In Brief

11.5 quintals of poppy husk seized
NAHAN: The excise inspector of Paonta Sahib seized 11.5 quintals of poppy husk from a truck at the Behral barrier,near here,while checking a truck loaded with vegetables. The contraband was packed in 16 bags. Excise officials said the driver and the conductor managed to escape,adding that the value of the seized poppy husk was estimated to be over Rs 2 crore. The police said a hunt had been launched to arrest the culprits. They said the truck was coming from Yamunanagar to Paonta Sahib. In another case,the Paonta police checked five trucks and found 65 animals being unlawfully taken to Uttarakhand. One animal was found dead. The trucks have been impounded and the drivers booked.

Kangra miniature paintings on display
SHIMLA: A new generation of artists is working in the state to rejuvenate the dying art of Kangra miniature paintings that flourished in the state between 17th and 19th centuries. The effort initiated by the Kangra Arts Promotion Society three years ago has resulted in grooming of 20 young artists who have adopted Kangra miniature painting as part of their livelihood. The students were trained for one year at the Chitera Art School in Kangra being run by the society. A three-day exhibition of their work started at the Gaiety Theatre on Wednesday. Ambassador of Switzerland to India,Philippe Weltil inaugurated the exhibition. Chief Secretary Asha Swarup and Panjab University Professor B N Goswamy were also present. The paintings are based on three themes of Bara Masa,Raag Mala and Bihari Satsai — featuring Lord Krishna and Radha.

Plea challenging IGMC admission procedure: Hearing in HC on May 4
SHIMLA: The petition challenging the new criteria adopted by the government for making admission to post graduate course in various faculties of Indira Gandhi Medical College Shimla has been adjourned till next Tuesday. Asking the government to clearly state its policy for reservation for general duty officers (GDOs) — doctors serving in the peripheral health institutions — the Division Bench of Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice R B Mishra listed the matter for May 4.

Recovery officer arrested by CBI
Chandigarh: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday nabbed a recovery officer of the Debt Recovery Tribunal while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 for issuing a sale certificate for a property. A complaint was received by the Anti-Corruption Branch,CBI,regarding the corruption prevalent in Debt Recovery Tribunal at Chandigarh. The accused,SS Kalra,was nabbed on the complaint of Amarnath Goel,a resident of Panchkula.

BTech student commits suicide
MOHALI: The body of Anurag Gupta,a BTech student,in his early twenties,was found hanging from the hook of a ceiling fan at his house in Phase IX here on Wednesday,the police said. Anurag was pursuing his studies from a private college in Mandi Gobindgarh. His mother Kiran Bala,who works with an insurance company,told the police that when she returned home from work,she was shocked to find Anurag’s body. In the absence of any suicide note,the exact cause of suicide was yet to be ascertained. Anurag’s father works in Faridabad. The police have initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC.

Property dispute with wife: SHO gets notice
CHANDIGARH: Janak Rana,station house officer of the Sector-39 police station,has been issued a notice on a contempt application for not obeying the orders of a lower court order in a property dispute with his wife. The court of Civil Judge S K Sharma has issued a notice for May 17. Complainant Avtar Kaur,who lives in one part of the house in Sector 37D,alleged that her husband (Rana) has been trying to dispossess her from the house. She has,however,got a stay from the court and filed a suit for permanent injection for restraining Rana from harassing,torturing and threatening her.

New traffic policy in Patiala from May
PATIALA: To help reduce road accidents in the city,the Patiala district administration is implementing a new traffic policy in the town effective from May 1. The new plan aims at reducing accidents and decongesting main areas of the town,especially markets besides carving out one-way routes. These one-way routes would be enforced from 8 am to 8 pm. As per the new plan,one-way traffic would be enforced in the areas from Lahori gate to Arya Samaj Chowk; Tawakali Mor to Qila Chowk; Fountain Chowk to Sai Market on Lower Mall and from Gopal Sweets chowk to railway crossing and Thapar University. This zone will also be a tow-away zone and any vehicle found parked along the road would be sequested by the police. Besides,goods put up by shopkeepers outside their shops would also be confiscated and shopkeepers challaned. Rehris would also not be allowed to put up at stationary points on this zone.

First case under Senior Citizens Act registered
Chandigarh: The first case under the Senior Citizens Act,2007,was registered against Sector-27 resident for allegedly harassing his 87-year-old father. The police have registered a case under Section 25 and 26 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act against the complainant’s son for harassing and displacing his octogenarian father from his ancestral house. Madan Mohan Goswami of Sector 27,who retired as joint director of Haryana Public Relations,accused his younger son Kamal Goswami,a foreman in the Haryana Printing Press,Sector 6,Panchkula,of displacing him from his house by assaulting him several times and subjecting him and his wife,who died in January this year,to cruelty. Goswami in his complaint to the court said that he is in possession of one-third share in the ancestral house. He recently approached the estate office to get the share transferred in his name,but was advised to approach the court. However,the accused has denied the allegations and said that he never subjected his father to any sort of harassment.

Auction of Le Corbusier sketches in Paris: Lawyer seeks probe
CHANDIGARH: Alleging irregularity on part of UT officials for their failure to stop an auction of Le Corbusier’s sketches in Paris,city-based advocate,Arvind Thakur,has filed a complaint with the Central Vigilance Commission as well as the CBI to investigate the matter. On February 17 this year,a notice was sent by the UT Administration to stop the auction to the Director Selling House,Nicolas Orlowski,Paris. However,the auction had already taken place. “Due to corruption,the precious sketches and carvings of the great architect have been smuggled to Paris which have been sold for more than Rs 7.4 crore.”