Ludhiana: A suspected terrorist, wanted in
connection with around ten cases including that of murder,
today opened fire at the railway station here, killing a
vendor and injuring two GRP head constables who tried to check
his luggage.
The firing took place when the two Government Railway
Police constables of the narcotics cell tried to check the bag
of the suspected terrorist in Jammu-bound Jhelum Express which
arrived here from Pune around 3.30 am at platform No 4 of the
railway station, they said.
The man, identified as Balbir Singh Bhootna, immediately
got down and hid himself near a compartment of the Jhelum
Express and opened fire at the police which retaliated from
the platform.
After an exchange of fire lasting around one hour the
suspected terrorist and a woman identified as Sukhminder Kaur
(30) accompanying him were arrested by the police, Ludhiana
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sukhchain Singh said.
Police sources said that Balbir Singh Bhootna was wanted
since 1990 in connection with around 10 cases related to
murder, snatching, extortion, trespassing and possession of
illegal arms under the Arms Act, the Explosives Act and the
TADA registered against him at various places including
Ferozepur and Jalandhar.
Bhootna is also suspected to be the mastermind behind the
recent killing of a Rashtriya Sikh Sangat leader at Patiala,
the sources said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, August 25, 2009, 23:14