R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Bathinda
Seminar on human rights on Sunday: The Punjab Pradesh Human Rights Committee (PPHRC) is organising a state-level seminar on human rights here on April 4. Giving this information here on Friday, state president of the PPHRC Ashok Sadiora said chairman of Punjab Pradesh Human Rights Commission and retired Chief Justice RS Mongia would take part in the seminar.

1 killed in mishap: William Masih (24) died on the spot when the bike (No. PB-18M-0328) he was driving crashed against a bus (No. PB-31C-8142) near the Dharamkot Bhagga village, PS Qila Lal Singh, here this evening. The Qila Lal Singh police took the bus and the Hero Honda Splendour motor cycle in their possession and sent the body to the civil  hospital Batala for post-mortem examination.

BASSI PATHANA
Man killed in accident: A man walking along the roadside was killed on the spot when a speeding vehicle hit him from side on the Bassi Pathana-Morinda road this evening. According to the police, Piara Ram (50) was a resident of Badmajra Balongi village, near Kharar. The unidentified vehicle fled away from the spot after hitting him. The passers-by informed the police and he was taken to the Civil Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. The police has registered case under Section 174 of the CrPC.

DERA BASSI Brothers injured in clash: Two brothers were injured in a clash over the construction of a wall in Jolly village on Sunday. According to information, Manohar Singh and Labh Singh, sons of Hajara Singh, were injured when they clashed over the issue of the wall. They were admitted in the Civil Hospital, Dera Bassi. The police had registered a case against them under Section 323, 341 and 534 of the IPC in the Handesra police station.

Victims at the Civil Hospital, Dera Bassi, on Sunday. A Tribune photographs

Jalandhar
Architects demand 2nd draft: The second draft copy of the proposed master-plan of Jalandhar should be made available to architects. In a press-note issued here today, the representatives of the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA), Jalandhar sub-centre, stated this while adding that the first draft was available on the JDA site but the seconf wasn’t. They questioned why selective leaks pertaining to only the positive factors of the second draft of the master plan were issued to the media and why the entire draft had not been uploaded. 

Nawanshahr
Pensioners’ ultimatum: The activists of the district units of Punjab State Confederation of Pensioners and PSEB Pensioners Association at a meeting served an ultimatum to the state government to implement their demands by May 31 otherwise which they would launch an agitation in the state. They had been demanding release of payment of arrears from January 2006 to July 2009 to pensioners and commutation of pension as per new scales for the employees who had retired after January 2006. 

Phagwara
Announce a SEZ: Khanna: Rajya Sabha MP Avinash Rai Khanna has urged the Union Government to announce a special ecnomic zone for Punjab which suffered huge losses during Indo-Pak wars and black days of terrorism. Khanna said his party BJP will do its best to save the innocent Indians, including 17 Punjabis facing gallows in the UAE.

Phillaur
Woman linked to kidnappers held: The police has nabbed Neelam of Gannapind who was to purchase a child at Rs 40,000 from child abductors Madan Lal and Sukhwinder, who were arrested a few days back. It has been learnt that the woman would have sold the boy to childless couple in Noormahal. She has been booked under section 364 of the IPC. All three have sent to police remand till Monday. 

CHANDIGARH

GGDSD College alumni meet: The alumni meet of the GGDSD College, Sector 32, was held on the college premises today. At the meet, elections of the new team of office-bearers were announced. Elections for the team for the upcoming session will now take place on May 23. Principal Dr AC Vaid said, the college had received Rs 1.183 crore under the CPE scheme of the UGC and Rs 78 lakh for science departments among other grants.

Healthy tiffin contest: In a bid to inculcate healthy food habits amongst its students, a healthy tiffin competition was organised in the kindergarten block of St Joseph School. The parents packed a balanced and tasty meal in the tiffins of the tiny tots, which was followed by a skit to sensitise them about harmful effects of junk food.

Training programme: The Peace Club of Guru Nanak Public School in collaboration with Yuvsatta, an NGO, organised a training programme for their members. The training programme was coordinated by peace educator Anil Sarwal and Yuvsatta coordinator Pramod Sharma, in which they introduced the students to the “virtue’s project”. According to the project, the school could initiate activities to inculcate one virtue in the students every week.

Water resource week: Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 37, celebrated the world earth and water resource (save water) week from April 22 to April 30. The weeklong event was marked by tree plantation on school premises and various competitions like essay writing, slogan writing and poster making, etc. The week was concluded with a “save water” rally around Sector 37.

Office-bearers: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Residential Welfare Association, Sector 23-D, Chandigarh : president - Gurdev Ram; senior vice-president - Sadhu Singh; vice-president - Dinesh Sharma; general secretary - AP Singh; joint secretary - Kanwaljit Singh; press secretary- TC Sibal; and treasurer - Sudershan Kumar. 

Panchkula
2 women snatchers held: The local police arrested two women and recovered two gold bangles worth Rs 45,000 from them here yesterday. The two have been identified as Nachho, alias Gurmeeto, a resident of Lagdoi village, Patiala; and Babli, a resident of Ser Majra village, Patiala. A case has been registered at the Chandi Mandir police station in this regard. The two were produced in the local court yesterday and were remanded in judicial custody. The police sources said the two, who belonged to the Sansi tribe, had snatched two gold bangles from the devotees at the Gurdwara Nada Sahib on April 4. Investigations into the case were still on.

HARYANA

Ambala
New pension scheme: The New Pension Scheme (NPS) launched by the Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority of India is now available for the general public through India Post, a spokesperson for the postal department said here on Friday. Stating this, SK Sharma, senior superintendent of post offices, said the facility had been introduced at head post offices of Ambala Cantt, Ambala City and Yamunanagar, which fell under Ambala Postal Division. He said all persons between the age group of 18 and 55 years could enroll for this new pension scheme under its different investment options. 

BHIWANI
Reappear exam: The Haryana Board of School Education, Bhiwani, has decided to again conduct the reappear examination of English-2 for the second semester of senior secondary examinations held on March 10 for those students who have failed to take the examination due to any confusion. A board spokesman said on Wednesday that students who had failed to take the examination in any subject due to mistake in their roll number slips regarding date, subject and time could also reappear in the examination. Such candidates were required to submit their application within 10 days to assistant secretary (senior secondary) or at the District Coordination Centre of Board.

KARNAL
5-yr-old boy sodomised: A five-year-old boy was allegedly sodomised by a labourer in Subri village here on Sunday. The boy was allegedly lured by a labourer identified as Vinod, son of Mamu Ram, who took him to the fields and sodomised him. A case has been registered under Section 377 of the IPC against Vinod on the complaint of Pawan, father of the victim.

REWARI
Youth held for abduction: The Khol police has arrested Rajbir of Pali village, who had allegedly eloped with a minor girl of Siha village on April 24. Simultaneously, the police recovered the abducted girl as well. Rajbir was produced in the court of JMIC Vievk Goyal, who remanded him in judicial custody on Saturday. The girl was also medically examined. Consequently, Section 376 of rape has now been added to the FIR, which was earlier registered for abduction, coupled with seduction, against the accused. Rajbir, who was a frequent visitor to Siha village, had developed intimacy with the girl following which he enticed her away on April 24.

Kavi sammelan: Poets from various parts of Haryana and Rajasthan participated in a kavi sammelan held under the auspices of the Yuva Shyam Seva Sangh in Kosli on Saturday. Eight poets regaled the audience with humorous poetic compositions. While noted Haryanvi poet Halchal Haryanvi sarcastically targeted Pakistan for abetting and aiding terrorism much to the chagrin of India, poetess Laj Kaushal decisively assailed corruption, which was eating into the vitals of the Indian society. Similarly, while Ajay Akinchan shed versified tears over the growing wretchedness of the Indian peasantry, young Haryanvi poet Alok Bhandoria graphically recited woes of child marriage in his poetic composition.

Motorcycle looted: Three motorcycle-borne armed miscreants looted a motorcycle, two mobile phones and Rs 300 at gunpoint from a youth on the Garhi Bolni-Pithanwas road, on Friday evening. The incident took place when Yadvender Yadav was on his way to Pithanwas village. On a complaint filed by the victim, the Kasaula police has registered a case in this regard. 

SONEPAT
Quota for women: The posts of the chairman of Murlana and Gannaur block samitis have been reserved for women. Out of which the post of Murlana block samiti chairman has been reserved for the woman belonging to the SCs. This was decided after a draw was taken out on Thursday under the supervision of Additional Deputy Commissioner Dr SS Dalal. The names of Kathura and Kharkhoda block samitis were not included in the draw as these were reserved for women during the 2005 elections of the panchayati raj institutions.