R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Bathinda
Mega job fair held at BFGI : The Department of Training & Placement of Baba Farid Group of Institutions (BFGI) conducted a mega job fair on its campus here today. A huge walk-in of above 2,400 students was registered. Over 600 students were shortlisted by companies at the fair. More than 50 companies visited the fair. 

chandigarh
Youth invited for UN meet: Pritpal Singh Baliawal, managing director of PAI Enterprises, has been invited to participate in the United Nations Economic and Social Council Partnership Forum to be held on April 24 at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York. In the forum, two policy dialogues on "Partnerships for Sustainability" and "The Changing Face of Innovation" will be held. There will also be four partnership clinics for promoting services, technology and innovations.

Ludhiana
NHRC summons DC: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has summoned Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Rahul Tiwari to appear in person before the panel on May 28 at its office in New Delhi in connection with the death of a convict, Heera Singh, at the Ludhiana Central Jail on October 13 last year. The commission has also reportedly directed the Deputy Commissioner to submit details of the magisterial probe and post-mortem examination. 

Sandalwood seizure: 1 held: The Customs Department on Saturday arrested a person in the red sandalwood seizure case. The department is conducting raids at several places after getting clues from a diary seized from the accused. The person was arrested from a godown on the Doraha-Sahnewal road where the sandalwood meant for export was stored.

Muktsar
52 held under NDPS Act: The police claims to have arrested 52 persons under the NDPS Act in the last three days. The arrests were made as part of a special drive launched by the state government to curb the menace of drugs. About 212 kg of poppy husk, 1,460 gm sedative powder, 68 gm opium, 8,110 tablets, 216 capsules and 215 injections were also seized. Senior Superintendent of Police Surjeet Singh said, "All policemen deployed in the district have been directed not to spare anyone involved in the drug trade."

Patiala
NRI booked for fraud: The Patiala police has booked an NRI Jagraj Singh from Jalandhar for fraud. Local resident Davinderpal Kaur complained to the police that Jagraj took money from her on the pretext of sending her son and nephew to Canada. A case has been registered at Passiana police station following an inquiry by the Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police.

Life term for raping minor: Additional Sessions Judge Jatinder Kaur on Saturday sentenced Rajwinder Singh (30) to life imprisonment for raping a minor. A fine of Rs 50,000 was also slapped on the convict. A resident of Sanjay Colony at Ghalauri Gate in the city, Rajwinder had committed the crime in October 2011.

Tarn Taran
Man killed in accident: Dilbag Singh (28), a resident of Chutala village, was killed in a road accident near Khabbe Dorgan village on Friday. The deceased was riding a motorcycle which he allegedly rammed into a truck parked in the middle of the road. The Sadar police has registered a case against Mangat Ram of Rajasthan, the driver of the truck.

HARYANA

Kurukshetra
1 killed in accident: Gurbaksh Singh of Rasulpur Saiyada village of Patiala district of Punjab was killed in an accident that took place near Shanti Nagar Kurari village, near here, while Satnam Singh of the same village was injured when their motor cycle was hit by a truck on Friday. Thana Jhansa police has registered a case. 

Duped of Rs 27 lakh: The police has registered a case against Sanjeev Kumar, resident of Harigarh Borakh, Tabraj Alam of Khizrabad and Dr Javed of Benaras for allegedly duping Puran Singh of Harigarh Borakh of Rs 27 lakh on the pretext of sending him abroad. 

Man held for duping: The police has registered a case against three persons for allegedly duping a person of Rs 27 lakh on the pretext of sending him abroad. District police chief Rakesh Kumar Arya on Saturday said that Puran Singh, a resident of Harigarh Borakh, had lodged a complaint with the police alleging that Sanjeev Kumar, resident of Harigarh Borakh, Tabraj Alam, resident of Khizrabad, and Dr Javed, resident of Benaras, had duped him of Rs 27 lakh for sending him abroad on or before June 15, 2012, but neither did he send him abroad 

Sirsa
Self-immolation attempt: A woman allegedly attempted suicide after pouring kerosene on herself after a team of the panchayat department and police demolished her jhuggi near the auto market area here. The police nabbed the woman just when she about to light a matchstick. 

JAMMU & KASHMIR

Jammu
Woman acquitted of murder charge: A local court on Saturday acquitted Anu Devi and her brother of charges of abetment to suicide in the case of death of Anu devi’s husband Priti Ram. The deceased had committed suicide by hanging himself at his house. The mother of the deceased had filed a complaint against the two on February 20, 2005.

DEHRADUN

Almora
MLA’s death mourned: The death of former Congress MLA Rama Pant was mourned in Almora and Ranikhet on Saturday. “Rama Pant, who died three days ago due to Milo plastic syndrome disease, was from a veteran freedom fighter’s family of Almora district. She had been an MLA from the town. She continued to serve the people and remained in touch with various women empowerment movements even after her retirement from politics,” said PC Joshi, a veteran journalist of Almora.

Poll officers being briefed on EVMs in Dehradun on Saturday.

Dehradun
EVMs inspected: The district election authorities on Saturday inspected electronic voting machines as part of preparations for the civic body poll. Dehradun District Election Officer BVRC Purshottam presided over the meeting of poll officials and issued necessary directives towards ensuring free and fair poll

'Recharge natural water': Potable Water Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani has stressed on recharge of natural water springs in the state. Presiding over a meeting in Dehradun, Naithani said the fast depleting natural water resources, particularly in the hilly areas of the state, were a matter of concern.

Water scarcity: With rising temperatures, Dehradun has started facing acute water scarcity. Several localities like Kedarpuram, Arcadia Grant and Banjarawala have already started facing water scarcity. 

Haldwani
Permission for campaigning: More than 168 candidates contesting for the seats of ward member in the Haldwani Nagar Nigam have been given permission by the administration to hold public meetings and processions in the town. “The candidates have been allowed to hold public meetings and do campaigning on cycle-rickshaws keeping the model code of conduct in mind,” said AK Verma, returning officer in Haldwani.

Kashipur
Ticket allocation row in BJP: Former Union minister and BJP leader Bachi Singh Rawat has said the party high command has made mistakes in the allocation of ticket for the civic body election this time. “The party high command ignored the suggestions made by some senior party workers in the selection of the candidate from Kashipur, causing dissatisfaction among them. They are now supporting an Independent candidate in Kashipur,” said Rawat.

Nainital
Rs 60 crore for power works: Power Finance Corporation has approved Rs 60 crore for improving power transmission in Nainital, Haldwani and Ramnagar towns. According to sources, the works to replace heavy transformers with light ones, old electricity lines with new wires and planting insulated wires to check electricity theft will be started in the towns soon. “Consumers will be able to get rid of low voltage, besides frequent burning of transformers,” said CR Goswami, chief engineer, Uttarakhand Power Corporation.

Someshwar
Water crisis in villages: Tins carrying drinking water are selling at Rs 20 each in Someshwar town after the lone hand pump catering to the needs of nearby villages went out of operation. Local shopkeepers say besides the market, adjoining Pyulu and Hrtol villages are facing a drinking water crisis. “Even water taps have gone dry as the supply lines have been damaged. The local administration has done nothing to give relief to the people,” said Rajendra Kaira, a shopkeeper.

(Compiled by BD Kasniyal)