NEW DELHI, India, March N 15 (Reuter): Unknown gunmen killed a Punjab legislator linked to Chief Minister Sujit Singh Barnala today, the Press Trust of India (PTI) said.

Gunmen also shot dead two Hindu holy men at their individual headquarters.

PTI said Amarjit Singh was shot at close range by two gunmen on a motor scooter in Ludhiana district. He died instantly.

Singh, a 51yearold member of, the Punjab State Assembly, belonged to Barnala’s ruling faction of the Akali Dal Party. He supported the moderate Barnala in the Chief Minister’s confrontation with the Sikh High Priests for political control of the North Indian State.

Hindu religious leader Ganga Dhar Parwar was shot by three gunmen on motorcycles this morning near Jullundur. The other Hindu holy man, Mangat Ram, was shot late last night at Langana village.

The Killings raised to 169 the number of people killed this year in violence caused by Sikh demand for a separate Sikh homeland ‘in north India, according to an ‘unofficial tally.

Article extracted from this publication >>  March 20, 1987