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In March 1986, with militancy spiralling out of control in Punjab, Julio Ribeiro, a Maharashtra

ca!re IP" officer, was brought in as the #irector $eneral of Police% &o ta'e the militants

hea!on, he frame! the (bullet for bullet) policy% &hings spun further out of control, an!

Presi!ent*s rule was reimpose! in 198+% %P%"% $ill was brought in to finetune antiterrorist

operations% In a nohol!sbarre! campaign lasting o-er fi-e years, police score! major

successes% . number of police officers too fell to terrorists* bullets% .fter the 199/ polls,

boycotte! by the .'ali #al an! in which turnout was thin, a 0ongress go-ernment le! by

eant "ingh too' charge% 2e supporte! the antiterrorist ops to the hilt, which le! to his

assassination in a bomb attac' in 0han!igarh in .ugust 1993% 2owe-er, when $ill han!e!

o-er the Punjab #$P*s baton later that year, terrorism ha! been crushe!% Punjab Police were

cre!ite! with achie-ing the unthin'able% "ince then peace has pre-aile!% ut there was

always tal' of the brutal metho!s use!% &hese -oices ha-e become lou!er, especially in the

"i'h !iaspora, with charges of human rights abuses all o-er the internet% 4ow, with the ".#

JP go-ernment facing strong antiincumbency, ra!ical "i'h groups ha-e come together to

raise a litany of grie-ances% &here are rumblings in the police too% &he moot point is5 hat

was the e7tent of human rights abuses ill there be closure to Punjab*s turbulent chapter,

now brought ali-e by the sensational confessions of a former Punjab cop

“In (the) name of fighting terrorism, utter falsehood was enacted day after day. Suspects

were picked up in one place, taken to a second, kept in a third, and encounter shown in yet

another place. What I have seen and was associated with would shock people.” 

:Gurmeet Singh Pinky

;n 4o-ember /, 199/, when gunshots rang out of a fourth floor apartment on .ntop 2ill in

Mumbai, local cops from the nearby police station rushe! to surroun! the apartment buil!ing%"weating profusely, with his nose blee!ing an! shirt torn, a plainclothes person rushe! out

with a pistol in han!% "houting out to the Mumbai cops atop nearby buil!ings, he sai! he was

a Punjab Police subinspector who ha! 'ille! !rea!e! militant Rana Partap "ingh alias

<ha!oor "ahib*, a selfstyle! =t $eneral of the halistan 0omman!o >orce ?0>@% ithin

minutes, the then #0P of the Mumbai area, .%.% han, was also on the scene% &he re-ol-er

wiel!ing man was $urmeet "ingh Pin'y, who ha! tra-elle! o-ernight with a police informer

an! four others from hanna in Punjab to hunt for the militant, who carrie! a rewar! of Rs /A

la'h on his hea!% Pin'y was alrea!y well'nown in Punjab as a (hit man) for senior officers%

&he shootout at .ntop 2ill went on to fin! mention in ollywoo! mo-ies such as ! "ak

#hhappan% #uring %P%"% $ill*s two tenures as #$P ?1988199A an! 19911993@, the Punjab

Police earne! the !istinction of Buelling terrorism in the bor!er state through a networ' ofinformers an! with strongarm actions, inclu!ing encounters% #uring his 19year career in the

police, Pin'y was at the forefront of some of these actions% 2e claims to ha-e ha! a han! in

the arrestC'illing of a number of top militants, inclu!ing "u'h!e- "ingh abbar, $urmu'h

"ingh 4agoge an! 2ar'ewal "ingh "arabha% esi!es, he arreste! well'nown militant

lea!ers li'e Jagtar "ingh 2awara an! #aljit "ingh ittu% He’s lost count of the reward

money that he got for his “kills” in uniform. He also got the President’s Police Medal

for his efforts%

$rotesBuely o-erweight, to!ay Pin'y, 36, is a paro!y of the !rea!e! <'iller cop* he once was%

;nce the blueeye! boy of senior cops, inclu!ing "ume!h "ingh "aini ?who was Punjab

#$P till ;ctober *13@, now he feels betraye! by the system% (I ha-e been use!, e7ploite! an!

let !own by the -ery officers I ha! stuc' my nec' out for% I ha! ris'e! my life time an! again

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on their as'ing,) says a -isibly angry an! hurt Pin'y ?see inter-iew@% In a series of nohol!s

barre! inter-iews to ;utloo', therefore, he has re-eale! shoc'ing !etails of police

'i!nappings, encounters:fa'e an! real:an! also 'illings in col! bloo! by senior officers in

his presence% #oesn*t he fear the conseBuences of his re-elations (I !on*t care, for I ha-e

ser-e! a life term in jail for a mur!er that I !i! not commit% I was as'e! to 'eep my mouth

shut on the promise that my interests woul! be safeguar!e!% ut I am on the roa! D2is wife,

inci!entally, was getting his police salary while he was in jailE% hy shoul! the seniors who

committe! greater crimes get away)

hile many in police swear by his (e7traor!inary wor') !uring the

!ifficult militancy perio!, there are others in Punjab an! abroa!

baying for Pin'y*s bloo!% &he former cop remains on the hit list of

militants, an! mo-es aroun! with an arme! escort%But the man

who had no qualms in using any means to achiee his ends

now fears the same fate at the hands of the !olice % (I fear being

harme! for 'nowing too much an! !aring to spea' out,) he says%

Recounte! here are the particulars of the fa'e encounters he wasin-ol-e! in, in all their chilling !etail5

How encounters were staged...

In =u!hiana !istrict, while the 0rime In-estigation .gency ?0I.@ appeare! to be the

centrepoint of most antimilitancyrelate! acti-ity, the real pi-ot was the 8/ attalion 2ea!

Buarters at nearby #ugri% 0RP> #eputy 0omman!ant 0hanchal "ingh an! =u!hiana "P

?;perations@ %"% $ill, a 0RP> officer on !eputation, coor!inate! most of the acti-ity relating

to suspecte! militants who were pic'e! up an! became secret informers ?<cats*:shortene!

from <conceale! apprehension techniBues*@% ;ne of their priFe catches, says Pin'y, was $ur

charan "ingh "ai!pur of the International "i'h Gouth >e!eration% It was "ai!pur who gotsuspecte! militant amaljit "ingh of holath arreste! in 1989, he says% amaljit ha! been

in-ol-e! in the ambush of a police inspector in apurthala !istrict but ha! pro-e! to be a

har! nut to crac'H he woul! only utter (ahe guru) when subjecte! to thir! !egree torture%

Inspector "hi- umar of the =u!hiana 0I., accor!ing to Pin'y, arrange! for amaljit*s

(encounter)% %"% $ill, when as'e! about his specific role in the allege! fa'e encounter, sai!,

(offhan! I am not able to recall what is being allege!% &hese are -ery ol! cases%) ;n

persistent Buestioning, he sai! he 'new Pin'y well an! that the latter was apparently saying

all sorts of things because he was angry with the police !epartment%

 

"he shootout at

#nto! Hill went

on to find m

ention in

B’wood films

like Ab Tak

Chhappan.

 

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?=eft to Right@ Gurcharan Singh Said!ur  &he militantturne!cat, now in the "H Sher Singh Sher  Militant of 

the 0>, <encountere!* by $u!!u "hamsherH Prof $a%inder!al Bulara 4abbe! an! then 'ille!%

"ai!pur, accor!ing to Pin'y, also i!entifie! 0> militants "her "ingh "her of Pan!ori -illage

near Phagwara, Patiala Me!ical 0ollege stu!ent .jmer "ingh =o!hiwal an! a'htaura "ingh

athin!a of >alla! -illage, the latter two arreste! by the 0RP> in Mo!el &own, =u!hiana%

=o!hiwal too' cyani!e when the 0RP> trie! to arrest him, a'htaura was pic'e! up an! his

hip !islocate! !uring interrogation% "her "ingh, along with a'htaura, says Pin'y, was later

han!e! o-er to #ehlon "2; $u!!u "hamsher "ingh, who arrange! for his (encounter) as

an (uni!entifie!) person% "her "ingh*s father #aljit "ingh says they learnt about his 'illing in

an (encounter) from newspapers, an! was gi-en his ashes an! belongings by the "herpurpolice in arnala !istrict only after running from pillar to post% (4o one e-er tol! us how it all

happene!,) he says% Bakhtaura’s mother& 'arnail (aur& too says they were neer

informed a)out the wherea)outs of her son nor was the )ody gien. “*ater we learnt

he was killed in an +encounter’ with some others% e ne-er got his bo!y for cremation,)

she says% &he 'ith an! 'in of these militants, says Pin'y, woul! ne-er get to 'now anything

about their fate because they remaine! in illegal custo!y an! were ne-er shown as arreste!

on paper%

&he !isappearance of Professor Rajin!erpal "ingh ulara was one more sensational case

reporte! !uring the pea' of militancy% ;n >ebruary 13, 1989, the

=u!hiana police in Punjab ha! announce! that the three persons

'ille! in an encounter on January /6 ha! been i!entifie! as Prof 

ulara an! his two accomplices% &he 'illing ha! resulte! in a major 

shut!own of all uni-ersities in Punjab for many !ays% &hrowing

fresh light on the 'illings, Pin'y says, (&he encounter was fa'e% Prof 

ulara was 'i!nappe! an! 'ille! by the police% .lso, there were four 

persons, not three, as claime! by my seniors, who were 'ille! in

that inci!ent%) ulara, who was teaching at the Punjab .gricultural

ni-ersity in =u!hiana, ha! gone un!ergroun! in the aftermath of 

;peration luestar% It was again on a tipoff from "ai!pur that the

police too' action, says Pin'y% &hey nabbe! ulara on the afternoon of January /3, 1989,

Prof Bulara’s

killing led to a

shutdown of all

uniersities in

Pun%a) for many

days.

 

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from outsi!e a restaurant in "ector 13, 0han!igarh, along with three others% &he police were

in four -ehicles, an! "ai!pur in one of them, i!entifying the four as they came there% &he rai!

was con!ucte! by a 0I. party le! by "hi- umar ?who later became "P@% &he "2; of Payal

police station, "ant umar ?who later became #"P@, was also with them% Pin'y, then a junior

functionary in the 0I., too' acti-e part in the whole operation% Prof ulara ha! come on a

tractor belonging to his relati-es% (;ne of the four resiste! being pic'e! up an! a cyani!e

capsule ha! to be pushe! !own his throat by Inspector "ant umar,) Pin'y recalls% hile he

collapse!, the remaining three were bun!le! into the -ehicles an! ta'en towar!s =u!hiana%

 . constable was as'e! to !ri-e away the tractor ulara ha! come on% n route, the rai!ing

party flashe! a message to ?then ""P@ "ume!h "ingh "aini an! "P ?;perations@ %"% $ill,

(goal score!, match won)% Promptly, a message was flashe! bac', (0ome to #ugri ?2K of

the 8/ attalion of the 0RP>@%) &he three were pro!uce! before "aini, who was present

along with $ill% (e ha! co-ere! Prof ulara*s face with a blan'et,) recounts Pin'y% (2e was

ushere! in before "aini, who in filmi style clappe! his han!s an! sai!, <khul $a sim sim* an!

we lifte! the -eil%) &he ""P then as'e! ulara if he ha! threatene! to eliminate him for

allege!ly humiliating his wife in custo!y% hen ulara !enie! ha-ing sai! anything li'e that,

he was brought face to face with "ai!pur%

'arnail (aur  Mother of a'htaura whose hip was !islocate! in Buestioning

Pin'y claims he was witness to what happene! then% 2e hear! "aini tell "2; "a!ar

anwarjit "ingh ?later "P@ to gi-e ulara the (train ri!e ?(gaddi chadaoo)@, an! as'e! the rest

of them to go an! celebrate% (e, who ha! brought ulara from 0han!igarh, were gi-en Rs

1A,AAA, an! we !ran' oursel-es silly that e-ening at a restaurant,) says Pin'y% Prof ulara

an! two others were 'ille! that night in a fa'e encounter in a ri-erine area ?(et)@, an!

passe! off as uni!entifie! persons who were hea-ily arme!% &he weapons (plante!) on the

three ha! been reco-ere! with "ai!pur*s help from a place in Ropar !istrict% &hose 'ille!

along with ulara inclu!e! #a-in!erpal "ingh 2appy of Mullanpur $arib!as an! Prabhjit

"ingh Mintu of 0han!igarh% &he person force! to ta'e the cyani!e pill outsi!e the

0han!igarh hotel was .-tar "ingh of #ao Majra -illage near Payal% It was only on >ebruary13, 1989, that, bowing to public pressure, the =u!hiana ""P a!!resse! a press conference

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in which he state! that those 'ille! in the et (encounter) ha! been i!entifie! an! inclu!e!

Prof ulara an! two others% Prof ulara*s wife, Rajin!er aur, who later became an MP, tol!

me that while they 'new that her husban! was 'ille! in a fa'e encounter, they still !on*t 'now

the !etails of how he was 'ille!% (&he whole police story,) claims Pin'y, (was hogwash%)

hen we trie! to contact "hi- umar for his -ersion, the cellphone was imme!iately swit

che! off%

$eleased or killed as !er whims of officers

Pin'y claims that -arious militants an! criminals were hel!, release! or 'ille! on the whims

an! fancies of the senior officers% In >ebruary 199A, when "aini was transferre! from

=u!hiana as athin!a ""P, Pin'y too mo-e! with him% ;n transfer, says Pin'y, -arious

militantsturne!cats were roun!e! up an! han!e! o-er to !ifferent "2;s to be 'ille! in

stage! encounters% ;ne such was $urpreet "ingh of "ibia -illage, near Rai'ot, a stu!ent of

$4, =u!hiana, who was wante! in a number of cases% 2e was han!e! o-er to Rai'ot "2;

Piara "ingh Multani to be (encountere!) as an (uni!entifie! person)%

"ai!pur, howe-er, escape! that fate, though he too ha! been

initially han!e! o-er to the "amrala "2; for (!oing the nee!ful)% 2e

ha! pro-e! to be (our biggest asset), says Pin'y, an! he was

allowe! to go abroa! to the " as a (rewar!)% In fact, says Pin'y,

"ai!pur feare! getting 'ille! by militants an! was !eliberately

frame! in a case un!er the .rms .ct in Ropar !istrict an! sent to

 jail% =ater, when he applie! for a passport, a fa-ourable police report

was manage! so that he coul! go abroa!% 4ow in "eattle, "ai!pur

-ehemently !enies ha-ing helpe! the police in i!entifying any of the

militants% 2e claims he ha! no han! in Prof ulara*s arrest an!

'illing an! was ta'en into custo!y a !ay after the professor*s 'illing%2e a!mits that he remaine! in the illegal custo!y of the security forces for o-er a year but

this was because he ha! refuse! to cooperate with them% (Pin'y, who is a con-ict in a mur!er 

case, can say anything% Ges, I was arreste! in Ropar, but not un!er the .rms .ct,) says

"ai!pur% 2e also !enies ha-ing been helpe! to get a passport ma!e an! claime! that he got

his passport ma!e in #elhi by paying off someone% (I am still on the go-ernment*s blac' list

an! am being targete! by the police because some of us sitting in the " support the

orphans of the militants,) he sai! in a lengthy telephonic con-ersation%

 

Pinky also

claims many of

the militants

were in touch

with senior

!olice officers.

 

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Power "ie "u'hbir a!al with "ume!h "ingh "aini, still #$P then

,nstructions from the to!

Pin'y also recalls how, in 1989, they ha! chance! upon a person belonging to a 2in!u

militant outfit who was carrying an illegal weapon% His interrogation reealed that he was

!art of a wide network of Hindu radicals and led the !olice to recoering three stenguns& - !istols and a huge cache of ammunition. #s the !olice were a)out to lodge

an /,$& *udhiana B'P leader *a%!at $ai )arged into the 0,# office to !rotest% (""P

"aini also arri-e! an! we were tol! not to file the >IR an! release the illegal weapons,)

recalls Pin'y%

Pin'y also claims that many of the militants were in touch with the senior officers% (e were

ma!e to let go of many persons who we woul! arrest following tipoffs,) he says% 2e recounts

how they ha! arreste! a Rajin!er 0ho!a from artarpur, who ga-e them -ital information

about tople-el militants% (hile you are arresting me,) he tol! his arrest party, (your own

senior officers are tal'ing for hours with our tople-el militant lea!ers, inclu!ing $urjant "ingh

u!hsinghwala%) "ure enough, there was instant pressure from an official of a no!al

intelligence agency who sai! that 0ho!a was their source an! shoul! therefore be release!%

("ince an illegal weapon ha! been foun! on him, I refuse! to let him go% &he then =u!hiana

""P, P%"% "an!hu, calle! me an! tol! me to go an! lea-e 0ho!a bac' in artarpur% It is

another matter that 0ho!a was 'ille! by militants three !ays later as they got suspicious

about his release,) re-eals Pin'y% (&hat is when I felt that terrorism was being controlle! by

certain people at the top%)

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'atana /amily Home "aini ha! it (burnt !own) in a fit of -engefulness

+Pinka Mohali shot in my !resence’

Pin'y narrates a shoc'ing case in which he personally saw "aini, then =u!hiana ""P, shoot

militant Pin'a Mohali with his weapon at 0I., =u!hiana% =iste! as a nonhar!core militant,

Pin'a was arreste! by a 0RP> party le! by 0hanchal "ingh an! han!e! o-er to 0I.,=u!hiana% 2e was interrogate! in the presence of "aini, an! when he refuse! to part with

any information, the police trie! to force a cyani!e capsule !own his throat% &he pill !i! not

ha-e the !esire! effect so he was force! to !rin' pestici!e% ut this too !i! not wor'% "eeing

this, "aini, accor!ing to Pin'y, lost his cool an! shot Pin'a in the forehea!% hen as'e! who

all were present when this happene!, Pin'y says there was, besi!es himself, cop "atpal

?who later became a subinspector@% Pin'y recalls how "atpal trie! to ta'e cre!it for the arrest

an! reBueste! the ""P to gi-e him a 0/ ?which woul! enable him to get promote! to the

ne7t ran' of hea! constable@% (&he ""P jo'ingly tol! him that if he !ran' the rest of the

pestici!e mi7ture, he woul! gi-e him the 0/L) "aini says% "atpal, who was also "hi- umar*s

!ri-er, panic'e!% "hi- umar himself was also there on the scene as was 0RP>*s 0hanchal

"ingh an! Jogin!er "ingh haira, "P ?#@% &hen 0I. inspector "ant umar too' the bo!y

away in a $ypsy an! reporte!ly !umpe! it in the ha'hra canal, as was the norm% .s the

arrest of Pin'a Mohali ha! not been shown, no case was registere! an! the 'illing remaine!

un'nown to the outsi!e worl!% &he family members of Pin'a Mohali, whose real name was

Jasbir "ingh, were ne-er gi-en any information of his !eath in police custo!y, forget his bo!y

or any of his belongings% 2is brother .jitpal "ingh sai! he was in Mumbai when a close

relati-e informe! him about Pin'a*s !eath in an (encounter) somewhere in =u!hiana !istrict%

&hey ha! learnt about it later from a newspaper cutting%

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"he elimination of the 'atanas

Pin'y also tal's about certain cases that too' place in 0han!igarh while "aini was ""P% 2is

fa-ourite at the time, Pin'y woul! spen! most of his time in 0han!igarh e-en though he was

still officially poste! in =u!hiana% ;n .ugust 9, 1991, "aini was returning after lunch when

there was a bomb attac'% &hree persons were 'ille!, an! the ""P was among those injure!%

"ince just a wee' earlier, he ha! recei-e! a threatening letter from abbar halsa, he

suspecte! this to be the han!iwor' of its acti-ists alwin!er "ingh Jatana an! 0haranjit

"ingh 0hanna% &he !ay after the attac', when Pin'y went to call on him at the P$I, "ainibro'e !own an! swore re-enge% In chaste Punjabi, he tol! him ( apan chadna nahin) ?we will

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not spare them@%

>our members of the Jatana family:age! 8A years, A years, 1N

years, an! an infant:were 'ille! an! set on fire% 4o one is willing to

tal' about it e-en now, e7cept to say that it happene! at about /%NA

in the night% (arly morning, the -illage granthi saw the burnt house

an! informe! e-eryone,) says a -illager% Jatana an! 0hanna were

'ille! later on "eptember , 1991, in an encounter at "ai!pur in

Patiala% &he attac' on "aini, it later turne! out, ha! in fact been

carrie! out by another outfit, halistan =iberation >orce, an! the

Jatanas ha! no role in it%

It was he who ha! been initially assigne! to carry out the attac' in Jatana -illage, says Pin'y%

2e tol! "aini he woul! ha-e to procure weapons for the tas' from =u!hiana, where he was

poste!% Pin'y left for =u!hiana soon after, only to !isco-er that the !ee! ha! been !one by

the time he was returning to 0han!igarh% &he attac' ha! been carrie! out by .jit "ingh

Poohla, who narrate! the whole seBuence of e-ents to Pin'y while the two were lo!ge! in jailin =u!hiana% In /AA8, Poohla was attac'e!, 'erosene poure! on him an! he was set on fire

by fellow inmates in .mritsar jail% 2e !ie! soon after%

"aini*s -engeance, howe-er, went on% 0hanna*s brother alwin!er "ingh, a hea! constable

himself, was 'ille! by a gunwiel!ing motorcyclist at about the same time% (hile this was

gi-en out to be the result of gang warfare, it was the han!iwor' of the police on instructions

from seniors,) Pin'y claims% "atpal 0hanna, a thir! brother, says alwin!er ha! gone to the

mar'et when he was shot% (2is 'illing has remaine! a mystery all these years,) he says%

Pin'y remembers how the Jatana -illage inci!ent 'ic'e! up a huge row within the police%

Muhamma! Mustafa, the then ""P Ropar wrote to the then #$P, #%"% Mangat, alleging that

""P "aini was behin! the !astar!ly elimination of the family% It was rightly suspecte! thatPoohla or Pin'y were behin! the 'illing% (=est we were arreste! an! the plot unra-elle!,

Poohla was informally !etaine! in Jalan!har an! I in 0han!igarh Police =ines in "ector /6

for many wee's,) says Pin'y% (It was only when %P%"% $ill replace! Mangat as #$P that we

were <release!* from custo!y%)

?=eft to Right@ Balwant Singh Multani #ie! !uring thir!!egree tortureH Gurmukh Singh 1agoke &he 0>

 

“,f , admit to

)eing

associated with

2 killings& why

wouldn’t , admit

to a 3st4”

 

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militant bumpe! off with his wifeH Sukhde Singh Ba))ar  ille! an! his Maruti 1AAA ta'en away by cops%

+, saw Multani )eing killed inside 0handigarh !olice station’

Pin'y recalls another chilling !eath in custo!y in the "ector 1+ police station in 0han!igarh to

which he was an eyewitness% It pertains to the !eath of alwant "ingh Multani, son of I."officer #arshan "ingh Multani% Inci!entally, the "upreme 0ourt ha! on #ecember 8, /A11,

Buashe! the 0I case against "aini an! others for the elimination of three people, inclu!ing

Multani% Pin'y*s re-elations coul! reopen the sor!i! case% Multani ha! been arreste! by sub

inspector ?later inspector@ Jagir "ingh an! brought to the "ector 1+ police station% 2e was not

forthcoming with information% "ince "aini was present at the police station, he as'e!

Inspector Mali', who was lea!ing the interrogation, to tighten screws% He ordered that a

stick )e shoed u! Balwant Singh. Malik hesitated and said he had neer done this.

“5ou hae to do it&” he said& een giing directions on how to do it6 a!!ly oil to one

end of the stick% alwant "ingh collapse! at the insertion an! his bo!y ta'en away to be

!ispose! of% Pin'y names others who were present there an! witnesse! the 'illing% (&he

story of Multani*s escape !uring reco-ery of weapons the ne7t !ay was fa'e,) he says%

Seniors !ocketed “rewards”

 .s for the top militants, Pin'y claims that while the police !i! succee! in arresting them

through a wi!e networ' of informers, the manner of their 'illing, as claime! by police in

encounters, was fabricate!% 2e recalls how he was part of a police party le! by =u!hiana

""P "% 0hattopa!hyaya, %"% $ill an! Inspector Manmohan "ingh which caught top militant

i!eologue "u'h!e- "ingh abbar ali-e in Patiala in .ugust 199/% 2e was pic'e! up,

Buestione! an! 'ille! in a fa'e encounter at #haro! near =u!hiana% %"% $ill apparently also

too' away his Maruti 1AAA car% (=et there be an inBuiry an! let these people !eny what I am

saying,) says Pin'y%

hat the police were !oing in =u!hiana was typical of what was being !one elsewhere too%

Pin'y recalls how the police ha!, with the help of pinpointe! information by a cat, manage! to

catch $urmu'h "ingh 4ago'e, a selfstyle! =t $eneral of 0>, in ;ctober 199/ at the

Mu'erian bus stop% 2e was with his wife an! threemonthol! baby at that time% Pin'y alleges

that the encounter on the hanna"amrala roa! on ;ctober /, 199/, was stage!% (&he

militant, along with his wife, were 'ille!, an! their threemonthol! baby was gi-en away to

the panchayat% hanna ""P $a% (ishan Bedi file! the >IR an! claime! most of the rewar!

money%)

7actly a month later, another selfstyle! =t $eneral of the 0>, 2armin!er "ingh"ultanwin!, was 'ille! in a stage! encounter on the hanna"amrala roa!% 2e ha! been

caught in #elhi after the wife of a top militant who ha! been caught agree! to call 2armin!er

on the ruse that her chil! ha! been a!mitte! to hospital an! nee!e! bloo!% hen he arri-e!

at the hospital, he was caught an! sent to hanna, where he was interrogate! by the 0I.,

hea!e! by .sho' Puri, before being 'ille! off in the (encounter)% . sum of Rs N8 la'h an! a %

N8 bore re-ol-er with a gol! butt were reco-ere! from "ultanwin!*s hi!eout in "ector N6,

Pin'y re-eals% (&he Rs N8 la'h reco-ere! was ne-er !eclare! an! it was use! for

construction of police Buarters in hanna following the appro-al of %P%"% $ill, who

inaugurate! the buil!ing,) he says% &he %N8 bore weapon, Pin'y claims, remaine! with the

police officers%

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1o 1ews 7f "heir Son #arshan "ingh aba*s parents

8en non9terrorists were eliminated for money

Pin'y claims that since the police ha! assume! absolute power, there were instances when

petty criminals who fell into police traps were eliminate! because money !eals were

in-ol-e!% ;ne of Pin'y*s accomplices in hanna tol! this reporter how in 199N they wereas'e! to offloa! two persons from the $ol!en &emple 7press train at Phagwara% "he two&

who turned out to )e hawala dealers& were taken to SSP Bedi& and a sum of a)out

:2&222 dollars recoered from them. "hey were !ut through interrogation for one week

at the 0,#& headed )y ,ns!ector #mrik Singh& though no arrests were shown % hile one

of them was let off, the other, .-tar "ingh &ari, from a -illage in apurthala !istrict, was

shown as 'ille! in an encounter a wee' later% &o ma'e the (encounter) cre!ible, he was

shown to ha-e been 'ille! with a wante! terrorist, #arshan "ingh of Man'i -illage near

"amrala, says Pin'y% &he >IR lists the names of NA cops who too' part in the (encounter)L

hat happene! to the +A,AAA !ollars, we as' Pin'y% (.s' Raj ishan e!i an! Jogin!er

"ingh "an!hu, "P ?#@, who stage! the encounter,) he tells us% (&he person was no militant

an! lost his life because of the gree! of senior officers for the !ollars he was carrying%)

Pin'y also tells us how, at about the same time, a se-erely !isable! person, #arshan "ingh

<aba* of $osal -illage near "amrala, was pic'e! up on suspicion of instigating the youth to

ta'e up arms% &he man ha! no han!s an! feet an! woul! mo-e aroun! on a wheele! cart%

&he police informer tol! us how he ha! calle! the baba to the 4a!ha "ahib $uru!wara near

Panch'ula, where he was pic'e! up by the cops% #arshan "ingh $osal*s mother, Ranjit

aur, !i! a!mit that her han!icappe! son entertaine! e7tremist -iews an! that he ha! gone

to 0han!igarh when he was (pic'e! up)% &he family trace! him in the custo!y of Morin!a

police where some policemen !eman!e! Rs / la'h for his release% ("ince we coul! not

arrange it, we were tol! he was 'ille!% e got no information whatsoe-er,) she says% &he

informer says #arshan "ingh was put in a sac', ta'en to hanna an! thrown into the

ha'hra canal along with his cart% &he informer himself was later recruite! into the police but

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!ismisse! soon after, an! is full of remorse about getting a !isable! person 'i!nappe! an!

'ille! on a mere suspicion% e!i, when contacte! on telephone, !enie! Pin'y*s allegations%

(2e is a con-icte! cop who has no cre!ibility% 2e is ma'ing up stories% hy !i! he not spea'

out earlier =et me say it categorically that I !i! no wrong while in uniform,) says e!i% 2e

also categorically !enie! ha-ing or!ere! or carrie! out any fa'e encounters% hen as'e!

specifically about the 'illing of 4ago'e an! "ultanwin!, he sai! he !i! not remember the

specifics% ;n the allegations of the 'illing of hawala !ealer &ari an! the han!icappe! #arshan

"ingh $osal !uring his tenure in hanna, he sai! there was no truth in all these charges% (If

there was any truth, their relati-es woul! ha-e spo'en out,) he says% e!i, whose son ha!

been 'ille! by militants, now stays at the hea!Buarters of a religious sect in eas%

?=eft to Right@ ;arshan Singh &he han!icappe! man was thrown in a canalH Harminder Sultanwind =ure!

to his !eath, his Rs N8 la'h ta'en

(.P.S. Gill says no human rights were iolated

&hough Pin'y has no firsthan! 'nowle!ge of the !eath of human rights acti-ist Jaswant

"ingh halra in &arn &aran, he offers some insight% &his is because he share! a jail barrac'

with Jaspal "ingh, #"P, who was among the persons con-icte! in the case% 2e claims that

halra was 'ille! by Jaspal "ingh an! others on the !irections of (senior officers)% Pin'y is

not willing to name the (senior officers) he is allu!ing to an! a!!s, (=et Jaspal "ingh an!

others con-icte! !o that%) ut <"uper 0op* %P%"% $ill, former #$P, Punjab, ha! !enie! any

'nowle!ge of the halra case% In an inter-iew to this reporter in "eptember /A13, he ha!

claime! that halra may ha-e been 'ille! by terrorists% Gill also said that re!orted

e<cesses )y co!s were minimal and that the anti9terrorism cam!aign in Pun%a) “was

the most humane in the world”% 2e also state! that if any police officers !i! any wrong,

they !i! so at their own le-el an! were ne-er as'e! to !o so by him% $ill was again

inter-iewe! by %utlook  for this story in #elhi last &hurs!ay ?see inter-iew@%

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=nited Sikhdom Members of -arious "i'h panths participating in the "arbat halsa at 0haba, 4o- 1A%

?Photograph by Prabhjot "ingh $ill@

Misuse of +secret funds’

;ne of the most well'ept secrets in the Punjab Police is that of secret fun!s, which came

from two sources:one, the annual bu!get of the Punjab go-ernment, an! two, those

pro-i!e! by the nion home ministry through the Intelligence ureau an! other agencies%

&hese fun!s were !irectly controlle! by the #$P, Punjab, through the .#$P ?Intelligence@%

Pin'y claims that these fun!s, to the tune of Rs /A crore annually, suppose!ly to pay off

sources who pro-i!e secret information, were routinely misuse! by senior officers% (. part of

the fun!s is gi-en to the litigation branch to !efen! police officers who are facing criminal

trials,) he says% &he litigation branch also pays money eBui-alent to the salaries of the

officers who are con-icte! or in jail as un!ertrials out of the secret fun! account% (=i'e

e-eryone else, e-en my family got this <salary* till May this year,) he says% (. cler' use! to

come an! get signatures on !eli-ering a pac'et% &hose police officers in jail with me use! to

tell me that they get this amount too% =et there be an inBuiry%) hen as'e! about the allege!

misuse of these secret fun!s, Punjab .#$P ?=aw O ;r!er@, 2%"% #hillon, who was till

recently the .#$P ?Intelligence@, sai! it woul! be unprofessional on his part to tal' of

(intelligence operations)%

hen the charges le-elle! by Pin'y were brought to the notice of present Punjab #$P

"uresh .rora, there was a sense of !isbelief% 2e has refuse! to comment on the allegations

at this stage% Repeate! efforts to contact "aini, the prime focus of Pin'y*s allegations, were

unsuccessful% Messages left at his places remaine! unreturne!% Howeer& an #;GP who

did not want to )e named said that as many as 3&:>? !ersonnel of the Pun%a) Police

either died or were in%ured while tackling terrorism% &his inclu!e! the 3 who got Police

Me!als posthumously, inclu!ing two #I$s an! eight "Pran' officers% (oul! this happen if

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the encounters were false) he as's% hen as'e! about specific cases, howe-er, he sai!,

(.ll this is history an! we prefer not to remember things of that perio!%)

0onclusion

"o who authorise! what appear to be illegal an! unconstitutional actions on the part of some

police officers In!ications of the tacit appro-al to such actions were ina!-ertently spelt out

by a top official of the Intelligence ureau to the Punjab #$P in a (secret) letter on #ecember 

NA, 1991 ?see !o& a!ove@% &here is no !oubt that Pin'y*s own trac' recor! is highly !ubious%

Moreo-er, since he stan!s !isgrace!, how cre!ible can his -ersion be .t the same time,

can so many sensational !isclosures of braFen illegalities be totally ignore! (=et those who

!eny what I am saying come face to face with me% =et there be a public !ebate an! inBuiry,)

he !eman!s% .t the -ery least, this must lea! to some epitaphs being rewritten%

('anwar Sandhu is a distinguished senior $ournalised !ased in #handigarh and has workedfor In!ia &o!ay, In!ian 7press and 2in!ustan &imes. fter heading the ay *ight channel,

he now runs a production house, +ree edia Initiative.)

-y 'anwar Sandhu in #handigarh with inputs from #hander Suta ogra and 'asif +arooi 

$8#; M7$8 ,16

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1#",71#*

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 .="; I4 &2I" "&;RG

I4&RI

“Rights Activists Only Support The Terrorists”

>ormer Punjab #$P %P%"% $ill who is contro-ersially cre!ite! for bringing an! en!

to militancy in the state on e7traju!icial 'illings an! the politicianpolice ne7us%

MI2IR "RI."&..

I4&RI

“What I Have Revealed Is Only Five Per Cent O What I

!no"”

 .llege! e7abbar halsa manturne! police informer $urmeet "ingh Pin'y on being jaile!

in the .-tar "ingh $ola mur!er case, his reinstatement an! subseBuent sac'ing from the

force%

 

0;MM

4&"

PRI

4&

M;R "2.RI4$

"RI0""2.R

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PI4&R"&S"2.R

"2.R ;4 M.I=

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;&=;;

0;R "&;RG

To #S$oda%& Rs '( la$h

$urmeet Pin'y says he pai! the bribe to get reinstate!

0;R "&;RG

)e"are The *ourno

I man %$% ai!ya*s letter of warning to %P%"% $ill

;PI4I;4

Wash The !ha$i

#on*t blame the security forces, wor' to reform them

PR.."2 "I4$2

&R.4"=.& I4&;5

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DAILY MAIL

2. G;R ".G  T $8#; #** C 07MM81"S

6/D-12

#0 A3, /A13

A153A .M

&han's to such encounters, terrorism was !efeate! in Punjab%

hen you see a !ea!ly sna'e, you 'ill it by any meansbeat it, burn it,

cut if etc etc% &he same applies to terrorists% &hey are not human an!

human rights !o not apply% illing them by any means is acceptable an!

 just%

 .."2 RM.

0244.I, I4#I.

 PRM.=I4  | =I ?A@  | #I"=I ?A@  | RP;R& ."

5/D-10

#0 A3, /A13

A15NN .M

4o ci-iliFe! country shoul! tolerate such police brutalities, euphemistically

calle! UencountersU% ;nce a suspect is apprehen!e!, his safety is the

responsibility of those who hol! him in Ucusto!yU%

 

 .4..R

#.==.", 4I&# "&.&"

 PRM.=I4  | =I ?A@  | #I"=I ?A@  | RP;R& ."

4/D-4

#0 A3, /A13

1/5/9 .M

Vmisogynist,

ery objecti-e comments , until the last few lines% hen you refer to

W!i-ersion of waterW , you are referring to 2aryana an! 2imachal an! thosetwo states were part of Punjab an! then when Punjab was !i-i!e! , they

were create! as seperate states% "o they !o ha-e a right to fair share%

 &hat fair share has been !eci!e! by ju!ges an! tribunals an! not by

politicians%

Its no !ifferent from bic'ering o-er water between 'arnata'a or tamil

na!u%

M.R&.4#"4&MP=

M.R&.4# "4 &MP=, I4#I.

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 PRM.=I4  | =I ?A@  | #I"=I ?A@  | RP;R& ."

3/D-1

#0 A3, /A13

1/511 .M

Uncounter 'illingU was ol! style% U>alse >lagU is new style%

In the present age, a goo! olW U>alse >lag attac'U, propping up a few

"i'hs to 'ill some In!ian policemen, woul! ha-e gi-en In!ira $an!hi the

e7cuse to 'ill hin!ranwale ? suitably then labelle! by the acBuire! me!ia

as WterroristsW @%

In both cases, the me!ia woul! not as' any Buestions, as long as crumbs

were thrown for them to lic' up an! satisfy themsel-es, while their mega

rich WownersW presse! ahea! with their e-il agen!a%

MI";$G4I"&

0244.I, I4#I.

 PRM.=I4  | =I ?A@  | #I"=I ?A@  | RP;R& ."

2/D-90

#0 A, /A13

1A59 PM

In 198N, In!ia*s military intelligence, the Research an! .nalysis ing

?R.@ attempte! to infiltrate hin!ranwale*s organiFation, losing o-er 1AA

intelligence officers in the process% 3 =ater that year, the mur!ers of police

officials reache! the point where the central go-ernment steppe!in an!

too' control of the Punjab% In!ian policing operations were se-erely

hampere! by the massi-e networ' !e-elope! by hin!ranwale*s followers

who coul! easily target any in!i-i!ual or police officer who acte! againstthem% &hrough a combination of both intimi!ation an! the rallying of pro

"i'h emotions, hin!ranwale mo-e! into the $ol!en &emple, fortifie! it

an! ma!e it his base of operations% 4ow constantly accompanie! by

hea-ily arme! bo!yguar!s, he felt that he was out of the reach of In!ian

authorities%

0laiming a fear that hin!ranwale woul! !eclare an in!epen!ent

halistan ?the name of the militant*s i!ealiFe! state@ an! call for support

from Pa'istan, In!ian security forces surroun!e! the holy site%

hin!ranwale refuse! to surren!er an! by June 6, 198, security forces

assaulte! the temple in ;peration lue "tar% Initially, the troops were

or!ere! to use minimal force an! refrain, where possible, from !amaging

the structure% 2owe-er, the e7tremists were more hea-ily arme! than

e7pecte! an! hea-y weaponry was nee!e! to !islo!ge hin!ranwale an!

his followers% hin!ranwale was 'ille! in the engagement%

;peration lue "tar ha! a farreaching impact among "i'hs in In!ia an!

abroa!% Many "i'hs were !isguste! that the final assault occurre! on the

!ate that "i'hs celebrate the martyr!om of $uru .rjun% 2un!re!s of

innocent pilgrims were celebrating the e-ent at the temple when the

assault began% hile official !eath tolls were not belie-e!, the number

'ille! is estimate! to be in the low thousan!s%

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 .nother factor that has a!!e! to the e7isting tensions between the central

go-ernment an! the "i'hs is the !i-ersion to the neighbouring states of

their most important natural resource ri-er water, which belonge! only to

Punjab un!er the pre-alent national an! international law% &his !epri-e!

Punjab of billions of rupees annually% ith 8AX of the state population Ythe poor farming community, a!-ersely affecte!, there has been a great

!eal of unrest% &he military was use! to suppress this unrest but there are

fears that the issue coul! become the moot point of another Maoist

uprising, this time in Punjab%

MI";$G4I"&

0244.I, I4#I.

 PRM.=I4  | =I ?1@  | #I"=I ?1@  | RP;R& ."

2. G;R ".G  T $8#; #** C 07MM81"S

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