Year Ender- Punjab Police in 2025: awards on one side, controversies on the other

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Police personnel on radar amid gangster threats: Is Punjab facing a new challenge after eradicating terrorism? — royalpatiala.in

Year Ender- Punjab Police in 2025: awards on one side, controversies on the other

Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ December 28,2025

Punjab Police remained on toes in the year 2025. Be it election year, target killings, grenade attacks, tackling gangsters, extortion calls, CASO, Operation Seal, Yudh Nashiyan Virud, VIP movement etc. the force remained busy.

With top heavy , Punjab police witnessed both highs and lows in the year 2025. Alongside achievements and honours added to its kitty, the nation’s elite law enforcement agency—the Punjab Police—also faced serious challenges on the law-and-order front.

33 Punjab Police officers from ADGP to HC were awarded Presidents Medals on Republic Day and Independence Day this year. For the first time a lady SSP Ravjot Kaur Grewal was posted in Tarn Taran. Large number of promotions were given to Punjab police personnel’s. Many GOs, NGOs were honoured with DGP disc for exemplary work done by the members of this elite force.

Earlier this week, Gaurav Yadav, Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab Police released list achievements of his force-unprecedented breakthroughs in action against gangsters, terror front, crime control, cyber crime, road safety and anti-drugs campaign— Yudh Nashiyan Virudh, proactive action against ISI-sponsored terror modules.

Punjab police played positive role in Operation Sindoor and worked in coordination with defence forces in managing the situation. Following the launch of Sadak Surakhiya Force, Punjab recorded a decline in road accident fatalities from 4,829 in 2023 to 4,759 in 2024, and a decline in road accidents from 6,269 to 6,063 in 2024, thus coming amongst nine States/UTs to achieve reduction in both the metrics.

Despite these tall claims of achievements, the Punjab Police also remained in the news for some negative reasons. The force deployed during the Assembly by-elections, Municipal Corporation elections, Block Samiti elections, and Zila Parishad elections was often highlighted for the wrong reasons, particularly for allegedly acting in close coordination with politicians and not acting as a neutral law enforcing agency during elections.

For the first time the elite force has seen so many suspensions of senior officers from ADGP to DSP level officers in any year.

The suspended officers remained posted in Punjab Police , Vigilance Bureau includes ADGP SPS Parmar, SSPs/ AIGs Ravjot Grewal, Maninder Singh, Lakhbir Singh, Varinder Singh Brar, Jagarpreet Singh, Swarandeep Singh, Harpreet Singh Mander, DSPs Babandeep Singh, Harinder Singh, Gulzar Singh Kahlon. Gursher Sandhu and Sammer Vaneet amongst 7 were suspended in connection with an interview given by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi while he was in prison. Beside these officers many non gazetted officers (NGOs) were also suspended. 52 police officials were dismissed from service across the State for corruption, malpractice, criminal activities, and prolonged absenteeism.

Moreover, the image of the Punjab Police received several blows throughout the year through numerous incidents. The alleged “sex tape scandal” involving a senior Punjab IPS officer rocked the state. The audio clips, which surfaced in April, reportedly feature a person believed to be a serving IPS officer engaging in a financial discussion for sexual favours with an unidentified woman. Another incident that caught national media’s attention is the assault on a serving Colonel and his son by police officers in Patiala in March, and the manner in which the then Nanak Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Patiala, allowed the accused to walk free, brought ill repute to the force. In another incident the viral audio recording purported to be that of Patiala SSP, Varun Sharma, during the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti polls earlier in December was another severe blow to the image of the police force. The sitting MLA from Sanour, Hameet Singh Pathanmajra, who is accused in several cases, escaped by dodging the Patiala police and remained the talk of the town.

Year Ender- Punjab Police in 2025: awards on one side, controversies on the other — Punjab police

The day light murders, target killings, gangster fighting, ransom calls, unchecked arms smuggling has sent shock waves among the residents, business community in the state and dealt a severe blow to the public perception of the Punjab Police. The year ended on an embarrassing note for the Punjab Police, with the Punjab and Haryana High Court taking suo motu cognisance of the murder of kabaddi promoter Kanwar Digvijay Singh alias Rana Balachauria on December 15. The court has summoned the DGP at the next hearing in January 2026.

Punjab police constable, ex-cop Amandeep Kaur who is famous as “Insta Queen” or Thar Wali Constable remained in limelight for allegedly amassing assets beyond her declared income sources.

The arrest of serving DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar by CBI in a corruption case has sent a shock wave in the bureaucratic circles. Bhullar, former DIG, Ropar Range is arrested by the CBI—following the recovery of a massive cache of cash, gold, and other valuables from his residence, farm house. This is the first ever case in the history of Punjab police.

Due to cyber fraud, the suicide attempt by a retired IG, Amar Singh Chahal has raised questions on the cyber security and its awareness in the state.

The messed up handling of the arrest of Kanchanpreet Kaur, daughter of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate in the Tarn Taran by-election, Sukhwinder Kaur, earlier in December, also proved embarrassing for the police, especially after she was released by a court following an overnight hearing.

The stopping of newspaper delivery vehicles in early November, ostensibly for checks related to drugs and explosives proved a futile exercise, with an intelligence alert being used as a convenient pretext.

On the other hand DGP Yadav said Punjab police has solved 12 terror incidents , arrested 50 module members including . These included hand grenades attacks at various places and one RPG attack on a Police Station. He informed that the Internal Security Wing has busted a total of 19 modules with the arrest of 131 persons this year and recovered nine rifles, 188 revolvers/pistols, 12 improvised explosive devices (IEDs), 11.62 kg RDX, 54 hand grenades, 32 detonators, four rocket propelled grenades, one sleeve of disposed rocket launcher, two timer switches, three walkie-talkie sets and eight remote controlled devices from their possession.

He also highlighted record-breaking reduction in crime rate, increase in conviction rate, red corner notices against overseas gangsters, and significant success in the drive against drugs – Yudh Nashiyan Virudh.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that the Punjab Police registered 29,784 cases and recorded 39,867 arrests, resulting in the recovery of the highest-ever 2,021 kg of heroin in one year. Apart from recovering a big haul of heroin, the police have also 26 kg “ice”, 698 kg opium, 35,000 kg poppy husk, 55.78 lakh intoxicant pills/capsules, and Rs 16.81 crores drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers.”

The DGP said that the “Safe Punjab” helpline emerged as a game-changer, registering 10,889 FIRs based on 28,952 tips, with a 38% conversion rate. Property worth ₹263 crores belonging to 548 smugglers was frozen under Section 68-F of the NDPS Act, he said.

In 2025, the DGP said that the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) along with field units has succeeded in busting 416 gangsters/criminals modules after arresting 992 gangsters/criminals, and recovered 620 weapons and 252 vehicles used in criminal activities from their possession.

In cyber crime, the DGP said that Punjab secured a lien amount in cyber fraud cases to Rs 79.96 crores (out of defrauded amount of Rs. 418.29 cr)— reflecting a lien marking percentage of over 19% which is currently the 4th highest in the country. The DITAC lab of State Cyber Crime Wing won the 2025 Excellence Award in Digital Evidence Summit 2025 in New Delhi, he said, while adding that 18 inter-state cyber crime gangs involved in multi-crores cyber fraudulent activities were busted in the current year and 300 mule accounts used for crypto frauds were neutralised.