Headlines       Vol. 1 Issue 34-35

Jan 22-Feb 6 , 1999

Well-equipped, well-fed State police is the only answer Strangely enough, the story is full of truth. Police sub-inspector Ramesh Kalita of APRO died prematurely after a brief illness at the age of 56 some time back, leaving behind his wife and two adolescent sons. Even after the lapse of four months when the due family pension was not forthcoming, the widow of Ramesh Kalita went to APRO to enquire about the inordinate delay, nurturing a fond hope of getting her son employed in the police department, as her husband died in service and there is provision for employment of the ward of the deceased police personnel in exempted category. Getting no sympathy or proper reply from the concerned office clerks, the disgusted and exhausted Mrs. Kalita somehow managed to approach the inspector-in-charge of pension section of the APRO.Lo and behold! The said inspector-in-charge of the pension section hearing her case advised the lady “when you have two sons why don't you take them to the ULFA. They will employ your sons and you can earn more.” Hearing the advice, Mrs. Kalita could not overcome the initial shock and fainted in the said office and had to be removed to the GMC Hospital for treatment. Ever since coming to power, Union Home Minister L. K. Advani has been stressing the need of normal policing in insurgency affected states. He is of the firm opinion that effective policing is the only way out to curb the militancy related activities. But what the Government of India is yet to do is to enhance the moral of the police force, improve their service conditions and equipped them with sophisticated weapons. In other words, effective policing is not possible, unless an overall change in the department is effected. It is a fact that today's youths are not interested in police jobs. Apart from being non-lucrative, it has become all the more hazardous in nature in recent times. There is always lurking insecurity and uncertainty in police personnel's life. Poor pay, indefinite hours of work, difficulties in mobility, lack of modern sophisticated weapons have made the service least attractive. Interference by political and bureaucratic bosses has vitiated the atmosphere in the police job. Only persons who failed to find any other employment reluctantly join the police. Thus it is no wonder that the police force of modern days is lacking in professional approach and enthusiasm. In the absence of an effective police force the affected State Governments are now taking the help of the Army and paramilitary forces to combat insurgency. But the Army and the paramilitary forces are rather “a foreign force”. They are not quite familiar with the area of their operation. They even do not know the language of the locality which prevents them from having a proper interaction with the local people. But the local police is always at full advantage for its full topographical knowledge of the area and can be really helpful to the Army and paramilitary forces. Effectiveness can be achieved only with well drafted programmes. Instances are plenty where the local police failed to tackle the insurgents properly for want of manpower and sophisticated weapons. In order to make the police effective, reorganisation of the police stations is a must and should be done without any further delay. Arrangements should also be made to increase the manpower. Proper training should be imparted and they should be taught to handle modern sophisticated arms. Police stations having wide areas should be bifurcated and police stations with smaller areas (jurisdiction) should be established. They should be supplied with sufficient vehicles. Service conditions of the police personnel must improve. The family of police officers killed in encounters with the insurgents must be looked after properly and their economic rehabilitation should be declared in advance. If a healthy and conducive atmosphere could be created the police will be an effective force to reckon with. Effective police only can regain the confidence of the people. This would be beneficial for the people, the government and for the country as a whole. The people will only come forward to help the police if they find police is working effectively. Otherwise, normal policing as being advocated by L. K. Advani will remain as a distant dream.

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