R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Sangrur@@PSPCL asst engineer @@goes missing @@Additional Assistant Engineer Dharam Pal (48), posted at Rangian sub-division of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) in Dhuri area, was allegedly kidnapped on Friday. The victim was going to Rangian in his car. Sangrur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mandeep Sidhu said it was a case of suspected kidnapping. The engineer had phoned his family that he had been kidnapped by some people who demanded a ransom. The SSP said they were investigating the matter.@@Chandigarh@@Travel agents can now register till Dec 31@@The Punjab Government has extended the last date of registration of travel agents to December 31. The exercise has been made mandatory under the Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act, a government spokesperson said in a statement here on Friday. The earlier date was November 30. Principal Secretary (Home) SDS Bains said directions had been issued to keep tabs on illegal activities of several unscrupulous and unregistered travel agents who were exploiting gullible customers wishing to move abroad.@@Mandi Gobindgarh @@~93 lakh cheque to PSPCL bounces, two booked @@The Mandi Gobindgarh police have booked residents of Ambala city after their cheque worth Rs 93 lakh bounced. The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) had lodged a complaint in this regard. The police said the two accused were Vivek Sahni and Abhimanyu Sahni, residents of Kalal Majri, Ambala City and directors of a farm located in Mandi Gobindgarh. Their cheque to pay electricity bills of their farms was returned to PSPCL by the Punjab and Sind Bank. A case has been registered and no arrests have been made so far.@@Chandigarh@@29 farmer training @@camps organised @@Till date, 29 farmer training and awareness camps have been organised during Markfed’s campaign that was launched on November 14. An official press release said that the progress of farmers camps was reviewed by Dr Karmjit Singh Sra, Managing Director of Markfed, during a meeting of District Managers on Friday. Sra urged them to reach out to farmers.@@Sangrur@@Disciplinary action against @@absentees on cards @@Taking a serious note of employees coming late to the office, Sangrur Deputy CDr Indu Malhotra has formed several teams to check attendance records throughout the district. More than 220 employees and officers were found absent from duty during surprise checks in the district. The DC is planning on taking disciplinary action against latecomers and absentees. Around 75 employees were found absent from duty on November 26 in Sangrur. While on November 27, over a hundred staff members were found absent.

nawanshahr@@Mishaps: Residents blame heavy traffic@@Expressing concern over the rising road accidents in the district, mainly on the Rahon-Machhiwara and Rahon-Philalaur roads, representatives of various panchayats, political and social organisations on Friday submitted a memorandum to Additional Deputy Commissioner Amarjit Pal. They demanded immediate steps to curtail the movement of heavy traffic on busy roads.@@Hoshiarpur@@Book on NRIs’ problems, struggle released@@NRI writer from the UK Mohinder Singh Saini Tumber released his book "Fond memories and Living Realities" here on Friday. The book was released by president of District NRI Sabha Ajwinder Singh. He said the book was a successful attempt of Tumber to highlight the problems faced by NRIs settled across the world. The book also portrayed the stories of struggle and success of Punjabis abroad, he said.@@Hoshiarpur@@Two held for snatching incidents@@The police on Friday arrested two robbers who were allegedly involved in a number of snatching incidents in the recent past. The accused are Ashish Kumar of Guru Gobind Nagar and Harshdeep Singh of Deep Nagar. SSP Narinder Bhargav said the duo had snatched an earring of Gurjit Kaur of Tulsi Nagar a couple of days ago.