MUMBAI: In what could be termed as a mini Operation Blue Star, police Officials from the Mumbai crime branch ‘raided to gurdwaras in and around Mumbai last Saturday, according to senior police officials.
Acting on a tip-off that some of the militants from Punjab had sought a hideout in the gurdwaras of Mumbai and Vashi with explosives and fire ‘arms, the crime branch officials, raided all the suspected hideouts of the Punjabi militants, in a nightlong or ration, In all, eight gurdwaras in City and two in Vashi were raided.
The city gurdwaras, raided by the poles were in Sion Koliwada area, Bhandup and Mulund area, say Sources. However, when intensive searches failed to find anyone the police changed its focus to Vashi.
In one such raid, about 40 crime branch officials from Mumbai and an. ‘equal number of constables led by a Local inspector daysngh Pul eared inspector Jaysingh Patil searched the premises at Guru Singh Sabha at Vashi but, found nothing. Even as the police searched, the gurdwara, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Vashi, Sambhaji Dange, was fast asleep and when contacted by this reporter, denied any knowledge about such raids.
The Sikh community in Vashi was outraged at the ‘sacrilege’ conducted ‘at their place of worship, Mohan Singh Basin, are tired army officer and dent of Guru Singh Sabha was fuming ‘with indignation, Says he, “They (the police) came at around 1 am, and asked for the keys and told me about the militants,” Then Basin led them into the gurdwara where the police found nothing.
“We do not normally,” says an en Taged Basin, “give entry to anybody to stay here in the nights, unless we are satisfied with the bona fides of those who seek permission to spend the night.” According to Basin, it is nothing but harassment of law abiding and peace loving people by the men in uniform.
Members of the Sikh community felt that if police ‘were acting only ‘on suspicion it he raids could have been done even by the local police, ‘They could have inquired from the Surdwara authorities and satisfied themselves. The presence of such a huge posse of Mumbai police around the gurdwara was unwarranted, they felt.
However, a senior police official who requested ‘anonymity said, “We received specific information’ from ‘ur counterparts in Punjab that some Of the militants owing allegiance to the Khalistan Commando Force are bola p in Mumbai gurdwaras. Hence, the Mumbai crime branch officials conducted the raid.”
When it was pointed out to him that the raids have infuriated the community and hurt their sentiments, he said, “Wherever the raids were conducted it was the consent of the authorities and only after taking the elders of the community into confidence. The purpose was to flush out the militants, if any, and not to hurt anyone’s sentiments,” clarified the senior officer.
The police have not been able to make any arrests so far or close in on any militants. However, the raids have been stalled for the time being, although the police have stepped up other security measures like intensive patrolling and security at checkpoints.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 10, 1996
