‘Parallel’ SHOs deputed in two Bathinda police stations

Cops from PAP have been appointed as SHOs to maintain law and order in the areas under these two police stations.

BATHINDA: The police here have appointed ‘parallel’ station house officers (SHO) at Kotwali and Canal Colony police stations.

Kotfatta police station was facing similar situation of two SHOs till a few days back, after which one SHO was deputed there.

Police have differentiated between the two SHOs at Kotwali and Canal Colony police stations, saying one was posted as SHO (investigation) while the other as SHO (law and order).

At Kotwali police station, subinspector (SI) Major Singh and inspector Devidner Singh of Punjab Armed Police (PAP), Jalandhar, have been deputed as SHOs.

It is a rare instance of two SHOs being appointed at the same police station.

At Canal Colony police station PAP’s inspector Kulwinder Singh has been appointed as a parallel SHO, while SI Jaswinder Singh is already posted as SHO there.

Jaswinder, reportedly, has voluntarily opted not to remain SHO (investigation) and has sought transfer.

Bathinda senior superintendent of police (SSP) Naveen Singla said, “Cops from PAP have been appointed as SHOs to maintain law and order in the areas under these two police stations.”

Despite the SSP claiming that PAP cops have been deployed as SHOs for law and order only, they are calling the shots in these police stations.

Even the official phone numbers allotted to station house officers are being used by them.

Interestingly, both, the PAP cops have earlier served in Gidderbaha police station in Muktsar district, which was assembly segment of Manpreet Singh Badal and are now posted at two important police stations in the assembly segment represented by Manpreet.

The SSP said, earlier PAP cops used to remain in PAP only, but since they have now been sent to district police, we are taking their services.

“We have appointed two cops, who were found exceptionally good in their work,” he said. Inspector general of police (IG headquarter) Jatinder Singh Aulakh said we don’t interchange the cadre of district police and PAP.

It is done in rare cases.