One cop killed in Amritsar gun battle

AMRITSAR - A constable was Wednesday killed here in a gun battle following a verbal spat between a senior Punjab police official and a group of miscreants.

Malwinder Singh Sidhu, superintendent of police (detective) of Tarn Taran, had gone with his wife and daughter to an eating joint at Lawrence Road in Amritsar, about 250 km from Chandigarh.

“A group of boys was creating ruckus and teasing a girl. Sidhu opposed this and a heated argument ensued. When the boys tried to manhandle Sidhu, he called other police officials who were waiting outside,” Varinder Kumar Sharma, police commissioner of Amritsar, told reporters here.

He added: “One of the boys was carrying a gun and he started firing. The cops also fired back. In the melee, 22-year-old constable Balwinder Singh died. One of the miscreants was injured and arrested by the police.”

However, another miscreant managed to escape from the spot.

Police impounded their car and recovered two fake vehicle registration number plates of Jammu and Kashmir.

Sharma said police teams were conducting raids at various places to nab the other accused.