Advisory or fake circular? Punjab Opposition flags ‘no police uniform’ letter

However, the Punjab Police issued a statement, saying it has not issued any such advisory. “Such messages circulating on social media are fake and should be ignored. Citizens and police personnel are advised to rely only on official channels for authentic information,” the statement said.

The purported letter shared by Warring and Majithia was said to be written by Inspector General of Police, Border Range, Amritsar, Gurpeet Singh Bhullar, to the senior superintendents of police of Amritsar (Rural), Batala, Gurdaspur and Pathankot.

What the letter states

The letter posted on social media sets out “special instructions” on the personal security of police personnel, security of duty points, and tighter vigilance. It advises police personnel to avoid travelling alone whenever possible.

“Movement should be undertaken according to the Buddy Pair System (companion-pair system). Necessary information regarding departure and safe arrival at the destination should be provided to the concerned officer/control point,” it added.

Sharing the letter and an audio recording purported to be of a police official, Raja Warring posted on X, “Rome was burning and Nero was playing the flute…Punjab is burning and Bhagwant Mann is telling jokes on the stage”.

Majithia also shared the same letter on X. “Punjab Police, once known for eliminating terrorism and maintaining law and order, has allegedly been rendered helpless under “Guru Dokhi” Bhagwant Mann’s leadership……Fear prevails among Punjabis over the deteriorating law and order situation…..In view of the alarming nature of the audio that is going viral across various groups, the police must clarify their position and explain whether the situation has deteriorated to such an extent,” the post read.

The letter was allegedly dated September 18, the day an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) was shot dead in Amritsar while on duty. It lays down a standard operating procedure to ensure the safety and security of police personnel. The letter directs gazetted officers and station house officers to supervise night checks and calls for coordination with the Anti-Gangster Task Force and Anti-Narcotics Task Force when needed.

The border belt has also seen earlier attacks on police, including the killing of ASI Joga Singh near Majitha while he was travelling to duty.