Dakshina Kannada Police stir: Cops happy with outcome

Mangaluru: Happy with the protest by policemen on Tuesday has brought smiles on face of lower rank police officials in Mangaluru City who feel that the protest has sent a clear message to the officials and politicians that policemen would not tolerate political intervention in the department.

Alleging that Mangaluru Rural Police Station Inspector Pramod Kumar was forcefully sent on 10 days leave for arresting an accused (who is said to be closely associated with a political party), all policemen of the Station along with their colleagues of other areas and public staged a protest infront of the station on Tuesday evening for over four hours. Protest was withdrawn only after Pramod Kumar was called back to the station by senior officials.

Read | Policemen stage protest in Dakshina Kannada

“This is a message for officials and also politicians that policemen are fed up with political intervention. This is not just the question of Pramod Kumar alone. The protest was in support of all the honest police officers and Pramod Kumar’s incident was just the trigger for protest. Political intervention is too much and we cannot tolerate it. Every time when an honest officer takes some step against criminals, political leaders through senior officials pressurize the lower officers. On Tuesday too, Pramod was sent on leave because he had arrested Aboobaker Siddiqui, an accused.

Aboobaker has close contact with a political party. Thus a minister and MLA wanted him to be released and tried to bring pressure. As Pramod did not heed to pressure, he was sent on leave. This bad system should stop. We will not tolerate this anymore,” one of the protesting officers told Deccan Chronicle.

“Some Ministers and MLAs pressurize the police department when their aide is arrested. They try to appoint officials of their choice. Earlier too there were political intervention but recently such pressure has increased and political intervention is too much in the department. Politicians interfear even in small issues,” he said.

An officer attached to the police station blamed senior officials for giving importance to politicians than standing by policemen. “When politicians pressurize senior officials, our superiors seem to be heeding to the pressure instead of standing by policemen. This bad system should stop,” he stated.

Abbobaker Siddiqui (30) who hails from Ulaibettu was accused in the riot that took place at Ulaibettu last year. He is accused in crime number 422 and has serious charges under IPC Section like 354 (outraging the modesty of women), 307 (attempt to murder), 143 (Unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon), 341 (wrongful restrain), 427 (mischief causing damage), 397 (robbery or dacoity) read with 149. Arresting him was a challenge for the police as he is said to have close connections with a political party. “He was a notorious person with political support who had even challenged a former Commi ssioner. His arrest was crucial,” an officer said.

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