CHANDIGARH: Eighteen militants, including four from the — Panthic Committee (Zaffarwal) and member Shah Singh were among 30 persons killed in Punjab during the past 24 hours.

Two gun men on a scooter fired indiscriminately on people playing in Dhibar colony at Bathinda, killing seven persons and injuring six others. Six of the victims, identified as Gulab Ram and Sibbal Ram, brothers, and Brij Mohan, Melia Ram, Ramesh Kumar and Umesh were killed on the spot, white the seventh succumbed 10 injuries in the civil hospital there.

Security forces gunned down four militants in an encounter near Gaggarwal village in Tarn Taran police district two of them were later identified as Palwinder Singh, deputy chief and SarpooL Singh a Lt Gen of the Bhindranwale Tigers (Manochahal).

An AK-47 rifle, a carbine, a 303 rifle and a.12 bore double barrel gun along with ammunition were recovered from the site of the encounter.

Three militants were shot dead by security forces during a search operation in the Mand area of Valtoha police station in Tarn Taran police district. A gun a revolver a pistol and two rockets were recovered from the Militants one of whom was later identified as Surjit Singh alias Jita.

In another encounter in the same police district, a militant, Sukhwinder Singh, area commander of the Babbar Khalsa, was gunned down by security forces at Booh village on the periphery of the Mand area,

An unidentified militant was killed in an encounter with a police party near Beharipur village Tam Taran police district while his two accomplices managed to escape  A revolver was recovered from the site of the encounter.

Two hard-core militants were killed in an encounter with a police naka party near Eakar village in Kapurthala district they were identified as Parkash Singh alias Pisha of the Khalistan Commando Force and AK-47 rifles and some ammunition were recovered from the site of the encounter.

Two unidentified militants riding a scooter were killed in an encounter with a joint security forces party near Klunj village in Gurdaspur district.

Article extracted from this publication >> July 24, 1992