Cornered by severe criticism over the alleged custodial torture of Mohanjit Singh of Sheron village, the Punjab Government on Saturday ordered the transfer of DSP Harvinder Singh and directed three other police personnel to report immediately to Police Lines, Sangrur. This is the first major administrative action following the allegations of custodial torture against the anti-drug activist.According to an order issued by the Punjab DGP, DSP Harvinder Singh, who was posted as DSP (SD), Jattvibeam, Sangrur, has been transferred and posted as DSP, 1st CDO Battalion, Bahadurgarh, Patiala, against a vacant post “on administrative grounds”, with immediate effect. The order, issued by Police Establishment Committee, directs him to be relieved immediately and report at his new place of posting by September 6.In a separate order issued by the SSP, Sangrur, three other police officials — Inspector Parteek Jindal, SHO, Police Station City Jattvibeam; SI Baljit Singh, SHO, Police Station Cheema; and ASI Harpreet Singh, In-Charge, ZP City Jattvibeam — have been transferred to Police Lines, Sangrur, with immediate effect “on administrative grounds”.The action comes days after Mohanjit Singh, a resident of Sheron village, was taken into police custody on September 2 after he allegedly displayed a black flag and raised slogans during Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s Lok Milni programme in the village. The event was held as part of the government’s anti-drug campaign. Singh has since alleged that he was subjected to custodial torture, including electric shocks, and was forcibly made to consume drugs while in police custody.The alleged assault triggered sharp political reactions, with opposition leaders, including Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and SAD president Sukhbir Badal, visiting Singh at Sangrur Civil Hospital and demanding action against the police officials allegedly involved.Warring and Bajwa have separately approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), seeking an independent and time-bound inquiry. Meanwhile, Council of Lawyers has written to the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking suo motu cognisance and warning that it would file a PIL if no action was taken within 48 hours.The Sangrur police, meanwhile, have ordered a departmental inquiry into the allegations of torture. The police maintain that Singh’s detention was a preventive measure and that no fresh injury marks were found on him when he was medically examined before being produced before the SDM.Police also said that around eight cases under serious sections of law had previously been registered against Singh.