AMRITSAR: A major offensive against militants and their harbourers in Ferozepore, Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts has been planned. This comes in the wake of intelligence reports that freedom fighters were regrouping and piling up arms and ammunition from across the border.

The Director General of Police, Mr. KS Gill today reviewed the situation in the three districts with senior police and Para military Officers at the canal rest house. There are indications that some major “policy changes” have been effected.

On display at the canal rest house were arms and ammunition and currency seized by the CRPF during raids conducted recently. Mr. Gill showed to the officers and newsmen the prized captures, which included a Maruti car from which the security forces had seized Rs 14.95 lakh. The catch was made during a special nakka on the JalandharNakodar road last night. The police have arrested two ‘occupants of the car, both smugglers.

On display were rockets and rocket launchers, besides Chinese made pistols (.30 bore) AK47 assault rifles and one general purpose machine gun One quintal AK47 magazine.

Mr., Gill said arms and ammunition on display belonged to the “Khalistan Liberation Force,” It had been brought into the state by Avtar Singh Brahma from Pakistan in July. Avtar Singh was however shot dead in an encounter with the Rajasthan police in the Sri Ganga Nagar area in the last week of July. Some members of the KLF like Gurjant Singh and Pipal Singh were still active though their area of operation was small unlike Charanjit Singh Channi, who is a nephew of the UAD President, Mr. Jagdev Singh Talwandi.

Mr. Gill said the security forces were fairly “close” to catching some top militants including “Panthic Committee” members.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 28, 1988