A recent internal audit of the Varanasi police has uncovered startling levels of inefficiency and negligence in public grievance redressal — particularly through the CM Window, Uttar Pradesh’s Integrated Grievance Redressal System (IGRS). The findings have raised serious concerns about policing standards in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency.
The first-of-its-kind review, conducted after the implementation of the police commissionerate system, evaluated the performance of 589 sub-inspectors and dozens of inspectors. Shockingly, not a single sub-inspector was found to have addressed public complaints lodged through the Chief Minister’s dashboard. All of them received zero marks in the IGRS disposal category — a crucial benchmark for citizen-centric policing.
Worse still, 107 sub-inspectors scored zero across all evaluated parameters, while 345 failed to cross even 10 marks out of 100. Only a handful of officers managed to show minimal initiative, with some scoring as low as 1 or 2 marks. The audit also revealed that none of the inspectors could qualify with first division marks, reflecting an overall failure in complaint resolution, case investigation, and public engagement.
Police Commissioner Mohit Agarwal, who led the review, expressed deep disappointment over the findings. He disclosed that more than 50 inspectors were unable to draft a basic FIR, and nearly 100 sub-inspectors were flagged for poor punctuality, indiscipline, and failure to follow departmental protocols. The audit exposed a breakdown in not just efficiency, but also core professionalism within the police ranks.
Adding to the controversy was the abrupt transfer of Inspector Meenu Singh, who had been publicly felicitated just a day earlier for topping among female sub-inspectors with 34.5 marks. Within 24 hours, she was removed from her post at Teliyabagh and reassigned to Kotwali police station by DCP Kashi — without any stated reason.
Other top scorers included Rajdarpan Tiwari and Amarjeet Kumar from Manduadih and Vikas Kumar Maurya from Rohania. At the bottom of the list was Shyama Prasad, who scored just 0.5 marks.
The audit also exposed systemic failures beyond IGRS. Over 400 inspectors had no notable achievements, no major arrests, commendations, or contributions to community policing. More than 300 failed to execute even a single non-bailable warrant, and 350 did not act on a single illegal loudspeaker complaint. Nearly 550 were cited for negligence in urgent policing matters, and over 200 had not closed a single investigation during their tenure.
In response to the audit, the department has compiled a list of underperforming officers. Many are expected to be sent to police lines for retraining, and future postings will depend on monthly performance evaluations. Disciplinary action is also being considered against the 107 sub-inspectors who scored zero.
The report has cast a shadow over law enforcement in Varanasi, a city often held up as a model for development and governance. With public trust in the police at stake, the revelations are expected to trigger administrative and political repercussions in the days ahead.