Regional Beat 8212; Chandigarh

Crime
Ambala: Sub-Inspector Darshan Pal Singh and ASI Baljit Singh posted at station house office, Ambala Sadar, have been booked for accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 for excluding four of the eight persons involved in a murder case of Devinagar village here. The cases have been registered following an enquiry conducted by the DSP, Headquarters. The then DIG, Deepa Mehta, had ordered the enquiry or the complaint made by one Balbir Singh. The accused were then placed under suspension pending the enquiry.

Rohtak: Deputy Magistrate Arun Kumar Singal today remanded all the four accused in the Devender Coach murder case to judicial custody till July 22, here. The accused 8211; Rajiv, Rajesh, Pawan and Yashpal 8211; were produced in the court this morning by the police, with an application seeking extension of their remand for five more days. The defence counsel vehemently opposed the police plea saying that recoveries had already been effected. The magistrate sent the accused to judicial custody with the directions that they should be produced in the court of ilaqa magistrate on July 22.

Protest
Nahan: The HP Forest Ranger Association, in a statement issued here today, has strongly protested the transfer of its general secretary, Sant Ram Rana. Pradeep Kumar Sharma, general secretary, Nahan Circle, alleged that officers of the Kandi project, Nahan, did not like hindrances in the purchases made for the project in a wrongful manner and had a hand in the transfer.

Amritsar: The members of Punjab State Welfare Forum PSPWF will sit in dharna on July 12 under the leadership of Avtar Singh Afat, president PSPWF to protest against the indifferent attitude of the government in releasing the notification for accepted demands and to set up the anomaly committee to consider the remaining left out demands of the pensioners.

Patiala: The Punjab Union of Journalists has decided to boycott the function being organised by the National Union of Journalists at Mandi Gobindgarh on July 12 alleging that the NUJ had not taken the state unit into confidence before finalising the function which is to be attended among others by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Odds and Ends
Amritsar: In a press release here, Lakshmi Kanta Chawla, sitting BJP MLA has alleged that Guru Nanak Dev Hospital had given the shop on rent for Rs 680 per month which was further sublet for Rs 6,000 per month by flouting all rules.She further alleged that medicines were sold at higher prices than that recommended.

Bathinda: In a significant development three Beopar Mandals of Punjab merged into one yesterday. A press note issued by the Mandal press Secretary R.D. Gupta said the office-bearers and working partners of the new mandal would be announced shortly.

Shimla: The National Highway between Manali in Kullu district and Leh Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir was reopened for light vehicles today after remaining blocked for nine months due to heavy snowfall in the area.

Roopnagar: Senior branch manager of LIC Surjit Singh has lauded the performance of R.S. Saini, whose agency has procured business of more than Rs 1 crore in 84 days. According to a press release issued here, Saini has procured the business of Rs 1,01,20,000.

Nahan: Kirpal Singh Thakur, president, Himachal Government College Teachers Association, in a statement issued here today, expressed serious concern over the appointment of an IAS officer as Director, Education. He said that association had urged Chief Minister P. K. Dhumal not to deviate from the existing practice as it would affect the interest of teachers and the working of the department.

Roopnagar: A water supply scheme sponsored by the Gujarat Ambuja Cements Ltd was inaugurated at Daburji village near here. According to an official release, DC Kulbir Singh Sidhu inaugurated the scheme having a project cost of Rs 7.50 lakh.

Palampur: 6Scientists of Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, in a press release today, have advised farmers to adopt protection measures to safeguard their crop from 8220;paddy hispa8221;, a pest, after it was noticed in paddy nursery and fields in Mundla, Sunehar, Barai and Sanloti villages in Kangra district. The farmenrs have been cautioned to spray their crop with Metacid 50 EC or Simithion 50 EC in case of an attack by the pest. If need be, they can repeat the spraying after 20 days.

Nahan: The Himachal Pradesh Forest Ranger Association has registered a protest regarding the sanction of washing allowance at par with peons, drivers, constables etc at the rate of Rs 30 per month. The association, instead of rejecting the sanctioned allowance, has decided to donate it to the Chief Minister Relief Fund every month.

Amritsar: Punjab Pradesh Youth Congress has welcomed the appointment of Amrinder Singh as president, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee and expressed gratitude towards All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi. In a statement Jasbir Singh Dimpa, president Punjab Youth Congress said the Congress would get a new lease of life under the leadership of Amarinder Singh. He said the Punjab YC would gherao the Punjab secretariat in protest against the steep hike in passenger fare, octroi taxes and government8217;s failure to supply 200 units free electricity to weaker sections.

Conference
Amritsar: Triune Overseas Universities and Colleges Admission Services to held a conference here to explain the services provided by them to the deserving students for higher education overseas. They help students return to India armed with an internationally recognised degree/diploma, to land jobs in various multinational and transnational companies. This was disclosed by a official spokesman of TOUCAS.

Crime
Shimla: The acquittal of a shopkeeper has been set aside and he has been sentenced to three months imprisonment for selling adulterated milk by Justice Surinder Sarup of the HP High Court. The accused, Ram Lal of Baru village, Hamirpur, was convicted by a judicial magistrate and awarded six months term. The sessions judge, however, reversed the conviction on the ground that the pot containing milk was not properly shaken by the food inspector before purchasing it. The High Court observed that there was clear evidence on record that the inspector had stirred the milk and made it homogeneous before taking the sample.