ABOHAR
BKU stir: Senior BKU worker Resham Singh Kundal led the sit-in against the sub-divisional authorities outside the office of the SDM here on 28th day of the agitation launched by the Bhartiya Kisan Union Ekta Ugrahan on Monday. The BKU was protesting against issuance of orders under section 145 and 146 of the CrPC to debar some farmers in Sukhchain village from cultivating the land, a press release said. 

Annual workshop of BVP: About 234 office-bearers of 30 branches of the Bharat Vikas Parishad (BVP) from different parts of Punjab took part in the daylong annual workshop that was held at the Arorvansh Bhawan here on Sunday to discuss the projects to be taken up during this financial year.

Bassi Pathana
Workshop concludes: A week-long summer training workshop for under privileged children organised by Mehar Baba Charitable Trust in collaboration with Hobby Ideas, Chandigarh, concluded here on Monday. Prof Hardarshan Singh Mejie, Patron of the Trust, and Jitender Tiwari, territory sales manager, presided over the concluding session. As many as 62 students between 12 to 17 years attended the workshop. Navneet Kaur from Pidilite Industries Ltd, Mumbai, trained the students in various activities like fabric, glass and silk painting etc.

Dera Bassi
12 labourers injured: More than 12 labourers sustained injuries after a linter of a newly constructed building of a factory collapsed in Dera Bassi here on Monday. The accident occurred at around 4 pm, when the linter work of a factory was under progress. The injured were admitted to the Civil Hospital, Dear Bassi. Four workers were seriously injured and immediately shifted to the PGI. According to the police, the victims are in a critical condition.

Jagraon
wards reserved: The state government in its notification has declared ward Nos. 1, 2,9,11,13,14,16 and 17 as general, ward Nos. 7, 12, 15 and 19 general for women and ward Nos. 4, 5, 8 and 10 for SC (men), ward No. 3 and 6 for SC (women) and ward No. 18 for BC category out of the total 19 wards falling within Jagraon municipal council. The elections for all these wards would be held on June 30.

Ludhiana
Retail store: Having entered the retail sector by opening 22 stores in and around Mumbai under the name “H&A”, Alok Industries Limited launched their first retail store at West End Mall in the city on Sunday. The company plans to open 40 retail stores by March 2009 in the state. 

Cardiac surgery: Lots of changes have taken place in the field of interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery during the past couple of years. This was stated by a cardiologist and a cardio-thoracic surgeon of a private hospital while addressing a news conference here on Monday. In the field of interventional cardiology, radial procedures are being preferred for angiographies and angioplasties and the access-site complications have been eliminated. Unfortunately this technique has not picked up as fast as anticipated in our region.

doctors’ meet: The physician’s association, Ludhiana, will hold a “Respiratory Update- 2008” here on Wednesday. According to association’s president Devinderjit S.Walia, faculty from leading institutions will enlighten the delegates on various lung diseases and give recommendations on their treatment. S.K. Jindal, professor and head, Pulmonary Medicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh, will deliver a lecture on “approach and management of pneumonias”.

panchayat polls: The Peoples Awareness Forum, an NGO, on Sunday, expressed its concern over the alleged high handedness in the panchayat poll in Punjab and felt that the basic structure of the democracy was being eroded. The panchayats were the basic roots of the democracy in the country, if the same were disrupted what would happen to the democratic setup in the country. The general body meeting was presided over by Prof Prithipal Singh Kapoor, former pro-vice chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University. 

Architects’ meet: Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) organised a seminar on TMT bars recently. A large number of architects and structural engineers from different parts of the state attended it. SAIL branch manager (long products) A.K. Arora said the company had enhanced its distribution network by appointing dealers in every district of the country. At least 21 dealers were attached with the local branch. Ravinder Khosla, president, Ludhiana Architect Association (LAA), appreciated the efforts of SAIL in making quality steel available at the doorstep of users and emphasised on the importance using better quality TMT in construction activities.

Mansa
Fuel price hike flayed: The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta) Ughran, has criticised the hoarding of diesel and the proposal of government to increase the prices of diesel. State president of the union Joginder Singh Ughran and general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan said in a statement here on Monday that some traders have been hoarding diesel thereby posing troubles for farmers. Since the sowing of crops was on, the farmers needed the fuel badly. 

15 injured in mishap: Nearly 15 passengers were injured in a road accident near Sardoolgarh on Monday. According to information available, a mini-bus of the Bhai Behlo Company was going towards Sardoolgarh from Mansa. Suddenly, the driver of the mini-bus lost control and the vehicle turned turtle on the road at Tibi village near Sardoolgarh. Those injured were admitted to the civil hospital at Sardoolgarh. The station house officer of Sardoolgarh informed that some of those who had sustained minor injuries had been discharged from the hospital. 

PATHANKOT
Farmers protest: Activists of the Kirti Kisan Union, the Jamuheriat Kisan Sabha and the Punjab Kisan Sabha held a rally in support of their demands at Gurdaspur on Monday. Satbir Singh, general secretary of the Kirti Kisan Union, led the farmers. The protesters demanded “tenants’ rights” for the tillers and farm labour. They also presented a memorandum to deputy commissioner Gurkirat Kirpal Singh. 

Opium seized, one held: The Purana Shalla police arrested Yakub Shah, a resident of Gudari, on Monday and seized 30 gm of opium from him. A case under Sections 18/61/85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against him. 

Medical camp: As many as 700 persons were examined at a medical camp, organised by the Kalgidhar Trust, Baru Sahib, at Akal Academy, Cheema, 25 km from here on Sunday.The patients were also given medicines free of cost. 

Patiala
Talent-hunt fest: The National Theatre Arts Society during its 23rd annual Prithviraj Kapur Talent Hunt Festival selected 52 aspirants. The festival was held at Central State Library on Monday. Vinod Gautam, chief librarian, Central State Library, was the chief guest while R.K. Goel, manager, State Bank of Patiala, Aurobindo School branch, was the guest of honour. Pran Sabharwal of NTAS said a one-month production-oriented theatre workshop of the selected participants would start from June 5 at SDSE Senior Secondary School, Patiala.

Rajpura
2 held with poppy husk: The Rajpura police arrested two persons Krishan Kumar and Ravi Kant, both residents of Ambala, with 43 kg poppy husk and impounded their Indica car. The duo were found carrying the narcotics during a special naka in the city. During interrogation, the accused revealed that they were carrying the consignment from Haryana to sell off the same in various parts of Punjab. A case has been registered at the Rajpura Sadar police station.

SANGRUR
Contractor dies in mishap: Contractor of Ranbir Club here Mithan Lal (45) was killed in mishap on Sunday night when the van in which he was coming from Barnala to Sangrur reportedly rammed into a stationary vehicle near Bahadarpur village, 8 km from here. On the complaint of the driver of the van Tarsem Singh, the police registered a case against the driver of the stationary vehicle under Sections 279, 283, 337 and 304-A of the IPC. 

Tarn Taran
Girl kidnapped: 3 booked: Three persons were booked on Sunday by the Verowal police for abducting a teenaged girl of Rampur Bhutwind village, 30 km from here, about two weeks ago. A case under Sections 363, 366A has been registered against Gurpartap Singh, alias Happy, and his mother Dalbir Kaur of the same village and Shamsher Singh, alias Gopi, of the nearby Bhalaipur village. The victim was allegedly being pressurised by the accused to marry Shamsher Singh.

Mohali
Physiotherapy unit: The civil hospital here is starting a physiotherapy unit for patients suffering from various problems which will help them to maintain flexibility in their movements. The equipment for the unit is being donated by Inderpreet Singh Chada, a resident of Amritsar. H.S.Sarang, SMO in charge of the hospital, said the patients suffering from osteo arthritis, cardio vascular accidents, cervical spondylitis, back pain etc could visit the unit which would help them in pain management.

Two found dead: Tragedy struck two families of Sohana village as a member of each family was found dead near Kajehri village in Chandigarh. According to reports, bodies of Balbir Singh and Buta Singh, who had left Sohana yesterday to distribute cards in connection with the bhog ceremony of their father of Balbir Singh, were recovered by the Chandigarh Police. Balbir Singh’s father Sukhdev Singh had died on May 25 and his bhog ceremony is being held tomorrow. The families of the deceased did not suspect any foul play. 

Ambala
Girl run over by car: Simran (10) of Bhari village near Ambala City was run over by a car on Monday afternoon. The deceased was a student of government primary school. Simran was playing in front of her house when a car stopped there and as the driver was reversing the vehicle to go in the opposite direction, Simran was crushed under the rear tyre of the vehicle. She died on the spot. The driver, however, managed to flee. A case against the unknown driver has been registered and the body has been sent for postmortem.

BHIWANI
2 held for looting trader: The police on Monday arrested two of the four persons, who had allegedly looted a trader of Shahabad near Dhigava mandi. Darshan Singh, a trader of Ram Nagar, Shahabad, had come to Dhigava mandi to collect his payment from a firm. The miscreants looted him when he was returning in a car along with a friend. The arrested have been identified as Manoj and Vijay.

REWARI
2 fall into well, 1 killed: Suresh Yadav (30) and his nephew Satish Yadav, who were standing at the parapet of a well, were accidentally pushed into the well by a tractor, which was hoeing Suresh’s field at Pranpura village on Sunday. The mishap occurred when the tractor driver, Satpal, abruptly lost balance while negotiating a turn near the well. Simultaneously, upper portion of the well collapsed, following which both Suresh and Satish got buried under its debris. The police along with villagers extricated them from the rubble after about two hours. Suresh died on his way to a hospital while Satish was now reported to be out of danger. 

BILASPUR
Office-bearers: The following have been elected office-bearers of the HP State Rural Development Department Ministerial Staff Association: president - Jai Singh Thakur; general secretary - Manmohan Sharma; senior vice-president - Lekhram; vice-president - Roshan Lal Sharma; treasurer - V.K. Sharma; office secretary - Rajesh Thakur; and chief adviser - Swaroop Pathania

Theft cases: The police arrested two persons, Harmesh Singh and Surjit Singh, both of Garhshankar in Punjab. SP K.K. Indoria said on Monday that these persons have been charged with the theft of telephone wires and cables. Wires worth Rs 15,196 have been recovered from their possession. These telephone cables and wires were stolen from the Bhakra area. The police in connection with the theft of a car, which was stolen last year, arrested Jagjit Singh, alias Sauni, son of Jagiri Lal of Ludhiana.

MANDI
Irrigation Scheme: PWD minister Gulab Singh Thakur said Rs 15.59 lakh Suja-Matru Irrigation Scheme would irrigate 20 hectare of land, benefiting over 200 farmers in the Jogindernagar area. Inaugurating work on the scheme at Suaj on Monday he said besides that irrigation works worth Rs 4 crore have been taken up in the district in the current year and Rs 1 crore would be spent in Jogindernagar subdivision alone. He also announced Rs 1 lakh for the construction of Suja Mahila Mandal building. 

Solan
1 killed in accident: Deep Ram of Rakh Dhansoth village in Nalagarh tehsil was killed and three were injured when a pick-up van (HP-12-B-6780) rolled into a gorge near Jhidiwaala village on the Pinjore-Swarghat road around 7 a.m. on Monday. The deceased was returning home after attending a satsang at Sujanpur Tihra along with his relatives when the driver lost control of the vehicle, making it plunge into a gorge. The injured are Paali Devi, Vijay Kumar and Vidya. Deep Ram succumbed to his injuries on the way to hospital. The police has registered a case for rash and negligent driving against the driver. 

JAMMU
Woman escapes: A woman abducted by Hizbul Mujahideen militants one year ago, escaped from their clutches on Monday. Hizbul militants had kidnapped 24-year-old Parveen Begum from Badoso village in Bhaderwah belt on November 17, 2006. Her family then lodged a missing report. She was kidnapped by self-styled Hizbul commander Manzoor Ganie and later handed over to self-styled district commander and financial chief of HM Shameem Thool, who was killed in April this year. After escaping from the clutches of her captors, Begum managed to reach a police station in Doda district.