Cong workers attacked, attempt to murder case registered

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 26

The Ajnala police have booked several persons on the charges of attempt to murder in connection with an assault of Congress workers during a motorcycle rally at Ajnala yesterday.

Three Congress workers, Sarwan Singh, Sukhjinder Singh and Aman Kumar, were injured in the attack. The rally was being held under the leadership of District Congress Committee (rural) chief Gurjeet Aujla when a group of youths attacked party workers with sickles, baseball bats and other weapons. Aujla alleged that the attack was staged at the behest of Ajnala MLA Amarpal Singh Bonny.

Among those booked were identified as Bhola Singh and Heera Singh besides other unknown persons. A case under Sections 307, 341, 506, 148 and 149, IPC, has been registered in this connection. The police authorities said the FIR was registered following a complaint lodged by Congress leaders. They said raids were being conducted to arrest the suspects who were on the run.

Gurmeet Singh Cheema, DSP, Ajnala, said the Congress leaders had not informed the police about taking out a motorcycle rally; otherwise appropriate security measues would have been taken.

However, Aujla said if the police failed to arrest the culprits within two days, they would gherao the Ajnala police station.

SSP Harkamal Singh Khakh, on the other hand, said the incident was the outcome of sudden provocation after a youth entered into a verbal duel when his car was hit by several motorcycle-borne youths going to participate in the Congress rally. The verbal duel took an ugly turn when the youth returned with his accomplices and attacked the persons present in the rally. He said the incident was being given a political colour.

Meanwhile, PCC president and former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has condemned the murderous attack on the party workers in Ajnala on Sunday while they were taking out a motorcycle rally. He warned his opponents that it was a matter of a few months more when each one of them would be set right.