APRIL 20, 1984, FORTY YEARS AGO

CHAOS IN PUNJAB

SIX PEOPLE WERE killed and at least six injured in violence in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. Part of the railway track on the Firozpur-bhatinda section was blown up by extremists. One person was killed and another injured in Chandigarh when Sikhs took out a procession defying prohibitory orders in protest against recent violence. Two policemen and the driver of their car were shot dead by extremists at Ambala Cantonment.

OPPOSITION WALKOUT

REPORTS ABOUT THE landing of a Pakistani aircraft in Punjab and the arrest of its two occupants sparked off a furore in the Lok Sabha which culminated in a walk-out by the entire Opposition in protest against the government’s silence on the incident. Neither the Prime Minister nor the Defence Minister were present in the House.

HATHRAS VIOLENCE

ELEVEN PERSONS, INCLUDING four policemen, were injured in Hathras in group clashes. Following this, Section 144 was promulgated in the town, about 35 km from Aligarh. Twenty-one persons have been arrested by the police on charges of rioting, arson and damage to public property and more arrests are likely, according to district officials.

ZIA HITS OUT AT INDIA

PAKISTAN PRESIDENT, ZIAUI Haq, denied reports that his country has a hand in current developments in Punjab, according to Radio Pakistan. “Pakistan does not want to interfere in the internal affairs of any country,” he told newsmen in Lahore. Gen Zia said the Home Minister P C Sethi’s statement in Parliament about Pakistan’s involvement in Punjab affairs was meant to “malign us”. “Pakistan believes in principles,” he added.