CHANDIGARH, July 10: With the terrorists changing tack in Punjab, the security forces will be called upon to reorient their policing, besides enlarging the range and scope of anti-terrorist operations.

The series of bomb blasts in the region during the past few months show that the terrorists have opted for low-key yet deadly tactics. Instead of the daring and brazen acts of violence, they are choosing the most common terrorist weapon, the bomb, ostensibly because the public support to their kinky `cause' is virtually non-existent.

The most powerful of the blasts at Bathinda yesterday, also removes the ambiguity about such incidents being the handiwork of Kashmiri terrorists alone. By striking in the Malwa, heart of the State, the message is amply clear. Even if the Kashmir terrorists are mainly responsible for the actions, their Punjab counterparts are providing the wherewithal for the ghastly acts. ``This calls for a joint response of all the states in the region,'' said an officer.

Police officers say that inter-state cooperation, particularly of the Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir Police needs to be improved. `The coordination, if at all any, is individual based. This needs to be systematised,'' said an IG, who was spearheading the anti-terrorist drive in the border districts for many years.Harmonious functioning between the two police forces is paramount in the light of explosives, including RDX, being smuggled into the country in such large quantities, reportedly from the J&K border.

It is believed that as much as 10 kg of RDX may have been used in the train blast near Bathinda.Besides being lethal, bomb blasts are the most difficult to anticipate. In the wake of earlier blasts at Jalandhar and Pathankot, the police had formed `anti-explosive squads' in that area. However, the terrorists struck in a completely different area, which had hitherto enjoyed comparative peace.

A section of the officers feel that after the Jalandhar and Pathankot blasts, alarm bells did not ring and the police functioning continued to be slothful.

The ongoing criminal investigations against the police officials for alleged excesses too took their toll. On the other hand, the terrorists have clearly learnt their lessons. Of late, they are not owning up responsibility for acts of violence. ``This is a handicap as we have no lead whatsoever to start the investigations,'' said an officer.

Police officers say that in the changed scenario, the only way the terrorist efforts can be foiled is by effective intelligence gathering operations. ``The present phase of terrorism is akin to the tactics of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and like the Scotland Yard and M15, the police here will have to intensify its surveillance ofthe terrorist ranks,'' explained a senior intelligence officer.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.