Retired Brigadier’s killing: Govt cracks down on officers, tightens control on bar regulations

A day after a retired Brigadier was killed by a stray bullet while on a morning walk in Dehradun, the Congress party has called the incident a blot on the state’s security apparatus. The BJP government has suspended an excise sub-inspector and the police official in charge of the Kuthal gate outpost.

According to police, the 74-year-old Brigadier Mukesh Kumar Joshi (retired) was hit by a stray bullet during a shootout between two groups of men on Monday morning, following a dispute at a bar the previous night. Four people have been arrested in connection with the case.

On Tuesday, Soban Singh, Excise Sub-Inspector of Area-3, Mussoorie, and Ashok Kumar, in-charge of the Kuthal Gate police outpost, were suspended with immediate effect.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami called for a complete crackdown on road rage incidents, firing, and illegal activities taking place late at night. Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan chaired a meeting at the Secretariat with senior officials of the Home and Police Departments to review the law-and-order situation in the city. Expressing concern over the rise in incidents of road rage and public disorder, he directed officials to strengthen surveillance and take strict action against offenders, officials said.

The Chief Secretary instructed that police patrolling be intensified in Dehradun city and adjoining areas. He directed the Dehradun SSP to ensure increased patrolling during peak hours across all police stations, and to strengthen day and night patrolling, along with enhanced morning patrols. He ordered strict enforcement of closing times for bars and restaurants, especially on weekends, to ensure that Dehradun does not become a hub for parties and unruly behaviour. Strict action was also directed against establishments violating rules, including illegal bar operations.

The Chief Secretary has also asked officials to monitor whether homestays are acquiring bar licences while ordering a “verification drive” for tenants and PG residents.

‘Shadow of violence’

Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, called the murder a collapse of Uttarakhand’s law and order. “Those who dedicated their lives to defending the nation at the border are now unsafe even in their own cities — ordinary citizens and many communities are forced to live in fear. During the BJP’s rule, only criminals roam fearlessly. Our Uttarakhand, once known for peace and security, has now shrunk into a shadow of violence, murder, and fear under the BJP’s irresponsible leadership,” he said in a post on social media.

Congress state president Ganesh Godiyal said that Dehradun and Uttarakhand were known for a peaceful and secure environment, and alleged that now, the growing audacity of criminals is tarnishing that image. “Questions have been consistently raised about illegal activities and late-night operations in the Rajpur area, but no effective action is visible. The government must immediately take concrete steps to address law and order and restore security and peace in the state,” he said.

The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Yashpal Arya, said, “This is not just a killing, but a blot on the state’s security apparatus, pushing every citizen into an atmosphere of fear and insecurity.”

Aiswarya Raj is a Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, covering Uttarakhand. She brings sound journalistic experience to her role, having started her career at the organisation as a sub-editor with the Delhi city team. She subsequently developed her reporting expertise by covering Gurugram and its neighbouring districts before transitioning to her current role as a resident correspondent in Dehradun. She is an alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ) and the University of Kerala. She has reported on the state politics, governance, environment and wildlife, and gender. Aiswarya has undertaken investigations using the Right to Information Act on law enforcement, public policy and procurement rules in Uttarakhand. She has also attempted narrative journalism on socio-economic matters affecting local communities. This specific, sustained focus on critical regional news provides the necessary foundation for high trustworthiness and authoritativeness on topics concerning Uttarakhand. ... Read More

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