Punjab''s ''halqa'' in-charge system goes

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March  20

Dismantling the police structure put in place by the SAD-BJP government, the Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government in Punjab today ordered the end of the controversial “halqa in-charge system” that had enabled Akali leaders to influence police functioning in their Assembly constituencies.

Edit:  Well begun

At a meeting with senior officers here, Amarinder said the DCs, SSPs, SDMs and area SHOs would be held accountable for any failure to check drugs, corruption and mafia in their jurisdictions. Making clear that he meant business, Amarinder said he was aware of complaints of corruption against field officers holding various ranks, including that of DSP and SHO.

These directions come amid growing disquiet among Congress leaders who want police officials who were favoured by the earlier SAD-BJP dispensation to be  shifted. These leaders have reportedly met the CM against the officers posted in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Khanna and Patiala. “An IG-rank official, known as ‘Jathedar IG’, continues to hold an important posting,” pointed out one of them.

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Also, officers who had “manhandled” Congress leaders in Ludhiana during a “Chitta Ravana” protest, have been posted back in the district. Two officers, known to be close to the Akalis, are heading the district police as SSP.  Sources said the CM was yet to take a call on the matter, adding that he usually stood by his decisions. 

Already, the CM has shown faith in the DGP, Suresh Arora, who was appointed to the post by the earlier government, disregarding the fact that the husband of one of his party MLAs was a candidate for the post.