Tirupati: Top cops aim to make department corruption-free

TIRUPATI: The top cops of Chittoor and Tirupati Urban have initiated a move to make their department corruption-free. They have promised to take stern action against identified corrupt police personnel under their respective jurisdictions.

Chittoor SP Ch. Venkata Appalanaidu and Tirupati Urban SP K. K .N. Anburajan, through their highly placed sources in the department, have identified few cops, who are involved in corrupt practices. The top cops who had already transferred few policemen, are waiting to suspend these identified corrupt cops, based on fool-proof evidence.

After taking charge both the SPs have started streamlining the 'Special Branch' wing, which in turn directly reports to the SPs and tasked it to collect information about the working style and behaviour of policemen through various sources.

It has been two decades that not even a single constable or an officer was transferred from the special branch wing. The working style of the special branch has dulled and lost its edge, it was alleged.

Taking a serious note of this, both the top cops decided to do some reshuffling, weed out the corrupt and bring in new blood.

In a bid to improve the efficiency of the branch, for the first time Chittoor SP introduced a written test, within the department, to award postings in the special branch. They are now waiting to post young and energetic cops in the wing. The SP appointed young officers, who qualified in the written tests. They have also started collecting information about the working style of the police personnel, especially at mandal level in the division.

Based on the information posted by the special branch, Chittoor SP Mr. Appalanaidu first warned a few officials, who were involved in corruption and also gave strict warning to them to stop their corrupt practices. However, despite the strict warning, few police personnel in Palamaner division were found to be involved in corruption. The Chittoor SP soon suspended 4 constables and sent 15 police personnel to Vacant Reserve (VR).

Similarly, Tirupati Urban SP K. K. N. Anburajan also suspended one constable belong to highway patrolling team and ordered departmental probe on four constables from the Urban limits, including the suspended one.

Tirupati Urban SP Mr Anburajan said, “With the aim to make the department corruption-free, we are acting tough against our personnel who were found to be involved in malpractices. Recently, we have put few constables under suspension and some others were issued charge memos also.”

“Our primary aim is to eradicate corruption within the department, right from the petitioner level. Public should feel free to step into the police station with their grievances. For this, we have inculcated our men that a petitioner should be addressed within one hour after he approaches the police station and none should ask for a bribe,” the SP maintained.