CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has sought the assistance of the BSF to counter the growing activities of militants. The BSF men would help in raising an elite commando force and train state police personnel in “field craft and tactics.”
The state police have been unable to match the prowess of the militants hence the need to seck BSF help. Militancy has posed a serious challenge to the police force which is basically cast in a traditional mould During the past few months it was found that the police had invariably been at the receiving end whenever encounters with militants took place.
About a dozen policemen were killed in militant attacks recently. The militants till now have had the advantage of initiative and are equipped with sophisticated weapons. Policemen on the other hand were slow in responding to militant attacks and lacked matching firepower.
Under the new program special teams of instructors have been constituted for training policemen deployed in sensitive check-posts and patrolling in the militant-infested areas. Eight companies of commandos are also being inducted in the force for special operations. The superintendents of police have been directed to ensure more regular training of policemen in the police lines.
To augment the firepower of the force the police have procured more than 2000 SLRs and about 250 AK-47 rifles The BSF personnel would also be training policemen in handling sophisticated weapons.
Senior police officials state that they are short of men. The Center had withdrawn six companies of force a few days before the militants struck in Karnal district killing 15 persons in two separate incidents Following this two companies were returned to the state and are currently deployed in Karnal district.
Meanwhile after a brief lull Sirsa district has again become a hotbed of militant activities. Four persons were gunned down at a liquor vendor. The following day four persons were injured in two other incidents.
While militants have been infiltrating into the state from Punjab the situation has become more precarious with militants from U.P also entering Haryana.
It is believed that Ratan Singh top member of the Khalistan Armed Force who has his base in Kamal has established links with militants in U.P.
After striking in Sardarpur village where 10 persons were gunned down Ratan Singh is believed to have sought shelter in the militant hideouts in U.P.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 5, 1992
