R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Chandigarh
Ramesh to address Punjab MLAs: Union Rural Development Minister Jai Ram Ramesh will address a conference on rural development policy and interact with all state MLAs at Punjab Bhawan on Saturday. A spokesperson said Ramesh would apprise members of the Legislative Assembly of various Central schemes and programmes under the Ministry of Rural Development.

Ferozepur
Businessman, sons commit suicide: A businessman hailing from Zira, Amandeep Singh along with his two sons, Arshdeep Singh (12) and Gurnoor (8), allegedly committed suicide after they jumped into the Rajasthan feeder canal on the Ferozepur-Zira road on Wednesday. Amandeep, who belongs to Thatha Kishan Singh village, was under depression. Sources said Amandeep first pushed his two sons into the canal and later jumped himself. The body of Arshdeep has been recovered and a search was on to recover the bodies of the other two. 

Moga
Official arrested in `8-cr paddy scam: Zora Singh, a member of the Ferozepur Cantonment Board, whose name figured in the Rs 8-crore paddy scam unearthed in December 2009, was arrested by the crime branch of the state police on Wednesday. Jaipal Singh, SP (crime), said Zora Singh would be produced in a local court in Ferozepur on Thursday. "We will be seeking his police remand for one week further investigation," he said. 

Moga man kills drug-addict son:  A man allegedly shot dead his son at Daatta village in the district on Tuesday night. The police said the deceased, Sarbjit Singh (27), was a drug addict and often used to quarrel with his father, Aman Singh, over the division of family property. When Sarbjit allegedly tried to crush his father under a tractor, Amar took out his gun and shot at his son. Sarbjit was hit on his head. He died on the spot. A case of murder has been registered against Amar Singh, who is at large, on the complaint of deceased's wife.

HARYANA

New Delhi
Jail inmate on the run held: A man who allegedly escaped from a Haryana jail was arrested here today. Manoj, alias Bukhara, who had escaped along with seven others from the Sonepat Jail in January was arrested from Rohini Sector-17 where he came to meet his associates.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Nurpur
Minor girl abducted: A minor girl from Bhalakh village under Indora police station was allegedly abducted by Kamal, son of Vijay Kumar of Bhadukhar. The victim’s mother in her complaint to the police had stated that the girl was missing from the house since May 1 and all efforts to trace her out had failed. DSP Rajinder Jaswal said following the complaint a case under Sections 363 and 366, IPC, had been registered today against accused Kamal.

DEHRADUN

Dehradun
Beach day at DPS: Delhi Public School today organised a beach day out for its tiny tots here. The campus was decked with the beach theme. Principal Sanjay K Singh initiated the party by making children wear their visors. They also danced on a Hawaiian number.

Kumaon Briefs

Patwaris held hostage: Residents of Devdwar village near Bhimtal on Tuesday held two patwaris hostage for the delay in turning up at the village for investigating a theft of computers from a school. The villagers were agitated as the patwaris came on Tuesday even after the matter had been reported on Monday morning. They were taken hostage for about four hours. They were released only after the intervention of the local SDM and a police official from Bhimtal.

Body found from Naini Lake: A body was found from Naini Lake in Nainital on Wednesday. The deceased has been identified as Harish Chand, who was a resident of the Mangoli area near the town. He was employed at a local hotel and had been missing for the past few days. After a frantic search for him over the past few days, the members of his family reported the matter to the police on Tuesday. According to the police, he was in a depressed mood after his father’s death about a fortnight back.

Water shortage in Purnagiri: A massive water shortage is being reported from the areas around the prominent religious site of Purnagiri in Champawat district. The local administration has ordered the officials of the Jal Sansthan to make arrangements for supplying water to the area on priority basis. The officials of the sansthan have been saying that the scarcity is the result of some traders pilfering water from the main pipeline coming to the Purnagiri dham fair site. Efforts are being made to restore adequate water supply to the area.

Police personnel honoured: Leaders of the Bajrang Dal in the Bazpur area of Udham Singh Nagar have honoured the police personnel involved in checking the smuggling of bovine animals to Uttar Pradesh. Police officials Harish Mehra and Lakhan Singh, who are posted to Bazpur and Banna Khera, were given momentos at a function organised at the Ram Lila dharamshala in Bazpur town on Wednesday.

(Compiled by Rajeev Khanna)