CHANDIGARH: Investigations reveal that the security forces were unable to avert the macabre assassination of Beant Singh, despite pinpointed’ information that attempts were being made to kill the former Punjab Chief Minister with a “human bomb.” Besides, a perusal of official records and intelligence files reveals that during the past few months, there were clear efforts to revive militancy as indicated by a “policy paper” prepared by the militants on which the security forces had laid their hands. The paper, which brought out deep introspection on their failures,” also indicated their future plans.

However, in an effort to project that militancy had been completely ‘wiped out, these documents and ‘warnings were either deliberately overlooked or allowed to become a casualty of the nonchalance which had gripped the security forces, particularly the Punjab Police, during the past few months.

The most significant warming came after the CRPF was able to neutralize a group led by Harpal Singh in July last year. ‘On the basis of sustained interrogation of the associates and close perusal of a sheaf of papers recovered, S.S. Virk, DIG, CRPF, at Jalandhar on December 28, 1994, in a secret communication to S.M. Cairae, IGP (Operations) at Chandigarh, said; this group has also prepared three volunteers to make a human bomb to make an attempt on the life of Beant Singh…Rajinder Singh alias Faini of Begowal in Kapurthala district, Kulwant Singh of Pehowa in Haryana and Beehla (son of Dhian Singh) of Garshankar in Hoshiarpur district are the three persons who are being presently trained in Pakistan, Necessary action may be taken at your end to alert the Punjab Police authorities. Similarly, necessary instructions may also be issued to different units in Punjab.”

Earlier, in July last year, Virk had in letters to the Punjab DGP, K.PS. Gill and §.V.M. Tripathi,

DG, CRPF indicated the creation of suicide squads to kill Beant Singh. “Our timely action has given a very severe blow to this movement, which is about to be started with renewed vigor,” be had warned.

However, unlike the commendable alacrity with which headway in the assassination case has been made, there is no evidence of any special operations having been undertaken either by the Punjab Police or the CRPF during the past few months. Instead, there had been a systematic deduction of the CRPF from Punjab, The strength of the central police force reduced to four companies from 40 battalions at one time.

Officers had dismissed Virk’s warnnings as an attempt to promote himself and win the CM’s sympathy to get his cadre changed from Maharashtra to Punjab.

Further, the security forces failed to activate despite even the monthly intelligence digest, which is personally overseen by the Director-general (Intelligence), O,P. Shamma, indicating similar dangers, The last intelligence digestedly, 1995), stated “Some have offered themselves to be used as human bombs. They will attack selected targets, particularly persons involved in the 1984 riots, Beant Singh and Bhajan Lal., Admitted a senior Punjab Officer:” “We thought this was a normal scare being created by the intelligence agencies. During the past few months, there had been one meeting to discuss the seriousness of the threats Silarly, very few operational instructions were issued,“ The operational Orientation was mission became a second job.” admitted. an additional officer. “An inquiry will indicate that the inquiry will indicate that the assassination is an all-round failure,” said an officer.

Incidentally, Virk, who had built up a careful system of sources in Punjab, continued to get intelligence information even after he relinquished charge a few months ago as DIG, CRPF. About 12 days before the fatal assassination, he is reported to have met the Chief Minister and indicated to him that some groups had been carrying out reconnaissance of the Secretariat. This has been confirmed by ‘a Minister of State and at least one IAS officer with whom he had shared his fears the same day. On the bidding of the CM, he even cautioned a superintendent of Police of CM’s security. An indication of casual approach is evident from the fact that a battalion of the PAP was housed next to the Civil Secretariat complex. with many of its personnel having ‘Open access to its inside, after the offices closed, Investigations have established that the assassins were often staying in the battalion complex, from where they had an overview of the activities at the Secretariat, facilitating easy reconnaissance, Apparently, no one cared to screen and “wet” the personal stationed here, despite certain elements within the force having planned the assassination of the former Punjab DGP, J.F, Ribeiro, a few years ago.

Article extracted from this publication >>  September 15, 1995