40 years ago October 7, 1986: PM optimistic on Punjab

This is the front page of The Indian Express published on October 07, 1986.

2 min readOct 7, 2026 06:40 AM IST First published on: Oct 7, 2026 at 06:40 AM IST

Punjab is much better today than it has been for a long time, according to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He said that in spite of the attempt on his life and on that of J F Ribeiro, the level of terrorism in that state had never been so low before. The terrorists, he said, had resorted to these attacks in an effort to salvage their image.

Security lapses reviewed

The challenge posed by terrorists and the lapses in the security arrangements for top political leaders and senior officials in sensitive posts were reviewed at the highest level. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, first discussed the issue with Home Minister Buta Singh and senior officials, and later at the meeting of the Political Affairs Committee of the cabinet.

Medal lost after doping caught

Indian heavyweight boxer Daljit Singh has been deprived of his silver medal after the lone doping incident of the Asian Games, officials said in Seoul. Dope tests showed he had used an illegal stimulant, they said. The silver medal was awarded to Pakistan’s Kausar Abbas, defeated in the semifinals by Singh.

India, Jordan on Iran-Iraq war

India and Jordan expressed concern and regret over the continuing Iran-Iraq war and emphasised the need to bring about an immediate end to it. President Zail Singh, Jordanian King Hussein, and Queen Noor al-Hussein reaffirmed their country’s support for the struggle of the Palestinian people led by the Palestinian Liberation Organisation.