Karnataka - Bangalore

Hoysala squads losing their effectiveness?

THE HOYSALA patrol squads will complete its seventh year of existence shortly. It was on July 26, 1997, that Hoysala patrol vehicles were launched by the city police to prevent crime and help people.

Realising that a mobile patrol squad was needed to deal with the emerging challenges in maintaining law and order and protecting lives and property, the then city Police Commissioner, L. Revannasiddaiah, conceived the idea of mobile patrol squads; and thus the Hoysala squads came into existence.

One year after the squads were set up, a booklet was brought out by Mr. Revannasiddaiah, who was its chief editor, listing their achievements. Despite complaints against the Hoysala staff, the squads did a commendable job in the first year by nabbing chain-snatchers, robbers, and even underworld elements from Mumbai.

A day after the squads were launched, the staff of Hoysala-17 apprehended a chain-snatcher in Malleswaram. On January 28, 1998, personnel of Hoysala-5 caught two persons near Pallavi cinema and recovered from them counterfeit notes worth Rs.10 lakh. Policemen of Hoysala-35 played a major role in catching the Mumbai underworld elements at Kadugondanahalli on the night of July 26, 1997.

The Hoysala squads were also of great help to accident victims. They provided a sense of security to people who used to call them whenever there was a problem in their locality.

But with every passing year, the Hoysala squads seem to be losing their punch. The number of Hoysala jeeps has gone up to 51 and another set of patrol motorcycles, "Cheetahs," have been inducted. Despite an increase in the number of patrol vehicles, chain-snatching incidents, road robberies, and house break-in and thefts are continuing. Instances of Hoysala staff foiling crimes have become rare.

Even in crowded areas where Hoysala jeeps and Cheetah motorcycles are on the prowl, chain-snatchers have been targeting women even during the day; and in the past one month the number of road robberies have gone up. Many of these cases have been reported from areas where patrolling by Hoysala and Cheetah squads is said to be intense.

Senior police officials admit that Hoysala and Cheetah staff have been misusing their powers and extorting money and articles from commercial establishments and hawkers. Public confidence in the patrol squads has been plummeting because of such acts, they say.

A senior official says that when the Hoysala squads were introduced, criminals avoided operating in areas patrolled by these squads fearing that they might be caught.

"The criminals seem to have now understood the manner in which the Hoysala squads function and also the weakness of the staff and care a little for them," the official notes while explaining the reasons for the Hoysala squad losing its effectiveness.

When Mr. Revannasiddaiah was the Police Commissioner, it was decided to hold a meeting of the top brass of the city police every three months to review the functioning of Hoysala squads and reward the Hoysala staff who had done good work.

Such meetings are reportedly not being held regularly of late, according to some police officials.

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