Amritsar police chief transferred after linking terror probe to alleged Jantar Mantar protest plot
The transfer of Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, just days after the force announced a major breakthrough against an alleged Pakistan-backed terror network, has triggered questions over the timing of the move and fuelled a fresh political controversy in Punjab.
The state government has not officially linked Bhullar's transfer to the recent investigation or the controversy surrounding his statements on the alleged terror plot, which he linked to the Jantar Mantar protest.
Major terror module busted
Earlier this week, the Amritsar Police claimed to have dismantled an alleged terror module operating under the direction of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The police arrested nine people, including four minors, and recovered three pistols, nine live cartridges and four petrol bombs.
Investigators alleged that the accused were acting on the instructions of foreign-based ISI handlers and had been conducting reconnaissance of sensitive security installations.
Jantar Mantar remarks stir controversy
The case drew wider attention after Bhullar, during a media briefing on August 4, said the investigation had revealed that some of the arrested accused had travelled to Delhi's Jantar Mantar, conducted surveillance and were allegedly planning to attack protesters using petrol bombs.
His remarks quickly sparked controversy, prompting the Punjab government to issue a clarification.
The government said Bhullar had not claimed that the arrested individuals were participants in the Jantar Mantar protests or that the protesters themselves had any connection with the alleged terror module.
It also stated that selective editing of the police commissioner's remarks had created a misleading impression.
Transfer raises questions
Bhullar's transfer shortly after the controversy has led to speculation over whether his comments on the investigation influenced the decision.
While no official explanation has linked the transfer to the Jantar Mantar episode, the timing has drawn attention from both political observers and opposition leaders.
Political reactions intensify
The transfer has added a political dimension to the controversy, with critics of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleging that Bhullar had long been seen as being close to the government.
Former Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu questioned the decision, suggesting that the police commissioner's disclosures about the alleged Jantar Mantar plot may have prompted the move.
"The timing of Gurpreet Bhullar's transfer is bound to raise eyebrows. Did his accurate revelations about the alleged Jantar Mantar plot trouble Arvind Kejriwal?" Bittu said.
The Punjab government has not responded to the allegations, and no official reason has been given for Bhullar's transfer.
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