R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
Mr Singh International contest: All 44 finalists of Mr Singh International contest, who would vie for the honour on November 20 at Khalsa College here, displayed their talent at Lawrence road on Sunday evening. The contest is being organised by the Akaal Purkh Ki Fauj. 

Tributes paid: Hundreds of farmers, workers and communists from all over the state on Sunday paid homage to renowned freedom fighter and communist leader Dalip Singh Tapiala on his 13th death anniversary at his native village here. CPM general secretary Jagjit Singh Layallpuri, secretary Mangat Ram Palsa were among others present on the occasion.

Bathinda
Child killed: A five-year-old child was crushed to death by a tractor-trolley at Partap Nagar here on Sunday. The victim was playing outside his home when the mishap occurred. 

Man commits suicide: Mukesh Kumar, a Railway employee, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself with a ceiling fan at railway quarters near Multania rail bridge here on Sunday. Sahara volunteers took the body to the Civil Hospital for the postmortem examination while the police is investigating the case.

Hoshiarpur
Arms seized: The police on Sunday recovered one .315 bore pistol alongwith three live and two empty cartridges, one countrymade .12 bore pistol alongwith two live cartridges, one gold ring and a pair of gold earrings on the revelations made by Sunil Kumar, alias Kala, and Paramjit Singh, alias Sonu, both alleged kidnappers of Sudha Rani, wife of Puran Parkash of Ahiyapur, according to DSP Malkiat Singh.

Girl abducted: On the complaint of Surinder Kumar of Bakarpur, the police has registered a case against Surjit Kumar, son of Chaman Lal of the same village, for allegedly abducting his niece Nisha Rani (16), daughter of Pawan Kumar of Kabir Nagar, Jalandhar.

Arrested: The police has arrested Karamjit Singh, alias Joti, son of Jatinder Pal Singh of Dasuya, allegedly for forging registry of land belonging to Paramjit Kaur of Rajpur. A case has been registered.

17 held: The police has arrested 17 persons of Gignowal village, including a former sarpanch of the village, Harbans Kumar, allegedly for blocking the Hoshiarpur-Tanda highway in front of the village from on Saturday. The villagers blocked the road in protest against the alleged thrashing of a village boy by Gulzar Singh, owner of White Castle Resort.

Resignation accepted: Mr Avinash Rai Khanna, MP and BJP state chief, has accepted the resignation of Mr Sanjiv Talwar, state vice-president, Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha, on Sunday. Mr Talwar had resigned following the rejection of his anticipatory bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in an obscene MMS case registered against him.

NAWANSHAHR
Seminar held: A district level seminar on female foeticide was organised by the district administration at Shivalik Public School here on Sunday. Mr T.R. Sarangal, Managing Director, Punjab Health Systems Corporation, Mr Parkash Singh, Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Krishan Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, and former health directors Dr D.P.S. Sidhu and Dr D.S. Virk were among others who spoke on the occasion.

SANGRUR
Medical camp: A free medical check-up camp was organised by the Mandir Shri Maha Kali Sabha in the Shri Kali Devi Temple complex here on Sunday. About 200 children were examined for various diseases by Dr V.K. Ahuja, a child specialist, at the camp. The sabha provided medicines free of cost to the patients. 

HARYANA

FATEHABAD
6 booked: The police on Sunday booked six persons, including the husband of the victim, for the alleged murder of newly-wed Sulochna at Tohana village in the district. The accused — husband Parveen Kumar, mother-in-law Prem Lata, father-in-law Prabhu Dayal and three sisters-in-law Sushma, Reena and Kavita — were booked on the complaint of victim's father Jag Raj.

Sonepat
Arhtiyas directed: The Ganaur Market Committee on Monday directed the arhtyias to collect 89 paise only from the farmers who are marketing their produce with immediate effect. According to a report, this has been done following complaints by representatives of various farmer organisations alleging the recovery of Rs 2.43 per bag from the farmers for loading and unloading operations and clearing of paddy by the arhtyias who, in turn, pay only Re 1 to the labourers and the remaining amount was misappropriated by them.

4 injured: Four persons were injured when the car they were travelling in rammed into a container on the G.T. Road near Bahalgarh village, about 10 km from here, on Sunday night. According to a report, the injured persons were identified as Som Dutta of Sultanpuri (Delhi), Raghbir and his son Rajesh of Shamli (U.P.) and Rameshwar of Titauli village.

Mysterious fever: Sandeep Singh, a class XII student, died of mysterious fever at Chirashmi village, about 20 km from here, on Monday. Residents alleged that officials of the Health Department had failed to take immediate and effective steps to check the disease in spite of repeated complaints. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BADDI
Mourned: The Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Industries Association has mourned the death of renowned industrialist Arun Suri, who was behind Morepan Pharmaceuticals. He died after a prolonged illness in Delhi on Sunday. The association held a condolence meeting on Sunday and prayed for the departed soul. 

Bilaspur
Youth killed in accident: A youth, Jagdish Kumar, was killed when his scooter was hit by a speeding truck coming on the NH-21 near here. The pillion rider, Champa, was injured. In another accident, a Tata Indica (HP-03A-3101) collided with a truck (HP 24-5241) coming from the opposite direction. Both occupants of the car, Ashok Sood and Kanchan Sood, were injured.

Kangra
Man commits suicide: An employee of the MES, Hari Singh (54), allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling of his house in Kanaid village here on Friday night, the police said. DSP Virender Thakur said Hari, who was serving in the MES at Yol Cantonment, had a family trouble which forced him to commit suicide.

Nahan
Speaker lays foundation stone: The state Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Mr G.R. Musafir, on Sunday laid foundation stone of Lift Irrigation Scheme at Plashala village in the Pachhad area of Sirmaur district. This scheme on completion will extend irrigation facility to 22 hectares of land in this area. Mr Musaffir also announced Rs 30,000 for the development of a play ground in the village.