Muzaffarpur, Nov. 25: Director-general of police (DGP) Abhayanand has devised a new strategy to protect complainants from “harassment” at the hands of police officers.
Now, a complaint against a police officer will not be probed by the same police station where the officer is posted. Another police station will be handed over the complaint for fair investigation. This will also work in favour of the complaint who has to face the wrath of the police officer if he or she dares to complain against the cop.
The DGP, at the instance of chief minister Nitish Kumar, has issued orders to all senior police officers to explore the possibility of examining allegations levelled against cops outside respective police stations or circle of the police officers in question. The order came after an elderly man approached the chief minister with his grievances against a police officer during Nitish’s special janata darbar in Muzaffarpur on November 19 as part of the second phase of Seva Yatra. Nitish heard a number of complaints against “notorious” police officers who threatened people with dire consequences if they dared complain against them.
Ram Surat Prasad, a rickshaw puller, told the chief minister he was being tormented by an officer posted at Bochahan police station against whom he had lodged a complaint with senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rajesh Kumar. Kumar rebuked the cop in question and warned him to mend his ways or face suspension order and departmental proceeding. The cop then started harassing Prasad and threatened to implicate him in a false case.
Prasad requested Nitish to intervene in the matter and protect him from the cop. Divisional commissioner (Tirhut) S.M. Raju said the chief minister asked the DGP to change the pattern of examining complaints against cops.
Raju said Nitish directed the DGP to make sure petitions regarding complaints against cops are not forwarded to the same police station where he or she is posted. This will help people come forward against wrongdoings without any fear, Nitish said.
