Apollo second home for top cops in Chennai

Chennai: It would be advisable to think twice before going to his office if you wish meet any senior police officer in the city. The chances are that the officer will not be in his office as he is more likely to be in and around the Apollo Hospitals. Nearly half the officers of the rank of deputy commissioner and above are being asked to be at the hospital premises on a shift basis daily to look after the security arrangements there.

“What can we do? There is a congregation of VVIPs and their vehicles on daily basis at Apollo. Apart from giving security to VVIPs visiting the hospital to make enquiries about

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's health, we have to make sure other patients and their attendants are not disturbed,” disclosed a senior city police officer.

Apart from a deputy commissioner (security) and his team inside the hospital building and scores of sleuths from the intelligence section in the peripheral areas, at least one additional commissioner, one joint commissioner and a deputy commissioner are posted at the hospital along with over 200 men from the armed reserve.

Officers are asked to be there at least for 8 hours, which means 3 DCs, 3 JCs and 3 ACs are deputed to Apollo every day, disclosed an officer.

The officers also find it difficult to cope with the impossible situation of being in Apollo and in their office at the same time.

There are two ACs, four JCs and 12 DCs at present in the law and order wing. ACs head the intelligence section, traffic and headquarters. There are 2 JCs and 4 DCs in the traffic wing. Policemen from the local stations are drawn from Thousand Lights and Nungambakkam.

“But we make sure at least we spend one or two hours in our office to clear files. But it may not be in regular office hours. So naturally, now we have less time for visitors at our office,” another officer noted.

Apart from the law and order wing, policemen are also drawn from traffic units. “Managing the vehicles in Greams road as well as the other roads that lead to Apollo is a serious task. We shuffle, rotate,

besides reducing strength in certain other areas to attend to Apollo work. Sometimes even inspectors and ACs are asked to stretch their timings,” an officer disclosed.