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Botched bid to kidnap Cong worker
Ferozepur, June 16
In a daylight kidnapping drama which unfolded here today, some unidentified persons allegedly owing allegiance to the ruling SAD-BJP, made a futile attempt to kidnap a Congress worker identified as Atul Singla. He was attacked by sharp-edged weapons and bundled into a SUV.

Civil Services
Faridkot, Barnala men among top 15
Bathinda, June 16
Akashdeep Singh, of village Baragari in Faridkot district has secured 13th rank in the PCS examination. Akashdeep has done his M. Phil in international relationd from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and was also selected as an assistant commandant with the ITBP in 2010.

Amandeep of Abohar ranked 18th
Abohar, June 16
Amandeep Singh Brar of this sub-divisional town has got 18th rank in the PCS (Executive) exam in the general category. He competed with as many as 254 candidates.

Two girls among five end lives
Abohar, June 16
Five persons, including two girls, ended their lives during the past 24 hours in Abohar and the neighbouring Sriganganagar.

Botched bid to kidnap Cong worker
Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, June 16
In a daylight kidnapping drama which unfolded here today, some unidentified persons allegedly owing allegiance to the ruling SAD-BJP, made a futile attempt to kidnap a Congress worker identified as Atul Singla. He was attacked by sharp-edged weapons and bundled into a SUV.

It is learnt that Atul along with his friend was going towards the city on a motorcycle when some unidentified persons intercepted the bike near Baba Shershahwali chowk. The assailants allegedly hit Atul with a sharp-edged weapon and then bundled him into the SUV. Meanwhile, his friend ran towards the residence of the SSP for help which was located nearby and informed the police.

Gurdeep Singh, SHO, who was passing through that area followed the SUV. Finding the SHO's vehicle following them, the kidnappers drove into the residence of ex-Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sukhpal Singh Nannu.

Police officials followed them inside Nannu's bungalow and rescued the youth. They also seized the vehicle.

Police said Nannu was not present at his residence when the incident took place.

However, the assailants fled in various directions.

Meanwhile, the injured Congress worker was admitted to the local Civil Hospital where his statement was recorded by the SSP Hardial Singh Mann himself, who had also reached the spot by that time.

Mann said the police has surrounded the entire area and a hunt has been launched to nab the assailants. The SSP said the police was dealing with the situation with a firm hand and no person irrespective of his party lineage would be allowed to take the law in their hands.

Congress MLA Parminder Singh Pinki, who also reached the hospital, demanded strict action against the attackers. He said it was the second incident in two consecutive days when Congress workers have been targeted by the SAD-BJP men. Yesterday only, a Congress worker, identified as Rinku Grover, was thrashed on the Mall road following which the police has registered a case against three persons.

Four booked

SHO of the Ferozepur Cantonment police station, Dalbir Singh said a case under sections 364 and 324 of IPC has been registered against four persons, identified as Rajesh alias Bobby, Ravi, Lally and Manoj besides some other unidentified persons. However, no arrest has been made so far, he said.

Nannu says he is unaware

Sukhpal Singh Nannu, former CPS, said he had absolutely no idea about the incident. "I am away with my family and my name has been unnecessarily dragged into the controversy," said Nannu, claiming he had nothing to do with the assailants. "I have told the police to take appropriate action as per the law," he added.

Civil Services
Faridkot, Barnala men among top 15
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 16
Akashdeep Singh, of village Baragari in Faridkot district has secured 13th rank in the PCS examination.

Akashdeep has done his M. Phil in international relationd from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and was also selected as an assistant commandant with the ITBP in 2010. He is currently posted at Ferozepur and is undergoing training at the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Police Academy at Phillaur.

Meanwhile, Barnala resident Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Pakho Kalan village, secured 15th rank in the PPSC examination.

Presently posted as district employment officer at Patiala, Rakesh did his B Tech from the Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, Ludhiana, in 1987 and was selected in PCS allied services.

He earned his law degree at the evening classes of the Punjabi University, Patiala.

He was also selected in the PCS judicial exams securing 31st rank.

Amandeep of Abohar ranked 18th
Our Correspondent

Abohar, June 16
Amandeep Singh Brar of this sub-divisional town has got 18th rank in the PCS (Executive) exam in the general category. He competed with as many as 254 candidates.

Amandeep, who is son of Jagnandan Singh Brar, deputy director in the Horticulture Department, did his matriculation from the Assumption Convent School and pursued Class XII from the Punjab State Education Board as a student of Government Senior Secondary Model School (Boys). He topped in the institution in non-medical stream by getting 87 per cent marks. Then, Amandeep joined the Thapar Engineering College and won gold medal in BE (Electronics).

Hard work and self studies are the keys to success, Amandeep said.

Two girls among five end lives

Abohar, June 16
Five persons, including two girls, ended their lives during the past 24 hours in Abohar and the neighbouring Sriganganagar.

Kuldeep Kaur (70) of Sunder Nagari here reportedly jumped into a tank at the old waterworks. Kin said she had gone to buy medicines from the bus stand market located near the old waterworks.

In another incident, the body of Munshi Ram of Kandhwala Amarkot village was spotted at the tail end of a canal system in Gumjal village, located close to the inter-state border.

Rajbir Kaur (20) and Suman (30) reportedly ended their lives by hanging from ceiling fans in their respective houses at villages Silwala Khurd and Thukrana in neighbouring Sriganganagar area.

The police has registered a case under Sections 302 and 498 of the IPC against Suman’s husband and his relatives as her parents alleged that the in-laws had killed her since she was having strained relations with her husband.

Meanwhile, in village 18RB (Gajsinghpur), Lichhma Devi (17) died after consuming some poisonous substance, the police said. — OC