72 Hindus Massacred in Sikh Assaults on 3 Buses

Suspected Sikh terrorists today shot to death as many as 34 Hindus on two buses in Haryana state, less than 24 hours after 38 Hindus were killed by Sikhs on a bus in neighboring Punjab.

The Haryana home secretary, Munish Chandra Gupta, said in a telephone interview that police reported 12 dead, but the United News of India later quoted police as putting the number killed at 34.

Today’s attack took place as the Haryana Roadways buses, apparently traveling together, were between Fatehabad and Sirsa, about 150 miles southwest of Chandigarh.

“The modus operandi of the killings is the same as the one we had inside Punjab,” Gupta said.

In that attack Monday night, Sikh terrorists ambushed a bus outside Chandigarh, capital of Punjab state where Sikh radicals are fighting for an independent homeland. They shot to death 38 Hindu pilgrims, including five women and four children; wounded 32 other people, and vowed to carry out more killings.

The bus attacked Monday also was owned by Haryana Roadways.

The passengers in today’s attack were killed one by one, UNI reported. Other details were not immediately available.

In New Delhi, security was tightened today to prevent a backlash by Hindus, the majority in India. Authorities banned public assembly, erected roadblocks and sealed the border between Punjab and neighboring Haryana state, just north of New Delhi.

Police officials said five to seven Sikh gunmen were involved in the attack late Monday.

One of the terrorists died in the cross fire as the attackers fired from inside and outside the bus, police said. At least 32 people were wounded, police said.