RIP KPS Gill

They say - If there is a will, there is a way. In 1991, the terrorism in the Indian state of Punjab was looking beyond solution and by mid 1993 it was solved - a sign from the years old night bus services restored in the state.

What happened in between ? After P V Narasimha Rao came to power, he announced elections in Punjab in early 1992, which he was able to conduct despite terrorist violence and low voting. A Congress led government came to power.

The PM Narasimha Rao gave a free hand to Beant Singhr, the newly elected CM of Punjab, who gave a free hand to the Supercop K P S Gill, the then head of Punjab Police. The later have a free hand to the police force, motivating them with "Kill a terrorist and earn a promotion", often literally.

The Punjab Police force followed the Diktats of their head and went on a head hunting spree, harvesting bounties of terrorist heads which would give a run for their RAVI (Winter) crop harvest during the BAISAKHI (the Spring Festival in the State).

The Spring cleansing, followed by further cleansing thw following summer wiped out the majority of the terror elements. The Punjab Police of KPS Gill relentlessly went after the heads of the terror cells - akin to removing the heads of the Serpents which takes out their venom, making their fear mongering torso useless. 

It put a full stop to the ubiquitous terrorism which tortured Punjab for years, breaking its backbone from which it could never recovered. It yet vindicated that strong, able and decisive leadership can fix nagging issues. KPS Gill was a major part of that leadership. 

Unfortunately KPS Gill who turned around the terrorism problem in Punjan failed spectacularly as the head of 

Indian Hockey Federation, an institution known to be both inept and corrupt, was unable to repeat the miracle on the hockey field. It yet debunks the myth that a turn around expert whose forte of expertise is in one field, may not be able to replicate the same on another area or arena.

The Punjab super cop's handling of terrorism need not automatically qualified him to be IHF chief. During his tenure it was rumored that Scotch flowed liberally IHF meetings held in the upper floors of 5 star hotels, where as the ground reality was he failed to resuscitate Indian hockey.

Yet, he will be forever remembered for pulling Punjab out of the killing fields of 80s and early 90s - a well earned credit he fully deserves. RIP KPS Gill.