AMRITSAR: A handful of Sikh youths held off 1500 Indian security men for 36 hours near Nikki Chabbal village last week. Six youths were killed. KPS Gill Punjab Police chief and a National Security Guards Major General had a close call when they rushed to the spot to prematurely claim a victory.
Three of the dead youths were Sukhdev Singh, Deva and Angrez Singh. The security forces refused to devulge their casualties which are believed to be quite heavy.
More than a score of youths escaped the police dragnet. The security forces used mortars, rockets and grenades. The youths countered with machine guns and assault rifles.
According to security force sources, they surrounded a farm on a tip off that 25 Babbar Khalsa men were meeting there. The Tarn Taran police chief laid siege to the fields after sending for reinforcements. Scores of CRPF and police trucks were seen rushing to the village as night descended. The fighting continued through the night with the security forces using flares.
By next afternoon, 1500 security men were in the area. The firing stopped at 4 p.m. and the NSG men advanced. They found the 6 bodies and some arms and ammunition.
KPS Gill and top officials visited the site and had barely left when the Sikh youth began firing again. The security men panicked till their senior officers who had not gone far returned. The fight then continued till well into the night.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 10, 1990
