Around 70,000 constables and havildars would go on a four-day mass leave from October 10 midnight in protest against the state government’s alleged apathetic attitude towards their demands, including improvement of service condition.
Sources said the police headquarters was planning to bring in home guard jawans to tackle the law and order situation. The personnel who have threatened to go on mass leave owe allegiance to the Bihar Police Men’s Association.
“We had raised several demands, but the state government doesn’t seem interested. We are compelled to work in the most inhuman condition. We started our protest programme in September in five phases. We sported black badges, staged demonstrations at police lines and headquarters in all districts, went on a one-day mass leave and also staged a two-day hunger strike. The leave will end on the midnight on October 14. The constabulary is regarded the backbone of any police force and ignoring its personnel is a crime. The government has to fulfil our demands,” said Jitendra Singh, the president of the association.
The personnel want a grade pay of Rs 2,000 on a par with their peers in other states, appointment of a havildar over every four constables, construction of proper barrack for police personnel, construction of a 50-bed hospital in each district, appointment of drivers for vehicles, formation of a separate riot control group and residential schools for their children.
“We tried to talk to the police headquarters many times, but nobody listened to us. Everyone knows the conditions of the barrack. The constables and havildars live under the worst conditions and the duty hours are very demanding. This cannot go on forever. If the state government doesn’t care about us, we will carry on with our protest,” Singh added.
“The mass leave won’t have much effect, as the inspector, sub-inspector and assistant sub-inspector ranked officers are not in the lot. Investigations won’t be hampered. The state has over 54,000 home guard jawans and they will be deployed,” a source in the police headquarters told The Telegraph.
