Operation Blue Star Anniversary: Heavy security located in Punjab

Operation Blue Star was an Indian military operation which occurred between 1 June and 8 June 1984, ordered by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in order to establish control over the Harmandir Sahib Complex in Amritsar, Punjab, and remove militant religious leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his militant armed followers from the complex buildings.

On Tuesday, 5th June 2018, Punjab Director General of Police Hardeep Singh Dhillon informed that five companies of Rapid Action Force and one company of Indo-Tibetan Border Police have been deployed in Punjab in the wake of Operation Blue Star anniversary on Wednesday, 6th June 2018.

In the period preceding to the anniversary, Punjab Police have also busted a few modules which reportedly operated at the instruction of foreign-based handlers to cause communal disturbances.The heavy deployment of central forces and state police force comes in the backdrop of Punjab Police assertions that attempts were being made to revive militancy in Punjab.

Showing caution of the targeted killings, Punjab Police have taken extra steps to make security arrangements for right-wing leaders during Blue Star anniversary, said a senior Punjab police officer. Out of five companies of RAF, two have been located in Amritsar which turned into donjon with heavy deployment of police.

Amritsar Police Commissioner S S Srivastava said 3000 policemen were located in and around Amritsar. “We have multi-layered security cordon in place. Two RAF companies and one ITBP company have been located in Amritsar,” Srivastava said.