Punjab Govt suspends SP over security breach during PM visit in January last year
Harmanbir Singh Hans was the SSP Ferozepur at that time. Earlier a committee formed by SC had inducted SSP Hans and few senior officers in August 2022..
3 min read
Bathinda SP Gurbinder Singh was then SP (ops) in Ferozepur AFTER 22 months, the Punjab government has suspended Gurbinder Singh, Superintendent of Police, Bathinda, for dereliction of duty over a major breach of security protocol during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on January 5, 2022, to Punjab’s Ferozepur district. Singh was SP (Operations) in Ferozepur then.
A November 21 letter by Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Secretary, Home Affairs and Justice, Punjab, states that a report submitted earlier by the Director General of Police on October 18 this year, mentioned that Gurbinder Singh did not perform his duties properly.
While suspending the then Ferozepur SP is the first action by Punjab’s AAP government in almost two years, a Supreme Court-appointed committee had in August 2022 faulted then Ferozepur Senior SP Harmandeep Singh Hans for the breach. The apex court had appointed a committee under its former judge Justice Indu Malhotra to probe the breach immediately after the incident.
On January 5, Prime Minister Modi’s convoy set out from Bathinda airport to Hussainiwala in Ferozepur, but ran into a blockade by protesters en route. The convoy was stranded on a flyover for 15-20 minutes — which was seen as a major breach of security protocol. He had taken the road route to travel from Bathinda to Ferozepur due to heavy rains.
The Prime Minister’s visit to Punjab — the first since the repeal of the farm laws — was to lay the foundation stone at the PGI satellite centre, and also inaugurate projects worth Rs 40,000 crore. He did not address the rally at PGI satellite centre site as well, and eventually returned to Bathinda to board the flight back to Delhi.
The Punjab Home Affairs and Justice Secretary’s letter notes that Gurbinder Singh was given key duties during the Prime Minister’s visit. Placing him under suspension with immediate effect, the letter also required him to report at the DGP police headquarters in Chandigarh during the suspension period. Accordingly, he was relieved from Bathinda immediately.
While the officer has been barred from leaving the station without approval of the higher authorities, he would be eligible for subsistence allowance during the suspension period as per rules, the letter said.
Amidst a war of words between the Punjab government and the Centre after the incident, the Supreme Court had just over a week after the security breach on January 5, 2022, appointed a committee headed by its former judge Justice Indu Malhotra. In August 2022, the committee had said the then Senior SP of Ferozepur Harmandeep Singh Hans had failed to augment the security along the Prime Minister’s route despite having time, sufficient forces, and knowledge of protesting groups.
Hans is currently posted as AIG counter intelligence in Mohali.
The Ferozepur police had also lodged an FIR against more than 150 farmers under IPC 283, but no action has been taken against them till date. When contacted Surinder Pal Singh Parmar, Additional DGP, Bathinda Range,confirmed the suspension of Gurbinder Singh. He said, “We relieved Gurbinder Singh immediately after getting the communication.”
You May Like
