Just days ahead of the 39th anniversary of the Indian Army's "Operation Bluestar", a hoax bomb call near the Golden Temple on Saturday have put the Punjab Police on alert with the deployment of a bomb disposal squad at the spot. Four persons, including three children, were taken into preventive custody for making the call to the police.
On the heels of Operation Bluestar's anniversary
Officials said the police received a call at around 1 am about planting four bombs near the Golden Temple. Operation Bluestar was a military action ordered by late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to flush out militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale holed up in the Golden Temple complex. The operation was carried out between June 1 and 8, 1984, and claimed several lives and left the shrine and complex damaged.
This time keeping in view the "Operation Bluestar" anniversary that falls on June 6, Punjab Police have beefed up the security across the state to ensure peaceful observance of this week. Police teams have been conducting flag marches in sensitive and vulnerable areas as a measure to instil confidence among the public in all 28 police districts, officials said.
Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla said Commissioners of Police and Senior Superintendents of Police have been directed to conduct flag marches in the sensitive areas of their respective districts.
Foolproof arrangements in the state
Police teams have also apprehended 368 suspicious persons during flag marches." Punjab Police will ensure peaceful observance of the Operation Bluestar anniversary for which foolproof arrangements are in place and adequate security has also been deployed across the state," said Shukla.
Multiple blasts reported near Golden Temple last month
Earlier in May, two minor blasts occurred in the holy city's Heritage Street near Golden Temple which left the Punjab Police in a state of confusion. The first blast occurred near Saragari Sarai on Heritage Street near Golden Temple around 11.30 pm on May 6 and the second blast around 6 am on May 8 close to the same spot. The third explosion took place around 12.30 am on May 19 near ``Galiara’’ (meaning the pathway and park around the Golden Temple).
Though the police had earlier held that the motive behind these blasts appeared to disturb peace in the state, the DGP held it would be too early to say so.
