Tight security in Punjab ahead of Operation Bluestar anniversary

Chandigarh: Ahead of the 33rd anniversary of Operation Bluestar on June six, tight security arrangements have been made in several parts of Punjab, including Amritsar.

As many as 15 companies of paramilitary forces, including CRPF, ITBP and RAF, were deployed in different parts of the state after several radical outfits announced they would observe the anniversary of the military operation to flush out militants holed up in the Golden Temple.

"We have made adequate security arrangements in the state," Punjab, Director General of Police, Suresh Arora said.

Seven companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed in Amritsar while rest of them will perform their duties in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Phagwara, Mohali, Batala and the border districts of Pathankot and Gurdaspur.

"We have also mobilised additional forces from our own internal sources," the DGP said.

To keep a tab on anti-social elements, the Punjab Police has also been conducting vehicle checks at several places.

In Amritsar alone, around 5,000 security personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order, Amritsar Police Commissioner S S Srivastava said.

"Five companies of CRPF and ITBP and two companies of RAF have been deployed here," police commissioner said, adding that surveillance would also be maintained through CCTVs installed at vulnerable points.

Security has also been beefed up around the Golden Temple while inside the complex, an SGPC task force will maintain vigil.

Radical outfit Dal Khalsa had given a call for an 'Amritsar shutdown' on June six.

Dal Khalsa, along with its allied groups, also announced a march starting from Gurdwara Ranjit Avenue and culminating at Akal Takht -- the highest temporal seat for Sikhs.

SGPC has asked the outfits to observe the anniversary peacefully.

On June 6 in 2015, five youths were injured in a clash inside the Golden Temple when people had gathered there to mark anniversary of Operation Bluestar. A group of Sikh youths had even raised pro-Khalistan slogans on the periphery of the temple near Akal Takht.

Last year on June 6, pro-Khalistan slogans were again raised at Akal Takht in the premises of Golden Temple.

Security personnel are on their toes in the state to thwart any trouble.

Last month, the Punjab Police claimed to have busted two terror modules in separate operations.

In the first operation, the police and the BSF had busted a terror module with links to Canada and Pakistan, and had arrested two persons.

The security forces had also seized a huge cache of arms, including an AK-47 assault rifle and other ammunitions from the two, who were arrested from Indo-Pak border area while trying to recover the weapons pushed into the Indian territory from Pakistan.

In the other operation, police had arrested four persons, including a woman, who were allegedly planning to indulge in violence and targeted killings under the banner of 'Khalistan Zindabad'.

On the radar of these "highly radicalised" youths were Congress leaders Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar who were accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, as well as those responsible for incidents of sacrilege and desecration.