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Part-V
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CHAPTER I
Views of a section of IPS officers
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As fallout of the Shohrabuddin and Kausarbi encounter case, most of the
IPS officers serving at middle and higher echelon of hierarchy in the
Gujarat police have become wary and they do not allow their sub ordinate
staff to take risk of being charged with human rights violation. This is what
the researcher found during interaction with some of them. It is clearly
observed that the controversy over some encounters in the recent past has
its impact on the minds of all the officers with whom the researcher
interacted as part of the present study. They were easily accessible to the
researcher and they open-mindedly discussed various problems of the
constabulary and the relevant issues ranging from human rights to ―orderly‖
system.
One IPS officer of rank of IGP frankly conceded that he used to be strict
with the criminals in his early career as an assistant supreme of police; he
used to be stern against the accused involved in vehicle theft and house
burglary. But the harrowing experiences; some police officers in police men
from a constable to Director General level officials to change their mindset
and style of functioning. In other words every IPS officer interviewed by
the researcher expressed his/her views against physical torture popularly
known as ―third degree‖ against an accused for eliciting confession. The y
insisted upon taking recourse to the sophisticated scientific
methods/technologies of investigation in place of brutal practices.
Out of 15 IPS officers the researcher contacted 11 officers are of the view that the
emolument being paid to the lower rung police personnel is adequate. However,
they believe that the constables are overstretched and their working hours are very
high. This is attributable to shortage of staff according to most of the senior police
officers.
They concede that a constable serving as an orderly, should not be asked to work
as a domestic servant
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As regard, discipline they expressed their displeasure against some of their
colleagues who impose penalty on the erring constables without adhering to the
principle of Natural justice.
The Gujarat police is partially equipped to meet the challenges thrown by the
terrorist groups all over India including Gujarat, this what the senior officers
believe. They feel that overall caliber of the constabulary is mediocre and there is
a need to improve their skills and knowledge to keep pace with the modern era.
Chart-16
Chart-17
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chart-18
Chart-19
Satisfaction with Performance of lower rung policemen
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Chapter II
Recapitulation and conclusion
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Recapitulation and conclusion
The researcher developed special interests in the basic ground level
problems of the constabulary in Gujarat after observing their attitude
towards the public and trying to understand the reasons for distrust between
the police and the common people both as a citizen and a Government
officer having served in different departments of the state secretariat
including a short stint in Home department. The researcher acquired
rudimentary knowledge of functions of the police, its hierarchy and internal
problems while dealing with complaints from the general public and other
matters pertaining to the police force. The emerging statuses and roles of the
police have been drawing attention of sociologists in the recent years even
though the subject, prima facie, belongs to public administration. There is no
denying the fact that the importance of sociological analysis has surpassed
the piecemeal efforts made by other disciplines.
The prevalent charges against the police are of rampant corruption,
extortion, arrogance, brutality and their connivance with the anti social
elements like bootleggers and gamblers. There is a popular belief that a man
in khaki lacks in humility and humanism. A lay man looks down upon a
police man with disdain because being victim of harassment and humiliation
at the hands of a police man once in a while on one or the other ground.
Even after sixty years of political freedom from the British raj, the vestiges
of the colonial rule are seen in the style of functioning of the police and a
lay man still fears the police so much so that one would normally avoid
approaching it to lodge a genuine complaint on house burglary, vehicle theft
and criminal intimidation by a known notorious element dangerously active
in a local area since he does not have confidence in the police that treats a
complainant like criminal and a criminal like an esteemed guest at police
station. This is not to suggest that the police constables are always at faul t
and they are devoid of virtues like politeness and benevolence.
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The other side of the coin is that lower rung personnel of the police force-the
constabulary faces a plethora of difficulties and problems at Zero ground
level and totally one sided negative picture of the constabulary presented in
the films, media, public seminars and conferences is unjust and unfair and
has widen a wedge between the police and the public. The champions of
human rights, sociologists, public leaders and the research schola rs in
various disciplines have yet to look in to the entire problem of a growing
gap between police and public from this angle.
The conviction that without objective assessment and proper understanding
of a socio economic profile of the constabulary; harmony and rapport
between the general public and the men in khaki uniform can not be
established, has prompted the researcher to undertake an in-depth study of
basic problems and ground level difficulties faced by the lower rung police
personnel-the constabulary in Gujarat. The present study has a focus on
working and living conditions of the constabulary in Gujarat, some of the
inherent weakness associated with the existing police system and remedial
measures taken by the state Government and measures required to be taken.
A Brief History of the Constabulary
This word is derived from a Latin word ―Constabularies‖. In the Indian
context, a simple connotation associated with the word, ―Constabulary‖
could be explained as follow.
An organized body of lower rung police men who are recruited in the force
through a well established procedure by a government agency. Constable is
defined as a police officer of the lowest grade in Section (4) of The
BOMBAY Police Act-1951.
A man used to wander in search of his various needs in the ancient age but
slowly and gradually the formation of tribal units took place as part of
development of social life which naturally resulted in to some restrictions
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his activities and movements. Social norms were not adequate to establish
orderliness in the tribes and a need started being felt for establishment of
authority which could impose restrictions by creating a sense of fear among
the members of the tribes. With the emergence of concept of a ― state‖ the
evolution of police system took place as controlling authority of a state.
The rulers in subsequent periods having felt a need for an organized
controlling authority; created their police forces under different
nomenclatures.Kautiya/Chankya is considered to be a pioneer of well
organized police system, bureaucracy and economics in our country. The
Mughal Empire in India established ―Kotwal‖ institute and some of the
terminologies introduced for the police system by the Mughals and their
predecessors are still prevalent in the constabulary. Some of the glaring
examples of such usages are: - ―SALAM‖, ―KHERIAT‘, ―KHATIAN‖ and
―KOTWALI‖, etc.
However, the genesis of the modern Police force and policing in India, lies
in the Police Act of 1861which was enacted for regulating and reorganizing
the police force and to transform it in an effective instrument for prevention
and detection of crime and to maintain law and order. After Independence
this Act was continued for governance and effective policing. This Act was
extended to various states of India including Maharashtra/Gujarat vide
Bombay Act of 1954 and Act 11of 1960, section 87 (w.e.f. May
1960).Bombay Police Act came into force for consolidation, regulation and
amalgation of police forces into a single force in the pre reorganized state of
greater Bombay. As is well known Gujarat emerged as a separate state on 1st
May 1960.The Gujarat Police Act has been drafted and it is in the pipeline,
yet tobe officially enacted and notified.
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Police public Relations
A Police man on duty at a police station or at a public place can either
enhance or tarnish overall image of the entire force through positive attitude
and decent behavior or boorish manners and belligerent atti tude with the
general public. It is not always possible for the police to please all the
parties on a particular issue; since it has to take actions as per the law of the
land. A mature police man would act objectively and maintain equidistance
from the opposite parties. This demands a great deal of knack and it also
requires fairness and judiciousness to fulfill people‘s expectations from the
police. However it is not always feasible to keep all of people in a humorous
mood all of time because of nature of a police man‘s duty. Politeness and
patient hearing from a police man can provide a healing touch to an
aggrieved party. There is a common grouse against the police that a known
criminal is treated like an esteemed guest and a lay man approaching a
police man in connection with a most genuine complaint is treated shabbily
at a police station.
The researcher found during his visits to a number of police stations that the
situation has considerably changed in the past one decade. A P.S.O at a
police station behaves courteously while attending a telephonic call.
However, a police constable/head constable would behave arrogantly,
authoritatively and discourteously with both a complainant and an accused at
police station.. Almost one third of the approximately one thousand police
personnel interviewed by the researcher tend to lose their equan imity while
dealing with the general public. At the same time young police men ranging
from constables to Police sub inspectors at various police stations have been
found to inculcate a habit of maintaining equanimity even in the midst of a
tense situation. The researcher came across a good number of young P.S.Is
in police stations in Jamnagar, Kheda‘, Rajkot, Junagadh and Panchmahal
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districts; who have developed a skill to do a balancing act despite long duty
hours and stressful job.
The State Government has also initiated certain measures to narrow the gap
between the police and the public. Holding of ―Lok darbars‖ at police station
level and .S.P. and DIG/IGP level, visits of school children to police stations
and annual celebration of traffic week in big cities of the state have brought
the police and the public near to each other since such programs provide an
opportunity to both the parties to air their genuine difficulties and problems
to find out mutually acceptable solutions to such problems.However, it is
also found that undesirable elements like bootleggers and gamblers manage
to project themselves as social workers and they are invited as participants
in ―Lok darbars‖ at some of the police stations. By and large the efforts to
narrow a gap between the police and the public are successful. It could be
summed up that there has been a discernible positive transformation in
police public relations in comparison with the scenario prevailed two
decades ago when a constable was considered to be a symbol of authority
and arrogance and the rural folk feared him so much so that his entry in a
tiny village would make the local inhabitants scared. Today the position is
that even villagers have also become somewhat aware of their rights and a
beat jamadar can not frighten them as he used to do about twenty years ago.
This is indeed a healthy sign and is in the larger interests of the society since
it fosters democratic spirit.
Seventy one per cent of the interviewed police personnel believe that the
police public relations are good and the public reactions to the performance
and functions of the police are positive.Whereas, twenty nine per cent of the
police personnel believe that the public reactions to their performance are
not favourable.
The common people and those who are active in social services interviewed
by the researcher, also concede that there is a noticeable change in the style
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of functioning of the constabulary but they also feel that there is an iota of
arrogance and authoritianism associated with the khaki uniform in over fifty
per cent of the police personnel.
The researcher has come to the conclusion that good relations can be always
reciprocal and not one sided efforts. The publication of citizen charter by
every district Police has created somewhat awareness among the educated
people on their rights and duties in respect of police functions. Similarly
there are avenues for improvement in the behavior and attitude of the
constables in Gujarat. A proper and scientific training during the pre-service
trainings for the constables/PSIs may bring about a remarkable change in
Police Public Relationship in Gujarat.
Human Rights:-
The concept of human rights is believed to have been visualized in the
Europe and there is a popular thinking that the developing countries adopted
it to keep in pace with the modern thinking of democratization of a state.
However, the ancient Indian cultural ethos conceptualized human rights and
well being of the humanity as a whole without discrimination on any ground
including territorial boundaries.
―Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam‖-meaning the entire world is one family. ―Ano
bhadrah Yantu Vishvatah‖, meaning let noble thoughts come to us from all
directions. These quotes from Rig Veda speak volumes of the Indian
philosophy of wishing welfare of the entire world. Thus, roots of human
rights are found in the ancient Indian literature. In the European context, the
concept of human rights seem to have emerged from the MagnaCarta, a
document of certain rights conceded by the king of England to the barons
who were virtually up in arms against heavy doses of taxes in the beginning
of the thirteenth century.
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After the word war II was over in the year 1944, global awareness against
torture of prisoners of war and genocide on the ground of belonging to a
particular clan resulted in to official declaration of universal acceptance of
human rights under the aegis of the United Nations. The Universal
Declaration of Human Rights on 10th
December 1948 is the most important
event in the history of the post word war. The most notable feature of this
declaration is ―All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and
rights‖-The article 1 of UDHR.
In the Indian context, the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution
provide leverage to the citizens to get protection from exploitation,
discriminations and unreasonable restrictions from the state.
The Human Rights Protection Act 1993, constitution of National Human
Rights Commission and State Human Rights Commissions are the measures
aimed at ensuring protection of basic rights of the citizens from all quarters
including the law enforcing authorities like the police.
Having perused the annual reports of the Gujarat State Human Rights
Commission, the researcher has come to the conclusion that the commission
is indeed sensitive to the genuine complaints pertaining to human right
violation. Some of the exemplary cases pertaining to redressal of grievances
of the common people speak volumes of its appreciable style of functioning.
Though there is a discernible change in the attitude of the police in Gujarat,
towards the public it is found during the present research that some of police
personnel from the rank of a constable to a Deputy Superintendent of Police
brazenly use foul language and behave rudely not only with an accused but
also with a complainant. The number of such rude police men is small , but it
burnishes overall image of the constabulary. There are rare cases of
custodial torture which could be attributed to stressful conditions and pushes
and pulls under which the constables have to work.
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There is a great deal of awareness about the legal and constitutional
provisions on human rights of the accused among the young constables and
Police sub inspectors besides a fear of media especially the private channels
and the news papers who are hyper active in publicizing any case of human
rights violation by the police. Moreover, nationwide controversies over the
alleged fake encounters of Shohrabuddin and his female companion Kausar
bibi and a witness in the case, Tulsi Prajapati and subsequent actions by the
C.B.I. against the police officers, have scared the police constables in
Gujarat so much so that they remain extra cautious in dealing with even the
hardcore criminals.
Though, the Ahmadabad city crime branch has earned a bad name following
serious charges of fake encounters in 2004—05 and extortion racket run by
some of the police men, It can be concluded that the overall situation on the
human rights front in Gujarat is satisfactory and the lower rung police
personnel barring few exceptions, keep away from physical torture of the
petty criminals. They prefer to get the cases of theft, house burglary chain
snatching detected through strict interrogation only.
Out of the one thousand police constables approximately, interviewed by the
researcher almost seventy five percent are of the opinion that there is no
large scale human rights violation in police stations of Gujarat. However, it
is found that many a times the aggrieved parties expect police to be harsh
with the accused of burglary, vehicle theft and chain snatching etc.
During visits to a number of police stations as part of the present research, it
is observed that there is no serious violation of human rights by the Gujarat
Police. Even the persons facing charges of Promoting Naxalism in south
Gujarat are treated as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court in D.K.BASU
V/S the Govt. of West Bengal.
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The Police Reforms
The crux of the police reforms is to secure professional indepe ndence of the
force from the executive and political wings of the Govt.
However, like other states of the country, Gujarat state has also not taken
initiatives in implementing recommendations of various police reforms
commissions. It cannot be said that there is no political interference in
transfers and postings of both lower rung and senior police officers. It seems
that the issue of police reforms is not considered to be serious enough to
give weighting and priority. Organizing various programs like visi ts of
school children to police stations and sports events w ith the help of NGOs
are considered to be a part of police reforms.
The post of Additional Director General of police (Police Reform) is
considered to be a ―side posting‖. For a senior IPS officer whom the state
government is not inclined to assign any executive Job for the time being.
Most of the senior police officers whom the researcher talked to as part of
the present research are of the opinion that the police reforms are fine on
papers but in the given political system it is not feasible to implement most
of the recommendations.
The researcher has come to the conclusion that so far as the problems of
the lower rung police personnel- the Constabulary are Concerned the only
reforms which are required to be implemented are to provide them basic
facilities like housing, healthcare, education to their children and concrete
measures to reduce their work load and actual duty hours.
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Housing Facilities
The problem of housing facilities to the constabulary is the most sensitive
and burning issue and it seems to have been taken up in right earnest by the
Govt. of Gujarat.
During the colonial rule, the police constables used to live in tiny houses
which were actually one room kitchen accommodation sufficient enough for
a single person and not for an entire family. In the pre-independence period,
stables were converted into residential quarters for the costables.The
vestiges of the British Raj are still found in some of the police lines which
are yet to be renovated. The researcher was shown the residential quarters
converted from stables in Gondal town of Rajkot district near a local police
station. These quarters are not only too small to accommodate a middle siz ed
family but also claustrophobic and bathrooms and latrines of this police line
are not large enough to accommodate even a moderately obese person. The
residential quarters in the old police line in Ahmadabad city are also not in
good conditions.
However, Gujarat State Police Housing Corporation has been playing a
significant role to mitigate the housing problems of the constabulary sine its
inception in 1988. The researcher found during his visits to the police
quarters in some of the districts that Gujarat State Police Housing
Corporation has indeed carried out construction of quarters more efficiently
than R & B dept. with the result that the availability of residential quarters
for the constabulary is almost 78%. The police constables who reside in the
quarters built by Gujarat Police Housing Corporation are by and large happy
and satisfied with their accommodation. The findings clearly suggest that
satisfaction level of the constables in respect of housing facility is
approximately 80% and the claim of the corporation with regard to
satisfaction of the constables is not indeed exaggerated. As evident from the
fact that 86% of the police personnel out of 584 who filled up a structured
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questionnaire for the present research reside in govt quarters and they have
expressed full satisfaction over housing facility provided to them.
This is not to suggest that the overall picture is quite rosy. The
maintenance of the quarters is found to be far from satisfactory. Merely
construction of quarters is not enough and repairing and retrofitting should
be carried out periodically. It is found during a visit to Navsari police line
that lack of cleanliness and maintenance in the lines is the major weakness
resulting in to inconveniences and hardships to the family members of the
constables.
It can be concluded that the housing facility for the constabulary in
Gujarat is by and large satisfactory and it is likely to improve further thanks
to appreciable work being done by Gujarat Police Housing Corporation. A
comparison between the quarters constructed prior to inception of Gujarat
Police Housing Corporation in 1988 and the quarters erected by the said
corporation clearly proves that there has been a qualitative change in the
housing facility for the constabulary in Gujarat during the last two decades.
Education:
In the present societal milieu, the police constables also cherish a dream of
making their siblings, doctors, engineers, or government officers by getting
them educated in the schools and colleges of repute. Howeve r, exorbitant
fees and other related expenses charged by self-financed educational
institute arte not affordable to most of the lower police personnel despite a
considerable improvement in their economic conditions following
implementation of the sixth pay commission. Only a small number of the
lower rung police personnel servinging at somewhat lucrative branches /
police stations or extra income from family property can manage to get their
children educated at the institutes of choice. The rest of the cons tables have
to make compromise with quality of education for their children and they
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have to depend upon either Government run schools or ordinary schools
which charge comparatively less fees. This situation compels them to take
recourse to corruption and bribery. The researcher found during the present
study that a small number of constables posted at lucrative places are able to
send their children to a foreign university also.
The objective of providing proper education to the children is to get them
wriggled out of a hard life associated with a constable‘s family. The findings
of the study suggest that there is a dire need for establishment well managed
schools exclusively for children of the constables at district level and
residential school at the state level, just as children of army jawans get an
opportunity tobe educated at CBSE run schools at different places of their
posting all over the country.
As regard education of the police personnel, it is found that out of the 584
police personnel who opted to fill up a structured questionnaire, 8% of the
constables have studied less than 10th
standards, 49% of them have education
between SSC and HSC; 11% are under graduate and 32 % possess
graduation or more than that.
The researcher has also concluded that barring a few exceptions, the police
personnel either lose interest in pursue further study after getting a job in the
force or do not get time to do so because of arduous nature job.
The Problems of Women Police Constables:
A good number of women have joined the police force during the last decade
because of reservation policy of the government and there is no denying the
fact that women constables have proved their worth by working hard as their
male counterparts in the force. Mahila police stations have been established
almost in every city and district of the state, but it is an irony that the crime s
like murder, decoity, house burglary, and theft etc. are not registered at
Mahila police stations and only the complaints regarding harassment of a
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woman for dowry under section 198 (A) of IPC are taken cognizance of at
mahila police stations, and it confines the role of a woman police constable
serving at a full-fledged mahila police station to register crimes against
women. Having visited mahila police stations at Jamnagar, Junagarh,
Ahmedabad, and Nadiad, the researcher has come to the conclusion that the
mahila police stations are not full fledged and except Ahmedabad city there
is no facility like vehicle with the result a woman police officer has to t ravel
either by a hired rickshaw or own two wheeler for investigation and
attending a court.
A separate rest room for women police constables has to be constructed at
police stations as per guidelines of the central government under
modernization of police fund. However, it is found that such a facility is
available only at the newly constructed police stations and at other police
stations the women constables have to face hardships.
Moreover, they have to adjust themselves with their male colleagues in the
force who are ill mouthed and brazenly use vituperative language against the
accused in the presence of women police constables. It requires a great deal
of courage, patience, and forbearance for a woman police constable to
accompany male constables in a state of inebriation during bandobast and
kaidi party. However, women PSIs and the officers above this rank are able
perform their duty confidently and without much difficulties because of
working culture of discipline and obedience associated with the pol ice force.
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Health Problems and Health Care:
It is observed during the research that the constables above the age of 35 are
susceptible to certain ailments like hypertension, diabetes, depression, and
hyperacidity etc. which could be attributable to work load and mental stress.
Most of the police personnel have to be on their toes for more than 12 hours.
Similarly, the traffic police constables are susceptible to respiratory diseases
due to an enormous increase in the carbon emission from vehicles in b ig
cities and towns.
These findings have been corroborated with the records of medical officers
at Gujarat Police Welfare Hospital, Ahmedabad during the researcher‘s visit.
The Police welfare Hospital at Ahmadabad is not found to be fully equipped,
and it faces shortage of medicines owing to meager budgetary provisions. It
serves the limited purpose of providing primary health care only and the
indoor section of the hospital remains virtually without patients. The police
personnel and their family members get treatment as out door patients only
due to shortage of medicines and inadequate facilities.
Health check-up camps for police personnel are periodically organised in
different districts. However, at district level there no exclusive health care
facility for the police personnel and therefore most of them have to get
medical treatment from private hospitals since the government health care
centers and hospitals remained over crowded with civilians.
A need is felt for providing separate health care facility for the police men at
district level either on the lines of State Reserved Police Group /
Headquarters or in collaboration with the private health care centres.
The Police Welfare Hospital at Ahmadabad is required to be upgraded so
that the very purpose of its establishment does not get defeated. Moreover,
there is a need for modern private hospitals in cities, charge exorbitantly
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which no police man can afford. The Govt may consider providing medical
care to police personnel at a reasonable rate by enter ing into M.O.U. with
these hospitals.
Traffic management in cities and police public attitudinal
problems:
Traffic bottleneck at all kinds of roads is a common scene in big cities and
towns. With development and expansion of cities like Ahmedabad,
Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, etc. The traffic issue becomes more and more
ticklish the root of which lies in the enormous increase in vehicles on roads
and more importantly lack of civic and road sense among the educated
people who drive vehicles on a wrong side at crossings to get a short-cut for
reaching a particular spot even during peak hours. The teenager siblings of
influential and affluent persons including senior government officers
consider it their birth right to drive four wheelers recklessly without having
been in possession of a driving license resulting into serious accidents on
busy traffic roads. This has become a common malaise for the traffic police
constables in all cities of the state.
Some police men also violate traffic rules brazenly and thereby make
mockery of traffic management. Fashionable number plates in violation of
the traffic rules are used on private vehicles of some police constables
creating a bad impression of the entire police force
Bicycles have been replaced by two wheelers especially motor cycles during
the last decade and the school and college students enjoy bike race putting in
jeopardy not only their lives but also that of the passers by.
The traffic problem is not confined to cars and motor bikes but also chakdas,
rickshaws, cool vans, and luxury buses in all cities and small towns also.
What is popularly known as subtle rickshaws and chakdas cater to
transportation needs of commuters and other people residing in outskirts of
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big cities in the absence of adequate public transport facilities besides
proving livelihood to a number of urban youth. However, this causes
increase of carbon emission and air pollution affecting health of the local
people. Besides these rickshaws, chakdas and matador type of vehicles used
for public transport carry passengers like cattle in a big cage in flagrant
violations of traffic rules. Most of the drivers of such vehicles do not
possess driving license and RTO badge. But this is ticklish issue without a
permanent solution since the common people are heavily dependent on this
system, and whenever police becomes strict with the erring rickshaw and
jeep drivers the commuters have to bear the brunt. It is also an open secret
that it a source of extra income for the traffic police. This problem could be
resolved only if adequate public transport facilities are created by the state
government in cities like Vododara, Bhavnagar, Surat and Ahmadabad.
What is more shocking is that the traffic rules are more violated than being
observed and a section of the violators consider themselves above law on the
ground of being close to political leaders, senior police officers , and enter
into altercation with the traffic police at traffic points. Such incidents are
very common. Under these circumstances, traffic police constables are
required to act toughly and tactfully. It is found that at least during peak
hours in the cities the traffic police constables remain present at their
allotted points and manage traffic rush deftly. As regard their behavior it is
observed that most of the constables have learnt the skill of maintaining
equanimity even during tense moments.
However, they do not carry out vehicle checking and observance of traffic
rules like wearing safety belt, helmet , and possession of a valid license
systematically and uniformly. The researcher observed while commuting
between Gandhinagar and Satellite area of Ahmedabad for almost a year that
the traffic constables haphazardly prevent two wheeler riders for inspection
of a driving licence, helmet, and vehicle registration documents, insurance
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papers etc. They prevent some vehicle drivers for checking on S.G. highway
in Ahmedabad and recover fine and simultaneously allow some defaulters to
go scoot free and thereby losing credibility and respectability in the eyes of
the lay men. In view of growing threat of terrorism, vehicles entering big
cities are required to be checked to prevent undesirable elements from
carrying out their nefarious designs. However, Periodical / intermittent
vehicle check up drives do not serve any purpose except getting income by
way of penalty from the traffic rules violators and undue publicity in the
media, but it results into widening a wedge between the police and the
public since it puts the citizens in to hardships and inconveniences while
goining to the place of their work.Moreover, some traffic constables are
found to ride bikes with two pillion riders and also using cell phone while
riding a bike in violation of traffic rules.
It is necessary that traffic rules are observed by the constables themselves.
Instead of intermittent vehicle checking drives, the traffic police should
make it a permanent exercise so that the people get accustomed to it and
become more alert towards traffic rules.
The traffic booths created for shelter to the constables during summer and
rainy seasons are not regularly maintained and some booths in big cities are
in dilapidated conditions without being used by the traffic police. Traffic
constables and the jawans of the home guard are found to perform their duty
without any shelter during peak hours in hot days at a number of traffic
points and they quietly move away to a nearby tree or pan shop for gossiping
as soon as traffic rush is cleared at about 11a.m. The traffic police have to
face shortage of equipments despite the fact that there is no shortage of fund,
i.e. what transpired during discussion with the concerned senior police
officer as part of the present study. This problem is required to be addressed
urgently otherwise the issue of traffic management will continue to cause
malaise to the police and public.
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It is also observed that annual celebration of traffic awareness week in big
cities yields limited results in terms of success in inculcating discipline and
traffic sense among the citizens since it organized as part routine exercise
monotonously with focus on publicity and propaganda rather than making
common people interested in actively participating in it.
It could be concluded that the traffic police makes every possible efforts to
keep the road safe but the lower rung personnel are not well trained to tackle
the traffic violators objectively and impartially. Traffic branch is considered
to be somewhat lucrative and it is observed that a section of the constabulary
and home guard jawans makes extra efforts to get themselves posted to this
branch for extra income.
A need is felt to focus on scientific training to the constables on attitudinal
and behavioral problems on the lines of the jawans of Central Industrial
Security Force who behave decently while making the passengers at the
airports adhere to the rules strictly.
Working Conditions: Pay and Perks
It is found during interactions/personal interviews and filling of structured
questionnaires as part of the present study that the constables are allotted duty on
shift basis but they have to work virtually for 12 to 15 hours a day and even after
performing a night duty they have to report at 11.00 am the next day at their
respective working place. Thus the constables are over worked and burdened so
much so that it has deleterious effect on their mind and body.
There is a provision for payment of leave salary up to the rank of assistant sub
inspector in Gujarat for performing duty on public holidays and this is indeed a
source of incentive for them to work to their fullest capacity.
The constables in all the seven police ranges of Gujarat are found to be
overstretched because of longer and odd duty hours. There is need for creation of a
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separate Bandobast police/Protocol police force so that the police men could pay
attention to their basic duties of investigation and control law & order. Today the
position is that the police men have to attend duties in connection with various
types of bandobasts at least once a week , resulting in to an adverse impact on their
routine responsibilities and duties.
The feeling of dissatisfaction is noticed in a section of the police constables over
fixation of their salary on pay to pay scale by the state government vide finance
department‘s G.R. at 12/2/2009 as part of acceptance and implementation of the
sixth pay commission of Government of India with effect from 1st June 2006.
(Appendix-II)
Their demand was to get pay scale of Rs.3050-75-3950-80-4590 in place of the
scale of Rs.2750-70-3800-75-4000 which was with effect from 1st January 1996 to
30th
May 2006 i.e. prior to implementation of the sixth pay commission.
However, as per the scale to scale fixation; (APPENDIX-II-I) the constables in
Gujarat are getting pay band 1 with grade pay of Rs.1800. Had the fixation been
done as per their long pending demand their scale would have been pay band 2
with grade pay of Rs.1900. A senior police officer pointed out this anomaly to the
researcher during interaction with him as part of the present study.
The researcher found during conversation with constables while getting the
questionnaires filled at different police stations that most of the constables are
ignorant of fact and they seem to be satisfied with their present emoluments as per
the recommendation of sixth pay commission. However, those who are aware of
this issue aired their grievances strongly and expressed their readiness to forgo
leave salary in lieu of acceptance of their long pending demand of a higher pay
scale which will have long term financial benefits.
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Posting and Transfer: Organizational Problems
There are some slots in the district police and the commissionerate of police in big
cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot and also in the office of the
Range IGs/DIGs which are considered to be significant and are always sought for
being posted by ambitious police personnel who not only want to make a visible
dent in the society but also want to make fast buck.
A posting in the detection of crime branch and traffic branch in the
commissionerate, rapid response cell in the office of a range IG/DIG, quick
response cell and local crime branch is considered to be ―a jackpot‖ by the police
personnel ranking from a constable to a police inspector.
However, it does not necessarily mean that posting in such so called significant
places fetch undue advantages for all. There are some honest and upright police
constables who seek placement to such slots not out of greed for pecuniary
benefits but out of zeal to prove their efficiency and capability as a police
constable.
It is found during interview of a number of police constables that there is a general
impression that the so-called significant slot in the police are occupied by some
influential police personnel having powerful links with political leaders and senior
police officials.
The researcher made attempt to study this phenomenon objectively without an iota
of prejudgment and observed that the general impression regarding placement of
influential police personnel at so-called important slots in the LCB, R.R. cell,
DCB,S.O.G. and traffic branch is at least partially correct. The researcher found
some specific cases of such places being occupied by some notorious police men
for quite a long period ranging from 7 to 10 years. However; there are IPS officers
who issue posting orders purely on merits without any extraneous considerations.
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There is a need to frame rules/guidelines to prevent placement of any police
officer for more than 5 to 7 years throughout his career to some of these lucrative
slots even if such a posting is made intermittently. The total number of years
should not exceed the prescribed time limit through his service. This may prevent
degeneration of the significant branches in the state police.
Orderly Systems
The so-called colonial ―Orderly Systems‖ was meant to provide an attendant to
senior army officials and police officials to help them keep their uniform neat and
clean and ready to wear in case of any emergency and also to enable him to
maintain bag and baggage properly during official travels.
However, there is a popular belief that this practice has degenerated into usage of
an orderly as a domestic servant who would be asked to perform all types of works
including utensil cleansing and cloth washing of family members of senior police
officers.
The researcher tried to ascertain veracity of sweeping charges regarding misuse of
orderly system in Gujarat police during informal conversation and personal
interview with at least a dozen IPS officers and also with middle level police
officials who are not entitled to an orderly.
It is found during the study that most of the IPS officers in Gujarat are sensible
enough not to mete out ill treatment to their orderly.
However, some officers engage more police constables as orderly at their
residence for various types of works which results into enormous financial
implications.
A senior IPS officer of the rank of Add.DGP opined during his interview by the
researcher that an orderly is a must for a superintendent of police, DIGs / IGPs
who themselves are deemed police stations to carry out their duty properly.
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However, the orderly system in the present form must go. This opinion is quite
reasonable and justifiable. The orderly system is required to be seriously
reconsidered in the larger interest of the constabulary.
Instead of using services of more than one regular police constable as orderly at
the house of a senior police officer, a suitable alternative like attendance allowance
may also be considered. This is what transpired during conversation with the
police personnel and observance as part of the study.
Working ambience at the police stations
There were days when police stations used to be situated in a thatched building
with old furniture. Visitors to a police station had to be made to sit on a rickety
chair or on a trunk containing paraphernalia of a constable.
The old police station buildings in Gujarat make one ruminating over the past and
feelings of reminiscences of the British Raj. The conditions of police stations
during the last one decade have undergone a sea change.
The Gujarat State Police Housing Corporation has constructed new buildings for
police stations almost in every district resulting into discernible improvement in
overall ambience of working place for the police constables.
The concept of public and private participation for construction of government
buildings/ offices has also helped the state police transform the old and dilapidated
buildings of police stations into quite impressive and exquisite police stations with
all necessary facilities like furniture, toilet, refrigerator, water purifier etc.
The new buildings of police stations in Gujarat are indeed a great credit to the
Gujarat State Police Housing Corporation.
Police public relations and police training
The old generation of police personnel used to treat both a complaint and an
accused shabbily. However, guidelines in this regard and also training to the police
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personnel on the subject of dealing with the public have at least some positive
impact on the behavioral attitude of the police constables.
The young generation in the police is found to be decent and well mannered with
comparison to their senior and aged colleagues. However, the police training
institutes are required to be suitably revamped since it is observed during the study
that most of the police officers posted as instructors/administrators of such training
institutes consider their placement as insignificant and also a punishment.
The armed police constables and the personnel above this rank posted at police
training institutes perform their duty with a sense of job satisfaction and this is the
reason why the ground training to the newly recruited constable/LRD and PSI is
by and large up to the mark.Whearas, the unarmed police officers posted at police
training institutes are found to be a frustrated group, killing their time in
spreading negative thoughts among the newly recruited constables and the
personnel above this rank. Understandably, the budding police constables and PSIs
do not get a proper training on behavioral and attitudinal aspects at the hands of
police officers who are posted at the training institutes as part of punishment
actually or they believe that their posting is aimed at keeping them away from the
routine policing and they have been sidelined. It is high time that a serious thought
has been given to a well known practice of treating police training institutes as
dumping grounds for the unarmed police officers facing departmental inquiry or
for those who are considered to be unwanted by the power that be. Police Training
Academy, Karai near Gandhinagar and Rashtra Veer Chhelbhai Dave Police
Training School, Junagadh visited by the researcher as part of the study are found
to be well managed and the trainees here are satisfied with the quality of ground
training imparted to them but the class room trainings are monotonous and there is
a need to use modern technology including power point presentations to make the
training programs live and interesting. Moreover, ambience in the class rooms at
PTS Junagadh is not befitting to a state level training institute. Therefore,
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renovation of the classes is urgently required. However, accommodation
facility and quality of food are indeed appreciable.
Prohibition its pros and cons:-
Being the land of Mahatma Gandhi, Gujarat has imposed prohibition of liquor in
the interest of the downtrodden people who get economically and physically
ruined because of addiction. However, this policy has bred corruption in the
implementing agencies in general and in the police in particular. The
bootleggers/barons are a boon to the police personnel who want to make fast buck
even by resorting to unethical acts.
It is found that one to two police men are found to be drunk at almost all the police
stations and drinking habit has a deleterious effect on their body and mind. The
researcher has observed that senior police officers are not sincere in enforcing
prohibition at least on the police men who are fond to be in a state of inebriation
while on duty. This sends wrong signals in the minds of common people. There
may be two opinions on desirability and acceptance of the prohibition policy but
there cannot be difference of opinion on its enforcement on the constables on duty
in the police stations through out the states. A political will and sincerity of
purpose on the part of senior police officers can make a lot of difference.
Prohibition has made our sate unique despite its partial success only. Its somewhat
strict implementation during the month of December for the last three years has
kept major cities free from troubles created by revelers at the night between the old
and New Year. The researcher has jumped on to the conclusion that prohibition
may be difficult to be implemented totally in the state, but it must be enforced and
implemented at all the police stations of the state and deterrent actions should be
taken against constables found to be in a state of inebriation while on duty.
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Conclusion/limitation of the study
The preceding chapters have highlighted different dimensions of the working and
living conditions of the constabulary in Gujarat.
The facts have revealed that a lot of remedial measures are required to be taken to
sort-out some serious problems especially the working load and excessively high
duty hours so that the chasm between the police and the public is minimized.
The problems associated with working and living conditions of the constabulary
are manifold, and therefore the present study, though carried out strenuously
covering all the police ranges, can not be claimed to be exhaustive.