CHANDIGARH, India, April24, Reuter: Unknown gunmen hurled a hand grenade at a crowded bazaar in the north Indian state of Punjab, killing two people and wounding three seriously, police said on Friday.
Two gunmen threw the grenade in Jullundur city on Thursday and rode away on motorcycles, police in the state Capital Chandigarh said. A Hindu and a Sikh died in the blast which also damaged at least four shops.
Police also said they made their largest arms haul this year when they raided a village in Faridkot district and uncovered 15 Ak47 assault rifles, four rocket propelled grenade launchers, two revolvers and 4,500 rounds of ammunition.
Police arrested three people and said the arms had been smuggled from Pakistan and destined for Sikh freedom fighters fighting for an independent homeland called Khalistan (Land of the Pure).
Unknown gunmen killed three people on Friday in scattered incidents across Punjab, where violence have left more than 660 people dead so far this year compared with 1,200 for the whole of 1987.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 29, 1988
