"Main Bhi Harjeet Singh" - Personnel of Punjab Police on Monday sported name badges of their colleague, whose hand was chopped off while he was trying to impose COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in the state.
The initiative was part of a day-long campaign launched today by Dinkar Gupta, DGP Punjab to display solidarity towards Sub-Inspector Harjeet Singh, who was part of police team that came under attack allegedly by a group of Nihangs who were asked to show their curfew passes at a vegetable market in Patiala on April 12.
"I will personally change my name on my badge to 'Harjeet Singh' for the whole day," said DGP Gupta.
Along with the DGP other personnel too changed the names on their badges to that of Harjeet Singh.
"This campaign has been launched to express solidarity with those who face attacks - doctors, healthcare workers and police personnel. We want to make people aware and to put a stop to the attacks against healthcare workers," Gupta said.
He added that through the campaign they wanted to send a message that these attacks would not be tolerated, "Police, doctors and healthcare workers are all in the frontline to protect others, trying to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country. Attacks on them will not be tolerated," Gupta said.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today tweeted a video of Harjeet Singh, who is recovering at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) hospital here.
The chief minister posted on his Twitter: "It has been 2 weeks since SI Harjeet Singh's hand was operated upon in PGI. I am extremely happy to share that he is recovering well & that his hand has started to regain movement. Sharing this video of braveheart Harjeet Singh with you all."
Doctors had reattached the hand of the 50-year-old in a surgery post the attack.
In the video tweeted by chief minister Singh is seen with his left hand in a sling and seems to be in a cheerful mood. He is seen saluting and smiling and even shows a slight movement of the fingers of his injured hand.
( With inputs from ANI )