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| Commissioner of police RP Sharma talks to residents of GGP Colony during the police-public interface held in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. Picture by Ashwinee Pati |
Bhubaneswar, Sept. 22: Rasulgarh’s GGP Colony residents were all fired up to shoot from the hip today. With the top cop on the other side, they fired 15 “rounds” in 90 minutes.
Commissioner of police R.P. Sharma had six minutes to retaliate to each question fired at him, but no one was injured in the encounter.
During the interaction, the residents raised several issues, including the need for intensifying night patrolling and traffic regulations in the area.
The police-public interface assumes significance as a 53-year-old entrepreneur, Bachan Sudha Pattanayak, was murdered in the area on September 11.
Bachan’s family members and local residents had alleged delay of police reaction to the incident.
Representatives of around 30 housing societies took part in the interaction.
“More than 10,000 people live in the area. Crimes, including cases of snatching, regularly take place in our area. We have been demanding another outpost in the area. We have already conveyed our demand to the police,” said Manasi Satapathy, a local resident. The area’s lone police outpost is located at Rasulgarh Square.
Demanding better night patrolling in the area, local resident Ramesh Sahu said: “The bypass road was already open to the public. The police should intensify night patrolling on the bypass road and in adjoining places.”
Rampant traffic violations and frequent accidents have been other major problems of Rasulgarh.
Two people were killed in a road mishap at Rasulgarh Square on July 29. The ongoing work of flyover has also added to the traffic problems. During the meeting, the local residents also requested the police to keep a database of tenants living in the area.
“The proposal to set up another outpost has been sent to the government for approval. We need the support of local residents for crime control. We will hold such meetings in other areas too,” said Sharma.
The police had earlier conducted similar interactions with residents of Saheed Nagar and Salia Sahi.
