Security of Beant Singh's family beefed up: DGP

Security of the family members of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, who was assassinated by terrorists in 1995, has been strengthened as there were intelligence inputs of threat to them, state DGP PS Gill said today.

"Yes, there are some reports about threat perception to Beant Singh's family members and we have already beefed up their security, including that of his grandson Ravneet Singh Bittu, Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib," he said.

Bittu had to shelve his plan to go abroad as Intelligence Bureau did not permit him for the same due to security reasons. Regarding shortage of police personnel in the state, he said process of recruitment of at least 2,600 personnel has already been initiated and would be completed within next five years.
    
"We are facing shortage of personnel as one battalion was sent to Jammu & Kashmir and two of the battalions were assigned to keep vigil on excise duty evasion, due to which 30% of the excise revenue increased," he said.

On the threat of revival of terrorism in the state, Gill said there is no doubt that all out efforts were being made by the activists of Babbar Khalsa International to strengthen their base, but Punjab Police was capable to thwart all such attempts.