TARN TARAN: The Tarn Taran S.P, Operations, Mr Harjit Singh, and three of his gunmen were killed as their vehicle was blown up by a powerful explosion on Nov 14.

The authorities imposed an indefinite curfew around 9:00 a.m.in the town for house to house searches. Additional reinforcements were rushed here and escape routes sealed. There were apprehension’s that the militants might explode more mines in public places a police official said.

The blast occurred in a narrow lane around 8:45 a.m. where the ‘S.P. was going to his office situated on the Amritsar Tarn Taran road.

The explosive material, according to preliminary investigation was buried in the lane barley 100 meters from the S.P.’s residence,

As the bullet proof Gypsy,in which Mr Harjit Singh was sitting in the front seat, passed over the spot of the explosive material went off blowing up the vehicle.

The vehicle overturned and fell about 40 metres from the spot. Its Tear portion vas smashed and its wheels were untraceable.

The bodies fell in a radius 20 meters. Two of the jeeps occupants died on the spot.

The S.P. and two others were rushed to a private nursing home in Amnitsar. The S.P. however, died on the way. One gunmen died after an hour of reaching the emergency ward.

The deceased gunmen were identified as Tarsem Lal, Manjit Singh and Tarsem Singh all head constables of the Punjab Police. The injured constable and driver, Lakha Singh was in critical condition.

According to doctors who attended the victims the S.P.’s ribs were punctured. He also received an injury to the head, causing brain hemorrhage which proved fatal.

Mr Harjit Singh is survived by a wife and two children. After beginning in the Punjab Police as a PSI in the late seventies, he rose to the SP. rank and served in Batala district before taking over the Tarn Taran police district six months ago.

The S.S.P was instrumental in the elimination of several top militants, He ended an operation which killed BTFK leader Sukhwinder Singh Sangha.

Mr Harjit Singh was very alert used to take lot of precautions against possible attacks, but now his luck ran out said a senior police officer.

One and a half years ago another young SP Mr Awtar Singh died during an encounter.

Article extracted from this publication >> November 30, 1990