Rest in peace, my General

SS Virk

I was shocked as you really looked unwell when I saw you on TV a couple of weeks back. But you sounded almost the same when I phoned you and you called me over. We spent an hour remembering those days of senseless violence and reliving a few deadly experiences was great. So were your comments on the present situation in Kashmir, the Naxalite movement and other issues plaguing the nation.

Under your leadership, we fought the biggest armed uprising of Independent India and not only came out alive, but were also successful in controlling the senseless violence of militancy in Punjab and restoring peace.

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My first interaction with you was on the first day you joined duty in Punjab in 1984 as IG (PAP and Operations) at Jalandhar where I was posted as SSP. I told you about nabbing a militant that day and was surprised when you wanted to see him rightaway. You questioned him for hours and were surprised to know that he was a Hindu who became a Sikh militant under the influence of Sant Bhindranwale. You talked to him at length for assessing how such a change was possible in our socio-religious system. I could make out that a professional cop had arrived on the scene.

Later, we all dispersed but were reassembled in 1986 when you came back as IG (CRPF) with me as DIG (CRPF) and your deputy at Amritsar. Violence was at its peak in the Majha area with daily shootouts. It was then that we, under your leadership, revised our operational strategies, formed sectors, sub-sectors, with joint deployment of Punjab Police and the paramilitary forces (CRPF and BSF). We also planned patrolling, joint operations, sharing information and generating field intelligence which yielded good results.

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And then you were again called back to take over Punjab operations. The fight continued with successes and failures, ups and downs. Your greatest role was to make the force dominate the strongholds of militants and involving senior officers in field operations. I distinctly remember the chilly December nights when we laid ambushes in the Mand or other areas where terrorists’ writ ran. I have seen you yourself leading ambushes in the most difficult areas. Then holding training camps in Mand to prepare the force where the groups coming from outside Punjab were given pre-induction training.

And then came Operation Black Thunder II, which started when I received a bullet in my jaw outside the Golden Temple in May 1988. By now, you were DGP and that is when we saw police leadership at its best. No police entry, all exit points blocked, all devotees called out and only the militants inside, totally isolated and given the option to surrender. Only a few got killed in exchange of firing as after a few days, they surrendered as all of them came out with raised hands. You had achieved the result without much firing, damage or even without entry. This was indeed the greatest professional success.

You continued to lead Punjab Police up to 1995 till total normalcy returned except a few incidents. But by then peace had been consolidated and Punjab Police had been galvanised into an effective anti-terrorist force. You also prepared the younger officers for leadership in crisis. A cool head and a large heart, you were always unruffled, focused and at peace during operations.

In my last meeting, you looked a pale shadow of yourself.  You also mentioned that those who gained maximum from the peace ushered in by you remained your greatest critics all along, a fact that pained you.

Rest in peace, my General. I and many more like me who learnt a lot from you while restoring peace in Punjab would miss you.

The writer is former DGP, Punjab and Maharashtra