Despite the Uttarakhand Government claiming good governance, there has been a spurt in crime cases, especially those related to women and minors, as compared to last year.The common excuse cited to account for rising crimes is staff crunch in police.Against this backdrop, things look bizarre when two police officers - Additional Director-General of Police Ashok Kumar and Deputy SP GC Tamta - are found loitering around with no work and no office being assigned to them. They assumed charge at the police headquarters recently. Sources said that an office was allocated to ADGP Kumar in the PHQ but he refused, citing dearth of amenities.
To tone up the administration, the Government had transferred Deputy SP Tamta from Haldwani to the police headquarters on November 28. Since then he has not been assigned work and office at the PHQ so far.Tamta was assigned his work by his senior police officer after December 15 - the day the notorious gangster Amit Malik Bhura escaped from police custody in Baghpat, reducing police to mockery.
He was asked to see that the sharp-shooter and his accomplices are arrested in no time. later, he was also deputed at the control room set up at Noida to work in tandem with teams from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh to capture Bhura and his aides.Along with other police officers, Tamta too returned to the PHQ from the control room, Noida, recently. But since then, assigned with no work nor office, he keeps on loafing around, idling away his time in PHQ premises or sitting at DGP PRO office with sub-inspectors, constables and visitors.The same is the case with ADGP Ashok Kumar who assumed charge at the headquarters on January 12. He has not yet been allocated an office in the department. Earlier, he was on deputation to the Central Government.
While reviewing Mounted Police Squad, DGP Sidhu had found that the squad has not the sanctioned number of horses. Besides, several posts were found lying vacant in the squad. He had directed ADGP Ashok Kumar to take steps to purchase horses and fill up the vacant posts of policemen. However, the cop wandering about to and fro, listlessly, is perhaps making the horses laugh.
Critics opine that police officers, occupying senior positions, would be de-motivated if their predicament drags long. Moreover, high alert having been issued across the country by the Centre in view of the upcoming Republic Day celebrations and possible threat from terrorist organisations, it would set bad precedents, they add.
Duty to be allocated
Sources said that the Government may allocate duty to police officers who have been recently promoted or transferred. ADGP Ashok Kumar has recently assumed charge in PHQ. IPS Sanjay Gunjyal and IPS Amit Sinha have been recently promoted as IG while IPS Pushpak Jyoti and Ajay Rautela as DIG. Deputy SP GC Tamta has been transferred from Haldwani to police headquarters.