BHAWANIGARH (SANGRUR): K.P.S. Gill, Director General of Police, Punjab was lucky to survive a serious mishap when his car rolled into a deep roadside trench, near village Balvan, during Operation Night Dominance, Sept. 1. The Deputy Inspector General of Patiala range, Rajan Gupta, and the Superintendent of Police (personal security of the DGP), Sushil Sharma, were also in the car. None was injured in the accident.

The incident occurred at about 3:15a.m., when the driver of Gills car, which was going al great speed, fell asleep. The car was at the head of a convoy of over 30 vehicles, including newsmen from Chandigarh and Patiala and senior police officers. The police chief, however, continued to travel till 4:30 a. m,

The car was pulled out by the policemen the convoy. The DGP declined to change the car and said, “nothing to worry, it is all a part of the game,”

The convoy was ona90-km route into the interior areas of Patiala and Sangrur districts, There were more than 27 companies of Punjab Police and Para-military forces engaged in patrol duty, nakas and laying of ambushes in the fields, The policemen laid over 25 ambushes on the route.

The police officers, on the way, explained that nakas and am bushes had been laid at strategic points. They said that most ambushes had been laid near villages where the families of policemen are living. Around the sensitive villages, special patrol parties were also deputed. The route had been planned. It went through link roads to near patran and again touched the main road near Bhawanigarh, after covering over 50 km by link roads.

The convoy passed through a village Bahman Majita where a majority of residents are Brahmins. Almost every family in the village has a licensed weapon. They are used to performing night patrolling in the village. In this village, militants have never attempted to strike. The convoy passed through villages Munshiwala, Ramgarh, Kamalpur, Bhattiwal, Retgarh, Balyan, etc. which are considered militancy-effected.

Article extracted from this publication >> September 11, 1992