Army pays tributes to Major, 3 jawans who died fighting militants in north Kashmir

Army men give gun salute to Rifleman Ravi Kumar at Meen Sarkar Tabela village on Wednesday. Tribune Photo: Inderjeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 15

The Army on Wednesday paid tributes to its four soldiers, including a Major, who died battling militants in north Kashmir yesterday, saying that they sealed their love for the country on Valentine’s Day.“They chose Valentine’s Day to seal their love for their country. To these bravehearts, no price was too high for her safety,” the Army said in a statement.“To weed out terror from their motherland, they would not think twice even to put their lives on the line… they lived for the country and they died fighting for her,” the Army said about the three jawans and an officer who were killed yesterday.Major Satish Dahiya, Rifleman Ravi Kumar, Paratrooper Dharmender Kumar and Gunner Astosh Kumar were killed in two gun battles in north Kashmir’s Bandipora and Kupwara district yesterday. Four militants were also killed in the two encounters.The General Officer Commanding of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen JS Sandhu led the tributes to the slain personnel today at Badamibagh Cantonment in the city here.The Army said Major Dahiya, who had led the operation launched by the Army in Handwara yesterday, is survived by his wife and a two-year-old daughter. The 31-year-old Major had been part of several counter-terrorist operations and had also been awarded for gallantry earlier, the Army said.The 33-year-old Rifleman Ravi Kumar hailed from Samba district of the state and was among the three soldiers killed in an anti-militant operation in Bandipora district.The Army said Gunner Astosh Kumar, killed in Bandipora operation, was son of Havildar Lal Sahib, who was killed during the Kargil war in 1999.

5-day event : 550 companies to mark presence | Thrust on ‘Make in India’ campaign

Gearing up: Workers clean a Tejas at the Yelahanka airbase in Bengaluru on Monday. PTI

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 13

The 11th edition of Aero India — a military aerospace exhibition — will begin in Bengaluru tomorrow. It will have a thrust on “Make in India” campaign with global companies that are vying to set up fighter-jet producing factories in India will be in attendance.Over 550 defence companies, including 279 from the US, Russia, the UK, France, and Israel among others, will mark their presence at the five-day event (February 14 to February 18) at the Indian Air Force (IAF) base Yelahanka.New Delhi is looking for fighter jets for the Air Force and 57 jets for ship-deck operations of the Navy. It needs some 1,000 helicopters of various types and is looking for UAVs, besides a newer lot of transport planes. All these are to be made in India with foreign collaboration(s).The IAF needs single-engine fighter jets to replace the MiG-21 series. Saab-developed Gripen-E and Lockheed Martin produced F-16 fighters are in the fray. The Americans and the Swedes have promised to set up an assembly line, in case they are selected to build the single-engine fighters.For the Navy’s requirement of 57 jets, American company Boeing is pitching in with its F-A/18 super hornet that has land based and naval variant. The Rafale, of which the IAF is getting 36 jets, also has a ship-deck variant. Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on December 2 last year rejected the LCA-Navy variant, saying it did not have the power for ship-deck operations.The home-made light combat aircraft (LCA), Tejas, will be flying at the airshow. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s “HTT-40”, a basic trainer aircraft; the first indigenously upgraded Hawk Mk132 trainer and the light combat helicopter will also fly.  IAF’s Surya Kiran and Sarang units as well as by teams from Sweden and the UK will showcase their aerobatic skills.The US will be one of the biggest exhibitors and Russia will be equally big, a reality that was not imaginable when the Aero India started in 1996. India’s Cold War (1945-1991) military ally—Russia—may not be losing ground in terms of orders, but the “Make in India” thrust means India now has many suitors — notably France, Israel and Ukraine.  The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in its latest report on “Trends in international arms transfers for the period 2011-2015” predicted: “Based on existing orders and weapons, Russia will remain, by a significant distance, the main supplier of major arms to India for the foreseeable future.”After 2008, the US won military contracts worth $13 billion (approx Rs 85,000 crore). All those Cold-war years when India was in the Soviet Union bloc, the US did business worth only $500 million (approx Rs 3,000 crore at today’s value). As of today, projects worth $39 billion, including co-development of the next generation of fighter jets, are in the pipeline with Moscow.

Gen JJ Singh

Gagan K Teja

Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 9

General JJ Singh (retd), SAD candidate from Patiala (Urban), has got a case registered against former Army officer Amarjit Singh Jaijee.JJ Singh had faced embarrassing moments during his election campaign when he was not allowed to garland the statue of Sewa Singh Thikriwala, former Akali leader and founder of the Praja Mandal movement in the state.On January 24, JJ Singh, along with his supporters, had gone to the Sewa Singh Thikriwala Chowk to kick off his bicycle rally after garlanding Thikriwala’s statue.But before he could do so, Capt Amarjit Singh Jaijee, Thikriwala’s grandson, locked the gate, leading to a standoff. Jaijee had confronted JJ Singh saying that a Sikh with trimmed beard cannot garland his grandfather’s statue.Later, the General garlanded an iron grill on the outer perimeter of the chowk. Two days later, he filed a complaint at the Civil Lines police station against Jaijee, alleging that he had threatened him following which a case under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint) and Section 506 (criminal intimation) of the IPC has been registered.General JJ Singh said, “Jaijee is a confidant of Capt Amarinder Singh. He has been working at the behest of the Congress leader to sabotage my campaign. He also threatened me and therefore, suitable action should be taken against him.”Surinder Kumar, SHO, Civil Lines, said that the police had received a complaint against Capt Amarjit Singh on January 25. Based on the complaint, the police have registered an FIR against the accused. No arrest has been made so far.Jaijee said, “I am unaware of the case against me, but I know that General JJ Singh did make a criminal complaint against me. It does not matter to me as my grandfather is not up for sale. The General tried to cash in on the popularity of my grandfather. I never touched the General. Rather, he was the one who misbehaved.“After the incident, I had filed a complaint with the Election Commission that JJ Singh was degrading the sanctity of the Army medals, following which the DC had served him a notice,” said Jaijee.

FIR against freedom fighter’s grandson on JJ Singh’s complaint

AD NOMINEE ALLEGES CAPT AMARJIT DID NOT ALLOW HIM TO GARLAND STATUE OF HIS GRANDFATHER, SEWA SINGH THIKRIWALA, DURING POLL CAMPAIGN

The army teaches you how to take revenge. Gen JJ Singh (retd) did the same in Patiala, though it was on the battleground of ballots this time.

After the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers and leaders, it was the turn of the grandson of a freedom fighter to fall in line of fire of the former army chief.

Gen Singh, who was fielded by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) against Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh in Patiala assembly constituency, has lodged an FIR against Capt Amarjit Singh (retd), grandson of freedom fighter Sewa Singh Thikriwala, for stopping him from garlanding the latter’s statue during his election campaign on January 24.

He lodged a complaint at the Civil Lines police station under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

In his complaint, Gen Singh alleged that he was carrying out a cycle rally during his campaign and on the way he wanted to pay tributes to Thikriwala, but the accused stopped him from garlanding the freedom fighter’s statue.

“Amarjit had threatened me to score some brownie points. He was doing it at the behest of Capt Amarinder Singh. A freedom fighter belongs to the country, not to a family. He wrongly restrained me from paying tributes to Thikriwala. He will have to pay the price for his misconduct,” Gen Singh after filing the case.

In fact, the SAD nominee was publicly snubbed by Captain Amarjit, who had accused the former of using the statue of Thikriwala for political gains. After a verbal duel, the Gen Singh put the garland on the outer boundary wall of monument.

ASI Surinder Kumar, who is investigating the matter, said an FIR had been registered, but no arrest had been made. “Police will probe the matter and then take further action,” he added.

When contacted, Capt Amarjit said he had no information about the FIR, but had heard that the general had lodged a complaint.

“I have no regret over the incident. I stopped him from taking political mileage by paying tributes at the statue of my grandfather during the election campaign. It was my duty and I did it with full honesty,” he said.

COMMENTS BY CoL CJS KHERA(Retd)

NO GENERAL NO

This is not the way you should conduct yourself with Vengeance against voters after the elections. If you are feeling defeated than the public of Patiala has rightly rejected you.

Its not after the elections but even before take off you had shown your colours unlike a General or Ex-COAS or Ex-Governor.

You were drunk and used un-parliamentary language publically in media. After elections you had target Capt Amarinder Singh for no reason.

Today you have yourself created a mess around you because of your below dignity utterance which only reflects frustration in you.

No Ex-servicemen have praised you for jumping into poll fray. All ESM community feels hurt as you have lowered the institution of COAS and that of a Governor.

At Least stop now to damage your own reputation further in Public. You threatened ESM of Jawan colony  for not voting you ,now you have target Capt Amarjit Singh, with what gains you expect,  adding  further  disrespect and disregard to any Ex-COAS in future.

The compulsions under which you opted to fight Punjab assembly elections is beyond anyone’s comprehensions. Firstly you created a wedge among ESM community by fighting election against an ESM Capt Amarider Singh instead of garnishing support from the voters and ESM. Now after filing an FIR against the grandson of Freedom fighter you have not only made a dent in the reputation and Status of any General but defamed the ESM community as a whole.  luckily you are not in power. Public donot understand language of Ex-COAS or a Governor but of Love andbeing a  cool listener. Capt Amarjit Singh is an ESM , why he did not allow you ,should had been discussed with him in best of wisdom

You should have lived with a pride to be an Ex-COAS and Ex-Governor.It seems your crave for power and other vested interest have  made you to have affiliation with an alleged business oriented corrupt party.

A Governor whom the Chief Minister report but today you walked in Patiala streets and knocked door to door to become a MLA and to report to a Chief Minister in future. What an ambitious project you had under taken.

You could have served better through a NGO as Ex-COAS and Ex-Governor. The right course should had been to fight the Govt for ESM welfare,war widows,OROP which you overlooked during service days. This was the time to compensate and thereafter should have  gone for s MP elections not MLA  according to your status ,the ESM shoud have equally compensated you. 

No politician will be by your side in the wee hours or come into your self created controversial circumstances as it reflects degree of Immaturity on your part .  The acts which could had been avoided nor you have anymore chances with any political parties or offices as can be presumed. May God give you wisdom to understand the reality .

 

 

 

 

Col CJS Khera(Retd)

Gen Secy

Sanjha Morcha

http://

Rajouri: An Army man died in the Nowshera sector when the bunker, which he was manning on the Line of Control, collapsed due to heavy rain on Sunday night. Sources said Naik Tripandey of the 54 Rashtriya Rifles along with another jawan was manning the post at Sarya in the Bhawani forward area when the bunker collapsed due to heavy rain. Tripandey succumbed to his injuries while on the way to a nearby health centre. The Bhawani police handed over the body of the soldier to the unit officials for sending it to his native place in Tamil Nadu. — OC

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 5A Delhi-based lawyer has moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Centre Government to create district-level branches of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) for dispensing speedy justice to defence personnel who often have to wait for years for disposal of service matters.In her petition, advocate Kudrat Sandhu sought to highlight that Army men have to travel to AFT benches from far-flung areas to contest cases and pendency has gone up from 9,000 to 16,000 cases. She also requested the top court to direct the government to fill vacancies of judicial members in various benches of AFT at the earliest to make them properly functional.She submitted before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar that the government should put in place the necessary mechanism for timely selection and appointment of the members of AFT Benches to ensure their effective and regular functioning.Sandhu wanted the government to take “appropriate legislative and administrative steps” for creating tribunals at the district headquarters with original jurisdiction over service matters of armed forces personnel and conferring appellate and revisional jurisdiction on AFTs.“What you are asking is a three-tier system on the lines of consumer courts,” the Bench commented on Friday while asking her to amend the petition accordingly.In her amended petition, she demanded that AFT orders should be allowed to be challenged before the high courts and power of civil contempt be conferred on AFTs.She said a clear-cut procedure should be prescribed for execution of orders or there should be some other coercive means available for implementation of the orders of the AFT and the proposed district-level tribunals and to place the AFT and the proposed district level tribunals under the Ministry of Law & Justice.Citing a letter written by AFT Bar Association Rajiv Manglik in September last year to the then CJI TS Thakur regarding the problems faced by defence personnel and their families due to non-appointment of judicial members of the AFT, the petitioner said quicker dispensation of justice in the AFT was a myth.

As tweet by daughter of officer killed in 1999 sets social media ablaze, politicians jump in with opposed narratives of subversion and freedom of expression

NEW DELHI: The daughter of an army martyr polarised political and public opinion on patriotism and free speech on Monday, after getting rape threats for posting her protest against the rightwing ABVP over the Capital’s latest campus unrest.

BURHAAN KINU/HTABVP members march with a 180­foot­long Tricolour in DU’s North Campus on Monday.

The controversy began after 20-year-old Gurmehar Kaur, a Delhi University student, posted a picture of herself on Twitter and Facebook. She was seen holding a placard that broadcast her views on last week’s violent clashes in DU where ABVP members allegedly assaulted students, teachers and journalists during a protest march.

“I am student from Delhi University. I am not afraid of ABVP. I am not alone. Every student of India is with me,” the message read. The post went viral on Sunday. She was trolled, called an anti-national, and allegedly threatened with rape for her campaign against the ABVP, which owes allegiance to the RSS, the BJP’s ideological mentor. Politicians jumped into the debate soon enough, with junior home minister Kiren Rijiju asking in a tweet: “Who’s polluting this young girl’s mind? A strong Arm Force prevents a war. India never attacked anyone but a weak India was always invaded.”

Rijiju, the BJP parliamentarian from Arunachal Pradesh, was referring to an old picture of the Lady Shri Ram College literature student that resurfaced on social media. The placard in this photo reads: “Pakistan did not kill my dad, war did.”

Kaur’s father Captain Mandeep Singh was killed in Kashmir soon after Kargil war in 1999. Her social media campaign reignited the debate over intolerance as celebrities such as former cricketer Virender Sehwag and Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda criticising her remarks. The actor even called her a political pawn. Kaur retorted: “Really sweet of you to encourage the hate I’ve been receiving. Makes me feel happy that I adored your work 🙂 Pawn? I can think. I don’t support violence perpetuated on students? Is that so wrong (sic).”

She responded individually to Rijiju and Sehwag too, saying she was not anti-national and her mind is not polluted. The student said she was hurt that the cricketer she had cheered for so often trolled her “at the cost of her father’s death”. CHANDIGARH: Gulgul. That’s what late Capt Mandeep Singh used to call his elder daughter Gurmehar. He wrote her name on a pile of snow in Kupwara in the Kashmir valley, and clicked a picture for his two-year-old daughter back home. It’s a picture that Gurmehar Kaur, 20, carries with her like a talisman 18 years after his death in the Valley.

Today, the first-year English honours student of Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi has become the subject of a vicious war of words being waged on the social media. All over a Facebook post in which she slammed the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) action at Ramjas College.

Capt Mandeep’s brother Davinderdeep Singh, a professor of English at DAV College, Nakodar, says his brother would have stood like a rock behind his daughter. “He would have supported her tooth and nail. She is entitled to her opinion, she did not say anything anti-national.”

ON CAPT MANDEEP

Capt Mandeep, 30, was posted in 4 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) in Kupwara when militants stormed his camp in August 1999. He was killed in the gunbattle that followed. Davinderdeep, who was 24 at that time, says a few months earlier, his brother had shot down three militants in a 30-hour encounter at Bandipora.

“He was much dreaded by militants active in the area. They had kept a reward on him. Even when they stormed the camp, they shouted out his name,” he recounts.

Capt Mandeep was an avid bodybuilder . Anup Vats, a former professor at DAV College, Jalandhar, recalled how Mandeep had taken part in Mr Jalandhar contest.

VOICE OF RAM

Gurmehar, all of two when Capt Mandeep was killed, and her younger sister Bani, who was only five months old, remember a lifetime spent missing their father.

Gurmehar first shot into limelight in May last year, when she was the subject of a silent video by Ram Subramaniam, an ad filmmaker whose Facebook page, “Voice Of Ram”, aims to “create a positive change”. Telling her story through placards, Gurmehar recounted how she had tried to stab a burqa-clad woman when she was six because she believed Muslims had killed her father.

She had a change of heart when her mother, Rajvinder Kaur, a Punjab Civil Services officer, taught her that it was a war that killed her father, not people from a particular religion. “Today, I am also a soldier just like my dad. I fight for peace between India and Pakistan.”

BOOK ON INDO-PAK PEACE

In a Facebook live chat on January 30 this year, Gurmehar says: “My life has been very difficult. But my mother taught me that hate doesn’t get you anywhere .”

Praising her college, she says it encouraged open thoughts and free conversations. Saying that she was working on Indo-Pak peace, Gurmehar disclosed that she had penned a book on life in the forces and peace between the two neighbours. “We can have a cordial relationship.”

Gurmehar, who commands quite a following in Pakistan, says that she wants to visit Pakistan, hopefully this year.

Davinderdeep says the family is traumatised by the vicious attacks on Gurmehar, calling her anti-national. “We haven’t said a word about this to my father who is very ill.”

A soldier’s daughter, she fights for Indo-Pak peace

HANDIGARH: Gulgul. That’s what late Capt Mandeep Singh used to call his elder daughter Gurmehar. He wrote her name on a pile of snow in Kupwara in the Kashmir valley, and clicked a picture for his two-year-old daughter back home. It’s a picture that Gurmehar Kaur, 20, carries with her like a talisman 18 years after his death in the Valley.

Today, the first-year English honours student of Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi has become the subject of a vicious war of words being waged on the social media. All over a Facebook post in which she slammed the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) action at Ramjas College.

Capt Mandeep’s brother Davinderdeep Singh, a professor of English at DAV College, Nakodar, says his brother would have stood like a rock behind his daughter. “He would have supported her tooth and nail. She is entitled to her opinion, she did not say anything anti-national.”

ON CAPT MANDEEP

Capt Mandeep, 30, was posted in 4 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) in Kupwara when militants stormed his camp in August 1999. He was killed in the gunbattle that followed. Davinderdeep, who was 24 at that time, says a few months earlier, his brother had shot down three militants in a 30-hour encounter at Bandipora.

“He was much dreaded by militants active in the area. They had kept a reward on him. Even when they stormed the camp, they shouted out his name,” he recounts.

Capt Mandeep was an avid bodybuilder . Anup Vats, a former professor at DAV College, Jalandhar, recalled how Mandeep had taken part in Mr Jalandhar contest.

VOICE OF RAM

Gurmehar, all of two when Capt Mandeep was killed, and her younger sister Bani, who was only five months old, remember a lifetime spent missing their father.

Gurmehar first shot into limelight in May last year, when she was the subject of a silent video by Ram Subramaniam, an ad filmmaker whose Facebook page, “Voice Of Ram”, aims to “create a positive change”. Telling her story through placards, Gurmehar recounted how she had tried to stab a burqa-clad woman when she was six because she believed Muslims had killed her father.

She had a change of heart when her mother, Rajvinder Kaur, a Punjab Civil Services officer, taught her that it was a war that killed her father, not people from a particular religion. “Today, I am also a soldier just like my dad. I fight for peace between India and Pakistan.”

BOOK ON INDO-PAK PEACE

In a Facebook live chat on January 30 this year, Gurmehar says: “My life has been very difficult. But my mother taught me that hate doesn’t get you anywhere .”

Praising her college, she says it encouraged open thoughts and free conversations. Saying that she was working on Indo-Pak peace, Gurmehar disclosed that she had penned a book on life in the forces and peace between the two neighbours. “We can have a cordial relationship.”

Gurmehar, who commands quite a following in Pakistan, says that she wants to visit Pakistan, hopefully this year.

Davinderdeep says the family is traumatised by the vicious attacks on Gurmehar, calling her anti-national. “We haven’t said a word about this to my father who is very ill.”

New Delhi, February 23The cross-LoC raids were a tactical rather than a strategic success since the old rules stood, says a new book.“Defeat Is an Orphan: How Pakistan Lost the Great South Asian War” by Myra MacDonald tracks the defining episodes in the relationship between India and Pakistan from 1998, from bitter conflict in the mountains to military confrontation in the plains, from the hijacking of a plane to the Mumbai attacks.India has come a long way from the lonely humiliation of the Kathmandu to Kandahar hijacking in 1999 to the public announcement of cross-LoC raids into Pakistan-held territory in 2016, says MacDonald, a journalist and author specialising in South Asian politics and security.“The cross-LoC raids were a tactical rather than strategic success, since the old rules stood. Pakistan was unlikely to abandon its strategy of supporting some jihadis while fighting others — the ideology of confrontation with India had become too deeply embedded to be uprooted. Nor had India escaped the requirements of ‘strategic restraint’.“Beyond skirmishes on the LoC, more significant Indian military action still faced the risk of escalation into a nuclear exchange. Inside the Kashmir valley, India still needed to find the political means of addressing Kashmiri resentment. In the event of further attacks from Pakistan, moreover, India’s options for further unpredictable retaliation remained limited,” the author says.“If it had international support for its cross-LoC raids, it was precisely because Indian responses to attacks by jihadis from Pakistan had been so carefully controlled since 1998, thanks to Prime Minister Modi’s predecessors,” the book, published by Penguin Random House, says.“It could not continue seeking ever more forceful retaliation without putting that at risk. Nor could it rely on international impatience with Pakistan —- it was too useful a country for China and too worrying for the United States to abandon.”According to MacDonald, Pakistan’s defeat in the Great South Asian War contained a warning for India too.“Pakistan had been brought low by hubris, a chauvinist nationalism and an unhealthy obsession with its neighbour. As it emerged as the far stronger power, India needed to be wary of succumbing to similar sentiments, lest it neglect the need to tend to the domestic stability and restraint that had served it so well,” she says. — PTI

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 22

Senior military commanders of India and China today discussed setting up of additional meeting points for the two armies along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and to have a “hotline” at the Director-General of Military Operation-level (DGMO) on either side.India has such a “hotline” with Pakistan. A 15-member delegation from Western Theatre Command of People’s Liberation Army (PLA), China, is on a five-day visit (February 21-26) to India. The PLA delegation led by Major-General Zhao Jin Song, Vice-Chief of Staff of Western Theatre, met the Indian delegation led by Additional DGMO Maj-General YK Joshi, here in New Delhi today.A statement by Indian authorities today said: “Leaders of two delegations discussed the importance of having regular bilateral exchanges and additional border personnel meeting points.”India, China have five such meeting points along the un-demarcated 3,488-km LAC, the de facto boundary with India—Spanngur Gap at Chusul in eastern Ladakh, Bum-La near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh and Nathu-La in Sikkim. In the past one year, two additional points have been opened at Daulat Baig Oldie in the disputed Depsang plains in sub-sector north (SSN) of eastern Ladakh and one at Kibithoo in far-eastern Arunachal Pradesh.Sources said the Chinese side has proposed an additional meeting point in south-eastern Ladakh. The two sides also discussed modalities of a DGMO-level hotline. In April last year, when Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar undertook a five-day visit to China, the Chinese had agreed to the draft of the memorandum on establishing a hotline between the two military headquarters. The Indian Army statement said: “The two sides agreed that peace on the border is an important guarantor for development and continued growth.”

5 already in place

• India, China have five meeting points along the un-demarcated 3,488-km LAC, the de facto boundary with India
• In the past one year, two additional points have been opened at Daulat Baig Oldie in the disputed Depsang plains in sub-sector north of eastern Ladakh and one at Kibithoo in far-eastern Arunachal Pradesh

Punjab police deploy 2,000 personnel at Shambhu Barrier

No one will be allowed to violate the status quo order of the Supreme Court come what may. SURESH ARORA, DGP, Punjab

From page 01 Sensing that the political considerations may not allow the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Haryana government to use much force against opposition party Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) that has given a call to dig Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal, the Punjab government has fortified Shambhu Barrier, the entry point of Punjab from the neighbouring state, to ensure status quo on the issue.

The government has barricaded roads, brick-walled bridges and deployed around 2,000 security personnel in the area. Drone cameras will be used to keep an eye on the movement of INLD workers on the Haryana side on Thursday, the day they are assembling at the Ambala Vegetable Market, 2km from the Shambu Barrier.

As Punjab and Haryana police are gearing up to avoid a face-off between the two states, the ministry of home affairs, too, is keeping tabs on the situation. Both state governments have demanded central reserved forces, 20 battalions by Punjab and five by Haryana.

Authorities in Punjab apprehend that Haryana government may not use force against the INLD as the action may have negative political repercussions, considering the sensitivity of the issue. Punjab DGP Suresh Arora is personally monitoring the security arrangements at Shambu Barrier, the entry point of Punjab from Haryana , including aerial surveillance. “The status quo order of the Supreme Court on SYL will be maintained at all costs,” said Arora.

“I don’t want to comment on hypothetical questions, but let me make it clear that all possible measures has been taken, forces are ready to tackle any situation,” he said, when asked the number of people he was expecting at the site.

The DGP reviewed the arrangements and issued instructions to strengthen the barricading.

More than 5,000 policemen have been asked to reach Patiala and central reserve force will arrive on Thursday. He also held a series of meetings with police officers from Haryana and both sides agreed to work in tandem. Flanked by DGP (law and order) Hardeep Dhillon, Arora briefed the cops at Shambu Sarai, where a temporary control room has been set up.

Dhillon will keep tabs on situation and Patiala IG B Chander Shekhar will lead the force on Thursday.

A mock drill will be conducted on Wednesday. SSPs of Patiala, Sangrur, Barnala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar; DIG (Patiala), DIG (Ropar) and several commandants of various police battalions have been called to Patiala. The central security forces will be deputed as the first line of defence, along with the Punjab Police. Sangrur SSP has been ordered to stop the All India Sikh Students Federation march at Sanaur, where they are going to assemble.

HARYANA POLICE ON TOES IN AMBALA

CHANDIGARH/AMBALA: With leaders of the main opposition party Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) further mobilising its workers from across the state to reach Ambala on Thursday to march towards Ismailpur village on Punjab border to dig the Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, Haryana Police have made elaborate security arrangements to prevent any disruption to law and order in Ambala city as well as on National Highway-1.

Ambala superintendent of police Abhishek Jorwal told HT that at least four additional companies (having about 400 personnel) of Haryana Police have been brought from Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Karnal and Panipat to beef up security in the area.

He said traffic diversions have also been announced in the city to prevent any chaos on the rwo-kilometre stretch from Ambala to Shambhu barrier, which is the HaryanaPunjab border on the NH-1.

Earlier, INLD president Ashok Arora and senior leader Rampal Majra met Ambala deputy commissioner Prabhjot Singh, and took permission for using the vegetable market grounds for the assembly of party workers.