Abohar
Diwali celebrations: Ahead of vacations owing to the festival of lights, some educational institutions celebrated Diwali with fervour and gaiety on Thursday. Children, dressed up as Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman were greeted by the staff and students during the Diwali celebrations at St Alphonsa Convent School. Principal Dr Venita Singh was joined by the staff and would-be-teachers in celebrating Diwali and Rishi Nirvana Diwas at the DAV College of Education. Ramesh Makkar spoke about teachings and life of Swami Dayanand.

Fazilka
Weapons recovered: On the basis of information provided by the military intelligence, the officials of police station Khui Khera, during the search of a private bus, recovered a country-made pistol and a live cartridge. According to the details available, the police laid a barrier on the Gang Canal on Abohar road and searched the private bus. The bus was coming from Abohar to Fazilka. During the search, they recovered one country-made pistol, one live cartridge, some newspapers and a magazine containing provoking literature, lying in a bag. The police have registered a case under the Arms Act.

Hoshiarpur
2 booked for fraud: The Dasuya police has booked Prem Singh and Madho Singh, both residents of Ghogra, under sections 420, 465, 468, 471 and 120 B of the IPC on the complaint of Harjinder Singh of the same village last evening. According to police sources, Harjinder Singh alleged that Prem Singh and Madho Singh acquired fake death certificate of Bhupinder Singh, son of Madho Singh, and somehow got the revenue record changed. Later, they got transferred his land in their name. Bhupinder Singh  was killed in Malta Boat Tragedy in 1996.

Mansa
Joint convention: Nearly 17 labour and farmer organisations would hold a joint convention at Jalandhar on Friday against the privatisation of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) and other genuine demands of labourers and farmers. Members of the coordination committee against privatisation and state secretary of Mazdoor Mukti Morcha Bhagwant Singh Sammoan said the Central and state governments have been favouring hoarders and rich people and implementing the policies of privatisation. Therefore, labouers and farmers have decided to intensify their struggle against the anti-people policies of the government.

Muktsar
NSD holds workshop: The National School of Drama (NSD), one of the foremost theatre training institutions in Asia, is organising a month-long theatre training workshop in collaboration with Kadam Kala Manch. Disclosing this, Gursewak Preet Singh, general secretary of the Kadam Kala Manch, said the workshop is being conducted at the Dashmesh Khalsa College here. He added that students will be taught the theoretical and practical aspects of acting. Students will also be asked to produce plays, which will be later played out in the public. The workshop was inaugurated on Thursday by Shinderpal Singh, principal of the Dashmesh Khalsa College.

Patiala
250 donate blood: AS many as 250 volunteers, including Punjabi University teachers, students and non-teaching employees donated blood during a blood donation camp, organised by the university’s NSS department here today. Vice-Chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh said the gesture of the literate class coming forward in large numbers to donate blood is bound to prove a source of inspiration for other sections of the society.

‘Strengthen Rang Manch’: Dramatist Reoti Saran Sharma, adviser to the International Theatre Institute- UNESCO, Paris, has urged theatre activists to strengthen “Patiala Rang Manch”, a unity group of Patiala theatre associations for better performing conditions, effective rapport with authorities and public and mutual understanding. Reoti was addressing artists and their group leaders at a congregation, held at Sahit Sadan, Bhasha Bhawan, Patiala, here on Tuesday.

Phagwara
Now, pay PSEB bills on the net: The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has introduced Internet Payment System Scheme to facilitate its customers. This was stated by senior XEN Sanjeev Kumar while talking to newsmen here today. He said the board has offered its customers to pay their bills or dues online through the internet on its websites www.psebindia.org <http://www.psebindia.org> and www.psebindia.gov.in. Sanjeev said all offices of the PSEB have been interconnected online and anybody can deposit bills or dues through the internet now and can get valid receipt of the payment through the printer installed on his/her computer or laptop.

60 tolas gold stolen: Valuables including 60 tolas of gold ornaments worth Rs Nine lakh were reportedly burgled from the house of a dairy owner Jaspal Singh in local Bhagatpura locality yesterday. Jaspal Singh was on his job and saw his house burgled after he returned home last evening. A case has been registered, said Phagwara DSP.

Phillaur
Villager found murdered: Villager Joginder Singh was reportedly found murdered with sharp-edged weapons by some unknown armed assailants in the fields in nearby Laddarrkalan village in the Phillaur sub-division last night. The deceased was a worker of a village brick kiln. The Phillaur Police has registered a case under section 302 of the IPC. The body of the deceased has been sent for post mortem examination to the Phillaur Civil Hospital.