Uttarakhand Police is now grappling with crunch of staff at several police stations with a large number of policemen having been deployed on Char Dham Yatra duty. The concerns of the Dehradun district police head have multiplied in view of President Pranab Mukherjee's scheduled Uttarakhand visit on May 18.
Moreover, due to paucity of traffic inspectors and staff, the traffic system in the city has remained in dire straits for the past few days.
Dehradun Police said that around half of the policemen deputed in police stations have been sent on Char Dham Yatra duty. This is adversely impacting police patrolling. Such a state of things is compounding the problems of those cops now posted at the police stations as they are being forced to work for additional hours daily.
Police top brass has reasons to be worried with crimes remaining on a spiral in the vulnerable district. Some policemen previously deputed in police stations have been transferred to intelligence department recently which has further aggravated the staff scenario at the police stations. Incidents of chain snatching, burglary, theft, swindling are on the rise to much of agony of the senior cops.
Despite short of policemen, the police station officers were directed to intensify police patrolling in their jurisdictional areas.
The scenario with the traffic police is equally bad. Only one out of at least five traffic inspectors is now perforce executing all the works related to traffic in the district. Things in the matter of traffic sub-inspectors are worse. The district police has now just half of the traffic police strength left in the department.
Considerable number of policemen being deployed on VIP or VVIP duties as their gunners or for guarding their residences or offices has landed them in a soup.
With Char Dham Yatra being on, a large number of pilgrims is now swarming into the city daily. It is proving a herculean task for the traffic police left here to ensure smooth flow of traffic during hours when traffic volume peaks. Consequently, the system is getting clogged often.
SSP Pushpak Jyoti admitted that they are in serious problem with the shortage of staff. However, we, with our dwindling strength, are on our toes to curb crimes, he added. Policemen deputed at various offices, including SSP, SP City offices, police line and other places, will be deputed in police stations. The security apparatus involving VIP will be reviewed and, if needed, some gunners will be deputed in police stations, he added
In view of President Pranab Mukherjee's scheduled Uttarakhand visit later this month, the police station officers were directed to conduct verification drives involving the residents in their jurisdictional areas. A proposal seeking police forces will be sent to the police headquarters. Additional police forces will be sought from the police headquarters during President's visit to Dehradun on May 18, he added.