Date:23/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/23/stories/2008082359630300.htm

Tamil Nadu

Police under strain

Bandobust duty
is a strain on the already
manpower-starved organisation, writes V.S. Palaniappan

occasions when policemen from the neighbouring districts were drafted on special duty at the cost of jobs in their own jurisdictional areas, a retired police officer said.

Of late, the police is saddled with another task - giving protection to VIPs and VVIPs.

Creation of the Special Protection Group (SPG) or the National Security Guards (NSG) has not provided any great relief to the police as they continue to handle access control, route bandobust for convoy and security at places where VIPs stay and function venues.

Bandobust duty is a strain on the already manpower-starved organisation resulting in performance levels dipping. Not only the constabulary but the officers too have to bear the brunt. The police have also to attend courts and escort undertrial prisoners. All these affect the normal work in the police stations.

In Coimbatore City, more than 2,000 police personnel and standby reinforcements from the State and the paramilitary forces such as Armed Reserve, Tamil Nadu Special Police Battalion, Central Reserve Police Force, Swift Action Force and Rapid Action Force are drawn for security duties on Independence Day and for Chaturthi celebrations. City police officials said they used to ensure that there was enough strength in the police stations for routine duties such patrolling, traffic regulation and law enforcement. But the police force was overstretched affecting core and routine work, at least marginally, they said.