Very few officers have served Palamu in various capacity. Amita Paul IAS now in Bihar State had served Palamu as Garhwa SDO, Palamu DC and later she came in Palamu as its Divisional Commissioner.
The present DIG of Police Palamu Ravi Kant Dhan is also in the same foot step but one or two ladder behind Paul. Dhan had had his stint as SP latehar and had won accolades there for his anti naxal operations. He is here as DIG Police Palamu range at present. The Pioneer spoke to the DIG police Palamu on issues ranging from crime to extremism and how his boys (read SPs of Garhwa, latehar and Palamu) are working.
How do you evaluate the year 2013 that passed in reference to crime and extremism
Our three SPs Michael S Raj (latehar) Mayur Patel (Garhwa) and Narendra K Singh (Palamu) did good job. Crimes did take place. Incidents of extremism were there but detection was also done with speed. A gang rape case in latehar district was just cracked in a week’s time. The PlFI was given a smashing hit.
If you are to give marks to your three SPs to whom will you allot the highest marks for performanceIJ
(laughs). I will give no marks to any of the three. All have performed well. Incidentally the two N K Singh and Michael S Raj are of the same batch while Mayur Patel is just one batch junior to these two . (DIG did not reveal the batch year of his SPs).
A Green Army has sprouted up in latehar. What is thisIJ
It is a bunch of criminals. It will be smashed under the provisions of law of the land. Its commander Ram Nath Yadav is already in latehar jail. Bank robberies in Palamu police range come as a sad reflection on the work style of police. let me tell you the cases of bank robberies were detected, recoveries made and vital arrests took place too.
You sat with your SPs on January 8. Is this your gearing up for the elections that are round the cornerIJ
Yes. I sat with my SPs. It is very much a pre election exercise. Our focus is to have a free, fair and peaceful conduct of elections. We will remember the lessons that we learnt in the past.
There is a big talk of invocation of CC Act in Palamu range. Is this trueIJ
The Crime Control Act is here. Palamu SP wants CCA against five. The High Court has sanctioned the invocation of it. Similarly latehar is to go for one. Garhwa too is on the line of latehar.
There are 78 lady constables alone in latehar district. Does such a lady police force be thereIJ
No. I want them to be back and it be replaced by lady police officers. We have acute shortage of lady police officers in this range.