Kejriwal gives Rs.2 lakh each to Pathankot martyrs’ kin

Pathankot/New Delhi, Jan 13 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday handed over Rs.2 lakh each to the families of two security personnel killed in the terror attack in Pathankot as well as a taxi driver murdered earlier.

"Kejriwal handed over cheques of Rs.2 lakh to the three families," an aide to the chief minister told IANS.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader met the families of Defence Services Corps personnel Subedar Major Fateh Singh and Havildar Kulwant Singh as also of taxi driver Ikagar Singh in Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts in Punjab.

Kulwant and Fateh belonged to Chak Sharif and Jhanda Gujjran villages, respectively, of Gurdaspur district. Ikagar Singh, killed by terrorists a day before the January 2 attack, hailed from Bhagwal village in Pathankot district.

Terrorists, suspected to be from Pakistan, had attacked the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, killing seven security personnel, including a National Security Guard officer, an IAF Garud commando and five DSC personnel. All six heavily armed terrorists were eliminated by the security forces after a prolonged stand-off.

Kejriwal, who reached Pathankot on Wednesday, will launch the AAP’s political campaign for Punjab’s assembly polls likely to be held in February next year.

The Delhi chief minister is scheduled to address a public rally in Muktsar Sahib district on Thursday.

The AAP, which had won four (out of 13) Lok Sabha seats in Punjab in the 2014 general elections, is aiming it big for the next assembly polls in Punjab.

The AAP is gearing up to give a tough challenge to the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal and the main opposition Congress in the assembly polls. The Punjab assembly has 117 seats.