R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
School to hold fete: A fete will be organised at Ajanta Public School to showcase "Playpen" in collaboration with Abacus International, Japan on April 11, according to Mr Ramesh Kapur, Principal. The fete would include a baby show, science fair, art and craft exhibition, and flower decoration.

Batala
Body recovered: The dead body of Jasbir Singh, a resident of Shahbad, was recovered from the pond of the village on Monday. DSP (Rural) Batala, Narinder Bedi said here on Tuesday that Jasbir Singh was missing from his house for the past few days and he was stated to be under depression. The parents and relatives of the deceased did not suspect any foul play.

Liquor claims life: Excessive drinking was the cause of death of Balbir Singh of Bolewal here late on Monday. According to the police, he consumed excessive liquor as it was cheap at the end of the last financial year. He was found dead on his cot by his relatives on Monday.

Hoshiarpur
Murder solved: The district police has not only succeeded in solving the blind murder of Kulwinder Singh of Dhamia but has also arrested the culprits who had allegedly killed him. According to Mr Surinder Pal Singh, in charge of Bulhowal police chowki, on a complaint by Ms Gurmit Kaur, wife of the deceased, the police found that Kamaljit Singh, nephew of the complainant, along with his accomplices Jarnail Singh, alias Jaila, of Kotla, Harpreet Singh, alias Happy, of Pandori Mahatma and Vinod Kumar of Shamchaurasi had allegedly murdered Kulwinder Singh and threw his dead body on the road.

Minor raped: A case of rape of an eight-year-old student of Class II was reported to the Dasuya police on Tuesday. According to police sources, Karamjit Kaur (name changed), a resident of Daffar village, complained to the police that Surjit Singh, a son of Gurmail Singh of the same village, allegedly raped her minor daughter on Monday. The Dasuya police has arrested Surjit Singh under Sections 376 and 51 of the IPC.

Gold chain snatched: According to police sources, Surjit Kaur, wife of Balwant Singh of Bainsawan, stated that when she was going to gurdwara on Tuesday evening, Jaswinder Singh, a son of Amar Singh of Loharian Mohalla, allegedly snatched a gold chain from her neck. The Tanda police has registered a case under Section 382 of the IPC against Jaswinder Singh.

Smack seized: The police, on a tip-off, arrested Gopal Nath Gahi, a son of Som Nath Ghai, a resident of Balmik Colony, under Sections 21, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act and seized 4 gm of smack from him, police sources said here on Wednesday.

NAWANSHAHR
Mid-day meal scheme: All arrangements have been completed to launch the mid-day meal scheme in all the 441 government primary schools in the district, according to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Krishan Kumar. Primary school children will be provided nutrititious food which would be prepared by village self-help groups. Wheat would be supplied through the ration depots.

Vocational training camp: The Sainik Vocational Academy set up by the Sainik Welfare Department will start its second three-month long vocational training camp here at Vishavkarma Bhavan from April 10,according to Col Gurjit Singh, Deputy Director, Sainik Welfare. Educated unemployed youth will be imparted training.

Phillaur
Road repair demanded: Tension prevailed in Goraya when three social activists, including two coucillors, Mr Sudesh Kumar(BSP), Mr Bal Krishan(SAD) and Mr Gurmit Singh of Shiv Sena sat on a fast at the main chowk near the National Highway on Tuesday. They were demanding repair of the Goraya-Barrapind road. Later, on an assurance from the Phillaur SDM and DSP, the stir was called off after five hours.

HARYANA

Hisar
Medical van dedicated: A medical van with latest equipment was dedicated to the public at Talwandi Rana village, near here, on Tuesday. The facility has been provided by the Om Prakash Jindal Gramin Jan Kalyan Sansthan. Addressing the gathering, industrialist and social activist Jagdish Jindal said the van would provide medical facilities to people of rural as well as urban areas. The van is equipped with oxygen and ECG facilities, he said, adding that doctors would examine patients and provide the required medicines free of cost.

KAITHAL
Relief awarded: The District Consumer Forum president, Mr IS Punia, and other members here have held a doctor guilty of negligence while performing an operation and have directed him and an insurance company to pay a compensation of Rs 50000 to the aggrieved person. The forum has ordered compliance of these orders within one month. Megh Raj, a resident of Chandana village of this district, had filed a complaint that he had pain in his stomach and he contacted a local surgeon for treatment in July 2001. After laboratory and other clinical tests, the doctor diagnosed that the patient had a stone in his kidney and an operation was performed. Since pain persisted, it was found that a vein had been cut during the operation for removal of the stone.

Rewari
Suicide: A newly wed woman, Reena, daughter of Budh Ram, reportedly committed suicide by hanging at her parental house at Karawara Manakpur village, about 10 km from here, on Monday evening. Reena, who was married to a young man at Pataudi recently, had returned to her parental house about a week ago.

Yamunanagar
Opposed: Residents of the posh Nehru Park, Model Town area here, on Tuesday opposed the opening of the newly allocated liquor vend and 'ahata' in the area. In a memorandum to the DC signed by 38 families, it was stated that the vend was being opened in the middle of residential areas and the road on which the vend is being opened leads to three girls colleges and several schools. The Bankey Bihari temple is also located nearby, they alleged.