7 Punjab Policemen Suspended Over PM Modi's Security Breach

A total of seven police officers have been suspended in connection with the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab last year. These include the then Superintendent of Police in Ferozepur district and two DSP-rank officers.

The security breach took place on January 5 last year when Prime Minister Modi was in Punjab to attend a rally in the run-up to the Assembly polls. The Prime Minister's convoy was stranded on a flyover for about 20 minutes due to a blockade by protesting farmers. While BJP leaders had targeted the then Charanjit Singh Channi government over the lapse, the Congress had said the Prime Minister's travel plans were tweaked at the last moment.

A Supreme Court-appointed committee that probed the security breach had held several state officers responsible for the security breach.

The current Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government has now suspended seven police officers for the lapse. Gurbinder Singh, then Ferozepur police chief and now Bathinda SP, had earlier been suspended. A November 22 order lists the names of six more policemen to face action. DSP-rank officers Parson Singh and Jagdish Kumar, Inspectors Jatinder Singh and Balwinder Singh, Sub-Inspector Jaswant Singh and Assistant Sub-Inspector Ramesh Kumar have also suspended, according to the state home department order.

The order states that all seven policemen will face action under Rule 8 of Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 1970. The penalties under these rules can range from withholding of promotion to dismissal from service.