R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Amritsar
Ex-DIG among 3 jailed: A local court has awarded three-year imprisonment to three police officials, including a retired DIG, in a 16-year-old assault case. Retired DIG Sukhdayal Singh Bhullar, retired Inspector Balbir Singh and SP Ravinder Kumar Bakshi have been awarded the imprisonment. The assault complaint was made against the police officials by Sukhwinder Singh Bal and Raghubir Singh Bal, the then Deputy Commandants of the CRPF. The case pertains to December 31, 1997, when a clash had taken place between police and CRPF officials on the issue of entry to the Lawrence road here. While the court absolved Sukhwinder Singh Bal, Raghubir Singh Bal and Gurnam Singh in a case against them for assaulting police officials, the three police officials were convicted in the case.

Hoshiarpur
‘Make public report on drugs’ Dal Khalsa chief HS Dhami has demanded that the Punjab Government should make public a report on narcotic smuggling, which was submitted to it by former DGP (Prisons) Shashi Kant. Dhami was speaking at a rally organised to create awareness against drug menace, apostasy, criminalisation of politics, vulgarity in songs and violence against women. He also blamed the Centre for failing to check cross-border drug smuggling.

Ludhiana
3 booked for fraud: The Sarabha Nagar police has booked three persons for duping a woman in a land deal. The accused have been identified as Sarabjit Singh, Avtar Singh and Ajit Singh, all residents of Khanna. The incident took place on April 9. The case has been registered following an inquiry. Veena Aggarwal, a resident of Sarabha Nagar and owner of the land, stated that the accused had duped her and prepared a fake will. 

Patiala
Rural pharmacists end stir: Rural pharmacists and Class IV employees lifted their five-week-long dharna on Saturday after the Chief Minister assured them of addressing their demands by July 22. Among their demands are regularisation of their services and hike in salary.

Sangrur
Three killed in accident: Three persons were killed when the car they were in rammed into a tree on the Sangrur-Barnala road near Bahadurpur village, 8 km from here, on Saturday. The deceased have been identified as Amardeep Singh (22), a resident of Rampura Phul, who was behind the wheels, his relative Gurjit Kaur (28) of Rajia village in Barnala and her son Gurnoor Singh (8).

3 jailed in paddy case: A Malerkotla court on Saturday sentenced five persons to three years’ imprisonment in a 14-year-old paddy embezzlement case. Among those jailed are Malerkotla municipal council ex-chief Kewal Jindal, Punsup inspector Baldev Krishan, Aman Jindal, Surinder Kumar and Naresh Kumar.

Tarn Taran
3 held with poppy husk: The police has arrested three of a seven-member gang and seized 20 quintals of poppy husk loaded in a truck. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Raj Jit Singh Hundal said Rajbir Singh Raja of Harike, Mirja Singh of Jalloke and Jagtar Singh of Chohla Sahib had been arrested. He claimed the accused had brought the consignment from Kishangarh (Rajasthan) and were waiting for their customer at Thathian Mahantan village when they were arrested. The contraband was packed in 50 gunny bags. A case has been registered.

HARYANA

Faridabad
Protest held: Residents blocked the Saran Chowk in protest against erratic water supply. The agitators were mainly from Saran village, located in the NIT assembly constituency, which is represented by Haryana Labour Minister Shivcharan Sharma. The agitators raised anti-government slogans and blocked the traffic for about two hours. They squatted at the chowk, besides erecting barricade around it. They lifted the blockade after the Municipal Corporation officials assured to redress their grievances.

Kurukshetra
Husband booked: Usha, a resident of Jhirbari, in a complaint lodged with the police alleged that her husband Suresh had tried to kill her by sprinkling kerosene on her and setting her on fire. The Thanesar police has registered a case under Section 307 of the IPC against her husband.

Rewari
Woman ends life: Geeta Devi (25) committed suicide by hanging herself at Akeda village, near Dharuhera, recently. On the complaint of the deceased’s father, Vijender, the Dharuhera police has registered a case of dowry against her husband Moti Ram, father-in-law Ved Prakash, mother-in-law Bir Mati and two others, all residents of Akeda village. Vijender alleged that his daughter Geeta, who was married to Moti about six years ago, was harrased by her in-laws for dowry. 

Sonepat
Policeman killed: ASI Ved Prakash died on the spot when a Mahindra Xylo hit his motorcycle at the Beeswan Meel Chowk on the GT Road on Friday night. He was returning to his Patla village in the district after completing his duty at a police post set up at the Rajiv Gandhi Education City near Rai. The victim’s body has been sent to the local Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination. 

Liquor seized: The police raided a rented godown in the fields of Mimarpur Garhi village and seized 891 boxes of liquor on Friday. DSP Ajit Singh said the raid on the godown was conducted after a tip off. The police also arrested liquor contractor Randhir Singh of Kathura village. The DSP said during interrogation, the accused confessed that the liquor was purchased from Chandigarh and was to be supplied illegally in Uttar Pradesh.

DEHRADUN

Almora
Extension in service: Activists of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) along with officer-bearers of the students’ union protested in the front of the campus college on Saturday and demanded extension in service for contractual teachers. “The teachers have been given extension in service since year 2005 when the scheme was introduced. But this year they have been denied extension, resulting in a shortage of teachers on the campus and loss of income for them,” said Harish Singh Banola, district president, NSUI.

Bageshwar
Rescue kits: Rescue kits will be given to residents of the Malla Danpur area of Bageshwar district so that they could help stranded persons in the time of a crisis, District Magistrate, Bageshwar, BS Manral said on Saturday. Till date 500 packets of food had been distributed among the disaster-hit people and a channel of food supply was ready in the district to provide ration to them till September.

Champawat
Tea production begins: The production of tea has begun at Champawat and Nauti and the income from the sale of the produce is being deposited in bank accounts of the Uttarakhand Tea Board. Director of the tea board Akshat Gupta said here on Saturday. “After beginning production of tea, we are trying to look for markets where we could get the maximum price for our produce, which has unique qualities. We are also making a database of tea workers who are working in tea estates,” said Gupta.

Congress leaders observe the death anniversary of vetaran party leader Babu Jagjivan Ram in Dehradun on Saturday.

Dehradun
Tributes to Jagjivan Ram: Uttarakhand Congress workers paid tributes to former Union Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram on the occasion of the latter's death anniversary on Saturday. The function was held at the Congress Bhavan, Dehradun. Uttarakhand Congress vice-president Mahendra Pal Singh said the life of late Babu Jagjivan Ram would continue to inspire generations in the country. He said Babu Jagjivan Ram's contribution to the social justice had been immense and unparalleled. Party spokesman Dhirendra Pratap described Babu Jagjivan Ram as messiah for the deprived sections.

MP donates RS 10 lakh: Uttarakhand Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj has donated Rs 10 lakh from his MP discretionary fund. He has also donated his one month's salary to Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Maharaj has also appealed the people to donate generously for the flood ravaged victims. He also stressed on speedy conduct of the relief and the rehabilitation works. 

Sapling in victims’ memory: The Uttarakhand Rajya Andolankari Congress conducted plantation of tree sapling in the memory of deceased victims of rain disaster in the state on Saturday. The president of the andolankari, Jitendra Chauhan, said their organisation was also collecting donations as assistance for the relief activities.

Relief material: The office of the Chief Postmaster General, Dehradun, has directed all the post offices falling under the Uttarakhand postal circle for sending all the relief material free of cost till July 20. The Chief Postmaster General has also asked the postal officials to donate generously in the relief activities. 

Haldwani
Councillor attacked: Three persons attacked and injured Mohammad Gufran, a councillor of the Haldwani Nagar Nigam, on Friday evening. He was admitted to a local hospital. According to the police, one of the assailants has been arrested. “An old rivalry since the time of the Nagar Nigam election seems to be the reason behind the attack as the assailants are supporters of a candidate who had lost to Gufran in the election two months ago,” said the police.

Nainital
Road clearance hindered: Kumaon Commissioner RK Sudhunshu has said heavy machinery is required to clear roads in Dharchula and Munsiyari in disaster-hit Pithoragarh district as the present set of machines is unable to work fast, as required. “We still have to trace 22 persons in Pithoragarh and Bageshwar districts where infrastructure worth Rs 400 crore has been damaged,” he said.

Rudrapur
US Nagar ‘neglected’: BJP legislator Rajesh Shukla has accused the Congress-led state government of neglecting Udham Singh Nagar. He said only Rs 55.65 crore had been envisaged for the district plan in the current year. Shukla, who protested at a meeting of the District Planning Committee on Friday evening, said a budget of Rs 7 crore had been sanctioned for the repair of damaged roads in Rudrapur city which was not sufficient. “We have considered all proposals at the District Planning Committee meeting after a nod from the gram panchayat and the zila panchayat,” said Mantri Prasad Naithani, in-charge minister for the district.

(Compiled by BD Kasniyal)