AMRITSAR Punjab, India : ‘Although the authorities have dismissed reports on villagers being attacked by unidentified per ‘sons in black underwear’s and vests in Amritsar district, villagers in and around Bhikiwind in the district remain in the grip of fear.

“They spend sleepless nights guarding their homes against the attackers whom they call “Nagas” and who they say comes armed with daggers.

Residents of Pahuwind, 2 km from Bhikiwind, narrate an incident which they say. Occurred at the village on the night of October 19. Two “Nagas” intruded into the house of Mr. Dara Singh. A farmer about 12:45 am. After throwing Stones al the house to make sure that no one was awake, However Mr. Dara Singh’s younger brother sleeping in the courtyard, woke up and raised the alarm, at this, the intruders took to heels. They were chased by Mr. Dara Singh’s brother but they managed to escape.

The family members of Mr. Dara Singh said the intruders were is headed and barefoot.

‘On the same night, the miscreants went to another house in the village situated near the brick

Kiln of Mr. B. L. Khanna. There {00 they threw stones at the house and on finding the inmates awake, ran away.

The following night, a noise was heard from the western side of the village. Presuming that a farm house had been attacked, the villagers ran towards the scene of the noise, they were intercepted by a CRPF patrol party on the way and allegedly beaten up despite their telling the security personnel that they were going to the rescue of a villager.

On the same night, CRPF went to the farm house of Mr. Dara Singh and arrested his younger brother, who had chased the miscreants the previous night. They reportedly beat him up. When Mr. Dara Singh tried to plead his brother’s case, he too was man handled. Mr. Bachchan Sing,.

Who was also present in the house tried to pacify the CRPF but he was hit on his ear. He showed his ‘bandaged ear to this reporter.

The CRPF took away lath sand Kirpans from Mr. Dara Singh’s house which he kept for self defence.

The house of Mr. Mohinder Singh of Marimegha village was also attacked on October 19. He said he had not reported the matter to the police she feared he would meet with a fate similar to that of Me. Dara Singh.

Certain villagers, who did not want to be named, were of the ‘View that the miscreants were dropped by the CRPF to create a scare among the villagers. They were, however. Not able to give any reason that these persons were non Punjabi. Asked how they managed to escape if they were alien to the topography of the area, the villagers said that they were guided by the CRPF who patrolled the area.

A headmaster, a former Army officer of a village near Gharyala in Patti tehsil, was of the view that the CRPF dropped the “Nagas” in the villages possibly in the hope that if a freedom fighter was hiding there, he would open fire, enabling the security forces to trace his hideout. Since the freedom fighters usually took refuge in remote farm houses, these had come under the attack of the unidentified persons who never struck in the heart of a village.

Article extracted from this publication >>  November 20, 1987