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.
In his previous marriage to Inderpreet Kaur, which ended in a divorce in 2016, Mann has two children -- son Dilshan and daughter Seerat -- who are currently staying in the US with their mother. Both children had attended Mann's swearing-in ceremony at Khatkar Kalan on March 16.
A spokesman for the Chief Minister's office said all domestic consumers in the state would be eligible to get zero bills if their consumption is up to 600 units in every billing cycle. This will give a big reprieve to the domestic consumers who have to hitherto shell out huge money every month in the form of power tariff.
On receiving information about the incident, SP City Dinesh Kumar Singh, along with police force, reached the spot. The injured youths were sent to the hospital for treatment and the matter is being investigated.
The Chief Minister said the government is fully sensitive towards checking cross-border infiltration in Punjab. He said Punjab Police is constantly in touch with the Border Security Force (BSF) and other agencies for this purpose.
While briefing the officers, the DGP said the topmost priority of the government, as directed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is to further strengthen the fight against drugs to make Punjab a drug-free state, besides eliminating the gangster culture, maintaining law and order, and detection of crime.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur announced Rs 5 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased, whereas Rs 15,000 as immediate relief for the injured. He said free treatment would be provided to the injured.
