AAP MLA Raman Arora again without police security after event row

Jalandhar: Jalandhar Central AAP MLA Raman Arora is again without a police security cover, barely days after it was restored on May 1.Speaking to TOI on Sunday, Arora said he returned the Punjab Police security personnel on the night of May 13 after officials allegedly tried to create hurdles in a religious event held on May 14 in which he was playing a key role.On the morning of May 14, Arora posted on Facebook that he did not require security from police personnel who were "creating hindrances" in an event dedicated to Balaji (Hanuman). "Earlier also, I remained without security for over seven months and moved among the people. Even now, I do not need security if police scuttle our religious events," he said, while reiterating his loyalty to the AAP.The issue quickly snowballed into a political controversy, with BJP workers and Hindu groups staging protests on May 14. Congress leaders also protested separately, targeting the AAP govt. BJP leaders compared the situation to what they called Mamata Banerjee's West Bengal and warned AAP of similar electoral consequences.Jalandhar Central ACP Rajesh Thakur said the mandatory permission process for the event had not been completed despite repeated requests to Arora. He said he and the SHO concerned had granted initial permissions on May 9.Sources said there was a bitter exchange between police officials and Arora on May 13 over the event. It was felt that Arora's posturing had created a piquant situation for the police and the govt while also giving BJP a political opportunity. Security personnel were later not sent back to him.Arora earlier had around a dozen Punjab Police personnel, nearly three times the usual deployment for an MLA, but all were withdrawn on May 13, 2025.The vigilance bureau arrested Arora on May 23 that year in a corruption case, while Jalandhar police registered an extortion case against him on Aug 23. He was granted bail by a Jalandhar court on Sept 22 last year.However, his security cover was not restored after his release, and he continued to move without police protection till May 1 this year.