CHANDIGARH, India; Seven people, including three freedom fighters, a Congress (1) activists and policeman were killed and twelve Sikhs were arrested. A freedom fighter who police dubbed as an “A” category, Bhai Malkiat Singh alias “Bapu” took cynide and ended his life when he failed to flee from the police dragnet at Jullundur.

The Punjab Police Director General, K.P.S. Gill, told the reporters that “Bapu” was allegedly involved in a killing & a bank robbery at Ludhiana. He also alleged his involvement in murderous attack on J.F. Ribeiro, then D.G. Police at Jullundur. He declared that there was a reward of 50,000 rupees on his head. Mr. Gill also attributed his involvement in the murderous assault on Dr. Kewal Krishan, the Congress (I) General Secretary at Mukerian, recently.

Mr. Gill added that “Bapu” and his another colleague who escaped, were spotted by the police and chased. On seeing that he could no more escape the police, he took cynide and died on the spot.

The freedom fighter that was said to have escaped was identified as Bhai Gurnam Singh Bandala.

The indefinite curfew clamped in some parts of Amritsar on Tuesday was lifted on Thursday morning. The curfew was imposed following the killing of 30 persons in a powerful bomb blast.

The Congress (I) worker, Mr. Baldev Kishan Mittal, was shot dead by two gunmen while he was returning to his house at Rama Mandi in Bhatinda district from his grape farm, on Thursday night. Three servants accompanying him, however, escaped unhurt.

Two freedom fighters Joginder Singh alias Jindri of “Khalistan Commando Force”, and Sukhdev Singh were killed in an alleged encounter in village Quila Darshan in Batala police district.

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