Punjab AAP Government Removes Amritsar Police Chief Gurpreet Singh Bhullar Days After Announcing Alleged ISI Terror Plot Linked to Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Protest

Amritsar Desk, India: A major administrative decision in Punjab has triggered intense political debate after Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar was removed from his post on August 7, 2026. The transfer came just three days after he announced a significant operation against two alleged Pakistan-backed terror modules linked to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

 

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The case has drawn national attention because police claimed one of the modules had planned a petrol bomb attack connected to a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Opposition leaders have questioned the timing of Bhullar’s removal, while the Punjab government has described it only as an administrative move.

Nine Arrested in Major Operation on August 4

On August 4, the Amritsar Commissionerate Police, under Bhullar’s leadership, announced that it had busted two ISI-backed cross-border terror modules. Nine people were arrested, including four juveniles. Police recovered three illegal pistols, nine live cartridges, four petrol bottle bombs, a stolen motorcycle and other material.

 

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According to Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav and Bhullar, the accused were acting on instructions from Pakistan-based handlers. The handlers were trying to recruit local youth for terror-related activities, conduct surveillance of security installations, procure illegal weapons and disturb public peace.

One module had installed CCTV cameras near railway tracks, including the Amritsar-Jalandhar route. The footage was allegedly being shared with foreign handlers. Financial support was also being sent through hawala channels in some cases. Most of those involved were young people who had been lured with promises of easy money. Some received online training videos on how to prepare and use petrol bombs.

The Jantar Mantar Angle That Sparked Controversy

What made the case highly sensitive was the link to Delhi. During the media briefing, Bhullar stated that members of one module had travelled to Jantar Mantar by train. They conducted reconnaissance of the protest site and were provided with materials to make petrol bombs. However, they could not carry out any attack and later returned to Punjab, where they were arrested.

The protest at Jantar Mantar was organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). After the press conference, edited video clips circulated widely on social media. Some posts created an impression that the arrested persons were linked to the protesters. Punjab Police quickly issued a clarification. Officials stressed that Bhullar had never claimed the accused were part of the protest. Instead, the investigation showed they had planned to target the protesters and create disorder. The police warned of legal action against those spreading distorted information.

Sudden Transfer on August 7

Despite the clarification, the Punjab government removed Bhullar from the post of Amritsar Police Commissioner on August 7. He has been directed to report to the Director General of Police’s office in Chandigarh until further orders. DIG Border Range Harmanbir Singh Gill has been given additional charge of the commissioner’s post.

Bhullar, a 2004-batch IPS officer, had been serving as Amritsar Police Commissioner since November 2023. He is known as a soft-spoken and experienced officer who has held important postings under successive governments in Punjab. He comes from a family of police officers — both his father and grandfather served in the Punjab Police.

The government has not given any detailed public reason for the transfer beyond calling it administrative.

Political Reactions

The timing of the move immediately raised questions. Union minister and BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu said the transfer was bound to raise eyebrows. He asked whether Bhullar’s revelations about the alleged Jantar Mantar plot had troubled the AAP leadership. Other BJP leaders called Bhullar an honest officer who had exposed anti-national conspiracies and questioned whom the state government wanted to protect. Congress leaders also demanded clarity and an inquiry into the circumstances of the transfer.

The timing of Gurpreet Bhullar’s transfer is bound to raise eyebrows. Did his accurate revelations about the alleged Jantar Mantar plot trouble Kejriwal?@BJP4India @BJP4Punjab @BJPCentralMedia

— Ravneet Singh Bittu (@RavneetBittu) August 7, 2026

Unanswered Questions After the Sudden Transfer

The removal of Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar has left many important questions unanswered. These questions are now being widely discussed in political and security circles.

What was the official reason for the transfer?
The Punjab government has only described it as an “administrative decision.” No detailed explanation has been given to the public so far.

Which authority took the final decision?
The order was issued by the Punjab Home Department. However, it is still not clear at what level the final decision was taken and whether higher political leadership was involved.

Why did the decision come only after the 4 August operation?
Bhullar had been serving as Amritsar Police Commissioner since November 2023. The sudden change came just three days after he announced a major success against alleged ISI-backed modules. Many people are asking why the timing matched so closely with the press conference and the Jantar Mantar controversy.

Was there any disagreement during the investigation before Bhullar was removed?
There is no official information on this. It is not known whether any difference of opinion arose at a critical stage of the probe.

Is the investigation into the Jantar Mantar angle still continuing?
Police had clearly stated that some of the accused had visited Jantar Mantar, conducted reconnaissance, and planned to use petrol bombs. After Bhullar’s transfer, it remains unclear how actively this specific angle is being pursued.

Have any further arrests been made after questioning the nine accused?
As of now, no additional arrests have been publicly announced. The investigation is said to be continuing to identify other members of the network and trace the financial trail.

Are the leads collected by Bhullar being followed by his successor?
DIG Harmanbir Singh Gill has taken additional charge. Whether the specific leads and intelligence developed under Bhullar’s leadership are being actively pursued has not been clarified by the police.

Was any documented connection found between the Jantar Mantar protest leadership and the arrested accused?
Punjab Police has repeatedly clarified that the accused were not part of the protest and that there was no link with the protesters. The police said the group had planned to target the protest site, not join it. No evidence of any documented connection with the protest leadership has been shared publicly.

Did Abhijeet Dipke’s past association with the Aam Aadmi Party become relevant in the investigation at any stage?
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, had earlier worked with the AAP’s social media team. So far, police have not indicated that this past association played any role in the terror module investigation.

Why has the government not given a detailed public explanation for the transfer?
In a case involving alleged cross-border terror modules and a sensitive protest site in the national capital, many feel that greater transparency would have helped clear doubts. The absence of a clear and detailed statement has allowed political speculation to grow.

What Lies Ahead

The investigation into the two modules is still underway. Police are trying to identify remaining members of the network, establish full linkages and examine whether the accused were involved in any other activities. The juveniles will be dealt with under the law applicable to young offenders, while the adult accused face serious charges.

For people in Delhi and Punjab, the episode is a reminder of the constant threat from cross-border modules that try to exploit young people. The recovery of petrol bombs and the fact that the group had already conducted reconnaissance at a major protest site in the capital show how quickly such networks can become a danger to public safety.

At the same time, the sudden transfer of the officer who led the operation has turned a security success into a political controversy. In a democracy, police officers are expected to work without fear or favour. When an officer is shifted immediately after announcing the busting of terror modules with cross-border links, questions about institutional independence naturally arise.

As of now, the Punjab government has maintained silence on the specific reasons for Bhullar’s removal. The acting commissioner has taken charge and police work in Amritsar continues. Whether the transfer was purely administrative or influenced by the political fallout from the Jantar Mantar-related disclosures remains a subject of intense public discussion.

The coming days will show if the state provides greater clarity and if the investigation yields more arrests and deeper insights into the cross-border network. For now, the sudden removal of the officer who led the operation has ensured that a major anti-terror success is being remembered as much for its political aftermath as for the threat it may have prevented.