Separate modules for policing in tribal areas in the offing

Hyderabad: The union ministry of home affairs (MHA) is planning to have separate training modules for police personnel to tackle crime in tribal areas and to strengthen village policing.

It has asked the bureau of police research and development (BPR&D) and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel national police academy (SVPNPA) Hyderabad and north east police academy (NEPA), Shillong, to prepare training modules specific for the state police.

The parliamentary panel has recommended that the SVPNPA and NEPA collaborate with state training institutes in order to study the cultural gap among various tribes, and include their aspirations and traditions as part of the training curriculum of police personnel. The move follows the recommendations of the parliamentary standing committee on home affairs in its 237 report submitted in Parliament on February 10.

The report suggests that the training manual for states must be suitably amended so that police officers are made aware of local traditions and customs, particularly of the tribals and other vulnerable groups.

“Personnel posted in the tribal belt should have regular interaction with tribal leaders, NGOs, non-state representatives like lawyers, professors and scholars having specialization in tribal issues for better handling of crimes in those areas,” the report mentioned.

Police commissioner of Warangal, Tarun Joshi said that having such modules will lay focus on issues in the tribal areas and help officials in investigation, line of enquiry and jurisdiction.

“The two institutes are centres of excellence and are known to work on such modules. They have earlier worked on modules for crimes against women, crime against children and also against economic offenses,” he said.

About crime among tribals, he said that nothing major has been happening these days but such modules will help the police with issues like cultivating in forest and naxalism.

The panel has also asked MHA to coordinate with states and Union Territories to make arrangements for providing training to members of village policing system about their role and responsibilities to help the police in maintenance of law and order in the interiors. It also recommended securing state-wise data on the village policing system and taking remedial measures.