The Hindu : Karnataka News : Routine policing gets a beating in Central division

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Saturday, Dec 22, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Routine policing gets a beating in Central division

Rallies, VVIP security duties telling on efficiency, writes K.V. Subramanya

People who want to lodge complaints in police stations in Bangalore’s Central division usually have to make several visits or wait for long hours to get their work done. For, inspectors/sub-inspectors of these stations are away from their office most of the time making security arrangements for rallies, VVIP visits and public meetings.

In the latest and sensational case, a woman from New Delhi who went to the High Grounds police station to lodge a complaint that she was allegedly gangraped was sent away by a constable stating that senior officers were away on duty at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium where the India-Pakistan Test match was being played.

Many of the demonstrations and rallies that are organised in Bangalore are held near K.R. Circle, Sir Puttanna Chetty Town Hall, Basaveshwara Circle, Mysore Bank Circle, Hudson Circle, Mahatma Gandhi statue, Vidhana Soudha and Chief Minister’s residence in the Central division.

Policing affected

As inspectors and the subordinate staff from the police stations are most of the time busy making security arrangements during the rallies, routine policing has been affected in the Central division.

Besides, the Vidhana Soudha, the Raj Bhavan, the High Court, several ministerial bungalows, government guest-houses, stadiums and star hotels are situated in the Central division. Providing security to these structures is also the responsibility of the Central division police. Palace Grounds, which is the venue for most of the mega musical nights and massive public meetings, also falls under the jurisdiction of the Central division.

Officials working in the division say that as maintaining law and order is important, adequate staff has to be deployed to ensure that no untoward incident takes place during demonstrations and public functions where thousands of people gather.

As the police are busy with these duties most of the time, they are finding it difficult to concentrate on routine policing and crime investigation. Not only are the day and night beats affected, but maintaining records at police stations is also suffering, they say.

Investigation suffers

Most of the time, inspectors and sub-inspectors are exhausted making security arrangements. They do not have enough time and patience to talk to the complainants or the public who come to the station with grievances. Further, they will not be in a position to apply their mind to investigations and guide their subordinates in crime-related work. Thus, the investigations suffer badly, says an official.

Incidentally, several sensational murder cases that have remained unsolved in the city are from the Central division. At least half a dozen cases in which elderly women were murdered in High Grounds, Ashoknagar, High Grounds and Cubbon Park police station limits have remained undetected for years.

To overcome these problems and to reduce the burden on the Central division police, a few years ago the top brass of the city police planned to create an exclusive force to handle rallies and demonstrations. But, no progress has been made in this regard.

Ban suggested

Senior officers suggest that the government should ban rallies and demonstrations within a 3-km radius of the Vidhana Soudha. Organisations and political parties should be made to hold rallies in other parts of the city as this would prevent frequent traffic jams in the busy central business district and also reduce the burden on the Central division police, they say.

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