Faith or duty? Tough call for Premi cops

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 23

It’s a double whammy for a number of Punjab cops who are followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and are on duty to maintain law and order in the wake of tension over a CBI court verdict on August 25 into a rape case against the dera head.

Many of these cops have chosen to work instead of going on a leave. “There are a number of policemen who are dera premis. We don’t have a list of such followers, but we all know our colleagues. They are on duty as they are committed to the uniform,” said a senior police officer.

The officer, based in Malwa region that has the highest concentration of dera premis, said so far no policeman who was a dera follower had sought leave or exemption from duty.

“It is a tough choice. But a cop cannot be emotional. We are on duty and ready to wield stick and fire bullets, if necessary for our commitment to maintain peace,” said a policeman whose family is following the dera for several years.

Another follower said he knew that if he chose to take leave on such occasions, he would have to leave the police job.

Some senior officers take the presence of dera followers in the police ranks as a boon for effective policing in such sensitive situations. “It is a fact that some of them are proving helpful on containing situation as they act as a bridge between dera followers and the police. They help in negotiations and nip rumours in the bud through their information network,” said a senior police officer.