Ludhiana: Protest plan of dismissed cops, families thwarted
The recent crackdown saw the dismissal of 52 personnel, including an inspector, five assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs), four head constables and 42 constables across various districts; the action was taken under the Punjab government’s anti-corruption drive
Several dismissed police personnel, along with their family members, were detained before they could reach the police commissioner’s office in the city to hold a protest on Wednesday. The protest was organised by those who were among the 52 personnel dismissed recently on the orders of the director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav for “corrupt” activities.
Anticipating the demonstration, the police had deployed a heavy force outside the Ludhiana police commissionerate office. Before the dismissed police personnel along with their family members could reach and stage the protest, the police stopped them far away.
People familiar with the development said Bhupinder Singh, head of the Police Family Welfare Association, was among those detained to prevent the gathering from materialising. However, police officials denied any detentions. Sub-Inspector Balwant Singh, station house officer of the division number 5 police station, said, “No one was detained. We had deployed police personnel to maintain law and order, but no one turned up at the site.”
The recent crackdown saw the dismissal of 52 personnel, including an inspector, five assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs), four head constables and 42 constables across various districts. The action was taken under the Punjab government’s anti-corruption drive.
Following the dismissals, Bhupinder Singh had warned of protests, alleging that many corrupt officials were instead being promoted while junior personnel were being made scapegoats. He had demanded reinstatement of the dismissed officers.
