The state government had promised better policing when they brought the Howrah town under the police commissionerate on September 2011. Soon, the need to set up four more police stations was felt, considering the rising crime graph and population of the town. Finally on March 9 this year, four new police stations, Nischinda, Belur, Dasnagar and Santragachhi, were set up within the commissionerate area. Though most of them have little infrastructure, the force is trying hard to provide better policing to the citizens.

Nischinda Police Station

Area: 10.08 sq km spread over five gram panchayats – Durgapur-Abhaynagar I & II GPs, Nischinda GP, Basukathi-Sapuipara GP and Bally GP

Population: 98,854 (approx)

Important Roads:

NH6 and NH2

Important places: Rajchandrapur Toll Plaza and Chandmari ESI hospital

Force: One officer-in-charge (OC),

four sub-inspectors (SI)s, including one probationary sub-inspector, nine assistant-sub-inspectors (ASI)s and 22 constables

Cars: One Tata Sumo for inspector and another for patrolling and investigations

Crimes: Robbery, extortion and hooch trade

“The location of the police station near the approach road to NH6 and NH2 has reduced crime on the highways drastically in the last three months. Most of the robberies took place near the Central Chord Railway (CCR) Bridge, the junction of two highways,” said Zulfikkar Molla, SI of Nischinda police station.

There were frequent reports of extortion from hotels, bars and factories located along the approach road to the national highways. The OC claimed that such incidents had drastically reduced after the Nischinda police station started functioning. “Earlier, notorious extortionists like Ghanasyam, Amal Rajak and Ratak were very active in Chandmari. However, with constant raids they had to flee the area,” said Molla. Besides, regular raids are being conducted against the hooch dens.

The police station has also taken steps to involve local people in controlling crimes within the area of their jurisdiction. “We are holding meetings with the local people in different areas and seeking their suggestions in controlling crime against women and the elderly. We rush whenever any one seeks our help over phone,” said the inspector. Local people are also feeling secure after the new police station started functioning. “I often reach Sahebbagan More at 8pm after my tuitions from Dunlop. I used to feel insecure while walking home along the road connected to the approach road to the national highway. But now that there is a new police station I no longer feel insecure,” said Priyanka Roy, a first year BA student of Lalbaba College.

Dasnagar Police Station

Area: 5.5 sq km

Population: 1,40,000 (approx)

Important Roads: Makardah Road, Howrah-Amta Road (from Sahanpur More to Japani Gate) and Benaras Road (up to the left side)

Important places: Arati Cotton Mill, Bharat Jute Mill, Indian Central Machinery, Balitikuri ESI hospital and Dasnagar ATI

Force: One inspector, four sub-inspectors (SI)s, six assistant-sub-inspectors (ASI)s, 20 constables

Car: One for the inspector and another for investigations

Crime: Gang war among criminals over turf, snatching, extortion and illegal hooch trade

Dasnagar is known as one of the most crime-prone areas of Howrah where there are rampant battles among criminal gangs for control of areas. It is a happy hunting ground for extortionists with hundreds of small- and medium-scale industries located in the area and very few traders willing to file complaints against them.

“Notorious criminals like Jadu Makal, Bapi Singh, Jagu Mali and Birendra Singh were once very active in the area. But most of them were murdered in gang wars and the rest fled the area after the commissionerate took over. But many new extortionists are rearing their head,” said an officer of Dasnagar police station. He said that incidents of snatching mainly took place in the Dasnagar station area but the police cannot do anything there since the area falls under Government Railway Police (GRP). It is only when these criminals take shelter in the local areas that the police can arrest them. However, the locals are not too optimistic about improvement of law and order after the Dasnagar investigation centre has turned into a full fledged police station. “The Dasnagar investigation centre was there for the last five decades. And in reality, the criminals had a free run even then. I do not know what the new police station will be able to achieve with its poor infrastructure. However, I am willing to give them a chance and see if they can restore peace in this area,” said Debasis Adhakari, a resident of Ramkrishnapally.

Santragachhi Police Station

Area: 7.5 sq km including two wards of Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC)

Population: 1,27,000 (approx)

Important Places: Santragachhi Station, Santragachhi Jheel, Rail bogie factory

Force: One inspector, three SIs, six ASIs and 15 constables

Car: One for the inspector and another for carrying out investigation

Crime: Hooch trade and general law and order problem

“Hooch trade is rampant in the area. We are conducting regular raids and many have been arrested for running hooch dens. But cases of extortion are not reported,” said an officer of the police station. He said that the hooch brewed in the villages of Sankrail and Bauria are transported to Santragachhi by train. Besides, Santragachhi police station is busy coping with the general law and order problems like domestic violence and dispute over property.

“The new Santragachhi police station is located inside the Santragachhi colony. Most of the hooch dens are found in the rail colonies of Santragachhi. I am eager to see whether the new police station can close the hooch dens for ever,” said Moumita Dey, whose mother Swapna Dey was beaten up by a hooch den owner for protesting against this illegal trade in the rail colony.

Belur Police Station

Area: 4.509 sq km

Population: 1,26,250

Important Roads: GT Road and Girish Ghosh Road

Important places: Belur Math, T.L. Jaiswal Hospital, Liluah Railway Workshop, Liluah Home, Scrap Iron Market.

Force: One inspector, four SIs, four ASIs and 20 constables.

Car: One for the inspector and another for carrying out investigations.

Crime: Mainly extortion

The most revered place like Belur Math and most notorious places like Bhotbagan and Ghusuri fall within the jurisdiction of Belur police station. Besides, there are a number of renowned schools like Don Bosco and M.C. Kejriwal Vidyapeeth located here making the job of the police tough. “Bhotbagan and Ghusuri are one of the oldest industrial hubs in north Howrah. Extortion is the main curse for factory owners here. Earlier, factory owners were scared to file complaints against extortionists. But now they are coming forward. We, on our part, always keep the names of the complainants secret for their safety,” said Mrityunjay Banerjee, inspector, Belur police station. He said that after the murder of notorious extortionist Palas Das, Takla Pappu and Dilwar Hossein tried to spread their extortion network but both of them were arrested from Bihar.

Belur police station also bears the responsibility of ensuring the safety of school children and maintaining smooth flow of traffic both on G.T. Road and Girish Ghosh Road. “There are a number of schools within this police station in which nearly 8,000 to 8,500 children study. Most of the guardians drop their children and pick them up from schools in private cars. So we also ensure smooth flow of traffic,” said the inspector. For the safety of the girl students, a complaint box is kept in each of the girls’ schools with a request to write the nature of harassment they face while coming to school and going back home. “So far we have arrested many eve teasers from the spots mentioned by the girls in their complaints,” said an officer of Belur police station.

Many residents of Don Bosco and G.T. Road hope that with the new Belur police station, the crime in the area will go down. “The police station is a stone’s throw away from my flat. I am sure criminals will think twice before striking in this area,” said Harindar Singh, a resident of Don Bosco area, who was attacked by a gang of armed criminals last month. However, he overpowered one of the criminals and handed him over to the police.