Four cops dismissed after SI conducting drug raid beaten up in Amritsar village

PK Jaiswar
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, September 14

Punjab Police said they have dismissed four police personnel for having mutely watched as a sub-inspector was beaten up after a drug raid at an Amritsar village.

The sub-inspector, Baldev Singh—who is posted at the Kutcha Pucca Police Station at Tarn Taran—had led a team of  police personnel in a drug raid at a house in Chogawan. Police dismissed four people—Assistant Sub-Inspector Sawinder Singh, Head Constable Gurvinder Singh, constable Nishan Singh and Punjab Home Guard jawan Darshan Singh—for not having intervened when a mob was beating up the policeman. 

A video that went viral showed the group hitting, kicking and dragging Baldev Singh—even using sticks in the assault.

Police have arrested six people—Gurjinder Singh from Bhullar village, Shubh from Tapiala, as well as Dilbagh Singh, Surmail Singh, Shamsher Singh and Gagandeep Singh, all four from Chogawan—of the 20 who have been booked.  

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh condemned the assault, and the policemen's inaction, in a Facebook post. 

“This act of cowardly behaviour is unacceptable in a uniformed force,” the chief minister said in the post.

Investigations first revealed that the sub-inspector did not inform his superior officers of the raid, prompting police to suspend Kutcha Pucca Police Station SHO Jhirmal Singh. The decision was reversed later after police found his explanation “satisfactory”, officials said.  

DGP Dinkar Gupta said in a statement: “Raids are being conducted to arrest other suspects, and strong and exemplary action under the law would be taken against drug suppliers as well as every single person who dared to attack the police party in uniform during discharge of official duties”.