Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday ordered the immediate dismissal of three policemen, one home guard personnel and one Inspector who watched a Punjab Police Sub Inspector beaten up by a group on drug smugglers, without coming to his rescue.
Singh took to Facebook to vent his anger against the cops.
“A disgraceful incident happened yesterday…. A NARCOTICS raiding team went to a village to conduct a raid on a suspect. The inspector who launched this raid was beaten up by the house incumbents. Five policemen with him, an ASI and four jawans, looked on while their leader was being severely beaten,” Singh wrote.
Singh added, “This act of cowardly behaviour is unacceptable in a uniformed force. The five have been dismissed from the police force effective today, and those who assaulted the officer have been arrested on the charge of attempt to murder.”
Acting on the Chief Minister’s orders, Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta got an inquiry conducted by IG Border into the role of the raiding police party, which accompanied SI Baldev Singh to Chogawan village on Friday morning, an official statement said.
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/discharged 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”, Gupta was quoted as saying in the statement.
Angered by reports of the incident on social media, the Chief Minister took serious note of the fact that the cops accompanying the SI looked on while he was being thrashed by the drug smugglers.
“This act of cowardly behaviour is unacceptable in a uniformed force,” said Singh.
“Five persons have been arrested so far for the assault on the SI and the police have registered a case against them and some 25-30 unknown persons,” said Gupta.
Those arrested have been identified as Shamsher Singh, Gurjinder Singh, Dilbagh Singh and Sarmel Singh (all of Chogawan) and Shubh (resident of Tapiala).
The DGP ordered IG Border and SSP Amritsar (Rural) on Friday 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 on September 10, in which 152 grams 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. The former sarpanch of the village, Jatinder Singh alias Kala, Shamsher Singh alias Shera and about 25 others were also a part of the mob, Gupta said.
Others accused in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) case included Jugraj Singh alias Bholu, Harwinder Singh alias Rinka (already arrested) and Sandeep Singh alias Sunny (already arrested).
Harwinder Singh told the police that had taken the drug consignment from Sandeep Singh.
While digging out the backward linkages of the drug supply chain, SI Baldev Singh nominated Amandeep Singh in the case for his involvement in heroin smuggling and raided his house on Friday, police said.
“Raids are being conducted to arrest the other accused and strong action will be taken against the drug suppliers as well as every single person who dared to attack the police party during the discharge of their official duties,” said the DGP.