Gun Battle at Sikh Golden Temple

Security forces fought a 4 1/2-hour gun battle today with Sikh extremists inside the Golden Temple and more than 2,000 paramilitary troopers surrounded the 400-year-old Sikh shrine, police reported. Witnesses said at least four people were killed and five wounded.

Militants began shooting at 1:15 p.m. after spotting officers inspecting their position from outside the temple. Security forces fired back with light machine guns. Indian journalists trapped inside the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of Sikhism, said one civilian and three Sikh militants were killed.