Babbar Khalsa militant opens fire at Ludhiana railway station
1 killed, 2 hurt; suspect held
Mohit Khanna
Tribune News Service
1 killed, 2 hurt; suspect held
Mohit Khanna
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, August 25
Balbir Singh Bhootna, an alleged Babbar Khalsa terrorist, and his woman aide were arrested by the police after an encounter that lasted for more than three hours at the local railway station here this morning.
However, in an exchange of fire, Santosh, a worker at a tea stall, was killed while two Government Railway Police (GRP) constables, Karanpal Singh and Naranjan Singh, sustained bullet injuries.
Balbir allegedly opened fire on the police when the GRP personnel tried to check the bag of the alleged terrorist in a routine check. The injured personnel have been admitted to the CMC Hospital here. Karanpal is still to be operated upon while the condition of Naranjan is stated to be stable.
Mohnish Chawla, AIG, GRP, said, “Balbir is a Babbar Khalsa terrorist. However, the encounter occurred by chance and it was not pre-planned”. The shootout took place around 3.20 am on a passenger bridge between platform numbers four and five when the alleged terrorist, a resident of Bhootna village near Ferozepur, arrived along with his alleged paramour Sukhwinder Kaur of Muktsar.
Narrating the incident, Darshan Sharma, an eyewitness, said the accused and his paramour were going towards the exit gate when they were intercepted by the GRP personnel and were asked for checking.
The personnel, after frisking Balbir, told him to show his bag. He showed reluctance, but when the personnel persisted, he opened fire on Constable Naranjan Singh (35) and Head Constable Karanpal (55). Later, he rushed downstairs to hide himself in a train.
Panic gripped the railway station and passengers started running to protect themselves. Following this, the police raised the alarm and called for help to nab him.
Santosh mistook Balbir for a pickpocket and nabbed him. However, Balbir opened fire on Santosh, leaving him dead on the spot.
Unable to run further, Balbir hid himself under a train compartment. The police, including senior officers, reached the spot and the compartment under which Balbir was hiding was separated from the train.
SI Surinderjt Singh Cheema tried to nail Balbir by offering him tea laced with sedatives, but could not succeed. The cops then took his alleged paramour to the spot where Balbir was hiding, but her repeated requests to Balbir to surrender went in vain.
However, around 7 am, the “terrorist” showed intent to surrender and tried to come out of his hiding place. The police immediately nabbed him and took him to the CIA for further investigation. It also seized the weapon and the lone bullet left in the pistol from his possession.
During interrogation, the arrested woman revealed that she had come here as Balbir had told her too.
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THE shooting incident at Ludhiana railway station involving the death of one person and injuries to two policemen on Tuesday morning is a serious matter. The assailant, Balbir Singh Bhootna, was arrested after a fierce gun battle between him and the police. A proclaimed offender, Balbir is believed to be a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) activist by the police. He has also been involved in some other firing incidents. On June 30 the Ludhiana police took in custody three persons after the recovery of 32 gelatin sticks and six detonators from their possession. They were part of a module belonging to the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF). Police investigations revealed that the three were getting different kinds of assistance from Ranjit Singh alias Neeta, a terrorist operating from Pakistan. The KZF had also owned up responsibility for the killing of Baba Niranjan Dass, head of Dera Sach Khand, in Vienna recently.
These are not the only incidents indicating that on occasions attempts are still made to revive terrorism in Punjab. In June 2008 the Punjab police had arrested a woman operative of the KZF on charges of planning to assassinate Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Four BKI activists were nabbed in Delhi last year for being engaged in a plot to eliminate Dalit godman Piara Singh Bhaniarawale.
These arrests provide enough proof that vestiges of the forces of terrorism in Punjab are trying to raise their head again. They may not be in a position to threaten the peace in the state in a big way today, but the fact that they are getting active again is definitely a cause for concern. There is a need to keep a close watch on the activities of the BKI, the KZF and other terrorist outfits, which had wreaked havoc during those dark days of Punjab terrorism. Terrorist outfits must not be allowed to regroup themselves again at any cost. Vigilance is the price of peace in Punjab.
Source - The Tribune