Dy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa conducts surprise check at Phillaur naka

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 28

The claims of the state police of heightening the security arrangements during the ongoing festival season by adding more nakas and attaching more cops at each naka fell flat during a surprise check by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa this morning.

The naka was laid at Phillaur just ahead of the Sultej where he found three cops sitting leisurely. The deputy CM immediately ordered their suspension on the charges of negligence of duty. The cops were reportedly negligent to the extent that their rifles, too, were lying in their trunks.

Randhawa, who also holds the charge of the Home Department, expressed displeasure over the laxity on the part of the police personnel in traffic management and checking. He called up the DGP from the site. He reprimanded the police personnel posted at the police check post on the road and asked them how they could be sitting so casually while on duty. His staff also made a video of the whole action, which went viral.

After the spot checks carried out by the Deputy Chief Minister at the police check post at Phillaur, the SSP, Jalandhar Rural, Satinder Singh, suspended ASI Jaswant Singh, ASI Balwinder Singh and constable Kuljit Singh for dereliction in duty and a departmental inquiry was ordered. “All three of them have been sent to Police Lines till the time inquiry goes on,” said the SSP.

Randhawa said dereliction of duty would not be tolerated and no compromise would be made with the security.

Of the three cops places under suspension, one came on record and said today’s action was uncalled for. “We are giving 24-hour duty here. I am 56-year-old employee on the verge of retirement. I am diabetic and still deployed on a tough duty. I was uniformed, had my arms with me and was still penalised. The vehicle of the Home Minister stopped at the time when the shift was changing. I had gone to the washroom. An ASI who was getting relieved was wiping the window panes of the car and was set to leave. None of the three cops who were to be present with me were here were working today as one of them is on leave, the second had to go to the court and the third had been called to Police Lines. Today's suspension will only demoralise a cop like me who has stood on toes all through the career and was present on duty even today.”