Operation Blue Star: Security heightened at Amritsar

Over 3,000 police personnel have been deployed around the Golden temple here in view of Operation Blue Star anniversary to be observed in its premises on June 6.

Security has been beefed up in the city in view of lakhs of Sikh devotees expected to throng the Akal Takhat (the highest Sikh temporal seat), officials said here today.
The army had carried out Operation Blue Star in June 1984 to flush out the hiding militants from the temple complex.

Leaves of police officers have been cancelled with directions to join duties forthwith in view of the anniversary, officials said today adding around 3,200 police personnel have been deployed around the temple complex.

Heavy police force has been deployed on all the entry and exit points of the city including airport, railway station and city bypass.

Vehicles coming into the city from outside were being frisked minutely to prevent entry of any miscreants.

The government security agencies and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) officials are constantly working to maintain law and order in the city, with the SGPC deploying its volunteers in the marbled periphery of Golden temple.

Director General of Punjab Police, Suresh Arora, visited the Golden Temple on June 2 along with senior police officers of the district including Commissioner of Police to take stock of security arrangements in view of Operation Blue Star Anniversary.

Security at Indo-Pak border has also been tightened, with BSF night patrolling party keeping an hawk eye at zero line, officials said.

Meanwhile, the radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh said a call for Amritsar bandh has been given on June 6 to protest Army action in Golden temple 34 years ago.