Arora leaves on high note

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 8

Having taken over as the Punjab DGP when the state was burning over sacrilege incidents, DGP Suresh Arora has left the department on a high note. He chose to take voluntary retirement making way for younger officers saying he had his innings full.

He has a unique record of serving as SSPs of various districts under different political regimes and Chief Ministers and is perhaps the first DGP who served on the post under different governments. Relying heavily on direct contact with the public, his tenure marked a unique record when there was rare use of force on any agitating group.

Known as a ‘cool head’ in the police as well as government circles, Arora insisted on the doctrine of spreading fear of the law than police in his tenure. He took over the force at a time when the morale was low but left it on a stronger note and position.

He faced several challenging moments like the fidayeen attack on the Air Force Station, Pathankot, target killings and fears of violence in the backlash of sentencing of Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim but led the state in maintaining peace. He faced a bitter controversy over allegations levelled by a DGP-rank officer against other DGPs but chose to stick to his morals and never spoke a word against anyone.

The police response to fidayeen attack at Pathankot was often appreciated in various articles. It is the only counter-terror action where the National Security Guards commandos reached a terror action spot before the action could begin.

In his tenure, the police came down heavily on gangsters by forming a new unit called the Organised Crime Control Unit. It neutralised 51 gangs with the arrest of 255 gang members. A mobile application containing dossier of 80,000 criminals in Punjab was developed.

He took unique initiatives in prevention of crime and welfare activities.

He started lunch and tea initiatives with constabulary and encouraged them to send suggestions to him for improving policing. It was first time in the history of the Punjab Police that Rs 50 crore were released for welfare activities.

Arora pushed much for stringent laws like the PCOCA (Punjab Control of Organised Crime Act) to prevent easy release on bail or acquittal of notorious gangsters or criminals but unfortunately it could not get through the government.

To his credit 

Arora is credited with busting of 24 terrorist modules and arrest of 115 terrorists in his tenure. The police solved eight target killings and took preventive steps against sacrilege incidents by installing over 36,000 close circuit TV cameras at various places. He also led the scheme to set up crack commando teams called the Special Operations Group.