Punjab Police Denies Uniform Advisory After Political Row
Punjab Police has denied issuing any directive asking personnel to avoid uniforms while travelling to or from duty after a purported advisory circulated online.
The Punjab Police has denied issuing any advisory directing personnel to avoid wearing uniforms while travelling to or from duty. The clarification came after a purported advisory and an unverified audio clip circulated on social media, triggering a political dispute in the state.
The viral material reportedly suggested that police personnel should travel in civilian clothes and avoid displaying identifiers such as uniforms, badges or other police equipment. It was circulated in the aftermath of the killing of Assistant Sub-Inspector Harjit Singh in Amritsar. Punjab Police said neither its headquarters nor any other office under the force had issued such an advisory and urged people to rely on official communication channels.
Opposition leaders shared the purported advisory and audio while questioning the security of police personnel and the state’s law-and-order situation. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party accused opposition parties of circulating unverified material and attempting to discredit the police.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and AAP leader Baltej Pannu criticised the opposition for sharing the material without verification. Opposition leaders, including Congress’s Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Shiromani Akali Dal’s Bikram Singh Majithia, maintained that the controversy highlighted broader concerns about police security.
The police have said the messages circulating online are fake, while a probe into the circulation of the material is underway.
