R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Abohar
Coop bank staff stage protest:The Punjab State Cooperative Bank Employees Federation will organise a rally at Moga on February 19. The employees observed a strike today and sat on dharna at the head office of the Fazilka Central Cooperative Bank here on the new grain market road. District president of the Federation Sukhwinder Singh criticised the state government for denying wages to the staff of the cooperative banks as per the revised grades. He regretted that promotions were denied to the old staff.

Bathinda
2 held with opium:The Counter-Intelligence wing here has nabbed two alleged drug smugglers, who brought the booty from Sirsa in Haryana and sold it off in Ferozepur and adjoining areas at double the price. The two smugglers have been identified as Malkiat Singh and Chinder Singh of Jalalabad. The cops recovered 1.5 kg opium from them. They had bought the contraband from Sirsa for Rs 30,000 and allegedly sold it to drug addicts for Rs 60,000. 

CHANDIGARH

CHANDIGARH
Man threatened at gunpoint: A business rivalry went awry after a Sector 27 resident was threatened at gunpoint at his residence today. The police has arrested Saurab Libra, a Sector 27 resident, for allegedly threatening Ranjodh Singh at gunpoint inside his house last night. Two relatives of Saurab, Sonu and Anhad, were also booked in this regard. The police said that in his complaint to the police Ranjodh alleged the trio entered his house forcefully and beat him up and also threatened him at gunpoint. A case was registered at the Sector 26 police station.

Boy goes missing: Abhishek (14), resident of Sector 19-C, has gone missing from his residence. The police suspect that he has been kidnapped and a case under Section 363 of the IPC has been registered.In case of any clue the police control room or police station, Sector 19, can be contacted.

RS 18,000 taken away: Occupants of a three-wheeler snatched Rs 18,000 from a resident of Nayagaon. Vahidas Pandue, reported to the police that he had been robbed. A case has been registered.

JAMMU & KASHMIR

Jammu
Guv appoints Khoda as CVC: Governor NN Vohra has appointed Kuldeep Khoda as the Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) and RK Jerath as the Vigilance Commissioner in the State Vigilance Commission. These appointments shall take effect from the ate the officers assume charge of the posts in the State Vigilance Commission. 

DEHRADUN

Dehradun
Quake jolts Garhwal, no casualty: An earthquake of moderate intensity today shook the Garhwal region and its adjoining areas in the hill state of Uttarakhand. However, there were no reports of any loss of life or damage to property. The quake, measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale, occurred at 4.19 pm, state MeT Director Anand Sharma said. Panic-stricken residents rushed out of their houses as the temblor jolted the Garhwal region, including Mussoorie and Dehradun, he said.