Bhubaneswar, like any other metropolis, reassembles a watermelon green outside but red hot inside. Therefore, it calls for the services of tough top cops who can effectively deal with the situation in order to provide a secure cover to the citizenry.
Saumyendra Kumar Priyadarsi is an officer who belongs to such a rare species of men in uniform, who is currently the Commissioner of Police of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack.
Endowed with suave manners and armed with an infectious smile, he is too like a granite heated red hot to deal with any situation in containing violence. A1995-batch IPS officer, Saumyendra opened his innings to the cadre as ASP, Puri and subsequently worked as Superintendent of Police, Ganjam, Puri, Cuttack and Keonjhar.
His handling of the relief and rescue operations during the Super –Cyclone 1999 as Addl. SP, Puri, was exemplary. He had played a pivotal role in successfully accomplishing the gargantuan task of the Ratha Yatra of Puri for five years during his tenure as SP, Puri.
As the first DCP of Cuttack, he had effectively brought the crime scenario under control. Climbed the hierarchical ladder, he was posted as DIG and subsequently as DIG (Admn) and DIG, South Western Range, Koraput.
As an expert in counter-terrorism, he had contained Maoist violence as DIG, SWR, Koraput. Being elevated to the IGP rank in 2013, he continued to work in anti-Maoist field as IG (Operations) and also as IG (Intelligence). As Addl. DGP, CID, Crime Branch, he rendered a yeoman’s job to the department.
The handling of the Nabakalebar festival in 2015 by him as OSD and the relief and restoration works spearheaded by him during Cyclone Fani are still fresh in the memories of people of Puri.
He was decorated with the President’s Police Medal in 2011 for Meritorious Service, Governor’s Medal in 2005. Earlier, he had earned laurels and encomiums by receiving DGP’s Disc 2002, and DGP’s Commendation 2016. In an interview to The Pioneer, Saumyendra spoke to Sugyan Choudhury on the multifarious issues concerning the police administration.
As a seasoned top police officer, you have been entrusted with the onerous task of providing safety and security to the denizens of the Twin City. How are you going to implement it?
Providing safety and security to the denizens is the primary responsibility of police. My main objective will be to make police more people-centric and proactive. I will take steps to improve visibility of police in the Twin City.
Persons who are threat to security and peace of the society will be sternly dealt with. We shall make police reach the public. My special focus will be on senior citizens and women. In the process, some of the old projects/ schemes taken up in the past will be revived. My sole aim will be to make the Twin City more safe and secured.
How are you going to confront the organised crimes?
In a growing city, organised crime syndicates try to spread their tentacles. We will be ruthless on organised crimes like Dadabati, tender-fixing, Chanda collection besides focusing on drugs, illegal arms and automobile theft.
Stolen motorcycles and illegal arms are two major weapons widely used by criminals. We have already taken proactive steps and in last one month and seized 15 illegal fire arms. We have a defined plan to go all out against organised crimes in a focused way.
How do you contemplate to prevent assault on women, especially school and college girls and working women?
Containing crime against women is topmost on the agenda of Commissionerate police. In a growing city like Bhubaneswar wherein large numbers of working women live, large numbers of schools and colleges, technical institutions exist, safety and security of women will be the primary focus.
Strengthening of Mahila and Sisu Desks at police stations, responding promptly in women helpline, generating awareness amongst working women and school and college girls will be very important. Tough action in such crimes will be priority and proper investigation of these cases leading to punishing of the criminals will be top in the agenda which will help containi these forms of crime.
In the Commissionerate, we have created women SPO volunteers who are rendering great help in identifying vulnerable areas and vulnerable groups. Earlier, project like Pink Auto aimed at safety transportation of working women has been dysfunctional and such a proactive project will be revived.
Cybercrimes are on the increase. What measures are contemplated to deal with such an alarming scenario?
Increasing cybercrimes is a nationwide phenomenon. Growing payment on electronic mode and increasing use of social media and cyber space make us vulnerable to cybercrime. Cybercrime is a contactless crime.
A person sitting at any corner of the world can cheat another anywhere. To contain this, cybercrime awareness programmes will be of great help though detecting cybercrime will remain a challenge.
We have taken sincere steps for capacity upgradation in cybercrime investigation in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. A Cyber Cell is functioning addressing the cybercrimes reported in the twin cities. But limitation in investigation hunts us. I shall be focusing on capacity upgradation and also on hiring services of cybercrime experts to address the growing crime.
Any plans to galvanise your police force at a par with its counterparts in Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai?
Bhubaneswar’s is a young Commissionerate created with best practices from old Commissionerate systems.
Modernisation of Commissionerate, use of technology in investigation and dissemination of knowledge will be the agenda for future to take the Commissionerate ahead.
As Covid frontline warriors, how is Commissionerate police poised to contain the pandemic’s second wave?
Police rendered great service during the first wave of Covid-19 as frontline warriors. We are totally geared up to face the second wave.
Enforcement of Covid-19, appropriate behaviour and protocol will be on top of our agenda in coming days. Besides, sensitising the denizens to adhere to the appropriate behavior, especially wearing masks, maintaining social distance, etc., we are fully ready for the purpose.
What happens when a policeperson succumbs while discharging his/ her duties in the pandemic? What are the provisions of compensation for those who succumb to the virus?
The State Government has stood solid behind the police force when personnel have laid down their lives while discharging their Covid duties during the first wave. In case of death, Rs 50 lakh ex-gratia has been disbursed to the next kin of a martyr.