New Delhi, Apr 21 (PTI) These are the top stories from the northern region at 8.45 pm. DES22 PB-LD SIDHU Punjab CM has become a "rubber doll": Navjot Sidhu Chandigarh: Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday dubbed Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as a "rubber doll", alluding to the Opposition charge that the state government is being run by the AAP leadership from Delhi. DES12 PB-VIRUS-MASKS Wear face mask at crowded places: Punjab govt advisory Chandigarh: The Punjab government on Thursday advised people to wear face masks at crowded places amid a surge in coronavirus cases in some of the states. DES49 PB-BHULLAR-SAD SAD chief asks Kejriwal to ensure release of 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday sought Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s intervention in ensuring the immediate release of Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, a 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict. DES10 UP-SHIVPAL-DARE Shivpal dares Akhilesh Yadav to expel him From SP legislature party Lucknow: Sulking socialist leader Shivpal Singh Yadav on Thursday took on Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav over a remark alluding to his apparent closeness to the ruling BJP, and dared him to expel him from the SP legislature party. DES8 UP-VIRUS-DIRECTIVES No need to panic on rising Covid cases in UP, maintain caution: Official Lucknow: Even though COVID-19 cases are on the rise, there is no need to panic and the risk for those who have taken the vaccines is very low, an Uttar Pradesh government spokesperson said here on Thursday. DES46  UP-AKHILESH BJP, RSS bent upon damaging country’s Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb: Akhilesh Yadav Lucknow: SP president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday accused the BJP and RSS of spreading hatred in society and damaging the Ganga-Jamuni ‘tehzeeb’ of the country besides its democracy and the unity and integrity. DES38 UP-FORMER MLA-BUILDING Building of SP leader"s kin demolished in UP"s Shahjahanpur Shahjahanpur (UP): An "illegal" structure owned by the family of a former BJP MLA who had crossed over to the Samajwadi Party before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls was on Thursday demolished by the administration here. DES35 UP-CM-DIRECTIVES Speed up setting up of commando training centre, form STF unit in Ayodhya: UP CM to officials Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday directed officials to speed up setting up of a commando training centre in Rampur and also form a skilled team of women commandos. DES30 UKD-MLA-2ND LD RESIGNATION Champawat MLA resigns, vacates seat for Uttarakhand CM Dehradun: BJP MLA Kailash Chandra Gahtori on Thursday resigned from the Champawat seat, paving the way for Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to contest the assembly bypoll from there. PTI RDK RDK