21 from Jalalabad in list of 22 for new police unit

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 29

Twenty-one youths from Jalalabad, the home constituency of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, were ‘secretly’ recruited in the Intelligence cadre of Punjab Police early this week.

They will be a part of ‘Special-200’, a counter-border terrorism force and a second line of defence against the drug mafia.

A livid PPCC spokesperson Sunil Jakhar has questioned the recruitment and sought the intervention of the Election Commission. Approved by the Punjab Cabinet in October, the drive was on when the first list of 22 candidates was leaked. 

When contacted, a senior police officer said youths for ‘Special-200’ would be drawn from all border districts. Fifty would be recruited in the first phase. Also called “DGP’s special force”, the recruitment is being done under the supervision of the DGP himself. 

Officers above the rank of the Additional DGP are involved in the process. The government has allowed some relaxation in qualification if a candidate, who need not necessarily be from the state, exhibits high intelligence-gathering skills, is proficient in the use of computers, tackling cyber crime and tracking the flow of foreign funds.

“Such recruitment becomes necessary because of the Dinanagar and Pathankot terror attacks. Also, Intelligence-gathering in the state was found wanting, " explained an officer. Direct recruitment of sportspersons and promotions by the DGP has invited criticism in the past too.