One of the assailants who allegedly shot dead the Nanakmatta Sahib Gurdwara dera kar seva chief last month was killed in an encounter with the Special Task Force and police in Haridwar district early on Tuesday.

The police said another accused fled the spot and a search is underway to nab him.

Baba Tarsem Singh was shot dead on March 28 on the shrine's premises by two motorcycle-borne men in Udham Singh Nagar district.

The accused were travelling on a motorcycle when they were asked to stop by the police in Haridwar's Bhagwanpur area past midnight on Tuesday.

They didn't stop and escaped towards Kaliyar. The police chased the duo and an encounter ensued during which Amarjeet Singh alias Bittu was shot at while the other accused, Sarabjit Singh, escaped.

Amarjeet Singh was taken to the Roorkee Civil Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Haridwar) Pramendra Doval reached the hospital with other officers after receiving news of the encounter.

Teams of the Special Task Force (STF) and the police are searching for Sarabjit Singh.

Besides the two assailants, the police have booked retired IAS officer Harbans Singh Chugh, who heads the Nanakmatta Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Baba Anup Singh and Pritam Singh Sandhu, the vice-president of a regional Sikh outfit, in the murder case.

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