Police and security personnel after an encounter with terrorists, in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh
Credit: PTI Photo
Lucknow: Three Khalistani terrorists, who were involved in the attack on a police outpost in Gurdaspur in Punjab, were gunned down in an encounter with a joint team of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab police in UP’s Pilibhit district on Monday.
According to the police sources here, the encounter took place near Hardoi branch canal in Puranpur area in the district around dawn.
Sources said that the slain terrorists were identified as Pratap Singh, Virendra Singh and Gurvinder Singh. Two AK 47 rifles, two pistols and a large quantity of cartridges were recovered from their possession.
Two constables of UP police were also injured in the encounter and were admitted to the hospital.
District police chief Avinash Pandey said that the police had received inputs that three terrorists belonging to the Khalistan Commando Force, who had hurled grenades at a police outpost in Gurdaspur, were hiding in the Puranpur area.
He said that a team of Gurdaspur police had visited the Puranpur police station to nab the terrorists.
During checking, a police picket at Khamaria point informed that three persons were seen going toward Pilibhit on a motorbike. The riders turned toward Madhotanda area when they were chased by the cops, Pandey added.
He said that upon being challenged and asked to surrender, the terrorists opened fire at the police team prompting them to retaliate. In the ensuing gunbattle, the trio sustained serious injuries. They were rushed to the hospital where they were declared dead.
Sources said that the cops were trying to find out where the trio had been hiding. ‘’We are trying to find out who gave these three terrorists shelter,’’ said an official in Pilibhit.