in brief: Jan. 2011 fourth week

Dhumal flags off Una-Haridwar Link Express:

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister P K Dhumal flagged off at Una the Una-Haridwar Link Express which would provide direct train services between the two cities. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Dhumal urged the Union Railway Ministry to extend all trains reaching Nangal in Punjab up to Una in Himachal Pradesh as only 40 km of new railway lines had been added to the hill state after independence.

The on-going Nangal-Talwara railway line should be completed in a time-bound manner as the railway track up to Amb had been completed and the trains reaching Una should also be extended up to Amb by completing electrification work on the railway line, he said.

Youth lynched in Haridwar

A 22-year-old youth was lynched and three others were badly beaten up by residents when they allegedly tried to abduct a girl from her house after she broke up with one of them, police said. Parvez and three of his accomplices barged into the house of Deenanath and forcibly tried to take his 20-year-old daughter with them late Wednesday night in Tibri colony area of Haridwar, they said. A crowd gathered outside the house when the girl's family raised an alarm after which they caught hold of the four youths and started beating them, they said. The injured youths were rushed to a hospital where Sajid, 22, was declared brought dead. The condition of the other three youths is stated to be out of danger, they added. The girl allegedly had an affair with Parvez, but her family was opposed to their relationship. The spurned lover had then allegedly hatched a plan to abduct the girl and had reached her house with three of his friends for this purpose, police said. Six persons have been arrested in connection with the case and further investigations are underway, police said.