After Amritpal threat, Punjab removes Jaskaran Singh as Amritsar police chief

The Punjab government on Tuesday, February 28 removed Jaskaran Singh as the Police Commissioner of Amritsar giving the charge to Naunihal Singh. The former will be joining as Inspector General of Police (Intelligence), Mohali.

With this, a total of 18 Punjab Police officers have been transferred. The Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government has given orders to begin with the new posts as soon as possible. IPS Arunpal Singh has been posted as ADGP Modernisation Punjab Chandigarh, IPS RK Jaiswal as ADGP STF Punjab SAS Nagar, IPS Gurinder Dhillon as ADGP Law and Order Chandigarh and IPS Mohnish Chawla as ADGP State Crime Records Bureau Punjab.

'Waris Punjab De' head Amritpal Singh creates ruckus at Ajnala police station

This comes days after 'Waris Punjab De' group head Amritpal Singh and its members clashed with the Punjab Police and barged into the Ajnala police station. Amritpal Singh protested against the arrest of his close aide Lovepreet Toofan and attacked the Punjab police in the process. Members of the Waris Punjab De group were seen brandishing swords and sticks, and breaking barricades deployed. 

Lovepreet Toofan, the aide of Amritpal Singh, was freed by the Punjab police on February 24, a day after the rampage. The Punjab police on February 23 had already initiated talks with the group of attackers by withdrawing the FIR registered against Amritpal's aide. Earlier, a senior police official said, "A Special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted to investigate the case. We are looking into the matter. The accused will be released based on the evidences." 

What is 'Waris Punjab De'?

'Waris Punjab De', which translates to 'heirs of Punjab', was established on September 30, 2021, by actor-activist Deep Sidhu, who died in a road accident on February 15, 2022, months before the Punjab Assembly elections. Sidhu founded the organisation to "protect the rights of Punjab and raise social issues."

After Deep Sidhu's death, Dubai-returned Amritpal Singh, often referred as a Khalistan sympathiser, was named the head of 'Waris Punjab De'.

Jaskaran Singh became Amritsar Police Commissioner last year

Jaskaran Singh had become Amritsar Police Commissioner in 2022. While taking the charge last year, he said that acting against drug traffickers and gangsters would be among his priorities. Singh stated that emphasis would also be given to curbing online fraudsters.