Despite technology-based crimes being on the rise in areas under various police stations of the State, the village Praharis, albeit ill-equipped and ill paid, are still playing a significant role in cracking the registered cases. The number of such watchmen working in the State is 3, 379. The nature of crimes has been changing fast as compared to the past, they say. Cyber crimes being on the spiral are compounding their hardships in keeping peace in the villages nowadays, they say.
A village watchman based in Pauri Sohan Bisht said that the State Government should provide them with at least torch, uniform and cycle so that they could make rounds of the village during evening or early morning hours and complete the duty effectively.
He said that the village praharis help the local police about the absconders and also about the strangers who come to stay in the villages. “Being well-aware of the geography and the history of the villages vis-a-vis crimes, the village watchmen help the newly appointed police station in-charge to understand the village in depth and help him to enforce the laws effectively,” he said.
A Government officer said that in April 2014, the State Government has increased their monthly wages from `500 to `1, 000 per month. “However, their wages are irregular, given the State Government lacking a clear stance on the salaries,” the officer added.
Prem Singh, a village watchman from Raiwala, said that they keep vigil in the villages to stop crimes and when any happens they inform police promptly. “We have been receiving `1, 000 per month as wages for the past three or four months. But I for one rejected such a sum as wage in April 2014 when the State Government doubled it. Is it enough for to make both ends meet when the price of the essential items are literally sky-rocketingIJ The State Government must ponder over it,” he said.
Recollecting things, Singh said he had started work as a village watchman in 1985 with a wage of `25. “With the passage of time, the wages kept on increasing from `25 to `50, then to `100, `150, `200 and `300. Till April 2014 it was `500. Then it went up to `1, 000 per month. However, the watchmen have been receiving the hiked wages for the past four months,” he said.
Village watchmen report crimes to the local police station, revenue police, Nayab Tehsildar, Tehsildar and others on a regular basis.
They say they are not paid adequately when they are deployed on election and other Government works.
Echoing the grievances, a member of the watchmen’s association said that their charter of demands includes increase in wages and regularisation of jobs among others. Besides, each village watchman should be given uniforms and identity cards, the association demands.
Notably, the institution of village police or village watchmen came into being as per Section 47 in the Police Act, 1861.
By this section, the authority of district magistrate and district superintendent of police was extended over village police.
State additional director general of police (administration) Ram Singh Meena said that they had earlier sent a proposal to the State Government to hike their wages in view of the important role they play in district policing.
“The State Government accepted the proposal which is why they are now getting around `1, 000 per month,” he added.
Village Praharis are now being paid on monthly basis, he said, adding that the State Government has released `3 lakhs in June to pay wages to the village praharis and the wages are being distributed by the district police officers concerned, he added