In a shocking and deeply troubling revelation, the Punjab Police has dismissed a woman constable, Amandeep Kaur, who was recently arrested in Bathinda for her alleged involvement in drug smuggling. The arrest comes as a major blow to the credibility of law enforcement in the state and has sparked renewed urgency within the administration to crack down on internal corruption linked to the flourishing drug trade. Kaur was apprehended as part of the state government’s flagship anti-narcotics initiative, Yudh Nasheian Virudh (War Against Drugs), which aims to cleanse the system and society of drug abuse and trafficking networks.
The operation that led to Kaur’s arrest was carried out jointly by the Punjab Police and the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF). Acting on a tip-off, the teams intercepted Kaur’s Mahindra Thar SUV, which was adorned with an unauthorized Punjab Police sticker, near the Badal flyover in Bathinda on Wednesday evening. Upon inspection, authorities recovered 17.71 grams of heroin from her possession. The presence of the police insignia on the vehicle is now being seen as a deliberate tactic to evade police scrutiny at checkpoints.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Harbans Singh confirmed the arrest and seizure, stating that Kaur had been under surveillance for some time based on suspicions of her involvement in illicit activities. Following her arrest, Inspector General of Police (IG) Sukhchain Singh Gill confirmed her immediate dismissal from service, invoking Article 311 of the Constitution, which allows summary termination of government employees found to be involved in criminal or unethical conduct without a formal departmental inquiry.
IG Gill emphasized that the orders for swift action came directly from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who has reiterated his commitment to making Punjab drug-free and has taken a zero-tolerance stance against government employees caught abetting or engaging in drug-related crimes. “This is a message to every police personnel—there will be no protection or leniency for anyone found aiding drug traffickers. The law is equal for all,” Gill asserted during a press briefing.
Kaur, who was initially posted in Mansa and later transferred to Bathinda Police Lines, had been projecting a lavish lifestyle on social media platforms, drawing significant attention. Her frequent posts featuring her Thar SUV, designer clothing, and high-end gadgets had already raised eyebrows among colleagues and the public. Investigators suspect that her social media activity might have played a role in alerting authorities to her questionable sources of income.
As investigations intensify, startling revelations about her wealth accumulation are coming to light. Authorities have found that Kaur is the owner of:
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A luxury Audi car
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Two Toyota Innova vehicles
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A Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle
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A residential property valued at over ₹2 crore
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Several designer handbags, electronics, and expensive jewelry
Officials are now probing whether these assets were acquired using funds from the proceeds of drug smuggling. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) may also be brought in to investigate potential money laundering charges.
Further complicating the matter, intelligence inputs suggest that Kaur might have been part of a wider network of drug smugglers, possibly linked to cross-border heroin trafficking operations in Firozpur, an area notorious for being a conduit for drug inflows from Pakistan. There are fears that she may not have acted alone and that other individuals—including those in uniform—could be part of the same network.
The case has been handed over to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amneet Kondal of Bathinda, who has initiated a full-scale investigation into Kaur’s past associations, financial transactions, and communication records. Special attention is being given to tracking her movements, call logs, and WhatsApp chats to identify possible accomplices both within and outside the police force.
This incident has shaken the public’s confidence in the police system, with civil society groups and anti-drug activists demanding greater accountability, mandatory lifestyle audits, and psychological screening of police personnel. Many are urging the government to establish an independent anti-corruption watchdog specifically for law enforcement agencies.
As the probe continues, the Punjab government is reportedly considering further structural reforms in the police department to enhance transparency, accountability, and vigilance. Training modules on ethical conduct, surprise audits, and greater public involvement in community policing are among the measures being proposed.
The arrest and dismissal of Constable Amandeep Kaur not only expose the depth of the drug problem in Punjab but also serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address corruption within the institutions meant to fight it. The case is likely to become a test for the Mann government’s resolve to confront one of the state’s gravest challenges head-on.
