R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Phagwara
Two killed: A villager, identified as Balihar Singh of Talhan, was electrocuted when he was working in the fields at nearby Madhopur village. In another incident, Sita Ram (28) of Patra village was killed in a road accident near Nangal Saprodd village today. Both the bodies have been sent to local Civil Hospital for post-mortem examination.

HARYANA

CHANDIGARH
LTC to retiring staff: The Haryana government has decided to allow the facility of leave travel concession (LTC) in the case of the employees, whose LTC slab will expire during the current financial year as well as those employees who will retire in the current financial year. Stating this here on Sunday, a spokesman for the Finance Department said for other employees, the LTC would be available in the balance years of the block period. The employees of the state government were provided one month’s salary in lieu of the LTC facility, he added.

GURGAON
Lawyer held for rape bid: The police has arrested a lawyer for allegedly attempting to rape a housewife of Sector 15 part-II here. The police said the lawyer identified as Raj Kishore had met the woman’s husband in connection with some court case. The lawyer allegedly went to his house on Saturday night, but he was not there. He then tried to rape his wife. Meanwhile, the husband returned home. He thrashed the lawyer and then informed the police. The police has registered a case and further investigations are on in this regard.

KAITHAL
Gramin lok adalats held: Two gramin lok adalats were held here on Sunday. As many as 51 out of 92 cases were settled at the lok adalat at Faral village here. The lok adalat was presided over by Additional District and Sessions Judge Naresh Katyal. Ashu Jain, Civil Judge, senior division, and advocates KL Kashyap, OP Gulati and Arjan Kalyan were also present. In another lok adalat at Theh Newal in Guhla subdivision, five cases were settled. It was presided over by SDJM Devinder Singh.

REWARI
Freedom fighter cremated: Veteran freedom fighter Murli Dhar, who died on Friday night, was cremated with state honours at Lukhi village, 30 km from here, on Saturday. He was 92. SDM Jai Deep Singh and Ram Phal, DSP of Kosli, paid floral tributes to the freedom fighter. Octogenarian freedom fighter Hari Ram Arya and others attended the funeral. Murli Dhar is survived by a son and three daughters.

JAMMU & KASHMIR

Jammu
Tributes paid to Dr Ambedkar: The Dr Ambedkar Studies Centre, University of Jammu, in collaboration with the Directorate of Distance Education (DDE) on Sunday paid rich tributes to Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar on his 53rd death anniversary. Registrar, Jammu University, Dr. PS Pathania, director, DDE, Dr Meenakshi Kilam and director, Dr Ambedkar Studies Centre, Dr Ashish Saxena paid floral tributes to the father of the Indian Constitution at a function held at the General Zorawar Singh Auditorium.

Bali wins story writing contest: Ambika Bali from the Law School, University of Jammu, has bagged the first prize in the short-story writing competition under the “Display Your Talent” being conducted by the Department of Students’ Welfare, University of Jammu. Ripu Bali from MIER College of Education and Babloo Charak from Taawish College of Education were adjudged second and third, respectively.

Srinagar
Quake hits Srinagar: An earthquake of moderate intensity hits Srinagar and adjoining areas on Sunday but there was no report of any loss of life or damage to property, official sources said. The tremor of 5.3 magnitude on the Richter Scale was felt around 10.03 am, sources said, adding that people rushed for safety after the shock-wave hit the town. According to the Met office here, the epicentre of the quake was the Sino-India border region in the state at 35.8° North (latitude) and 77.3° East (longitude).

Militants shoot man: A 27-year-old man was shot dead by militants in an orchard in Sopore township, the police said on Sunday. Ali Mohammad Lone was shot dead by militants at Naseerabad, 55 km from here, a police spokesman said. The motive behind his killing was not known immediately, he said, adding a hunt has been launched by the police to nab the militants who fled after firing at Lone. No militant outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the incident. Meanwhile, the police seized a live hand grenade from a field at Sogam, 100 km from here in frontier Kupwara district. A police party noticed the grenade in an open field while patrolling through the village, the spokesman said, adding it was later neutralised by the bomb disposal squad.