CHANDIGARH, India: Punjab Police arrested two smugglers they believe responsible for a large part of the illicit arms smuggled into India, but a senior leader slipped through their hands on Monday night.
Amritsar Police Chief Izhar Alam said on Tuesday the man who escaped was Bab Gurbachan Singh Manochahal, one of the five members Panthic Committee which directs Sikhs fighting for an independent state in Punjab.
Another prominent freedom fighter, Boota Singh, travelling ‘with Manochahal, was killed what the police generally calls encounter near Amritsar.
Last week, Sikh freedom fighters controlling Sikhdom’s holiest place, the Golden Temple in ‘Amritsar, named’ Manochahal as acting Head Priest of the Akal Taki, the temple shrine symbolizing the temporal power of god.
‘Alam described as a breakthrough Monday night’s arrest of Sukhjit Singh and Hardayal Singh ‘whose group, he said, was responsible for the one third of the arms illegally smuggled into India.
They were carrying 400,000 rupees (30,000 dollars) when detained during an encounter with
Police close to the Pakistan border in northern Punjab. He said the money was to be used to buy Weapons across the border.
Meanwhile, gunmen killed a Sikh priest and a shopkeeper in past 24 hours. PTI quoted police as Saying seven persons stabbed the Head Priests of Harian Belan in northern Punjab and then rubbed salt in the wounds before shooting him at close range.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 30, 1987
