Kin of deceased cops facing ‘threat’ lose cover

Jupinderjit Singh

Chandigarh, April 23

From a former state convener of AAP to the family of former CM Charanjit Singh Channi and a former DGP to the kin of a number of deceased police officers, the Bhagwant Mann government on Friday withdrew security of 184 persons.

While a majority of these are politicians and their family members, the list also includes kin of late police officers, most of whom were on the hit list of terror outfits during terrorism.

Among nearly 150 VIPs who have lost their security cover are politicians from the Congress, SAD and BJP and their supporters.

Sucha Singh Chhotepur, the former state convener of the AAP who left the party following a controversial video, figures at number two on the list. Back in the day, Chhotepur and Mann used to share stage in their bid to build the party before they fell apart. Two guards in his security detail have been withdrawn.

Among the deceased cops whose families have lost cover is former DSP Ajit Singh Sandhu, who was accused of killing several innocent persons and had died by suicide in 1997 by jumping in front of a train. Besides, security cover to the families of deceased police officers Narinderpal Singh, Rajinder Singh Cheema, GS Sahi, Gurdarsharan Singh has been withdrawn. Another interesting protectee to lose security cover is Siddhant Chattopadhyaya, whose father Siddharth Chattopadhyaya was especially appointed DGP by the Channi government. He had three cops in his security detail, all of whom have been withdrawn.

Though in an earlier pruning of security, the AAP government had withdrawn gunmen of politicians, but this is probably the first time security of late police officers’ family members has been withdrawn. A senior police official said the security cover has been withdrawn after due deliberations by a committee of officials.

Chhotepur, Channi’s kin on list of 184

• Among 150 VIPs who have lost cover are AAP ex-state chief Sucha Singh Chhotepur and family of ex-CM Charanjit Singh Channi
• Siddhant Chattopadhyaya, whose father Siddharth Chattopadhyaya was appointed DGP by the Channi government, is also on the list