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CHANDIGARH — The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) has called upon the Punjab Government and senior police leadership to take serious note of the arrest of a serving Punjab Police Inspector in Ferozepur following the reported recovery of heroin and illegal weapons.NAPA Executive Director Satnam Singh Chahal said that any allegation involving a serving police officer and illegal drugs or weapons must be investigated thoroughly and independently. If the allegations are established through due legal process, those responsible should face appropriate action under the law, regardless of their rank or position.
“Punjab cannot win the war against drugs if individuals within the law-enforcement system are themselves suspected of involvement in criminal activities. The government must have an effective mechanism to identify the ‘black sheep’ within the police department and remove them from sensitive assignments while ensuring that every allegation is properly investigated,” Chahal said.NAPA said that accountability should not end with the arrest of an individual officer. Where evidence indicates the involvement of additional persons, the investigation should establish the complete chain, including possible facilitators, financial links, sources of contraband, weapons connections and any supervisory failures.
Chahal also stressed the importance of regular rotation of personnel serving in highly sensitive border and intelligence postings. According to NAPA, prolonged postings in sensitive areas should be subject to transparent departmental review, particularly where officers have access to confidential intelligence, narcotics investigations or weapons-related operations.“The overwhelming majority of Punjab Police personnel perform difficult and dangerous duties in the service of the people. Their reputation should not be damaged by the alleged conduct of a few individuals. That is precisely why the government must identify and deal firmly with any genuine black sheep,” Chahal said.
NAPA urged the DGP Punjab and the state government to ensure that the Ferozepur case is investigated strictly according to law and that no officer is protected because of rank, connections or departmental position.Chahal further said that Punjab’s fight against drugs requires clean policing, professional investigations, transparent recoveries and strong internal oversight.