Severe shortage of police personnel in Bangalore has adversely affected basic policing, Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar said here on Tuesday and described the resultant burden on the force as the “biggest violation of human rights”.
Addressing the valedictory session of a one-day workshop for policemen on ‘Safe Rescue and Safe Rehabilitation of Children Trafficked for Child Labour’ organised jointly by the Academy of Gandhian Studies and the Karnataka police, he said: “The biggest violation of human rights is happening with the Bangalore police. Policemen are forced to work for over 16 hours a day without proper rest, which has adversely affected their productivity.”
Auradkar said Delhi, with a population of one crore, had 88,000 police personnel, while Mumbai had 60,000. Hyderabad has 27,000 police personnel for 87 lakh people.
Bangalore has just 14,000 police personnel for over one crore people — the least among the metros. Then, at least 3,000 posts are vacant, he said.
Referring to the suggestion by Umesh Aradhya, chairperson of Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, that every police station should have a Special Juvenile Police Unit Officer, Auradkar said the City police were not able to do basic policing because of staff shortage. Given this ground reality, it is also “extremely difficult” for them to execute several Central and State projects on safety, he added.
“I am part of a disciplined service and have my own limitations in dealing with the government. Hence, I request you to take steps to modify the policy as you are the chairperson of a commission. These are basically issues related to policy matters. Funds are released to the police force for execution of various projects. I need adequate manpower, not funds. Grant me adequate enough personnel and I will do miracles. I will prove what policemen are capable of,” Auradkar said as the audience cheered him.
No policy
There is no policy to regulate preschools in Bangalore, which is the biggest lacuna in the system. Neither the courts nor the public instruction department regulates the preschools for want of policy. Hence, the police are unable to take any action against the staff of such preschools when they are accused of indulging in atrocities against the children, the commissioner said.
The delay in a mechanism to block child pornography warrants that a new policy be framed immediately, he added.
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