CHANDIGARH — A Punjab police officer stationed as a ‘reader’ to a deputy superintendent during the July 2015 Dinanagar terror attack has no right to an out-of-turn promotion, the Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled. Justice Jagmohan Bansal rejected the claim by Jasbir Singh, stressing that benefits linked to battlefield injuries demand strict proof of direct involvement.

The court drew a firm line on gallantry-linked perks. Singh, in his petition, said he reported to the Dinanagar police station and confronted the terrorists bravely. He argued for parity with others who received promotions, even some allegedly absent from the scene. The judge disagreed sharply.

“There cannot be negative equality,” the order states. Courts won’t extend illegal benefits just to match prior mistakes, it adds. Administrative relief for combat injuries stays narrow. Singh carried no weapon that day. His role remained clerical.

Heavy details mark the attack’s chaos. On July 27, 2015, militants in army fatigues stormed Dinanagar police station in Gurdaspur district. They killed and wounded police and civilians alike. The assault triggered a fierce counter-operation.

Punjab’s council of ministers responded fast. Measures included full salaries until retirement for families of fallen staff. Injured employees got promotions and free medical care. Civilians who suffered received cash aid; bereaved kin too. Home guards and relatives scored recruitment edges.

Singh pushed for the same promotion package. Officials denied it. He landed in court. Justice Bansal reviewed the record. No evidence placed Singh in the thick of firefights, the ruling notes. Readers handle paperwork, not combat, for DSPs.

The decision sets precedent. Gallantry awards demand valor under fire. Parity claims falter without matching risk. Punjab police brass hailed the clarity. It curbs loose interpretations of anti-terror heroics.

Singh’s team vowed appeal options. High Court doors stay open. For now, the order stands firm. Dinanagar scars linger. Five years on, legal fights echo the gunfire.

Broader context shapes such cases. Terror strikes spur rushed rewards. Politicians approve packages amid public grief. Courts later sift facts from fervor. This ruling reins in excess.

Punjab faces ongoing threats. Gurdaspur sits near Pakistan. Militants probe borders often. Police gear up. Promotions motivate frontline duty. Boundaries matter, judges say.