The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
Girl takes poison: Dipika (17), daughter of Lekh Ram of Guga Mohda village under the Kapahada gram panchayat near Ghumarwin in the district, reportedly took poison following which she was taken to the Regional Hospital here. She was referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, where she died. Dipika was a student of Class XI at Government Senior Secondary School, Kapahada. She was appearing in her annual examination these days.

Sleepers seized: The Ghumarwin police has arrested a Nepalese national, Ramu, son of Khadak Bahadur, and has impounded a truck after it seized 12 pine sleepers from it said to have been cut and smuggled from a nearby government forest. The police intercepted the truck on the Badi Manjhedwan-Kotla road and seized the timber.

Highway expansion: The Himachal State Pollution Control Board has invited suggestions, views, comments and objections from the public regarding the proposed expansion plan to upgrade and rehabilitate the National Highway No. 21 (Chandigarh-Manali) between Bilaspur town and Ner Chowk in Mandi district, a stretch of 52-km road, by April 22.

HAMIRPUR
Pvt schools: The CPM has demanded a policy to regulate the fee structure and working conditions of teachers in private schools in the state. Party leaders Kashmir Singh Thakur and Joginder Kumar said on the one hand the managements of private schools were charging exorbitant fees from students and on the other teachers working in these schools were being paid paltry wages. The CPM has asked the government to form a regulatory commission to regulate the fee structure of private schools and fix salaries of teachers on a par with government schoolteachers.

KANGRA
Cong plans rallies: The Congress has chalked out a programme to hold five big rallies, like the recent rally at Jawali in Kangra district, to expose the “misdeeds” of the BJP government during its past four-year tenure. This was disclosed by Chander Kumar, former MP, while addressing a press conference here on Thursday.

Mandi/Kullu
Officer held on bribe charge:The state Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, Mandi, today caught district treasury officer, Kullu, Vishal Raghuvashi on a charge of taking a bribe of Rs 1,000 for clearing medical and other bills of some employees of the block medical office, Jari.Acting on a complaint, a Vigilance team laid a trap and caught the officer with a bribe amount of Rs 1,000.

NURPUR
Husband booked: Following a complaint of Shrishta Devi (26), wife of Sham Singh of Thana village, the local police on Thursday lodged an attempt-to-murder case against her husband who allegedly set her on fire a day earlier after having an altercation with her. The police said the victim sustained around 40 per cent burn injuries and was rushed to the local Civil Hospital from where she was referred to the Tanda Medical College, Kangra. A case has been registered against the husband.

Shimla
IT offices open today:All offices of the Income Tax Department located in the state will remain open tomorrow, being the last day of the financial year. A spokesperson for the department said receipt counters would function as per normal working hours.

Red Cross Mela: The Himachal Pradesh Red Cross Hospital Welfare Section has decided to hold the annual Red Cross Mela here on June 9. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Red Cross held here on Thursday. The meeting was presided over by Madhu Bindal, vice-chairperson. She said the World Red Cross Day falling on May 8 would also be celebrated.

SOLAN
Pradhan suspended: Deputy Commissioner C Palrasu has suspended Barog panchayat pradhan Sunita Sultanpuri following an inquiry conducted by the ADM wherein she was found to have deliberately withheld the payment of a contractor for months together. The DC said she was found to have deliberately withheld a payment of Rs 1.25 lakh to the contractor, who had constructed a link road in September.

DEHRADUN

Kumaon Briefs

Poor waste management poses problem: Residents of the Sat Taal area of Nainital district are agitated over the poor waste management in the region, which is a tourist destination. The residents have alleged that the local civic body has failed to maintain proper sanitation in the area and the garbage heaps have become an eyesore for everyone visiting the area. They have demanded that an immediate waste-disposal plan be put into effect in the area.

Trader shot at: Three motorcycle-borne youth shot at a trader in Kashipur and fled with the bag in which he was carrying money. The incident took place on Thursday when 38-year-old Rajendra Arora of the Niwas Nagar locality was returning home on his scooter after closing his shop near Maharana Pratap Chowk. It was near the alley close to his house that his scooter was hit by a motorcycle coming from behind. Once he had fallen, the youths fired at him and fled with the bag containing the cash which is said to be in lakhs. The police investigations are on in the matter.

Elephants block road: Residents along the Sitabani route on the fringe of the Jim Corbett National Park are scared of the forays being made by elephant heads in the area. On Thursday, a herd arrived on the main road, bringing the traffic movement to a halt for over an hour. It was only after Forest Department officials fired in the air that the elephants went back into the forest. There are also reports of elephant herds being seen near the Sunderkhal, Mohan and Bhakrakot areas.

Four held for burglary: The Haldwani police claims to have solved the burglary case that had taken place a few days ago in an electronics showroom on the Nainital road. Four of the accused have been arrested in the matter pertaining to theft of LCD television sets amounting to several lakhs. Those arrested include Sanjay Thakur of Badayun, Sarfaraz of Meerut, Dharamveer of Aligarh and Farman of Delhi. All the four had been residing in Delhi for the past few months. One of their accomplices is still to be nabbed. The accused had used hi-tech cutters to break into the showroom and steal the television sets. Their modus operandi has been to carry out a detailed survey of their target before carrying out the burglary. Further investigations are on in the matter.

Youth drowns in Gomti river: A youth was killed after he drowned in the Gomti river near Thukura village of the Garud area of Bageshwar district. The deceased has been identified as 17-year-old Joro Bahadur Bhandari of Narakotha village in Markani district of Nepal. He had come to the area in search of employment with his uncle. The two had been residing in Simar village. It was during a quarrying operation that he ventured into the waters of the river and drowned.

(Compiled by Rajeev Khanna)