CHANDIGARH, Jan 3: Punjab government has written to the Centre seeking 300 companies of para-military forces (PMF) like the Central Reserve Police Forces and the Border Security Force, for peaceful conduct of next month's Lok Sabha elections.Disclosing this to media persons here today, Director General of Police Force P C Dogra said these additional companies were required since there was a serious terrorist threat to prominent political leaders in the once troubled border state.
He said though the police had foiled several attempts by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency and foreign-based militant groups to revive terrorism in Punjab during 1997, there were reports that these groups may target top leaders during the polls. However, he asserted that the State police was fully prepared for the challenge and would not allow any disruption of the polls.
Punjab's need for additional security would also merits consideration in case Prime Minister I K Gujral accepts the Akali Dal offer to enter the
fray from Jalandhar.
This force would supplement the 92,000 uniformed personnel already available in the State which include 60,000 policemen and 32,000 special police officers (SPOs) and home guards.
Dogra, who was addressing the media to elaborate on the performance of the Police force during the outgoing year, identified the terrorist gangs still active as Khalistan Zindabad Force headed by Ranjit Singh Neeta of Jammu and working under the command of Pak-based Wadhawa Singh Babbar, International Sikh Youth Federation led by Lakhbir Singh Rode, Khalistan Commando Force(Panjwar), Dal Khalsa-Babbar Khalsa International combine, BKI and Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan.
The DGP claimed that the State had been incident-free since July 9 last while most of the terrorist incidents had been solved and their culptits accounted for whereas the search for the remaining few was on. A record quantity of 3.5 quintals of heroin worth Rs 350 crore was recovered in border districts during the outgoing
year.
Outlining his priorities for the current year, he said an endeavour would be made to provide pro-people and responsive police administration to the public by enhancing police-public contact.
Regarding the problem of SPOs working on adhoc basis, Dogra disclosed recently the central enlistment board had identified 4,600 SPOs for absorption as police constables. While 2,200 of them would be adjusted shortly against existing vacancies of police constables, the remaining would be put on the waiting list to be absorbed as and when more vacancies arise.
Meanwhile, the comparative annual crime data released by the DGP today shows slight increase in the incidence of crime during 1997 as against 1996.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
