R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Amritsar
Kidnapping bid foiled: The police foiled a kidnapping bid and arrested two persons, including the estranged brother-in-law of the victim, on Friday night. The victim, Harsharan Singh Virdi, an engineer with Telco group based in Nagpur, was here to visit his family in Baba Deep Singh Colony. The accused has been identified as Arvinderpal Singh, divorced husband of Harasharn's sister and his accomplice Amandeep Singh. Another accused Goldy was still at large.

Man held: The police on Saturday claimed to have foiled an attempt to kill former Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal following the arrest of Amarjit Singh who remained associated with Damdami Taksal Chowk Mehta for several years. The accused had allegedly masterminded a conspiracy to assassinate the former chief minister. The police has seized a .12 bore pistol and five live cartridges from his possession.

ICSI baby born: The latest medical advanced technology of Inter Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) has managed to give birth to a child to an infertile woman. Dr S. S Chawla, Director, Satjot Human Reproduction and Research Centre, said a baby weighing 3.5 kg was born to Gurmit Kaur, which was possible only through the ICSI technique. He said using the technique a single sperm was microscopically injected in a highly specialised manner into woman's oocyte to achieve fertilisation.

Barnala
Two arrested: The police on Saturday arrested two persons allegedly involved in the theft of a truck. SSP G. Nageshwar Rao said the truck (HRN-9625), which was stolen from grain market on October 20, belonged to Gurtej Singh. The vehicle has been recovered from the possession of the accused. Another person involved in the theft was still at large, he added.

FEROZEPORE
Patwari held for graft: The Vigilance Bureau has arrested a Patwari, Raj Kumar, posted at Waghewala Village, allegedly for accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from Hardeep Singh for executing mutation of his land measuring 32 canals. According to DSP Ashok Kumar, the VB, acting on the complaint of Hardeep, had found the official guilty. A case has been registered.

Phagwara
Travel agents booked: The police has booked two brother travel agents Subhash and Makhan of Akhara village allegedly for duping Karaj Singh of Rs 4 lakh on the pretext of sending him abroad. Kapurthala SSP Rajiv Ahir said Dalip Singh of Kamrana village had complained that he had given the money and the passport of his son Karaj to the accused who promised to send him to Italy, but failed to do so. One of the accused, Makhan, has been arrested.

Samrala
APPOINTED: Mr Naunihal Singh, SSP, Khanna has appointed Mr Chanan Ram Bajigar former vice-president of the Municipal Committee, Samrala, as member of the Community Policing Resource Centre. 

Sangrur
Killed: Gurmej Singh of Dhandra village was killed when his car collided with a truck coming from opposite direction near Dhandra village on Sunday.