Prakash Singh has been a very distinguished officer of the Indian Police Service. He was Police Chief of the most populous state of the Indian Union, Uttar Pradesh, and commanded the largest paramilitary force of the world, the Border Security Force. He contributed to combating the insurgency in Nagaland and stemming the tide of terrorism in the Punjab. He also served in Kashmir and led the Assam Police in its fight against the ULFA. The Government of India, in recognition of his outstanding services to national security, awarded him the 'Padma Shree' in 1991.
Terrorist and insurgent movements have left a bloody trail in the country. Starting from the northeast in the mid-fifties, when the Naga Hills went up in flames, these have engulfed several states. Prakash Singh, the author, had the opportunity of serving in all the aforesaid turbulent areas. An officer who combines deep theoretical knowledge with enormous field experience, he has, in the present volume, given a panoramic view of the separatist and secessionist movements in Nagaland, Assam, Punjab and Kashmir, and also thrown light on the Naxalite movement. The political ineptitude and the socio-economic factors which led to people taking up arms against the government have been critically analysed.
