CHANDIGARH (PTD: The decade old bloody militancy in northern Indian state of Punjab was put to an end this year with Mate police aided by Central security forces either eliminating Or apprehending top leaders of most militant organizations:

Security forces with full backing from the state government also succeeded in reducing the number of civilians falling prey. Half of 1993 was reported 16 be “incident frees”

Police para military forces and the Anny in their coordinated operations eliminated 89% militants including 14 chiefs one regional chief 10 deputy chiefs 27. Gens and 10 top activists of different organizations.

The most prominent military who died in an encounter with security forces was Panthic Committees Chief Gurbachan Singh Manochahal chief of the Bhindsinwale Tigers Force of Khalistan (BTFR) Sangha group and adreaded militant in Punjab and Terai region of Uttar Pradesh.

Satnum Singh Satta Chhinna Khaliswin Commando Force (KCF) Chief Rashpal Singh Fauji and deputy chief of the Babbar Khalsa Intonations) Baldew Singh Dorangala was among the most wanted who died fighting the authorities

Eleven personnel from Punjab police three each from CRPF and Special Police Officers (SPOs) five Punjab home guards personnel and an army man lost their lives while fighting the militants. The security forces did not suffer any casualty. In the months of May June July September October November and December. 

Militants indulged in 47 shootouts in which 45 persons lost their lives the number of killings by the militants this year came down from 1502 in the previous year.

Of those civilians killed this year 26 were Sikhs and 19 non Sikhs as compared to 928 Sikhs and 574 non Sikhs in 1992. This-year only one woman was killed by militants while in the previous year 104 were gunned down.

The security forces said no militancy related incident was reported from any of the 20 police districts in the state during the months May June July October November and December leaving half of 1993 incident frees.

The Punjab police added a feather to its cap when its chief K.P.S Gill personally Jed the force to deal with two hijack dramas at the Raja Sans airport in Amritsar last-year

Both the incidents occurred in April when planes of the Indian airlines were hijacked In the first hijack Gill affected the surrender of the hijackers while in the second incident security forces gunned down the hijacker Mohammad Youser a reported Kashmiri militant.

Article extracted from this publication >> January 7, 1994