In the backdrop of Friday’s attack on a Punjab Police Sub-Inspector by a group of drug smugglers in village Chogawan of Tarn Taran, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday ordered the immediate dismissal of the personnel who accompanied the officer but took no action to come to his rescue.
Acting on the Chief Minister’s orders, Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta got an inquiry conducted by IG Border into the role of the raiding police party, which accompanied SI Baldev Singh of PS Kachha Pacca to Chogawan village on the morning of 13th September. Based on his report, three police officers, including ASI Sawinder Singh, HC Gurvinder Singh, and CT Nishan Singh, along with PHG Jawan Darshan Singh, were dismissed from service for inaction and dereliction of duty.
Inspector Jhirmal Singh, SHO Kacha Pakka, Tarn Taran district, was shifted to Police Lines as his explanation into the incident was found to be satisfactory, said Gupta.
According to an official spokesperson, angered by the reports of the incident on Social Media, the Chief Minister took serious note of the fact that the cops accompanying the SI simply looked on while their leader was being severely beaten. “This act of cowardly behaviour is unacceptable in a uniformed force,” said the Chief Minister, sending a strong signal down the police force that such cowardice was not acceptable under his regime.
Five persons have been arrested so far for the assault on the SI and the police have registered a case in different sections against them and some 25-30 unknown persons, said Gupta.
The DGP has ordered IG Border and SSP Amritsar (Rural) to take stringent action against the culprits, who were led by drug supplier Amandeep Singh and his brother Gagandeep Singh.
Giving details, the DGP said the police party had gone to the village to raid the house of Amandeep in a case under NDPS Act in which 152 gm of Heroin had been seized by the Tarn Taran Police. Amandeep and his brother gathered a group at their house and they made a murderous attempt on the life of SI Baldev Singh.