Palamau’s new superintendent of police Narendra Kumar Singh has his hands full in Palamau. Reason: Complainants do not first go to the respective police stations, but straightway reach for him to seek relief and the top cop hears the complainants with patience, wondering as to why complainants do not visit the thana.
He has tackled problems of traffic congestion, sudden eruption of communal disharmony and Palamau's top job chasing and catching of the Naxals — all in less than his three weeks’ time here. Urban crimes and extremism kept the district administration pre-occupied in the past. The top cop knows his job is no cakewalk, but he exudes confidence. The Pioneer spoke to him on myriad issues.
Excerpts:
On Tuesday, June 4, Palamau police handed over a CPI Maoist Bhola Yadav to Bihar's Nabinagar police station. WhyIJ
The Palamau police really handed over this Maoist to Bihar on Tuesday. This Maoist was caught in Palamau. The police were trailing behind him. This Maoist has cases against him in Bihar and Jharkhand both.
Was this Maoist caught here in Palamau when he was in a marriage functionIJ
Yes. He had come here to attend a marriage function of the daughter of his phoopha Mundrika Yadav in Kala Pahar in Hussainabad sub-division when the police caught him
The marriage function must have gone spoiled following this arrestIJ
No. The police did not do anything as such to create any hindrance. It stood and watched this Maoist alone. When after food, every one decided to sleep and this Maoist, too, slept the police woke him up and arrested him. This caused no sensation.
The Maoist has had 17 ClA Act against him it is saidIJ
Yes. Both the State Governments of Bihar and Jharkhand have invoked 17 ClA Act against him.
Why do complainants seek you straight for relief even for petty offencesIJ
This is very strange as for even a simple mar peet case the complainant reaches me first without going to the thana. Both men and women just insist on seeing me for things like assault, theft, threatening etc. Going to the thana is not on their agenda first. Traffic snarls here is another problem. Yes. I was told of this on the very day of my joining here. Steps are on to ease this problem.
Palamau’s Harihurganj witnessed a kind of communal convulsion soon after you joined hereIJ
It was tackled with care, might and force of law. This sudden eruption of communal disharmony is very unfortunate here.
What are the sensitive points here where this abruptness of communal discontent may occurIJ
I have heard Bishrampur block is one such point which witnessed a kind of orgy of violence. Chhaterpur and Harihurganj and Satbarwa are other places. Palamau police will act tough with the ruffians. No one should have any doubt in this regard.
land disputes here are the prime cause of discontent. Do you agreeIJ
land dispute cases are too enormous. It has led to many an unseemly situation. I do not know why it is so here. In our State UP from where I hail, there used to be a Tehsil Day there every Tuesday and on this day, land dispute cases are solved much to the satisfaction of the parties involved in it. I do not know if this sort of thing can be given a try here.