legislature Congress Party chief at Shimla today. Supporters of Mr Virbhadra Singh danced in joy and distributed sweets in various parts of the district.

Take up Tibet’s cause, appeals manch
Hamirpur, March 4
Leaders of the Tibetan Youth Congress and the Indo-Tibetan Sahyog Manch today exhorted elected representatives all over India to take up the issue of the freedom of Tibet in state Assemblies and Parliament.

10-year RI for drug smuggler
Kulu, March 4
Mr P.D. Goel, District and Sessions Judge, yesterday sentenced Lal Singh to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined him Rs 1 lakh for possessing 12.5 kg of charas.

• Students call off stir

A rock concert organised by the Tibetan youth living in exile in Dharamshala draw large crowds. (28k, 56k)

Virbhadra’s election hailed
Tribune Reporters

Hamirpur, March 4
There was jubilation all around in the district after the announcement of election of Mr Virbhadra Singh as HP Legislature Congress Party chief at Shimla today. Supporters of Mr Virbhadra Singh danced in joy and distributed sweets in various parts of the district.

The Congress has two MLAs from Hamirpur district — Anita Verma from Hamirpur and Sukhvinder Singh Sukhoo from Nadaun. Party leaders hailed the decision of the legislature party and hoped that the new government would help in ending corruption in the state.

KANGRA: Widespread celebrations were witnessed after news of Mr Virbhadra Singh being elected leader of the Legislative Congress Party (CLP) spread in the town on Tuesday.

Sweets were distributed by the Congress workers to celebrate the occasion. Common people too expressed their satisfaction over Mr Virbhadra Singh’s election.

Mr Suresh Kaistha, a former Director of ONGC and general secretary of the Local Senior Citzen Forum, while expressing his satisfaction over Mr Virbhadra Singh being the next Chief Minister of the state hoped that his government would try to sort out the problems of the senior citizens.

Take up Tibet’s cause, appeals manch
Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, March 4
Leaders of the Tibetan Youth Congress and the Indo-Tibetan Sahyog Manch today exhorted elected representatives all over India to take up the issue of the freedom of Tibet in state Assemblies and Parliament.

Addressing a press conference here this evening, activists of the manch, who were here in connection with the fourth leg of their Bharat jagran yatra, appealed to the Indian Government to recognise the Tibetan Government-in-exile as the legitimate representative of the Tibet.

They also urged the heads of state all over the world and NGOs to press upon the Chinese government to release the 11th Panchen Lama and other political prisoners.

10-year RI for drug smuggler
Our Correspondent

Kulu, March 4
Mr P.D. Goel, District and Sessions Judge, yesterday sentenced Lal Singh to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined him Rs 1 lakh for possessing 12.5 kg of charas. In default of the payment of the fine, the accused will have to undergo imprisonment for one one more year. 

The accused was caught at Dolu Nullah, about 15 km from here, on March 26 last year under the NDPS Act.

Students call off stir
Our Correspondent

Kangra, March 4
Students of the local Polytechnic College today called off their two-day-old strike following the acceptance of their major demand, of grant of a “golden chance” to clear the exams of their pending subjects of first or third semester without any restriction, by the Himachal Pradesh Takniki Shiksha Board.