Chandigarh: Gurmeet Pinky may be a murder convict who was sentenced to undergo imprisonment for life by a court, he remains ‘blue eyed boy’ for his bosses. Pinky, a police cat was inducted into police force, is infamous for committing atrocities on family members and sympathizers of Sikh freedom fighter.
Conviction, sentence and release of Gurmeet Pinky:
Gurmeet Pinky was convicted by a Yamunanagar court in 2006 in a murder case for killing a Ludhiana resident named Avtar Singh alias Gola over a petty issue. Gurmeet Pinky had reportedly blocked a street with his official vehicle to drink liquor. Avtar Singh Gola, who was on his motorcycle, was to go to nearby market. He requested Gurmeet Pinky go get aside his vehicle. Gurmeet Pinky shot dead Avtar Singh Gola over this issue. He was sentenced to undergo imprisonment for life but he was granted premature release by the Punjab police even though he spend less than eight years in prison.
Watch Video: “Killer” Cop speaks out | Journalist Kanwar Sandhu talks to Gurmeet Pinky
Bid to reinstate Gurmeet Pinky in police:
In a controversial order DIG Gurinder Dhillon reportedly reinstated Gurmeet Pinky in Fatehgarh Sahib police on May 16. DIG Gurinder Dhillon also had described Gurmeet Pinki as “an outstanding policeman, an asset to the department having a proven record of exemplary and extraordinary work.”
However sensing the controversial nature of DIG’s order the reinstatement orders of the DIG Dhillon were revoked by the IG, Zonal, few days back.
“The seven-page order in possession of The Tribune reveals that the DIG did not take the decision in a jiffy, but sought to justify his decision point by point quoting the Punjab Police rules and taking into account the service record of the policeman” notes The Tribune (TT).
“As per the rules, a DIG-rank official can reinstate a policeman up to the rank of Sub-Inspector. The DIG says the rules allow a superior officer to give a punishment less than dismissal to a convict policeman” TT notes.
Also Read: I saved Hindus in Punjab, so reinstate me in police: Cat Gurmeet Pinky to Rajnath, RSS leaders
Dhillon termed the murder of Avtar Singh Gola an unfortunate event suggesting that it should be seen in the backdrop of high-risk life of Gurmeet Pinki who was under threat after he arrested Jagtar Singh Hawara. The DIG also defended his orders saying the demotion from the rank of Inspector to Head Constable was enough punishment for Gurmeet Pinki.
He also reasoned that Gurmeet Pinki had suffered enough for the murder as his life had been in doldrums since the incident.
Open Secret of “Black Cats” of Punjab police:
It’s an open secret now that Punjab police officers kept “black cats” 1980s-90s to commit atrocities on civilians and defame and discredit Sikh militant movement in Punjab. Many of these cats were inducted into police force. Many, who were not inducted into the police were declared dead whicle showing dead body of some innocent Sikh youth killed by the state police. In 2008 the then Punjab police chief Sarabjit Virk had admitted that he was “rehabilitated” around 300 police cats under false names after they were (falsely) declared as dead by the police.
Police atrocities and Crimes against Humanity in Punjab:
It is well documented in various documents and reports by human rights groups of international repute that the Punjab police was involved in commission of crimes against humanity in Punjab under the garb of counter insurgency operations.
The period of 1980s-90s in Punjab was marred by widespread and systematic wide-spread and systematic human rights abuses by Punjab police. Enforced disappearances, custodial torture and death, fake encounters were common policing practice during that period. [for more details see:- Death Silence: The Legacy of Human Rights Abuses in Punjab (by Human Rights Watch); Protecting the Killers: A Policy of Impunity in Punjab, India (by Ensaaf and Human Rights Watch); Reduced to Ashes: The Insurgency and Human Rights in Punjab (by CCDP); Smoldering Embers, (by Voices for Freedom)].
The black deeds of Punjab police also find mention in US diplomatic cables leaked by Wikileaks.