The City Headlines
Ludhiana, December 4
Ahead of 2022 Assembly Polls in Punjab, Former Punjab and Maharashtra DGP SS Virk joined Bhartiya Janta Party on Friday. It is to be noted that SS Virk is a Padma Shri awardee and was at the forefront of the fight against terrorism in the 1980s and 1990s.
Other than SSP Virk, former SAD MLA Sarabjeet Singh Makkar, and son of former SAD MLA Hari Singh Jeera- Avtar Singh Minna, and 22 other leaders joined Bhartiya Janta Party on Friday. This is seen as a major blow to Shiromani Akali Dal as a few days ago, senior SAD leader and Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee chief Manjinder Singh Sirsa joined the Bhartiya Janta Party.
Who is SS Virk?
SS Virk is a 1970-batch IPS officer of the Maharashtra cadre. He was brought to Punjab on deputation in 1984 during militancy. During Captain Amarinder Singh’s first tenure as the Chief Minister (from 2002-07), he was Punjab DGP.
The reports suggest that in 1986, he was sent on deputation as CRPF DIG and was stationed in Amritsar. At that time, KPS Gill was the IG of the paramilitary force. During Operation Black Thunder, he was hit by a bullet in his face outside Golden Temple in Amritsar, because of which he remained in coma for nine days.
According to the reports, just a few months before the 26/11 terror attacks, Virk was appointed Maharashtra DGP.
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