M A I N   N E W S

Ultras fed up with militancy?
From Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

JALANDHAR, March 30 — A number of nearly 200 militants based in Pakistan and other countries are fed up with terrorism and yearning to come back to India, while some of them, particularly the ones belonging to the Babbar Khalsa, are still busy trying to resurrect their base in states neighbouring Punjab by renewing their old contacts.

According to highly placed police and intelligence sources, even as the potential of resurfacing of the militancy in the state is bleak, primarily due to lack of ground support, yet efforts are on by some militants based in Pakistan, Germany the USA and Belgium to re-establish their contacts in the country.

“Even as most terrorists of the Babbar Khalsa, the Khalistan Commando Force and other militant outfits are fed up with the separatist movement, yet they have no option but to show some kind of activities in India to their masters, including the ISI of Pakistan, since militancy has become more of a profitable business for them as they get funds and donations in its name,” said a senior police officer requesting anonymity.

At present there are about 200 foreign-based top Punjab militants, including Wassan Singh Jaffarwal of the KCF, Paramjit Singh Panjwar, Resham Singh of the Babbar Khalsa, Harmit Singh Bhakna, Jagjit Singh Billa, Sukhminder Singh Pinta, hailing from Sahnewal, Ranjit Singh Neeta and Satnam Singh Paonta Sahib. For most of these militants Pakistan has always been a safe haven. Jagjit Singh Billa and Sukhwinder Singh Pinta are at present in the USA and some in Germany and Belgium where they have been living freely since they have attained political asylum from the respective governments, the intelligence sources said adding that they had been concentrating on establishing links with old associates who had either been working with them or had been in jails with them as part of a master plan of the ISI.

These militants are busy alluring their old associates with the help of money being routed to the country through Doaba-based hawala operators. A part of their plan to resurrect militant activities came to light in March 1999, when the Kapurthala police seized 17 revolvers to be supplied to the Babbar Khalsa activists active in Doaba and other parts of the state. Jarnail Singh Nihang, an activist of the Babbar Khalsa who was arrested by the Bathinda police two months back, had reportedly confessed that their plan was to involve more people and revive the militancy in the state.

Similarly, the Kapurthala police had arrested Gurinder Singh, a staunch supporter of the Babbar Khalsa and a “human bomb” in November last year. “Gurinder is so committed to the cause that after his arrest he had asserted that he will attack his targets, including Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal and Congress leader H.K.L. Bhagat once he was released,” said Mr Iqbal Singh, the Kapurthala SSP.

The SSP, who has been posted in sensitive districts like Amritsar and Tarn Taran during the peak of the militancy, said the militants’ efforts notwithstanding, their designs would not materialise due to almost zero support from masses.

According to another senior officer, long stay of militants abroad and lack of support by people have rendered them frustrated and some of them have been trying to come back to India and have been sending feelers to the state police authorities to facilitate their surrender.

Dr Daljit Singh Saiflabad and Sahib Singh of Begowal village had recently surrendered before the police in addition to Gurmej Singh, who had presented himself before the Kapurthala police recently along with an AK 47.

“Apart from frustration which is forcing them to come back, another factor is the persuasive approach adopted by the police authorities towards their families which has started showing good results,” said Mr Iqbal Singh.