JALANDHAR: The police and paramilitary forces today launched a big joint operation against militants around Makhu near Ferozepore, and in the mand area of Punjab, according to official sources.
Thousands of jawans of the Punjab police, the Border Security Force, the CRPF the ITBP the Gujarat Police and Assam Police are taking part in the operation, which will continue for at least a fortnight.
Mr. K.P. S. Gill, Director General of Punjab police is learnt to be supervising the operation.
The sources said that house to house searches and raids on the suspected hideouts of the militants were being conducted in Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts along the banks of the Beas and the Ravi.
They said that it was for the first time since Operation Bluestar that an operation on such a large scale was being conducted.
The operation comes in the wake of the demand of political parties to flush out militants from the mand area and the border districts. Government Spokesman said if the operations successful it is expected to boost the morale of the people living in the border districts, especially since they have been witnesses to an increasing number of militant crimes. It will also help in holding the panchayat elections peacefully.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 17, 1989
