Amritsar Police Commissioner transferred amid row over Jantar Mantar-terror module link posts

A day after a controversy erupted over social media posts allegedly linking the Pakistan ISI-backed terror modules busted by the Amritsar Commissionerate Police to protesters at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, the Punjab Government shifted Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar on Friday.

Bhullar has been asked to report to the office of the Director General of Police, Punjab. DIG Border Range Harmanbir Singh Gill has been given the additional charge of Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, for the time being.

The development came after certain videos of the August 4 press conference addressed by Bhullar went viral on social media. According to the Punjab Police, the posts selectively edited portions of the press conference and used accompanying captions and visuals in a manner that created the impression that the Jantar Mantar protesters were linked to the terror modules.

Related news: BJP questions transfer of Amritsar top cop Gurpreet Bhullar after Jantar Mantar remarks on ISI-backed module

In a clarification issued on Thursday, the police said there was no association between the protesters and the terror module. The police spokesperson said Bhullar had stated that some of the arrested persons had visited Jantar Mantar, conducted reconnaissance, and allegedly planned to target the protesters with petrol bombs. However, he had not stated that the accused participated in the protests or that the protesters had links with the terror module.

The police said the audio and factual content of the press conference had not been morphed, but selective trimming and accompanying captions had distorted its context. Legal action under the Information Technology Act is also being initiated against those responsible for the posts, the spokesperson said.