AMRITSAR: Taking a lead from the surrender of dacoits in Madhya Pradesh the Punjab police on Tuesday organized the “biggest surrender by “listed non hardcore militants before General O.P.Malhotra (retd) Punjab Governor here on Tuesday afternoon.
However this surrender differed from that in Madhya Pradesh in that the 50odd non-hardcore militants who surrendered on Tuesday were already in police custody.
Ata function held at the Circular House out of the 50 militant who surrendered 34 were described as listed non-hardcore militants They were wanted for crimes like extortions kidnappings harboring of militants and issuing of threat letters. All these militants who came with their family and panchayat members to surrender belonged to the Armitsar revenue district comprising the three police districts of Amritsar Tam Taran and Majitha.
The surrendered militants belong to all militants groups but most of them are from the Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan (BTKF) and Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) according to police officials.
Speaking on the occasion General O.P.Malhotra (retd) governor of Punjab welcomed the youths and assured that all those who surrender would be provided adequate security and would not be harassed by the police. He further said that the average lifespan of a militant was six to 11 months and appealed them to surrender.
He announced that the militants who bring an AK-47 rifle at the time of surrender would be given a cash reward of Rs 10 thousand. He asked those who surrendered to prevail upon their comrades to shun the path of violence and join national mainstream.
Mr D.S.Mangal director general Punjab Police and Mr G.S.Bullar BIG (border range) welcomed the youths.
An exhibition of arms collected from the militants since January 1 1991 was also held on the occasion The arms include 150 AK-47 rifles seven general purpose machine guns two rocket launchers 26 rockets 90 kgs of gun powder two anti-tank mines two directional mines 250 small weapons 16000 cartridges and large quantity of other explosives.
At the function old panchayat members were seen thanking the police officials for setting their kith and kin free.
The youths were allowed to go to their homes with their family members.
However after the function one of the youths on the condition of anonymity said that he was held six months a goon the charge of harboring militants and was asked to surrender by the police officials. Another youth in his twenties said that he went to the police station along with the panchayat members of his village this morning and was asked by the police officials to go for the “surrender”.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 5, 1991
