CHANDIGARH: The Punjab minister of state for public health, Maninderjit Singh Bita, May 9 narrowly escaped a well-planned assassination attempt when militants exploded a powerful car bomb by remote control along the route of his motorcade at a busy market in Amritsar, Nine persons, including two CRPF men and a child, were killed and at least 55 others, mostly passersby, injured. Bita, who is also president Congress, sustained serious leg injuries from splinters and was rushed to a private nursing home where he is undergoing treatment. Although several MLAs have been attacked by militants, this is the first major assassination attempt on a Punjab minister since the Congress ministry was sworn in, in late February.
According to reports reaching here, the militants triggered the powerful bomb, kept in a Maruti car parked on the roadside, just as the motorcade slowed down near its destination in the busy Hyde Market, close to the walled city area. The police escort Gypsy ahead bore the brunt with two CRPE men, including the jawan handling the mounted LMG gun, being killed instantly. The Gypsy and the ministers car were damaged.
Bita was going to inaugurate a shop in Hyde market, located in a congested street which leads to the bus stand. Over 50 passersby, including several school children and policemen, were injured and several vehicles were damaged.
Sources disclosed that the incident occurred despite the local police conducting a security check in the area. These sources revealed that the militants managed to park the vehicle minutes before the minister was to arrive and mingled with the crowd to take up positions to trigger the bomb device.
This is the third major incident in the state so far in which militants have used this modus operandi. The first was an attack on the high-profile SSP of Chandigarh, Sumedh Saini here on August 29, three policemen were killed and several others injured, A similar attempt was made on the life of the BJP vice-president, Dr.Baldev Prakash, in the congested walled city of Amritsar in December last. The BJP leaders gunmen were killed.
The attempt on May 9, occurred within a day of a militant attack on a petrol pump owned by another Punjab minister. Two days ago before that, A.K .Mishra, excise and taxation commissioner, was gunned down in Patiala.
Meanwhile, the state youth Congress rally which was to be addressed by the Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, at New Delhi on May 11 has been cancelled as Bitta will have to remain in hospital for a few months.
Elsewhere in Punjab, 14 persons, five of them militants, were killed taking the toll to 22 since May 8. Seven militants were also arrested during the period.
A listed KCF militant Kuranjit Singh consumed cyanide when he was captured by security personnel in Majitha district.
Two militants were killed in an encounter in village Mughal Chack in Tarn Taran district.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 22, 1992
