CHANDIGARH: Gurmit Singh and Baldev Singh two known freedom fighters were shot dead in Sector 45 by the police in Chandigarh on Saturday after a hot chase.

A joint force consisting of CRPF and the Chandigarh Police were on the lookout for the militants as they had information about their presence in the city on being spotted by the police party they were chased. The feeing militants had reportedly fired at the chasing police party which returned the fire and killed the militants.

They were identified as Baldev Singh and Gurmit Singh They had been active in union territory of Chandigarh and Ropar district. Both carried a reward of Rupees 1 lakh each and were involved in a number of killings.

According to the police Gurmit Singh was involved in the killing of Mr Rajinder Kumar Talib station direction AIR and a principal at Ropar They belonged to the Babar Khalsa.

The police recovered from them diaries and documents which might be vital clues about their hideouts and other valuable information A service revolver and a Mauser were also recovered. Six empties were found at the site of the incident. The bodies have been sent for post mortem examination.

According to police press release the militants were also suspected to be involved in the killing of Mr Rattan Lal Sharma private secretary to the secretary to the Governor in Punjab on April 25 1991 in Chandigarh. On Saturday at 2:15 p.m. Baldev Singh and Gurmit Singh both in the age group of 25 to 30 years were spotted and on being challenged immediately opened fire on the police An encounter ensued in which both of them were killed.

In Punjab 118 persons were killed during the past week.

One of the four militants killed in an encounter with security forces near Lohara village in Ferozepore district May 5 has been identified as Rajbir Singh alias Fauji as It-general of Khalistan Command Force (Zafarwal) who was wanted for over 100 cases.

An employee of the Punjab Warehousing Corporation identified as Kailash Nath was gunned down by militants at Patti tower in Tarn Taran police district this afternoon.

Article extracted from this publication >> May 10, 1991