DERA BASSI, July 12: Fearing robbers to strike in the villages located on Chandigarh-Ambala highway, the Patiala district authority has issued red alert directing the Dera Bassi police range officials to intensify night patrolling by involving able-bodied youths. Earlier, the Ambala district authorities apprehending extremist activities, had ordered round-the-clock patrolling in the district till July 24, to ensure public safety and that of railway lines and bridges. In a communication to Dera Bassi Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Gursewak Singh Toor, Senior Superintendendent of Police (SSP), Patiala, Parampal Singh Sidhu has asked to ensure `thikree pehras' by involving well-built young male residents of the villages on Ambala highway so that any attempt of desperadoes to strike could be averted.The district authority said that all able-bodied adult male residents of the villages would be involved to perform patrol duty to ensure the safety of railway lines and bridges within the limits of Dera Bassi. The village panchayat shall be responsible for ensuring patrolling in their respective jurisdiction, the order stated.Following these directions, the Dera Bassi Police swung into action and set up a separate `task force' to deal with robberies and thefts within the limits of Dera Bassi sub-division. This task force would ensure safety of public property, railway tracks and bridges. When contacted the DSP said that suspected persons were being hauled up for questioning and the police had stepped up vigil in towns, villages and mohallas to ensure safety of the residents life and property."All police station chiefs in the Dera Bassi division have already been issued directives for early implementation. They have also been directed to ensure safety of public property by involving sarpanches in their respective areas,'' DSP supervising the security arrangement for night patrolling within Dera Bassi sub-division told Newsline. Meanwhile, Roopnagar district police chief Ranbir Singh Khatra, at a senior police officers meeting held last week in S.A.S. Nagar, reviewed security arrangement to deal with law and order in the divisions, it is learnt. Sources say the SSP has also directed Mohali police to step up vigil to nab robbers masquerading in police uniform and ensure safety of the residents of the villages located in the pheriphery of Chandigarh. This was the first meeting after the Burail Jail break attempt.Mohali SP B.S. Randhawa emphasised that they would soon organise mass contact programmes in the villages to instill confidence among the villagers and encourage self-protection. The villagers would be provided arms for self-defence, if required.It may be recalled that the robbers in red patka and commando unforms had stuck at least 12 villages located in the vicinity of Chandigarh. The modus operandi adopted by the robbers was identical in all casea. They are well-built and fluent in chaste Punjabi. They struck the head of the family with a rod or sharp-edged weapog and decamped with valuable articles. Robbers in `kala kachha' were also active in the areas.
