Amritsar: Days after the killing of ASI Harjit Singh and the subsequent encounter with one of the alleged suspects, a purported audio message has emerged, ‘advising’ police personnel to avoid wearing uniforms while travelling to and from duty. The police has dismissed the clip as fake.The audio clip surfaced on Tuesday and gained traction after Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and former SAD minister Bikram Singh Majithia shared it on social media. In the recording, a woman, claiming to be a police staff, says personnel have been instructed to report to police stations in civilian clothes and change into uniform only after reaching their place of duty. They have allegedly been told to change before leaving as well.The voice claims the directions followed a meeting with the Commissionerate Police after the encounter in Islamabad in connection with the killing of ASI Harjit Singh. It further claims that intelligence gathered during the investigation suggested five or six more police personnel could be targeted. The message allegedly warns personnel against displaying any identifiable police gear, including uniforms, belts, badges, footwear or other equipment, while commuting. It also asks them to vary their daily movement patterns and follow personal security protocols.The instructions are said to apply to women personnel as well, with the audio specifically warning those travelling on scooters or other two-wheelers against wearing uniforms outside police stations. In the recent past, three ASI’s, Harjit Singh, Joga Singh and Gurnam Singh, and homeguard Ashok Kumar, have been killed. However, when contacted, Amritsar police commissioner Harmanbir Singh Gill denied that any such official message had been issued or any such meeting held, and termed the social media post fake.Later, a post uploaded on the Punjab Police India handle on X clarified that “neither Punjab Police Headquarters nor any other office under the Punjab police had issued any advisory directing personnel to avoid wearing uniforms while travelling to or returning from duty.” The post said messages circulating on social media were fake and should be ignored. It also advised citizens and police personnel to rely only on official channels for authentic information.
