R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
Flesh trade: Acting on a tip off, the district police has arrested three persons, including two women for running flesh trade. Mr R.P.S. Brar, district police chief, said here on Saturday that the accused were residents of Krishna Nagar area and running the flesh trade. A case under the Immoral Trafficking Act has been registered.

Action sought: The SGPC has urged the Canadian Government to take action against railway officials for disembarking a Sikh youth from a train for wearing a kirpan. Bibi Jagir Kaur, SGPC chief, said the government must take steps to punish the guilty.

Inaugurated: The Panther Environmental Park was inaugurated by Lt Gen Mandhata Singh, GOC, at Amritsar Cant area here on Saturday. About 5,000 trees and plants such as poplar, silver oak, neem, bottle palm has been planted in the park. Six-rain water harvesting water bodies system has also been formed.

Strike: The local auto-rickshaw union has threatened to go on strike for an indefinite period from Monday against the alleged police atrocities against the auto rickshaw drivers. Mr Ram Sharan Pal, president of the union, said personnel of the police had been harassing unnecessarily the auto-drivers on false pretexts of pollution and lack of documents.

Honoured: The Chief of the Khalsa Diwan has honoured Bhai Ashok Singh Bagrian, a renowned Sikh theologist and historian, for his contribution to the various fields in general and particularly to the Sikh community on its 103rd foundation day.

Cremated: The mortal remains of Col Jagjit Singh Attariwala (retd.) belonging to sixth generation of General Sham Singh Attariwala, were consigned to flame at his family crematorium located at Attari village, near the Indo-Pak border, here on Saturday. He was 89. 

Meeting: The Block Development Panchayat Officer Association (BDPOA), Punjab, will hold its meeting at the Zila Parishad Complex, Ludhiana, on November 5. This was stated by Mr Ranbir Singh Muddal, president, BDPOA, here on Saturday.

HOSHIARPUR
Camp held: A camp was organised by the Bahujan Samaj Party for the formation of booth-level committees at Mukerian, 52 km from here, on Saturday. Mr Narinder Kashyap, national general secretary of the party, said camps would be organised in all the 117 segments of Punjab Vidhan Sabha. 

Ludhiana
FACTORY OUTLETS: Nahar Industrial Enterprises Limited has opened two more factory outlets in the city. These exclusive factory outlets, under the brand and style name of ‘Cotton County’ were opened at the Lakkar Bazaar, Brown Road, and the Model Town Market here on Sunday. The outlets were inaugurated by Mr Sandeep Jain, Executive Director of the company, according to an official note. 

DIVALI CELEBRATED: Students of the Footloose, an institute of dance and fitness at Ghumar Mandi celebrated Divali on Sunday. A dance and singing competition and a talent hunt was organised. Children burnt firecrackers under the supervision of their parents and teachers. 

FLAYED: At a meeting held here on Sunday, pensioner welfare activists flayed the notification recently issued by the Punjab Finance Department regarding rationalisation of pension/family pension who retired before 1996. They termed it flawed and baffling. They stated in a press note that they decry the Finance Department for nullifying the Punjab Cabinet’s decision (July 27) providing Rs 40.58 crore for payment of arears to pre ‘96 retirees for the period from 1.1.96 to 31.3.2005.

DHANTROYDASHI POOJA: It is great to see that people observe tradition even after centuries. Just about two days before Divali, dhantroydashi pooja is performed. There is a beautiful folklore behind it. On this day it is considered very auspicious to buy utensils for home. The bazaars are full of shoppers as they want to buy ‘bartans’. The novelty this year is Kuber Thailand, which is decorated with red-colour cloth. The touch of modernism has also crept in as traditional bartans have acquired new modern shapes. Ms Sodhi says, “I think it is a cute custom. The whole year I wait for this day and whatever I need in the kitchen, I buy.” Ms Krishna says what I like is that utensils are available in a wide price range to suit your budget. The shopkeepers not only stock steel utensils but also keep jyoti stands, bells, thalis required for Divali pooja.” A city said that the day was celebrated as the birthday of the first ayurveda doctor, Dhanwantri and people perform Dhantroydashi pooja. 

NAWANSHAHR
Opened: The Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Study Centre was inaugurated at Sikh National College, Banga, about 12 km from here, on Saturday. Dr Jaspal Singh Randhwa, Principal, gave the welcome address. Mr Malkiat Singh Bahrowal, a former chairman of Markfed, was the chief guest and Mr Bharpur Singh, secretary, Sikh Education Society, presided over the function.

Patiala
FETE:A Divali fete was organised by students and staff of Lucky Modern Public School here. The fete was inaugurated by Ms Prem Late Mogla. 

CHANDIGARH

Yoga camp: Nearly 500 persons attended a yoga camp organised by the Bhartiya Yog Sansthan at Math Mandir Park, Sector 20-A, here on Sunday. The camp was organised under the guidance of Gopal Dassji. A camp is being organised daily at the venue by Mr Sushil Joshi from 5.15 am to 6.15 am. 

HARYANA

REWARI
Man murdered: Bohat Ram Yadav (54), a resident of Kosli, who had gone for an evening stroll on Thursday, was allegedly done to death by certain assailants and abandoned his body along the JLN canal, near Kanharwas village. The body was spotted by a sarpanch of Kanharwas village on Friday morning. The deceased was a teacher in a government school at Rattanthal village, near Kosli. The police has registered a case.

Seized: The Kosli police has arrested Raj Singh Yadav, a resident of Sudhrana village, near Kosli, and seized 384 bottles of illicit liquor from his possession. A case under the Excise Act has been registered.

Sonepat
One held: The police today claimed to have arrested one of the two culprits in connection with the alleged murder of a BBA student of the local Hindu College, Charanjit, alias Channi, on Friday night.

Bus service: The Haryana Roadways has introduced a new bus service from Kharkhauda town to Chandigarh with immediate effect. Mr Sukhbir Singh, Farmana, MLA, flagged off the bus on Saturday.

Theft: Thieves reportedly broke into a tailoring shop in the Panchsheel Colony here on Friday and decamped with goods several lakhs of rupees. The owner of the shop, Mr Raj Kumar, has lodged a complaint with the police.

Fire: A large quantity of wood worth several lakhs of rupees was destroyed in a fire which broke into a saw mill on the Sonepat-Dewru road here on Friday. Fire fighters controlled the fire after five hours. A short-circuit is said to be the cause of the fire.

Robbed: An unidentified youth managed to escape with Rs 1.60 lakh from a counter of the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, near Gita Bhavan Chowk, here on Saturday. According to a report, Mr Vikram Singh Rana, a resident of Sector 14, had come to the bank to deposit the money.

YAMUNANAGAR
JE suspended: A Junior Engineer (JE) of the local Public Works Department (PWD) has been suspended for allegedly misbehaving with an Executive Engineer of the department. As per sources, the JE, Mr Rajinder Chauhan, had allegedly misbehaved with the Executive Engineer, Mr S.K. Sharma, three days ago. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

DALHOUSIE
Foundation stone: The Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court, Mr Justice V.K. Gupta, laid the foundation stone of the high court guest house here on Saturday. While speaking, the Chief Justice said the guest house would provide residential facility to the judges. Later, he inspected the complex of Sub-Judge court and directed to augment the bar room.

NAHAN
Inaugurated: The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Mr G.R. Musafir, inaugurated the 13 km Fagu-Chambidhar road in the remote area of Pachhad constituency of Sirmaur district here on Saturday. While addressing a public meeting at Kerion, he said the construction of roads in the remote areas was the first priority of the government. He also inaugurated a power sub-station at Mawag village.