Bribery case dents police image

The dismissal of four police personnel and suspension of an ASI for their "involvement in bribery" has dented the image of the police force in the district. Already the image of the police is not that good in the region. This incident has become the talk of the town.

Inspector Preetinder Singh, who was given dismissal letter by SPS Parmar, IG, Border Range, Amritsar, was about to be promoted to the rank of DSP.

Patti Sadar police personnel had detained a person unnecessarily and demanded Rs 50,000 to release him. The victim sought the help of the Vigilance Bureau, which arrested Head Constable Balwinder Singh while taking the bribe red-handed on Friday.

The dismissal order issued by the IG mentions that the BSF had apprehended Major Singh of Kamalpur in Ferozepur district with 550 gm of heroin on July 14. Major's associate Gurwinder Singh escaped the spot. The Patti Sadar police had registered the case. SHO Preetinder Singh dispatched a police party to Kamalpur on August 9 to nab Gurwinder Singh without informing higher authorities.

The police party, comprising Head Constables Balwinder Singh, Rasal Singh, Constable Gurwinder Singh, Home Guard Jawans Jaswinder Singh, Harjinder Singh (driver), headed by ASI Lakhwinder Singh (in-charge of Ghariala police post), left in an official vehicle (PB-46-W-1812) to arrest him. They failed to arrest Gurwinder Singh but picked up Harbhupinder Singh of the same village. Harbhupinder had nothing to do with the case as his name was not mentioned in the FIR.

The police demanded Rs 50,000 to release him. They threatened to implicate him in case he failed to make the payment. The Vigilance Bureau, on being informed, caught Head Constable Balwinder Singh.

The IG's note further mentions that SHO Preetinder Singh illegally detained Harbhupinder for two days only to make him cough up money through his subordinate officials, a gravest misconduct tarnishing the image of the police.

The services of Balwinder Singh, Rasal Singh and Gurwinder Singh have been terminated by the SSP. ASI Lakhwinder Singh has been placed under suspension. The police have written to the authorities concerned to take action against the two home guard jawans. Balwinder Singh, who was nabbed by the Vigilance, is already in police custody.

IG SPS Parmar, being the competent authority, took a serious note of the incident and dismissed the services of SHO Inspector Preetinder Singh on Saturday under Article 311 (2) (b) of the Constitution.

Teej celebrated with enthusiasm

Teej was celebrated by different organisations, especially by educational institutions. Neeru Sabharwal, wife of Deputy Commissioner, was the chief guest at a cultural programme organised at Baba Tara Singh Senior Secondary School, Bhattal Sehja Singh. She inaugurated a sewing centre for the village women folk on the initiative of Red Cross Society. She also participated in the cultural programme there. Teej was also celebrated at Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School, Tarn Taran, in which girl students presented a colourful item ‘giddha’.