Chandigarh, Feb. 10 -- Punjab Police encounter specialist and anti-gangster task force (AGTF) officer Bikramjit Singh Brar, PPS, was on Monday promoted to the rank of superintendent of police (SP). A recipient of five President's medals for gallantry, Brar has been involved in several high-profile encounters with notorious gangsters, including the neutralisation of shooters Jagroop Singh alias Roopa and Manpreet Singh alias Mannu Kusa, who were involved in the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. He has also played a key role in operations against dreaded criminals such as Vicky Gonder, Prema Lahoria and Ankit Bhadu. Known for his frontline role in counter-gangster operations, Brar has survived multiple encounters in which he came under direct fire. In a rare move, the Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government in 2019 promoted him from inspector to deputy superintendent of police (DSP) in recognition of his distinguished service. During his tenure as DSP with the AGTF, Operations Punjab, Brar was instrumental in several intelligence-led operations conducted both within India and overseas. These operations led to the arrest or neutralisation of gangsters, smugglers, terrorists and arms suppliers linked to organised crime networks operating across Punjab and other states. Brar hails from a family with a strong policing legacy. His father, Baldev Singh Brar, PPS, who was posted as superintendent of police (detective), Patiala, was martyred during the peak of terrorism in 1988. His elder brother, Varinder Singh Brar, is also a senior PPS officer and has served as a senior superintendent of police (SSP). Brar has been conferred the Union home minister's medal for Excellence in Investigation (2021), the Union home minister's Special Operations medal (2022) and the chief minister's Rakshak Padak (2023). A Yadavindra Public School (YPS), Patiala, alumnus, he has received 27 director general of police commendation discs. Two other officers, Sarabjit Singh and Guriqbal Singh, were also promoted to the rank of superintendent of police....