CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Government, which Mostly reacts 40 militant action instead of preempting it, is in the process of protecting its TAS cadre after the Killing of AK Mishra, Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Patiala,

The security set-up of the Punjab police has been asked to extend fool-proof cover to the members Of the elite service who had so far, been spread by militants though they had killed a number of officers belonging to the police service judiciary and the State Civil Service.

Most of the IAS officers are located at Chandigarh, the State headquarters and are considered well protected because of the improved security environment of the Union Territory. A good many TAS officers had politely declined to accept guards for fear of becoming marked men and at least one of them did so on the plea that the men in khaki would be a “Tisane” at his residence,

The government has decided that every member of the IAS serving in Punjab would be provided a number of security guards depending on the nature of his job. The officers would also be required to adhere to the normal security drill and consider themselves as potential targets. This would be followed strictly in cases of the TAS offices serving in field offices.

About SOAS officers are posted in districts as divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, additional deputy commissioners and in some cases even as SDMs. As all of them are concerned with the law and order duties, they have given static and mobile guards. Some officers also work IN Certain departments which are located in districts, Misra was one among them. Though being the op operational officer dealing with liquor policy implementation, he had only one gunman, It was known that militants belonging to the Babbar Khalsa International had vowed not to allow liquor vends in villages, On the contrary, the government was quite elated over in earning about Rs 100crore more in the auction of liquor vends for the current financial year. About 20 IAS officers of Punjab cadre are on deputation with the Union Government and they are considered safe being outside the state. The field officers would be the prime concern of the government and their security is being further tightened. The security setup is also drawing a set of IAS Officers located at Chandigarh who need more than normal protection. Some of them may even be asked to curtail their visits to the Golf Club, a popular resort for the elite of the city. A large number of them patronize the club,

The governments test assessment is that the militants would pick an important targets to create panic. By killing two professors of the Punjab University, Chandigarh, they had almost paralyzed the entire faculty. Life on the university campus is not the same as before. A similar feeling has now gripped the IAS officers. The security set-up is of the view that only proper safety measures can save the government machinery from getting gradually paralyzed.

The field officers would soon be confronted with a serious problem because of threats to panches and sarpanches, There are reports that militants owing allegiance to an important Panthic committee have set June 13 as the date by which the village elders should quit. The Cabinet which had met two days ago had considered this and though some ministers said the threat to the village elder was not as serious as was being construed, the police Say it should not be under-rated.

 

Article extracted from this publication >> May 22, 1992