In a significant administrative reshuffle, the Punjab Government has transferred Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, a move that has drawn considerable political and administrative attention given the developments of the past few days.
According to the official orders, Bhullar has been relieved from the post of Commissioner of Police, Amritsar. IPS officer Harmanbir Singh has been assigned the additional charge of the Amritsar Police Commissionerate until further orders. Notably, the transfer order does not specify Bhullar’s next posting, leaving him without a fresh assignment for the time being.
The reshuffle comes just days after the Amritsar Police announced the dismantling of an alleged Pakistan-backed terror network. During the operation, police arrested nine suspects, including four juveniles, and recovered firearms, live ammunition and petrol bombs. Investigators had alleged that the accused were operating under the direction of foreign-based handlers and had conducted reconnaissance of sensitive locations.
The development gained wider attention after Commissioner Bhullar, while briefing the media on the investigation, referred to the accused having visited Jantar Mantar and allegedly planning an attack on protesters using petrol bombs. The remarks triggered a political debate after portions of the briefing circulated widely on social media.
Subsequently, the Punjab Government issued a clarification, stating that Bhullar’s comments had been presented out of context through selectively edited clips. The government maintained that the Commissioner had not claimed the arrested individuals were participants in the Jantar Mantar protest or that the protesters themselves had any connection with the alleged terror module. According to the state government, the edited version of the briefing created a misleading impression and did not accurately reflect the complete statement.
Bhullar’s transfer shortly after the controversy has inevitably fuelled political speculation over whether the two developments are connected. The timing has prompted opposition parties, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to question the decision and seek an explanation from the state government.
However, no official statement has linked the transfer to the controversy surrounding Bhullar’s media briefing. The Punjab Government has not cited any specific reason for the administrative change, and the transfer order itself remains a routine posting notification without elaborating on the circumstances.
With Harmanbir Singh assuming additional responsibility for the Amritsar Police Commissionerate, the focus will now shift to the continuity of policing in one of Punjab’s most strategically important districts, particularly at a time when the state continues to remain on high alert over security and law-and-order challenges.
While political interpretations surrounding the transfer continue to gather momentum, the official position remains limited to the administrative order, leaving the reasons behind the timing of the move open to public and political debate.
