The police officers of the rank of DIG and SP are feeling suffocated as the posts of Garhwal Range DIG and Dehradun SSP are presently occupied by IG and DIG respectively. Recently, the State Police have transferred nine deputy superintendents of police. It will be interesting to see whether the State Government appoints some green-horn IPS or continues relying on the old horses for the important posts of SSP and DIG.
Earlier, Dehradun SSP Ajay Rautela was transferred to be made additional secretary Home in the Secretariat after gangster Amit Malik alias ‘Bhura’ had escaped from police custody on December 15 last year while being taken to the court in Baghpat where he was taken in connection with a murder case. Recently, Bhura was arrested by Punjab Police.
Despite knowing the fact that then additional secretary Home Pushpak Jyoti was to be promoted as DIG in January this year, the State Government had appointed him as SSP Dehradun in mid-December last year. Moreover, Garhwal DIG Sanjay Kumar Gunjyal was also promoted as IG in January, this year. There was speculation that both the senior police officers would be transferred. However, they have been serving the junior posts since then.
Observers opine that the Government is keeping them in such posts because it is convinced that their presence there would keep things up for police administration. Haridwar SSP Sadanand Date was transferred at PHQ and Sweety Aggarwal was made new SSP of Haridwar. Earlier, CM Harish Rawat said that Date was transferred as per rotation policy.
However, the police officers of the rank of DIG/SSP deputed at various districts and police headquarters are feeling choked because such posts remain out of bounds for them. Government is keeping them in such posts because it is convinced that their presence there would keep things up for police administrationOn condition of anonymity, some of them said they deserve to be deputed on such posts.
In the past too in Uttarakhand, IG served as DIG and DIG as SSP. A senior police officer said that due to shortage of IPS officers, senior police officers were appointed at junior posts. But right now, there is no such shortage of IPS officers in the State.
DIG Ajay Prakash Anshuman returned to Uttarakhand a few months ago after five years of deputation in the Central Government. He has been posted as DIG (personnel) and Uttarakhand STF in-charge. Earlier, Sadanand Date was serving as STF, SSP as well as an aide to IG. However, earlier IG Deepam Seth was assigned the post of IG personnel.
Statistics reveals that in Haridwar and Dehradun, crimes are on the rise aside from illegal mining being rampant. Recently, Chief Minister Rawat had directed district police heads to act on illegal mining activities in their jurisdictional areas effectively. However, Illegal Mining Prevention Vigilance Unit has also been constituted by the State Government whose in-charge is DIG Gunjiyal. UMPVU has been conducting raids to stop illegal mining activities in the districts since its inception.
It has been observed that seasoned IPS officers prefer to remain focused on stereotyped policing alone while seeking to avoid confrontation with the politicians and their cahoots. Younger IPS officers are more inclined to take on illegal mining and the like, an observer pointed out. One of the young IPS officers said, “I am looking forward to being appointed in Haridwar or Dehradun. I do my best to improve law and order in the districts where I am posted. The crime rate comes down and illegal mining is stopped effectively as a result of the stern measures taken. I would keep my moorings erect whenever I am posted.” According to another such officer, young IPS officers should not be made to vegetate.
“We love to confront challenges head-on to prove ourselves. The Government should appoint the officers based on their designations and not on other considerations. The policy on such a matter should be to ensure both experiences and initiatives are harmoniously blended. Inclination to cling to status quo might bode ill for the overall health of the law-enforcing department. The senior should be made to yield places for the young blood to take charges and not the other way round,” he opined. DGP BS Sidhu said the State Government allocates posts after taking senior State police officers on board.