The number of DGPs in the state, with their elevation, has now increased to eight. The promoted officers include Additional Directors-General of Police (ADGPs) Lalit Bhatia, G.S. Aujla, S.C Jain, M.P.S. Aulakh and K.K. Attri. ADGP D.R. Bhatti’s case has been kept in a sealed cover as proceedings in the alleged wireless scam are pending against him. His case has reportedly been referred to the state Home Secretary for his opinion and necessary action. In all, the government announced the postings of 12 officers

In case of Mr Lalit Bhatia and Mr Jain, the posts have been upgraded. The two officers have now been posted as DGP (Vigilance and Security, Punjab State Electricity Board) and DGP (Railways), respectively.

Mr Aujla has been promoted as DGP, Rules. In his place, 1977-batch officer ADGP Chander Shekhar has been posted as ADGP (Training-cum-Director, Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur).

Mr M.P.S. Aulakh has been made the DGP, Prisons. Mr Attri is DGP-cum-Commandant of Punjab Home Guards in place of DGP R.K. Gupta. He retired upon attaining the age of superannuation today. Mr Attri has been replaced by ADGP Anil Kaushik. He has now been posted as ADGP (Crime). Mr N.P. S. Aulakh has been posted as ADGP (Punjab State Human Rights Commission), while ADGP J.P. Birdi has been posted as ADGP (Law and Order).

DGP (Punjab State Human Rights Commission) S.K. Verma has been posted as DGP (ok Pal), while DGP P.Lal has been posted as Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Punjab Police Housing Corporation.

A Maharastra cadre officer, ADGP Virk’s name was cleared for the DGP’s post after the matter pertaining to his extension and charge-sheet was “amicably resolved” between the Centre and the state government.

The Punjab Government was all along insisting that Virk should be allowed to continue in the state because of his role in the anti-insurgency operations during the dark days of terrorism.

In fact, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had personally taken up the matter with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil during his visits to New Delhi.

This was not the first time that the Chief Minister had taken up his case. He had earlier also written to the authorities concerned in Delhi for extending Mr Virk’s deputation in the state. In fact the Chief Minister had made it clear that Mr Virk would not be relieved.

Mr Virk, on the other hand, had clearly stated that it was feasible for him to move out of the state till he was relieved, despite the termination of his inter-cadre deputation and issuance of a charge-sheet on December 21 last year.

Soon after taking over the charge from outing-going DGP A.A. Siddiqui, Mr Virk told Punjab Police officers at a meeting to strive hard for maintaining the glorious tradition of the force and for further strengthening it.

The need of the hour, he said, was to rise above “petty things” and to work towards achieving higher goals. “There are areas that need special attention,” he added. Giving details, Mr Virk said besides maintenance of law and order situation in the state, unrest in some of the rural areas required to be dealt with. He added that the absence of adequate academic facilities, debts and other agrarian related problems were giving rise to hoards of problems in the rural area”.

Born on July 26, 1949, in Hoshiarpur district, Mr Virk had done his graduation from Ferozepore before completing his post-graduation in English from Panjab University in 1969. After clearing his IPS examination the same year, Mr Virk worked as Assistant Superintendent of Police in Pune and Jalgaon in his early years of service.

He was among the few officers sent to Punjab in wake of “disturbed conditions prevailing in the state”. After reporting here in July 1984, he worked as Senior Superintendent of Police at Jalandhar and Amritsar districts.

He was, subsequently, promoted and posted as Deputy Inspector-General of CRPF with headquarters at Amritsar and was handed over the responsibility of supervising anti-terrorist operations in the district. He was working on the post of ADGP (Intelligence) before he took over as the DGP this evening.

During his distinguished career, Mr Virk has been bestowed with Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 1986, followed by Padmashri in 1988 and Police Medal for Gallantry in 1989.