CHANDIGARH: Sikh militancy in Punjab has become a wide spread phenomenon and no area is unaffected by it, state’s new director-general police, K.P-S. Gill, has said here soon after as summing office.
In an interview, the police officer says that his priority will be to “geographically contain” the movement to such traditional areas as Tarn Taran and Batala. He claims that the spread of the militancy is not due to the deployment of the army in Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts resulting in leaving the militants away from their strongholds. The police chief also states that he will first assess the situation and then “forward my proposals to the Governor and the Chief Secretary as well as the Home Secretary” for bringing about changes in the police set up, necessary.
Although it is well known that Delhi gives police officers in Punjab a free hand even to the extent of over-ruling the Governor in matters of conflict between the two Gill has been Careful about his words and gives an impression as if he has to go by the directions of the Governor and. the Chief Secretary or any other superior.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 15, 1991
