Hyderabad: 24x7 lockdown rigours throw cops off balance

Hyderabad: It's a known fact that the city police has been on the frontline since the lockdown was implemented and has been on the streets 24/7.

But, the continuous lockdown over a month and the tireless bandobast is taking a toll on physical as well as mental health of cops.

The two recent incidents of cops physically assaulting civilians at Golconda and Tolichowki points to cops breaking down under severe stress and pressure. It took a stern message from the Commissioner to bring the house in order.

An Inspector on condition of anonymity said that since the lockdown, there has been a lot of pressure on the police personnel to maintain the law and order.

He noted, "Apart from maintaining the law and order, lots of police personnel are also pleading with the public to stay off roads, but in vain.

As their repeated attempts fail and citizens don't seem to bother their pleas at all, cops are coming under increasing pressure from higher-ups.

Also, many officers are unable to go home and even if they are, they have to maintain social distance from their families. I am sure the loss of personal touch is a huge psychological blow to the cops already under severe strain.

More importantly, the scorching heat is adding to their travails. All such factors are leading to cops losing their balance and showing it on people."

Anjani Kumar, the Hyderabad Police Commissioner, has issued an advisory to all the police stations in the city and regretted that all the hard work of the police department has gone in vain as it is getting a bad name.

The two cases which happened on same day showcased the unprofessional conduct of police officers, he observed. He further added, "More than 10000 police officers are working round-the-clock and a bad deed of few has dented the reputation of police."

Home Minister Md Mahmood Ali called in for an immediate huddle of the top brass in his residence and noted that police were putting in a lot of effort to control the lockdown and it was really impressive.

He further said, "But the police department shall also ensure that they handle their subordinates properly. Going further, the DCPs will have to visit every two police stations in their jurisdiction and should also conduct surprise visits.

Moreover, the department also should ensure that they don't indulge in physical assault because even 1% of such acts will bring a bad reputation to the entire department."