New Punjab Police chief Yadav hits ground running: grills Lawrence Bishnoi on Day 1

The interrogation of Bishnoi, who was last month brought on transit remand by the Punjab Police from Delhi, came soon after the 1992-batch IPS officer, who also held a meeting with the top brass of the force, stressed on the need to revive basic policing while reiterating the state government’s commitment to eliminate gangster culture and control drug menace.

The DGP also conducted surprise checks at Mataur Police Station & Phase VIII Police Station of Mohali and inspected Malkhanas, barracks and canteens of police stations.

Meanwhile, a major shake-up was effected in the police force with seven DGP rank officers being given new postings and an IG rank officer replacing a DGP rank officer as chief of intelligence wing. The orders on transfer and posting was issued Monday but made public on Tuesday.

While the transfer orders of senior officials were issued by Home Secretary Anurag Verma, the office of the DGP also issued transfer orders of 334 Assistant Superintendents of Police and Deputy Superintendents of Police.
Earlier Yadav, who will also continue to hold the charge of Special DGP (Administration), assumed charge as DGP after current state police chief VK Bhawra proceeded on a two-month leave.

“We are committed to give a secure law and order environment and friendly-policing to the state,” Yadav told the top brass of the police force that the priority of the Punjab government is to further strengthen the fight against drugs to make state drug-free state besides eliminating the gangster culture, maintaining law and order, and detection of crime.

He stressed on the need to revive basic policing which includes keeping vigil in vulnerable spots and be always ready to handle any kind of anticipated law and order situation, monitoring crime data, inspections of police stations and looking after the welfare of security personnel.

The DGP also directed all the commissioners of police and senior superintendents of police to increase the number of police check points in their respective jurisdictions and ensure the frisking of maximum vehicles at every ‘naka’ (check point), which will help in curtailing criminal activities. He advised that all the ‘nakas’ should be synchronized in a manner that they must get activated promptly on a single call. He also directed them to ramp up the drug recoveries.

Yadav also emphasised on the need for capacity building of the police stations by upgrading them and making them citizen-friendly besides acquiring new patrolling vehicles and hi-tech equipment for modernisation.
Yadav, the 1992-batch IPS officer, was posted as special principal secretary to the chief minister.

The reshuffle

In the reshuffle effected Tuesday, IG Jatinder Singh Aulakh has been appointed as new chief of Punjab Police intelligence wing, replacing 1988-batch IPS officer and Special DGP Prabodh Kumar, who has been transferred as Special DGP (Punjab State Human Rights Commission).

Sudhanshu S Srivastava (1994-batch), who was ADGP intelligence, has been posted as ADGP Security, replacing 1992-batch officer Sharad Satya Chauhan, who has been transferred as Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Punjab Police Housing Corporation (PPHC).

Sanjeev Kalra (1989), who was MD (PPHC), has been posted as Special DGP (Punjab Home Guards) while 1992-batch IPS officer Harpreet Singh Sidhu, who was serving as ADGP anti-drug Special Task Force in addition to ADGP (Prisons), has been posted as Special DGP in both positions.

Another 1992-batch officer Kuldeep Singh, who was ADGP Internal Vigilance Cell has been posted as DGP in same position.

The transfer of Special DGP Prabodh Kumar from the position of intelligence chief had become imminent in the backdrop of Bhawra proceeding on leave amid a spate of violent incidents and deteriorating law and order situation in state. Aulakh, who replaced Kumar, earlier served as IG (Headquarters), IG (Patiala and Ferozepur Ranges), Commissioner of Police (Amritsar and Ludhiana) before serving as SSP for nearly 10 years in various districts. Aulakh is due to retire in January next year. The transfer order of 1994-batch IPS officer P K Sinha, the ADGP rank officer who was the ADGP (Punjab State Human Rights Commission) against the post of DGP, would be issued separately, read the government order.