R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Abohar
International Wetlands Day observed: International Wetlands Day was observed at Telupura, the native village of Asian Paralympics gold winner Sanjeev Kumar, on Sunday. Nearly 60 children participated in the poster-making competition on wetlands and aquatic biodiversity. Reshma, Renu and Vikas bagged the top three positions and were awarded prizes.

Bathinda
AAP to support protesting teachers: District general secretary of the Aam Admi Party, Bilas Chand Gupta, today announced support for the agitating teachers following reports of a lathicharge on them by the police. Bilas Chand, while condemning the incident, said he would go and meet the agitating teachers tomorrow. "I got a phone call from the state body of the party advising me to discuss the issue of lathicharge on the teachers with the protesters," he said. The AAP leader added that the issue of dealing with the teachers with an iron hand is condemnable and they would not tolerate the police action on the teachers. "If need be, we would support the teachers and hold meetings to spread the message of the agitators among the voters in the coming general elections," he said.

One booked for assault on woman: Police today booked a resident of Mati Das Nagar for injuring a woman. In her complaint to the police, a woman residing in Maharaja Hotel Street near Fauji Chowk, complained that Amanpreet Singh entered her house forcefully and tried to force her to have relations with her. Police said a case in this connection has been registered in this connection under sections 452, 324, 323 and 506 of the IPC at the Kotwali police station.

Two booked for demanding dowry from woman: Police today registered a case under sections 498-A and 406 of the IPC against two persons, Suresh Kumar and Kamla Devi, for demanding dowry. In her complaint to the police, Sunita, a resident of Paras Ram Nagar, complained that the duo demanded dowry from her after her marriage. She complained that the accused disposed of the gifts given to her at the time of her marriage. Police said though a case has been registered against the accused, no arrests have been made so far.

Chandigarh
Ghadar Party centenary: The CPM will observe the centenary of the Ghadar Party on February 4, near Jama Masjid in Sector 20 here. In a statement issued here on Sunday, CPM state secretary Charan Singh Virdi said a public meeting on the occasion would be addressed by Sitaram Yechury, senior politburo member, besides state secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

Hoshiarpur
3 held with narcotics: The district police have arrested three drug peddlers and seized a large quantity of banned drugs and poppy husk. Harjot Singh of Ajnoha was held with several habit-forming medicines in large quantity. Sanjiv Sharma of Bahadurpur was arrested for carrying 2 kg of poppy husk. In another case, 1.5 kg of poppy husk was seized from Raj Kumar of Krishna Nagar. Separate cases were registered against them.

Nawanshahr
Sect organises free eye check-up camp: The Maharaj Brahma Nand Bhuriwale Garib Dassi Trust organised 34th free eye check-up camp at Rattewal village in the district on Sunday.

Patiala
Lecture on farming: Mohindra Divinity Club of Government Mohindra College organised an extension lecture on “Integrated Farming and the Marginal Farmer”. Mandeep Singh of Thapar University, the key speaker, exhorted the audience to resort to natural farming and shun chemical manure and pesticides.

Ropar
Ropar admn organises ‘Joy Walk’: The district administration organised a "Joy Walk" on the World Wetland Day at Sadabrat Nature Trail here today. It highlighted the sorry state of affairs at Sadabrat Nature Trail, which was set up to promote eco-tourism five years ago at a cost of Rs 20 lakh on 72 acres in Sadabrat Forest on the banks of the Sirhind canal. It now lays covered in wild grass with the medicinal saplings on either side of the 1.5-km-long trail dried up.

Sangrur
5 held for stealing rice: The Moonak police arrested five persons while stealing 245 bags of rice from a godown on the Lehal Kalan-Jawahar Road, 10 km from Moonak, on Saturday night. The accused have been identified as Hawa Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Kuwinder Singh and Krishan Murari, all employees of a firm managing the godown, and Balkar Singh, a security guard. They were produced in a Sunam court on Sunday that remanded them in police custody for three days.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CHAMBA
2 arrested for felling deodar tree: Forest officials of the Masroond range in Chamba district, headed by Range Officer Balkrishan, who were on a routine night patrolling in Pukhri block, caught two persons red-handed while felling a deodar tree on Friday night. The accused, both residents of Mani village, were felling the tree in the Sukretha demarcated protected forest (DPF) under the Kiani beat. Sources said the logs and the saw used for felling the tree were seized and taken into custody by the officials. The value of the axed tree was put at Rs 77,000.

The illegally felled deodar tree in the Sukretha forest in Chamba on Saturday.

NAHAN
Industry Minister visits Nahan foundry: Industry and Labour & Employment Minister Mukesh Agnihotri visited the Nahan foundry recently and took stock of the situation arising out of its closure. Plans to put its infrastructure to alternative use are afoot. He directed PWD officials and the district administration to explore possibilities of making use of its infrastructure and chalk out a plan and submit it to the government. This public sector enterprise has been lying closed for quite some time now.

JAMMU & KASHMIR

Srinagar
65-yr-old man found dead: The police have recovered the body of a 65-year-old unidentified man from Maloora on the outskirts of the city here. The body was recovered on Saturday evening, a police spokesman said. The police have initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC to ascertain the cause of his death and also sought information from the public to help ascertain the identity of the deceased.

Mushtaq retires as CAPD Director: Mir Mushtaq Ahmad was accorded a warm farewell on his superannuation as the Director of the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CA&PD) Department, Kashmir. Joint Director of CA&PD AR War lauded the efforts of Ahmad towards streamlining the department and bringing transparency during his two-year tenure as the director. In his address, Ahmad thanked the officers and other staff members for extending cooperation during his service.