7 officials suspended for security lapse during PM Modi's Punjab visit

The Punjab police has suspended 7 officials including one Superintendent of Police (SP) and two Deputy Superintendent of Police DSP for the security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab on January 5, 2022.

On February 5, 2022, the Prime Minister was going to attend a rally in Ferozepur when farmers blocked the way. The Prime Minister's convoy was stopped for around 20 minutes.

So far in this case, the then SP Ferozepur Gurvinder Singh Sanga, DSP Parson Singh, DSP Jagdish Kumar, Inspector Tejinder Singh, Balwinder Singh, Jaswant Singh and ASI Rakesh Kumar have been suspended.

The order of suspension is dated November 22, a letter by the state DGP stated.

Earlier SP Gurvinder Singh Sanga, who was on duty when the security of PM Modi's convoy was breached in Ferozepur on January 5, 2022, was suspended. At the time of the incident, Gurvinder Sanga was in charge as SP of Ferozepur.

Following the incident, a strict investigation was launched and now action has been taken in the case that happened last year.

According to the report of the Punjab DGP, "Gurvinder Singh Sanga has been suspended for negligence in duty. Gurvinder Singh was then SP Operation, Ferozepur. Gurvinder Singh is currently posted in Bathinda."

The Supreme Court said in August that the five-member committee appointed by it has said that Ferozepur SSP failed to discharge his duty, though sufficient forces were available during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Punjab visit on January 5.

A bench of Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli said while reading from the committee's report that the committee headed by a former top court judge, Justice Indu Malhotra, said there should be an oversight committee for periodic revision of 'Blue Book'.

"The Ferozepur SSP failed to discharge his duty to maintain law and order. He failed to do this even though sufficient force was available and even though he was informed two hours in advance that the Prime Minister would enter that route," it said.