NEW DELHI, Aug 18About 20 arms of Chinese origin were recovered from freedom fighters in Punjab during the past six months the Rajya Sabha was told today.
In a written answer Minister of State for Home P. Chidambaram said the Border Security Force apprehended 66 illegal entrants on the Punjab border in June last of whom eight were handed over to the State police and the remaining sent back. The BSF had apprehended 33 illegal entrants on the Indo-Pak border in Punjab in May.
He said the BSF on the Punjab border were fully on vigil. The force was being expanded in a big way under a five-year programme he added.
Answering another question the Minister said a total of 1,002 persons were killed and 707 injured by gunmen in Punjab between January 1986 and July 15 last. During the same period 3,587 freedom fighters were arrested and 226 killed.
He said 34 persons were killed and 21 injured due to violence in Haryana in July.
Mr. Chidambaram said interrogation of some of the arrested persons in Punjab had revealed their inks with criminals. In Delhi also investigations revealed that some of the persons operating in the Capital had criminal backgrounds.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 4, 1987
