R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
2 held with fake passports: The immigration authorities have arrested two persons for travelling with fake passports. The accused are Mr Harjit Singh of Nadalu village, in Hoshiarpur and Mr Sewak Singh of Kothe village in Bathinda. The accused were held at the Rajasansi airport during routine checking after arriving by an Uzbekistan flight. The immigration authorities handed over the accused to the police which registered cases against them under various sections of the IPC.

Bangladeshi held: Vigilant jawans of the BSF arrested a Bangladeshi national for crossing over to Pakistan from Wagah without a passport. The accused was identified as Heallu. The Gharinda police registered a case against Heallu on a complaint by the Company Commander, 12 Batallion, Mr R.S. Yadav. Nothing incriminating was found from him. 

BATALA
Woman murdered: Kiran (30) of Fatehgarh Churian was murdered on Wednesday night. Her husband was not at home at the time of murder, according to Dr Jatindera Jain, SSP, Batala.

Demolition work: The demolition of buildings around Khajuri gate began peacefully on Thursday after the protesting occupants of the buildings were dispersed following promises of a shop each to every ousted family. The Batala improvement trust had earlier served notices to the occupants to vacate the promises by Thursday. The promises were made by the trust chairman, Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal, local MLA Ashwani Sekhri and Zila Parishad chairman Balwinder Singh Laddi.

Woman commits suicide: Manvinder Kaur, a resident of Thikriwal Saran village, committed suicide by consuming some tablets. In her dying declaration, she said she had committed suicide because of the harassment by her in-laws as they were demanding money from her by selling her share in her paternal land. The police has registered a case against her husband Balkar Singh, brother-in-law Mukhtar Singh and mother-in-law Jito. 

Club donates van: The Rotary Club here on Thursday donated a van to Dainik Prarthana Sabha, a local charitable society. The van has been donated by Mr Mohinder Singh Sachdeva in the memory of his wife Harbans Kaur and would primarily be used to carry dead bodies.

KAPURTHALA
Illicit liquor seized: The Subhanpur police recovered 20 kg of lahan and 3,750 ml of illicit liquor from Mr Gurmej Singh, alias Gola, of Lakhan Kalan village on Wednesday. The police arrested the accused after registering a case under the Excise Act. Similarly, Mr Bohar Singh of Chhanna Shersinghwala village was arrested by the Talwandi Chaudharian police on the charge of possessing a huge stock of liquor illegally. 

NAWANSHAHR
Medical stores sealed: Under a special drive launched to check the sale of drugs by chemists in the district, two medical stores in Banga were sealed on Thursday to implement the orders of the Drug Controller.

Protest march: Activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Students Federation of India jointly held a rally here on Thursday. Mr Rakesh Nayyar, state joint secretary, DYFI, while addressing the rally said that the governments at the centre and state had done nothing concrete to provide educational facilities and employment to the youth. He demanded that the right to work be included as a Fundamental Right. A memorandum was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner.

Students protest: Students of R.K. Arya College raised slogans against the Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, Patiala in protest against the suspension of six students. Mr Karam Singh, state executive member, Punjab Students Union, threatened to intensify the stir if the Vice-Chancellor did not revoke the suspension order.

Diabetes management: Mr Baldev Nayyar, a social worker, engaged in creating awareness about diabetes, delivered a lecture on the diabetes management at a teachers’ training seminar at Government Senior Secondary School, Banga, on Thursday. He explained in detail the symptoms, causes, precautions and management of diabetes. 

PHAGWARA
Mobile trader booked: The police on Friday registered a case against Manjit Enterprises, Phagwara, for selling a mobile phone connection and SIM card to Charanjit Singh Channi, who was arrested in connection with the bomb blast at Chandigarh’s ISBT, using a copy of the ration card of Sohan Lal. Sohan Lal, a migrant labourer, had earlier purchased a mobile phone set and a SIM card from the same shop. 

Cyclist killed: Chhabila Yadav, a resident of Urban Estate, was killed on the spot when his cycle was hit by a car near Chachoki village on the national highway on Thursday. The car driver fled, leaving the vehicle behind. The police has impounded the car. The body was sent to the Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination. 

Theft case: Thieves allegedly decamped with cash and jewellery worth Rs 1 lakh from a house in the Khilwara Gate locality here on Wednesday. A case has been registered. 

Youth injured: A youth, Nandu, who runs a tea stall under a tree in Model Town area, was injured when the tree fell on him. He was admitted to the local Civil Hospital. 

SANGRUR
Farmers’ field day: The local Farm Advisory Service in collaboration with the Department of Agronomy and Agrometeorology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana and the Sir Rattan Tata Trust, Mumbai, organised a field day on “Alternate crops to rice” at Akal Seed Farm, Mastuana Sahib, near here, on Wednesday. A large number of farmers of the district participated. 

CHANDIGARH

MEDICAL CAMP: A medical-cum-awareness camp under the ongoing Family Health Awareness Programme was organised at the Community Centre, Sector 56, by the State AIDS Control Society, Chandigarh in association with a Mohali-based NGO, on Friday. The patients were examined by a team of doctors from the PGI. Around 300 persons attended the camp and 79 were found suffering from RTI/STIs. A street play and a magic show on AIDS were also presented. Condoms, booklets and pamphlets were also distributed among those present. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Dharamsala
Inter-school debate: An inter-school debate, declamation and quiz competition was organised for students of DAV schools in HP zone I at DAV Public School as part of the All-India Mahatma Hansraj Aryan Youth Festival. DAV School, Dehra, was adjudged first in English debate and rangoli, DAV School, Dharamsala, was declared first in English and Hindi declamation. DAV School, Baghni, was first in quiz, DAV School, Dharamsala, also bagged the first position in card making, skit and group dance competitions. 

SHIMLA
Seabuck thorn: To ensure effective propagation of the seabuck thorn, the wonder plant with multiple uses, its plantation has been made mandatory in every Desert Development Project (DDP) area of Lahaul and Spiti district. Mr R. Selvam, Deputy Commissioner of Lahaul and Spiti, stated this while presiding over a camp organised at Tingrate village in Udaipur Subdivision for redressal of grievances of local people. Underlining the importance of herbal plants, he said that seabuck thorn plant was in demand for making medicines. 

Music promotion: The government would promote music and art in all educational institutions right from primary schools to the university level. This was conveyed by the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh at a cultural programme here on Thursday. Mr Kaul Singh Thakur, the Irrigation and Public Health Minister, said that government would make elementary education compulsory and achieve complete literacy in a couple of years.