The controversy generated by the annulment of former cop Gurmeet Singh's reinstatement has once again highlighted the need to apply closure to the era of terrorism, memories of which continue to haunt Punjab. Gurmeet, known as "Pinky," was an inspector in Punjab police, convicted of murder and dismissed from service in 2006. A sessions court had convicted him in the shooting of Avtar Singh alias Gola in Ludhiana in 2001. Pinky was in the Nabha Jail, and was released prematurely in 2014, which created a storm in political circles.

On 15 May, Ludhiana Range DIG, G.S. Dhillon reinstated Pinky as head constable, citing Pinky's contribution to Punjab's battle against terror as justification for his reinstatement. However, Jalandhar Division IG, Lok Nath Angra, on 20 May, overruled Dhillon's order describing it as "erroneous, illegal, devoid of merit and mala fide". Dhillon was transferred and posted at the state headquarters, pending possible disciplinary action.

Sikh organisations such as the Dal Khalsa and All India Sikh Students' Federation, as well as some human rights' activists, opposed Pinky's reinstatement. Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh alleged that while Sikh political prisoners were still in prison despite completing the minimum tenure of their terms, Pinky, who had the blood of so many Sikh youths on his hands, was released prematurely and got reinstated. He said that the government had been citing a Supreme Court directive against premature release of those convicted for life. He said that the Sikh organisations' demand for the release of prisoners including some militants had been stonewalled thus far.

Some BJP leaders allegedly accompanied Pinky to plead his case with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The Shiromani Akali Dal, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the Akal Takht, stayed silent on the issue. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was quoted to have expressed ignorance about the development. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also holds the Home portfolio apart from being the president of the Akali Dal, did not say anything.

Pinky has alleged victimisation by senior police officers and has threatened to expose in a book their alleged links with terrorists. Pinky has said that the Punjab government has reinstated those officers convicted in the Tiljala case of 1993, where a terrorist Lachman Singh, who assumed the name of Bashir Mohammed and his wife were shot from point blank range at their residence in Kolkata.

Reports have indicated that around four dozen Punjab police officers have serious cases pending against them in various courts. Some of them were in appeal after being convicted by the trial courts. Renowned scholar Sardara Singh Johl, who has been vice chancellor of the Punjabi University in Patiala and Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana, has been quoted as expressing shock that apart from two, all officers facing charges of excesses during militancy belonged to the Sikh community.

Commentators believe that Sikh organisations were targeting Pinky as he had arrested top Babbar Khalsa operative, Jagtar Singh Hawara, who was sentenced to death in the Beant Singh assassination case. Once considered to be a part of the militant outfit, Pinky came in contact with the present Punjab police chief, Sumedh Singh Saini, in the 1990s when the latter was posted as Ludhiana SSP. Saini convinced Pinky to become an informer and later a "Cat" — a term then used to describe those involved in covert operations to arrest or neutralise terrorists and their cells. Subsequently, Pinky was inducted into the Punjab police and confirmed as a head constable.