Punjab top cop applies for two months leave after seeking central deputation

Chandigarh: Amid rival political parties attacking the AAP-led government over the alleged deteriorating law and order in Punjab, DGP V K Bhawra is learnt to have applied for leave for two months after seeking central deputation. This comes after two major back-to-back incidents - murder of singer Sidhu Moose Wala and an attack on state police’s intelligence headquarters in Mohali. Bhawra, a 1987-batch IPS officer, has made himself available for central deputation, sources here said. The Aam Aadmi Party’s defeat in the recent Sangrur Lok Sabha bypoll was also attributed to the law and order issue and the murder of Moose Wala. With Bhawra seeking central deputation, the names of DGP (prisons) Harpreet Singh Sidhu and DGP (Administration) Gaurav Yadav are doing the rounds for the top post of the Punjab Police. Bhawra was appointed as the director general of police in January this year, replacing officiating DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyaya. He was appointed just before the model code of conduct came into force ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections. He was selected by former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi-led state government from a panel of three officers shortlisted by the Union Public Service Commission. The other two officers in the panel were senior IPS officers Dinkar Gupta and Prabodh Kumar. Punjab has seen four DGPs in the last 10 months. “Punjab will be having 4th DGP in less than a year which does not augur well for the state facing multiple security challenges. Wonder how UPSC which oversees such appointments will take it,” ex AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu tweeted. The Bhagwant Mann-led government has been facing criticism from Opposition parties over several incidents including a rocket-propelled grenade attack at the state police’s intelligence headquarters in Mohali and the murder of a kabaddi player in Jalandhar. (With inputs from PTI) Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.