Punjab Police Takes Action After Security Convoy Incident
The Punjab Police has initiated disciplinary action against a police personnel who was driving an escort vehicle that collided with the car of retired Lieutenant General DS Hooda on the Zirakpur flyover. Additional Director General of Police (Traffic) AS Rai confirmed that a show-cause notice has been issued to the driver involved in what has been described as "a lapse in traffic discipline."
Sequence of Events on Zirakpur-Ambala Stretch
The incident occurred on Wednesday when two Punjab Police jeeps were escorting a VIP protectee towards Ambala. According to Lt Gen Hooda's social media post, he was driving with his wife on the Zirakpur flyover around 4 PM when the police convoy approached from behind with sirens blaring. The retired Army commander, who served as Northern Army Commander during the 2016 surgical strikes, stated that he slowed his vehicle to let the first police vehicle pass.
However, the situation escalated when the rear escort jeep allegedly cut sharply to the right while overtaking from the left, making contact with the front of Hooda's car before speeding away. Hooda characterized this as "clearly a deliberate act" that demonstrated "arrogance and impunity."
Police Investigation and Response
Following the incident, Punjab Police launched an investigation that included examination of CCTV footage from the area. The police version states that heavy traffic caused a gap to develop between the protectee's vehicle and the escort vehicle. According to ADGP Rai, the escort driver was attempting to close this gap through a sharp overtaking maneuver when the minor contact occurred with Hooda's vehicle.
Senior police officers, including the SP (Traffic) from SAS Nagar and ASP from Zirakpur, personally met with Lt Gen Hooda to apprise him of the facts and assure him of a thorough inquiry. The police have maintained confidentiality regarding the identities of both the driver and the VIP protectee involved in the incident.
New Standard Operating Procedures Implemented
In response to the incident, Punjab Police Director General Gaurav Yadav issued a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on Thursday for all escort and pilot drivers. The SOP emphasizes:
- Strict adherence to traffic rules during non-emergency movements
- Compliance with road safety norms
- Minimizing disturbance to public traffic
- Maintaining professional conduct and courtesy
- Exercising patience and restraint in all circumstances
- Immediate reporting of any incidents by escort in-charge
DGP Yadav stated that Punjab Police maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards misconduct and emphasized that VIP protection duties require discipline, patience, and respect for citizens.
Stakeholders React to the Incident
Lt Gen Hooda acknowledged meeting with "extremely professional and courteous officers" but urged authorities not to underplay what he described as the "deliberately provocative behaviour of the driver." He declared this would be his last communication on the matter.
DGP Yadav had earlier expressed regret for the "distress and concern caused to you and your wife due to this unfortunate incident" and assured that such behavior is "completely unacceptable and contrary to the values of professionalism" that Punjab Police stands for.
The incident has sparked discussions about the conduct of security personnel during VIP movements and the balance between security requirements and public safety on Indian roads.
