R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

SANGRUR
Illegal weapons: 3 held: The Moonak police has arrested three persons in connection with the alleged sale-purchase of illegal weapons. It has also recovered three pistols, including two country-made pistols, and five live cartridges from them. The arrested persons are Binder Singh of Sirsiwala village, Jagsir Singh of Juglan village (Bareta) and Suresh Kumar of Frain Kalan (Narwana). Moonak DSP Sarnjit Singh said on Friday evening that the police arrested them from near a cremation ground at Chural Khurd village (near Moonak) the previous day. The police also recovered a Bolero jeep and a motor cycle from the accused persons. A case under Sections 25,54 and 59, Arms Act, has been registered at Moonak police station. 

CHANDIGARH

MOHALI
Honoured: The president of the Mohali District Employees Union, Om Parkash, has been honoured by the Resident Welfare Association, Phase V, for his social service and guiding people who visit the district administrative complex for official works. He is presently attached with the SDM, Mohali. 

Low water pressure: Due to urgent repair at the Sector 57 water treatment plant, the regular supply of water from Phase IX to Phase XI, Sector 70, 71, Matour village would be affected November 1 to November 30. An official of the public health department disclosed that the water pressure would, however, be full from 5 am to 9 am. There would be no supply of water from 12 noon to 1 pm and from 6 pm to 9 pm the pressure would be low. 

PANCHKULA
Jailed for theft: Additional civil judge (senior division) Madhu Khanna has sentenced a resident of Raipur Rani to seven months of imprisonment for theft in a temple here on Friday. The guilty, Mohit Kumar, broke into the temple of Khera mandir at Raipur Rani and took away the cash box on the intervening night of June 23 and 24. Later he was nabbed by the police and an amount of Rs 1,675 was recovered from him. 

HARYANA

Chandigarh
Finance ministers’ panel to meet in Chandigarh: The empowered committee of state finance ministers, which will meet here on November 3 under the chairmanship of Asim K. Dasgupta, West Bengal finance minister, will review, among other things, the latest position of the VAT revenue and central sales tax compensation. A spokesman of the Haryana excise and taxation department said here today that a meeting of the state finance ministers, principal secretaries and secretaries (finance and taxation) and commissioner of trade taxation would also be held here the same day. 

Forest officer promoted: The Haryana government has promoted S.K. Dhar, IFS, additional principal chief conservator of forests as principal chief conservator of forests, Panchkula, in the pay scale of Rs 24050-650-26000 with immediate effect. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Bilaspur
Oath administered: Additional District Magistrate Subhash Chaudhary administered an oath of National Integration and Solidarity to officers and employees in connection with the celebration of “National Sankalp Diwas” on the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at district collectorate here on Friday. He offered floral tributes on the portrait of Indira Gandhi. 

HAMIRPUR
Narco test: The police has sent three accused booked in the Naresh murder case for NARCO test to the Gandinagar forensic lab. The police has reopened the file of the murder case of Naresh after two years and started fresh investigation in the case. The brain mapping of the accused - Vijay Puri, Rajvidner and Vikram Singh Patial- through NARCO test would be undertaken from November 3 to 7. 

SHIMLA
Narrow escape: Deft handling of a bus by its driver after the vehicle developed a snag averted a major mishap and saved the lives of 32 passengers, who escaped with minor injuries. The bus no (HP 27-0146) developed a mechanical fault at Racholi, near Rampur, on Thursday. However, driver Bhagmal crashed the vehicle into a hillside to bring it to a halt. While eight of the injured passengers were being treated at the local civil hospital, the rest were discharged after first aid. 

JAMMU & KASHMIR

JAMMU
Employees hail govt: The Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh All-Departments’ Clerical Staff Association has welcomed the state government’s decision to form a panel to negotiate with the representatives of the employees’ body regarding their long-pending demands. The association has demanded that the government invite their representatives to hold a dialogue at the earliest. 

Srinagar
Bihari labourer dies: A labourer from Bihar died under mysterious circumstances in a hospital here, official sources said on Friday. Mohammad Sidiq Sheikh, a resident of Mahuban in Patna, was admitted to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences at Soura. 

Official gets jail term: A court on Friday sentenced a government official to two year rigorous imprisonment and fined him Rs 30,000 in a corruption case of 2004. The anti-corruption court gave the judgment against Bilal Ahmad Malik, then posted as cashier in Rural Engineering Wing in Pulwama, a vigilance spokesperson said. 

Poppy husk seized: The police arrested smuggler Manzoor Ahmad Dar and seized 19 bags of poppy husk, official sources said on Friday. Acting on a tip-off, a police party raided Kaisar Mohalla village at Chadoora in Badgam. 

School timings: School timings in the Kashmir Division (winter zone) will be from 11 am to 4 pm from November 1, director, School Education, Kashmir, said on Friday. 

Haj pilgrims: The second batch of 188 Haj pilgrims, including 100 men, left for Jeddah on Friday. The pilgrims were seen off by A.G. Shahbaz, chairman, Jammu and Kashmir State Haj Committee. In all, 354 pilgrims have left for performing Haj since yesterday.