INTRODUCTION
Due to a recent breach in the security of a Judge in Punjab, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has removed the Punjab Police force from the Judge’s security. This incident took place on 22nd September 2024 in Amritsar after which the Court ordered for the deployment of a neutral police force which came as a major embarrassment to the Punjab police force. This was preceded by a miscreant grabbing the weapon of the Judge’s personal security and later died by shooting himself.
BACKGROUND
On 22nd September 2024, a miscreant stole 9 mm pistol from the holster of the PSO of the sitting Judge of Punjab and and ran in the direction of the entrance of the Golden Temple with probable intent to harm the learned Judge, but his progress was stopped by the same PSO who tried to take the pistol back. In between the ongoing scuffle between the two, the miscreant shot himself in the head resulting in his immediate death. The deceased was later identified as Hariprasad by his mother Lakshmi Anandhan who is a resident of Mahalingapura in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The Court, deemed it appropriate that the security personnel dealing with security of the learned Judge ought not to be members of Punjab police force, but either of UT Administration or of State of Haryana in view of the security lapse from the Punjab police. The Court also directed the UT Administration/Haryana Police to comply with this direction and file compliance report before October 1, 2024.
KEY ASPECTS
SECURITY LAPSE
On 22nd September a man charged in the direction of a sitting Judge of Punjab in an attempt to harm him by stealing a pistol from the personal security of the Judge. In an attempt to do so in front of the Golden temple in Amritsar, the miscreant shot himself in the head leading to his death while the personal security of the Judge tried to regain the pistol.
DIVISION BENCH
It was held by the Division Bench consisting of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Anil Kshetarpal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court that the security detail of the sitting Judge must be immediately changed to either Chandigarh or Haryana Police personnel from Punjab Police both within and outside Chandigarh. The Bench had also observed that there were huge lapses on the investigating agencies in the State of Punjab which were exposed by the same Judge since the last 12 to 24 months.
INVESTIGATION
On investigation, the Court sought proposal from UT Administration and Haryana Government for appropriate investigating officers not below the rank of Superintendent of Police of a district to conduct thorough investigation in the incident that occurred due to the security lapse.
CONCLUSION
The incident that took place as a security lapse by the Punjab police force in protecting a sitting Judge was followed by a Bench directing to replace the personal security of the Judge from Punjab police to Chandigarh or Haryana Police force.
The Bench had further impleaded Union of India through the Secretary, Home Affairs, and the State of Haryana through its Home Secretary parties to this petition. Satya Pal Jain, Additional Solicitor General of India, appearing through video conferencing, also assured that all possible assistance within four corners of law will be made accessible to ensure the same to conform with the request of the Bench.
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WRITTEN BY: ADINA EVANGELINE G
