Shortage of staff hits Kadapa police

Kadapa: The increase in red sanders smuggling, gutka manufacturing, matka, narcotics supply, murders, road accidents and robberies baffling the police and public in the district. What is more worrying is that police yet to crack majority of cases. Compared to other districts, Kadapa police administration is facing several challenges related to various crimes due to shortage of staff.

Highlights:

• Sources say insufficient staff leading to failure in effective investigation of cases and regulation of traffic
• According to guidelines, police to people ratio should be 1: 500 but in Kadapa, it is 1: 1800

According to sources, insufficient staff in the department leading to failure in effective investigation of cases and regulation of traffic and performing combing operations in the forest areas to curb red sanders logs smuggling. Arrest of more than 300 red sanders smugglers by police this year highlights the intensity of problem.

There are 6 police divisions in the district. There are 3,000 police personnel including 1 SP, 3 ASPs, 6 DSPs, 40 CIs, 144 SIs, 155 ASIs and 349 head constables discharging responsibilities in 66 police stations under the purview of 16 police circles in the district.

As per guidelines, there should be one cop proposed to escort every 500 people, but Kadapa district is having one cop for about 1,800 people out of 25 lakh population in the district. Especially the problem is witnessing at the constable-level as 1,500 performing duties against 2,000 actual requirements.

Regarding to Armed Reserved Police, the situation is highly pathetic as only 2 Reserved Inspectors (RIs) were working against 6 required, while 13 Armed Reserved SIs against actual 25 required and 45 Armed Assistant SIs against 52 required. There was severe shortage in AR constables as 611 working against 663 actual requirements.

In Kadapa city, there are as many as 12 police stations with about 20 constables in each police station. But, hardly 10 constables will be on actual duty while rest are otherwise engaged, including sentry duty (5), guard duty (8) and court work (2) apart from writer. The position in the mandal police stations where each station has only about 15 constables, is more pathetic. It has become additional burden to police administration in deploying men for various works like security during VVIPs visit.

However, a senior police official admitted there will be scarcity of men at ground level as they are forced to face serious stress and strain in duties. Especially, there was big problem related to traffic in majority of towns like Proddatur, which is called second Mumbai for gold business.

Not less than one lakh people every day visit Proddatur town and regulating traffic with insufficient staff is a herculean task for police. He said there was a proposal with the government to set up traffic police station in Proddatur town. “There will be a problem following scarcity of staff but we are effectively facing the challenges especially red sanders logs smuggling,” an official said.

By M Srinivasa Rao