Regional Beat 8212; Chandigarh

Crime
Abohar: Two poppy husk smugglers, including a woman, were arrested by local police. As per police sources, a truck was intercepted near Rajpura village and on search poppy husk packed in four bags was seized. The driver of the truck ran away, but the conductor Gurcharan Singh, a resident of Kamalke village of Dharamkot police station, has been nabbed. In a separate incident, Jaswinder Kaur, a resident of Fatehgarh, was arrested from a Moga-bound bus and 5 kg poppy husk was recovered form her possession.

Jalandhar: Police today claimed to have nabbed a cheat Naresh Kumar who defrauded three local banks here of nearly 2.8 million by depositing cheques issued by foreign banks which were eventually dishonoured. Senior Superintendent of Police P.S. Gill said Rs 1.73 million were recovered after the police requested a court here to freeze the bank accounts of the accused where the booty was deposited. Naresh Kumar, who was arrested yesterday after remaining proclaimed offender since February this year, had deposited a cheque ostensibly issued by UK-based Midland Bank for 41,000 pounds, thus encashing Rs 2.36 million. Another cheque issued by National Westminster Bank, Bedford, for 6500 pounds was encashed from Allahabad Bank Branch at Civil Lines here, while a third of 2,000 pounds was deposited at Punjab National Bank8217;s Udham Singh Nagar branch.

Ludhiana: In a crackdown against violation of traffic rules, as many as 3,175 offenders were challaned in the district during September and Rs 15.43 lakhs were recovered as penalty. This was disclosed by Deputy Commissioner Arun Goel while presiding over a meeting of traffic control committee, here yesterday. Goel disclosed that to curb drunken driving, four breath analysers were being purchased at a cost of Rs 2 lakh. Out of these two would be deployed in the city while Jagraon and Khanna would have one each. The Deputy Commissioner directed the SP Traffic to ensure proper parking of vehicles at Mall Road and other congested commercial centres in the City.

Strike
Sundernagar: The Students Central Association of the Himachal Dental College here has decided to go on chain hunger strike from today to protest against state government8217;s apathy towards their demands. According to a press release, in a representation to Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal the students expressed concern over the state government8217;s inaction and failure of the management to assure students of a safe future.

Exam cancelled
Chandigarh: The Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank Limited has cancelled the test held for the posts of field officers at one of its centres, the Lajpat Rai Bhawan, here on September 27. The candidates who appeared at the Lajpat Rai Bhawan would now appear for a fresh examination on October 18 at 10 a.m at the same centre. According to an official press release, fresh roll numbers have been despatched to the candidates concerned.

Appointed
Chandigarh: The Punjab government has posted H. R. Chadha as DIG Computer against a vacant post. The previous order posting him as DIG investigation in the office of the Lok Pal stands cancelled, according to an official spokesman.

Elected
Chandigarh: The Punjab National Bank Employees8217; Union Haryana has elected the following office bearers through secret ballot: Prem Singh as president Faridabad; S.K. Rana as chairman Panipat, P.P.Ghai as general secretary Pinjore, J.K. Lalit as organising secretary Karnal and Rakesh Garg as treasurer Panipat. The election was at Karnal.