Ilma Afroj, the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Baddi in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district has gone on a 15-day leave amidst reports of the administration of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu reportedly preparing to transfer her soon. The matter transpired after Doon MLA and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Ram Kumar Chaudhary got into a heated argument with the officer. He also initiated a privilege motion from the state assembly against her. She allegedly faced pressure even from her own department due to the intimidation by the government.
This conflict began in August 2024 when authorities issued challans for the vehicles of MLA Ram Kumar Chaudhary’s wife in connection with the illegal mining in Baddi. This drove a wedge between the MLA and the policewoman. He then levelled serious allegations against her in the state assembly and moved a privilege motion against her.
Ilma has been awarded by several organizations for her commendable work in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) area. She gathered these medals and books as cherished keepsakes and set off for Uttar Pradesh. Ilma took on the role of Superintendent of Police in the Baddi Police District on January 27, 2024.
On the other hand, there was also a firing incident in Baddi that was recently discovered. A bulletproof car on Kheda Rajpur Road was shot at many times. Ramkishan, a scrap trader, was the target of the bullets. However, after further investigation, it was revealed that he had orchestrated the entire incident including the firing at him. He disclosed secret information to the accused who had launched the bullets.
Ramkishan was constantly demanding an All India Gun License from the police, but considering his old record, they did not accept his application. He was arrested and a case was launched against him. According to sources, the scrap dealer is close to an influential Congress leader who started to force Ilma Afroz to cover up the matter. The members of the ruling party turned it into an issue and reached Shimla. On the orders of the government, senior police officers called her and addressed the matter but she refused to stop the investigation, per media reports. Afterwards, she was directed to go on a long leave.
Furthermore, the absence of the official from the 15th August program infuriated the MLA. Subsequently, he did not visit her office when the Industry Minister went there. He had also raised questions about her working style and boycotted events where she was present. He even made grave accusations against the woman officer while talking to the media during the assembly session when a notice of breach of privilege was introduced by him. Afterwards, the tippers and JCBs of his family were challaned by her which only escalated the controversy.
Ilma Afroz was preparing for the two-day conference to be held at the Shimla Secretariat on the 7th and 8th of November and went to Shimla on the 6th of November to attend a meeting regarding the same. She met with Congress leaders and officials after which she returned to Baddi, packed her things and went to her home in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh along with her mother. She recently joined the position around ten months ago on 27th January of this year.
