Communist leader who fought Khalistani terrorists dies at 86

Harnam Singh (86), a Communist leader and former MLA whose family won five Shaurya Chakras for fighting pro-Khalistan militancy, died on Tuesday. Popularly known as Dr Harnam Singh, he had been suffering from cancer.

Harnam Singh (86), a Communist leader and former MLA whose family won five Shaurya Chakras for fighting pro-Khalistan militancy, died on Tuesday. Popularly known as Dr Harnam Singh, he had been suffering from cancer.

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It was on April 9, 1988, that four terrorists had attacked his house at Shahabad in Haryana. The family fought valiantly without any weapons. Harnam Singh and his wife Jaswant Kaur were injured, while their son Kushdev Singh (27), daughter-in-law Gurpreet Kaur (25) and nephew Gurdeep Singh (26) were killed.

The President awarded five Shaurya Chakras- two to the couple and three posthumously to the deceased. This is the only instance in the country when a single family received so many Shaurya Chakras. Awarded for bravery, it is the peacetime equivalent of the Vir Chakra.

(For details read hindustantimes)