AMRITSAR, India, Aug. 7, Reuter: Gunmen stormed homes near Amritsar early today, mowing down 13 people in a blaze of automatic fire.
Police said a family of four was lined up outside their home near Majitha, 20 km (12 miles) from Amritsar city, and shot. Six of another family was shot as they lay alseep.
Both families had members belonging to the Communist Party.
Three other people were shot before the gunmen escaped on foot. Gunmen also killed two persons in Tarn Taran, bringing the number shot in the past 24 hours to 20. In the holy city itself, police opened fire after being pelted with stones by moumiers dispersing from the cremation of five car passengers shot yesterday.
Hindus stoned Sikhs in two other areas of the city of 500,000 people, police said. Authorities imposed a curfew.
The deaths brought the unofficial toll in separatist violence to 716 this year compared with 640 in all 1986.
Hindu and Communist parties in the city called a strike there today to protest against the shootings.
Police said they expected further attacks after receiving intelligence reports that some groups had acquired new Chinese made assault rifles. The Sikhs want to set up an independent Sikh state in Punjab.
The ongoing violence has cost 716 lives so far this year compared with 640 in all of 1986.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 14, 1987
