Amritsar Police Chief Transferred After Terror Module Bust

• Amritsar Police chief Gurpreet Singh Bhullar transferred days after major terror module bust.
• Police had arrested nine people, including four minors, in alleged Pakistan-backed modules.
• Punjab government earlier clarified Bhullar’s remarks concerning the Jantar Mantar protests.
• BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu questions timing of the transfer.

GG News Bureau
Amritsar, 7th Aug: The transfer of Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, days after the commissionerate announced a major breakthrough against alleged Pakistan-backed terror modules, has raised questions over the timing of the move.

The Amritsar commissionerate had announced the arrest of nine people, including four minors, and the recovery of three pistols, nine live cartridges and four petrol bottle bombs. Police alleged that the accused were operating at the behest of foreign-based ISI handlers and conducting surveillance of security installations.

The operation drew particular attention because of an alleged terror plot linked to recent protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

During an August 4 briefing, Bhullar said the investigation had revealed that some of the accused had visited Jantar Mantar, conducted reconnaissance and allegedly planned to target protesters with petrol bombs.

The Punjab government subsequently issued a clarification, saying Bhullar had not stated that the accused were participants in the Jantar Mantar protests or that the protesters had any connection with the alleged terror module.

According to the government, selective editing of the Police Commissioner’s remarks had created a “wrongful impression” that those arrested were associated with the protesters.

Transfer Sparks Political Questions
Bhullar’s transfer shortly after the controversy has triggered speculation over whether his remarks played any role in the decision. However, there has been no official confirmation linking his transfer to the Jantar Mantar controversy.

The development has also acquired political overtones, with critics of the Punjab government questioning the circumstances surrounding the transfer.

Former Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu questioned whether Bhullar’s statements about the alleged plot had contributed to the decision.

“The timing of Gurpreet Bhullar’s transfer is bound to raise eyebrows. Did his accurate revelations about the alleged Jantar Mantar plot trouble Kejriwal?” Bittu said.

The Punjab government has not officially attributed Bhullar’s transfer to his remarks or the investigation into the alleged terror modules.