Punjab CM protest removal of state IPS officer as Chandigarh SSP
Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 13 Dec, 2022 01:55 PM
Chandigarh, Dec 13 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has shot a letter to Governor Banwari Lal Purohit, who is also Administrator of Chandigarh, to express resentment over the removal of Punjab-cadre IPS officer from post of Senior Superintendent of Police, Chandigarh.
In a letter, he apprised the Governor that post of Senior Superintendent of Police in Chandigarh has traditionally been occupied by a Punjab-cadre IPS oficer, while an IAS officer of Haryana cadre had been appointed as the Deputy Commissioner.
However, Mann said he was surprised to learn that 2009-batch IPS officer of Punjab cadre Kuldeep Singh Chahal has been repatriated to Punjab prematurely, and further, much to the dismay of the state, the charge of SSP, Chandigarh, has been given to a Haryana-cadre IPS officer.
He said this move was unwanted and undesirable as this is going to disturb the balance among the states in running the affairs of UT of Chandigarh.
Mann further said if due to some reason SSP Chahal was to be repatriated, then a panel of suitable IPS officers should have been sought from Punjab well in advance.
Seeking the kind intervention of the Governor in the matter, the Chief Minister said the state government will shortly be sending a panel of three IPS officers of Punjab-cadre for the post of SSP, Chandigarh.
He expressed hope that soon an IPS officer of Punjab cadre will be appointed as the SSP in Chandigarh.
The arrested have been identified as Jaskaran Singh, lodged at Sub Jail in Goindwal Sahib, and Rattanbir Singh, who is out on bail. Police recovered 10 foreign-made pistols, including five .30 bore (made in China) and five 9mm (made in the US) along with eight magazines from both of them, besides a mobile phone concealed by Jaskaran Singh in his barrack.
The module is being jointly operated by Canada-based Lakhbir Singh, alias Landa, Pakistan-based Harvinder Singh Rinda and Italy-based Harpreet Singh, alias Happy. The arrested accused has been identified as Yograj Singh, alias Yog, a resident of Rajoke village in Tarn Taran district.
A police officer said that the narcotic substances were recovered from several soap cases kept in hidden chambers in an 18-wheel truck. The police have arrested the driver Hannan Ali. The vehicle was coming from Manipur and the consignment was most probably to be delivered in Guwahati.
Delhi Police had sought the custody of the arrested persons, which was granted by a duty magistrate on Tuesday. The four persons were arrested on Sunday night. Recently, a fresh case under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was lodged by the Delhi Police against the members of PFI, which was banned for five years by the Centre last week.
Punjab Police have arrested 5,824 drug smugglers, including 916 big fish, since July 5, Inspector General Sukhchain Singh Gill said here on Tuesday. He said 203 kg heroin was recovered. Additionally, 147.5 kg heroin was recovered by Punjab Police from seaports of Gujarat and Maharashtra, taking the total effective recovery of heroin to 350 kg in just three months.
Farmers under the aegis of Kisan Mazdur Sangarash Committee (KMSC) held protest and rail roko prorgramme at 17 different places in Punjab on Monday to mark the anniversary of Lakhimpur Kheri incident. It may be noted that 8 persons including four farmers had died during a protest in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3, 2021.
