The Punjab Police on Jattvibeday dismissed as false a set of social media posts claiming that police headquarters had issued an advisory directing personnel to avoid wearing their uniform while commuting to and from duty.In a post on X, Punjab Police said no such advisory had been issued by the police headquarters or by any office under it, and clarified that no directive existed asking personnel to avoid uniform during travel or to wear civilian clothes while commuting to and from duty. The force termed the claim a “false advisory” and asked citizens and police personnel to disregard the messages circulating on social media, urging them to rely only on official channels for authentic information.The rumours gained traction in the aftermath of the killing of an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), which had already put the force on edge over the safety of personnel travelling in uniform. This is not the first time such claims have surfaced. Similar posts alleging informal advisories against wearing uniform while off-duty have circulated in the past following incidents targeting policemen, prompting the force to issue clarifications on more than one occasion.Adding to the current controversy, an audio clip went viral on social media, purportedly of a woman police officer instructing staff to avoid travelling in uniform. The clip triggered speculation among the public and within the force, prompting several queries to which the police were compelled to respond. A Congress leader also shared the audio clip on social media, further fuelling its circulation and lending it wider political attention before the police stepped in with the fact check.Police officials said such fabricated messages create unnecessary confusion, particularly at a time when the force is already dealing with heightened concerns over personnel safety, and appealed to the public not to forward unverified content without checking its authenticity through official police handles.⚠️ FACT CHECK | FALSE ADVISORYPunjab Police Headquarters or any other Punjab Police office under it has issued no advisory directing police personnel to:• Avoid wearing uniform while going to or returning from duty• Wear civilian clothes while commuting to/from dutySuch…— Punjab Police India (@PunjabPoliceInd) September 22, 2026