Families urge Karnataka IG to relieve 63 constables of present duties, warn of padayatra

Mangaluru: Families urged DG and IGP M A Saleem on Tuesday to relieve 63 civil police constables of their present duties in Mangaluru police commissionerate in order to help them report immediately at the new postings of their choice.

All 63 police constables serving for more than 10 years within the Mangaluru City Police Commissionerate limits had been transferred. But as they had not been relieved from their current duties, they were not able to report to their new postings, family members told Saleem who had visited Mangaluru to review law and order situation in the city Police Commissionerate limits.

“Our family members hailing from North Karnataka have been serving here for the past 10 years. Even though they have been transferred, they have not been relieved from their duties. Our elderly parents are eagerly looking forward to spending our lives with them. We are confused on whether to admit our children to schools there or not. If our request is not fulfilled, we will take out a padayatra and submit our appeal to Home Minister in Bengaluru," family members declared.

Saleem after the meeting with police officials told media people that law and order in the city has improved over the past year, and there are no major issues. "I have instructed the officials to maintain this progress."

"A huge number of personnel from North Karnataka are serving here. After completing 10 years of service, they are eligible for transfer once. The families of police personnel have submitted a request regarding their transfers. We have discussed implementing the transfers in phases, ensuring that vacancies do not exceed 15 per cent," he said.

14.4 per cent constable posts lying vacant in Mangaluru police commissionerate limits

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy clarified that he had not rejected a single 'Earned Leave' application of any constable in his service. "The sanctioned strength of civic police constables in Mangaluru police Commissionerate limits is 801. But only 685 posts had been filled up and thus 116 posts of constables are lying vacant (14.4%)," Commissioner said.

"If 63 police constables are relieved, the vacancy will increase from 14.4 to 22.1%. Due to huge demand for constables for bandobast duty, managing traffic among others we did not relieve them as per government order," he said and added that all Assistant police constables had been relieved and transferred as there were no vacancies in post of assistant police constables.

"Due to the hard work of the police personnel, the city remains peaceful,” the Commissioner said. “Some police personnel have even given up promotion opportunities in order to secure a transfer. I understand their difficulties better than others. At the same time, we must ensure their welfare while also maintaining concern for the city’s situation,” the Commissioner stressed.