AMRITSAR: In special operations security forces shot dead 60 militants including 10 hardcore ones in the border range of Punjab till Tuesday.

Sources however claim that the boys were taken from police stations to the border and shot in cold blood

According to police sources a majority of the militants were killed in Tam Taran police district followed by Majitha police district considered to be the body of militancy.

The special operations were launched by the security forces to maintain pressure on the militants following the withdrawal of the army from internal security duty from the border districts of the state last month.

The border range comprising five police districts of Gurdaspur Batala Amritsar Majitha and Tam Taran has witnessed large scale militant activity. The majority of militant leaders hail from this range. The sources said during the operation half a dozen Lt. Generals of the Khalistan Commando Force and Khalistan Liberation Force were killed by the security forces a large quantity of arms including assault rifles and machine guns along with large quantities of ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.

Article extracted from this publication >> July 26, 1991