This is the front page of The Indian Express published on June 12, 1984, Forty Years Ago.
The army largely succeeded in bringing under control scattered incidents of mutiny and desertion by Sikh elements located at Ramgarh (Bihar), Lalgarh (Ganganagar district, Rajasthan) and Pune. In all three cases, armed deserters drove off trucks and other soft military vehicles “towards Punjab” following rumours and false reports about events in Amritsar and the Golden Temple.
Poonch Shoot Orders
Shoot-at-sight orders were issued and the army deployed in the border town of Poonch where 10 bombs exploded without causing any damage and saboteurs damaged three feet of the rail track near Jammu. The curfew, imposed on Poonch in the wake of violent protests over the action by security forces in Punjab was extended by 24 hours.
IA Hijack Alert
Indian Airlines has alerted all its stations against possible hijack attempts by disgruntled Sikhs. The alert was issued by IA after it was warned by the intelligence bureau that some Sikhs might attempt to hijack IA planes to highlight their resentment against the army action in the Golden Temple. General security at all major airports has also been strengthened. The government ordered these security measures after some rebellious army jawans interrogated near Bombay disclosed that they had planned to forcibly take over Bombay airport.
Bachchan Recovering
Doctors at the Breach Candy Hospital are confident that the ailing actor, Amitabh Bachchan, will be able to act again. Speaking to the ENS, the actor’s personal secretary, Sheetal, said that doctors attending to Amitabh assured them that with sufficient rest, the actor should be able to act again.
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