M A I N   N E W S

80 persons from Punjab missing
Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 19
Worried over the fate of those kidnapped in Iraq, jittery families registered with the state government details of 80 persons as missing, kidnapped or stuck up in different parts of Iraq.

As many as 21 persons from Jalandhar were held up in Iraq while 10 each were from Kapurthala and Gurdaspur. As many as 45 persons were listed as stuck while another 11 were reported safe and have requested immediate evacuation.

There were no reports of any persons missing from Bathinda, Sangrur, Mansa, Ferozepore and Moga. The number of those stranded or trapped may go up, government sources said as details were compiled till 7 pm.

Most of those trapped are sole bread-winners for their families. They had gone to the Arabian country in search of lucrative employment. Reports gathered from across the state reveal that the kidnapping took place three days ago. The kidnappers were behaving well with them.

Though the Indian Government and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said every possible effort was being taken for the safe return of the trapped persons, no headway could be made for their rescue.

Punjab CM, who is camping in New Delhi, has assured the families that no stone would be left unturned to bring home those trapped in Iraq. Distress calls were received throughout the day at the control room in Chandigarh. In view of the heavy rush of callers, the beleaguered families had to wait for long to get the call through. Panic –stricken families are cursing lack of enough job opportunities in the state for their fate. Besides knocking at the doors of the government and sharing their plight with the media persons, the tense families were spending time praying for the well being of the trapped persons.

Ex-serviceman Jeet Ram and his wife Krishan Devi swung into action whenever their mobile phone rang hoping that their son Parminder Kumar (32), who was among the 40 Punjabis kidnapped in Mosul (Iraq), was on the other side calling them to inform them about his safety.