Back on duty, 55 ex-cops say ready for challenge

Tribune News Service

Ropar, april 8

To face the threat of Covid-19, many retired police personnel are voluntarily assisting the police in managing traffic and checkpoints.

Retired inspector Gurmail Singh, 74, who was CIA in-charge for 12 years, said, “We have got a chance to serve society again. We may not have the agility now, but we sure have experience and will to help people during this pandemic.” Retired sub-inspector Satvir Singh from Makarabpur near Chamkaur Sahib hung his boots in 2014, but is back on the duty again. “I will teach the new boys in the police on how to deal with emergency situations and curfew enforcement,” said Satvir, proudly doing duty at Bassi Gujran, Chamkaur Sahib.

Retired sub-inspector Naseeb Chand, who was injured during a counter-insurgency operation many years ago, is also happy to be back on duty. Proud to have served the Punjab Police, Chand said now he was doing his bit in a tough fight against coronavirus.

Retired sub-inspector Daleep Singh, who arrested hardened terrorists in his serving days, is raring to go again. He said, “The outbreak is unprecedented. I am willing to utilise my experience to meet the challenge head on.”

“Once a policeman always a policeman,” said retired inspector Sukhdev Singh, a resident of Mahrauli. “My motivation to serve the state and society has never diminished,” he said. He has been stationed at a checkpoint at Bhanupli, near Nangal, to manage vehicles carrying essential goods to Himachal Pradesh. Lauding the efforts of retired cops, Ropar SSP Swapan Sharma said given their maturity and experience in handling crisis situations, they were providing help to the police in enforcing curfew.