Out of shape

Bhubaneswar, March 20: Police outposts, aid posts and assistance booths at major areas here are in poor shape. This apart, shortage of staff at some of these posts is impeding crime control and maintenance of law and order.

In the recent past, several incidents have taken place near these police outposts or assistance booths with the men in khaki remaining more or less mute spectators.

On Saturday night, a group of goons tried to snatch the gold chain of a woman and attacked her husband near Master Canteen Square, close to a police assistance booth. A constable suffered bullet injuries when he tried to intervene.

Although the incident occurred around 300 metres away from Kharavela Nagar police station and half a kilometre from a temporary police camp at Mahatma Gandhi Marg, the goons managed to flee.

Police control room vans were late in reaching the spot, while the lack of a very high frequency (VHF) communication set at the assistance booth allowed the goons to escape.

This was not the only case. On December 11 last year, two groups of bus operators fought at the Baramunda bus stand and Capital Hospital. Both places have police outposts but the goons managed to escape.

Then too, VHF sets were missing at both these outposts. Such gadgets would have allowed the cops to immediately pass on information and perhaps, help catch the goons.

“We have to work in a single room with very little space. Besides, we do not have any facilities to inform the parent police station or the control room about the situation here. On many occasions, we have to face the wrath of mobs,” said a constable deployed at the Capital Hospital outpost.

A policeman deployed at the Baramunda bus stand said just two or three of them were deployed to guard the facility. “We feel unsafe without arms,” said the cop.

Following an incident of violence, an assistant sub-inspector was suspended for being late to inform higher officials about it, even though it was not his fault.

Many of these outposts, aid posts and assistance booths are tin and asbestos structures, which turn into furnaces during summer. Although fans have been provided at some of the posts, these are not enough to counter the heat.

There are 31 police outposts and over 30 assistance booths in the city.

Senior police officers said they had provided necessary facilities at these posts. “Manpower shortage is a state-wide phenomenon. We deploy personnel according to the manpower strength at the parent police station,” said the officer of the police reserve.

Deputy commissioner of police Nitinjeet Singh said VHF sets were provided to the units according to requirement.

“There are a limited number of sets. They are provided wherever they are needed,” said Singh.