Bravery awardwinner Sandhu shot dead in Punjab
Shaurya Chakra awardee’s security was withdrawn last year
Shaurya Chakra awardee Balwinder Singh Sandhu who fought terrorism in Punjab was shot dead by two unknown assailants in Tarn Taran district on Friday.
Sandhu’s wife Jagdish Kaur was adamant that the family will not perform the last rites until the culprits were arrested and also accused the government of withdrawing his security cover. Family members who initially resisted to cremate the body, agreed to performlast rites yesterday following an assurance from local administration that the culprits will be arrested as soon as possible.
“There are 42 registered FIRs of attacks on our family and countless other attacks have taken place which is not on
record. Withdrawal of security was wrong,” Jagdish Kaur said on Saturday. “Government, administration and intelligence agencies are responsible for this. We sought security again, but to no avail. Thosewho treat security cover as a status symbol have been provided with it. We actually needed it but weren’t provided,” she added.
‘ Referendum 2020’
She also blamed militants for the killing and said it was linked to those who were advocating ‘ Referendum 2020’, she said. “It is the handiwork of the Khalistani terrorists as my family did not have any personal enmity with anyone,” Kaur told media. “His killing is the first step of the onset of ‘ Referendum 2020’ in Punjab,” she added.
A diehard Communist and 1993 Shaurya Chakra awardee, Sandhu was shot at point blank range around 7am at his hometown Bhikhiwind.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital with five bullet injuries, but doctors declared him dead.