Punjab Police has issued a new security advisory for police personnel serving in border districts, asking them to avoid wearing uniforms while travelling between their homes and places of duty.
The directive was issued by the Inspector General of Police, Border Range, to the Senior Superintendents of Police in Amritsar Rural, Batala, Gurdaspur and Pathankot.
The move follows the recent killing of Assistant Sub-Inspector Harjeet Singh in Amritsar and comes amid concerns over targeted attacks against police personnel in the border belt.
Police told to travel in civilian clothes
Under the new instructions, police personnel have been advised to wear civilian clothes while travelling to and from duty.
The advisory also tells officers not to carry badges, insignia or other items that could reveal their identity as members of the police force when travelling privately.
Police personnel have also been asked to strictly follow security procedures during such journeys.
The department has advised officers to maintain a regular but discreet movement pattern and ensure that information about their travel routines does not become known to unauthorised people.
ASI Harjeet Singh killed during patrol in Amritsar
The advisory comes days after ASI Harjeet Singh was shot dead while carrying out patrol duty in Amritsar.
The incident took place at around 2:30 am near Dana Mandi in the Gate Hakima police station area. Singh was reportedly patrolling on a motorcycle near the Grain Market in Bhagtawala when two unidentified men travelling on a motorcycle allegedly opened fire.
The police officer suffered serious gunshot injuries and was taken to a hospital in Amritsar. Despite medical treatment, he died from his injuries.
Singh was a resident of Tarn Taran district and was posted in the Gate Hakima area.
Police examine CCTV footage
Following the shooting, police teams reached the location and began investigating the attack.
CCTV recordings from the surrounding areas are being examined to trace the movements of the attackers and establish what happened before and after the shooting.
The identities of the accused and the exact motive behind the attack were yet to be established at the time of the advisory.
The killing has also raised concerns because it follows other attacks on police personnel in Punjab’s Border Range.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Joginder Singh was also killed in Majitha, while two other police personnel were killed in Gurdaspur in separate incidents.
Bhagwant Mann announces Rs 1 crore assistance
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed grief over Harjeet Singh’s death and announced financial assistance for his family.
Mann said the state government would provide an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 crore to the family, while an additional Rs 1 crore insurance amount would be provided by HDFC Bank.
“The Punjab government stands with the family of the martyr like a rock in this hour of grief… As a mark of respect, an ex-gratia of Rs. 1 crore will be given to the family by the government and an additional insurance of Rs. 1 crore by HDFC Bank… We are fully committed to providing all possible help to our martyrs and their families… This great sacrifice of theirs will continue to inspire all of us to perform our duty with complete bravery and honesty,” Mann wrote on X.
The latest security instructions are aimed at reducing the chances of police personnel being identified while travelling outside their official duties, particularly in Punjab’s sensitive border districts.
