Gurmeet Singh Pinky, former Punjab Po- lice officer, known for his controversial past, passed away in Chandigarh due to a heart attack. Pinky had been battling dengue and was undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Chandigarh when he suffered a fatal cardiac arrest on Wednesday.
Pinky’s journey through the ranks of the Punjab Police was marked by a significant transformation. In the 1980s, he had affiliations with militants, but by the early 1990s, he became a police informer and was subsequently enlisted as a commando. He played a pivotal role in capturing Khalistani militant Jagtar on two occassions earning him the gallantry award in 1997 for his efforts to counter terrorism. He contributions to counter had a particularly notable terrorism efforts. Over the years Pinky rose to the rank of inspector and was recognized for his close associations with senior police officials. He had a particularly collaboration with Sumedh Singh Saini during Saini’s tenure as the Senior Superintendent of Police in Ludhiana. However, Pinky has become increasingly critical of Saini in recent times, particularly in connection with Saini’s involvement in the 2015 Kotkapura police firing case.
Pinky’s life took a dramatic turn in 2006 when he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Avtar Singh Gola in Ludhiana in 2001. Subsequently, he was dismissed from police service.
In a surprising twist, the Punjab government released Pinky on May 24, 2014, and reinstated him as an inspector on May 16, 2015. However, this decision faced significant scrutiny, and his reappointment was eventually revoked to prevent potential political controversy. Additionally in 2015, his gallantry award was stripped following revelations of his prior conviction by the central government.