
Guwahati, April 25: A severe manpower shortage in the Guwahati police allowed criminals to make merry during the three days of Bihu festivities. Between April 14 to 16, a house was robbed in the Geetanagar area and at least five homes were burgled in the city.
Around 4.30am on April 18, a deputy commissioner of police caught three constables, including two from the 6th Assam Police Battalion, napping during duty hours at Basistha police station here. All three were suspended for dereliction of duty.
Many city police officers said this incident revealed how stressed and overworked the police force is. Sources in the city police said most policemen here have to work extra hours for several days at a stretch during festivals. "The three were on duty for almost twice their (regular) duty time that day and thus stress took over at a time when they were supposed to be patrolling," an officer told The Telegraph.
One of the suspended constables said: "I want to make it clear that I did not neglect my duty. Hope I will get justice."
An officer of Basistha police station said, "This is not the sole case. Every policeman, from constable to officer, has to tackle unbelievable work pressure. According to the rules, we are supposed to do duty for eight hours a day. But in reality, there is no duty time-limit for us in the city. It causes both mental and physical stress and we often fall sick. Suspension and departmental proceedings are not the solution to the problem. It can only be solved when we get adequate manpower."
He also said there are nearly 7,000 vacant posts in Assam police, which means that the force is working at three-fourths its strength. Almost every police station in the state is facing manpower shortage, the officer said.
"We are entitled to 45 days' leave in a year, but we hardly manage to avail of 10 to 15 days. In certain unavoidable circumstances, leave is granted for a maximum of 21 days. Despite all odds staked against us, we have to do all types of duty, from dealing with court cases to travelling outstation for investigation," he added.
Another officer at Chandmari police station corroborated this. "This Bihu, I had to work continuously for three days with hardly four to five hours of rest a day. Besides, we don't have facilities to take some rest in many police stations," he said.
The lack of personnel is often tackled with help from the Central Reserve Police Force and other paramilitary forces. When the Guwahati police commissionerate was formed in 2015, it had a 25 per cent shortage of manpower. The commissionerate has 20 police stations and 17 outposts. "We lack one-fourth of the staff. During mega events and special occasions, we get forces from the directorate-general of police and battalions, including the CRPF. This lack (of manpower) is from inspector level to constables," said city police commissioner Hiren Chandra Nath.
He said there are 300 traffic police personnel and 1,400 home guards under the commissionerate. "The government is taking steps to recruit new personnel. We hope the force shortage will be solved very soon," he added.
This reporter found police stations functioning with half the required workforce. In Chandmari police station, only 16 constables are deployed where, according to station officials, 70 constables are required. The police station has only two assistant sub-inspectors and eight sub-inspectors.
Azara police station, under which the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport is located, has 12 constables, only one-third the total need. Station officials said they need more than 50 constables. Paltan Bazar police station, which handles the security of a major commercial hub of the city, needs 20 constables and has only 14.
Panbazar police station, which is one of the busiest in the city, has 24 constables against its requirement of about 60. This police station also needs six assistant sub-inspectors against the current three. Station officials also said that they need four vehicles for patrolling, while they have only two.
The city has witnessed a steep rise in cases of theft, robbery and antisocial activities, particularly during festivals like Bihu and Durga Puja, when the police force is mostly deployed at celebration sites.