On September 17, the Supreme Court, comprising Justice G

On September 17, the Supreme Court, comprising Justice G. B. Patanaik, Justice S. P. Kurdukar and Justice K. T. Thomas, commuted the death sentence handed down to Gian Singh, the assassin of Sikh leader Sant Harchand Singh Longowal, to life imprisonment. The Apex Court said: "On the fact situation of this case and in view of the distance of time, particularly in view of the long period of 13 years during which the appellant (convict Gian Singh) was languishing in jail under threat of the death penalty, we are persuaded to award the lesser alternative." On August 20, 1985, Gian Singh and Jurnail Singh opened fire on the stage at Sherpur Gurudwara from where Mr Longowal was addressing a meeting. The Sikh leader succumbed to his injuries and Gian Singh was arrested. But his accomplice, Jurnail Singh, is yet to be traced.