More than 1,000 cases of disciplinary proceedings against police pending in Telangana

Hyderabad: Telangana has 1,050 cases of disciplinary proceedings pending against its police officers as of 2019, according to a report.

According to the data published by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) in January 2020, more than a thousand cases of departmental proceedings against major penalties in the police force await proper disposal in Telangana. Although 770 cases were disposed of in 2018, there are still a number of cases pending.

However, M.V Krishna Rao, former Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City said that this number is comparatively low, if one were to check the total strength of police in the state. Speaking to NewsMeter, he said, " For every case that is delayed by the police, departmental proceedings and enquiries will take place and appropriate punishment will be given. In my opinion, 1,000 departmental proceeding cases in Telangana is a ridiculously low number, because the strength of police is more than 50,000 in the state. The number of cases pending enquiry has to be more than this."

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh has 1,482 cases awaiting departmental inquiry and is among the top two south Indian states with the most number of pending departmental proceedings. Tamil Nadu tops the list among the south Indian states with 1,517 cases awaiting disposal.

Interestingly, the report also showed how the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had 414 cases of departmental proceedings pending, while the Railway Protection Force had 355 cases pending.As of 2018, only 1,375 police personnel were sanctioned for VIP security in the state, however, the total number of police personnel deployed for security was more than 2,000, with 2,268 police officers being deployed in 2018 for the security of 487 VIPs, including ministers, MPs, MLAs, judges, and bureaucrats. In Andhra Pradesh, 508 VIPs were given police protection in 2018.

Police personnel deployed for VIP security in Telangana more than sanctioned

As of 2018, only 1,375 police personnel were sanctioned for VIP security in the state, however, the total number of police personnel deployed for security was more than 2,000, with 2,268 police officers being deployed in 2018 for the security of 487 VIPs, including ministers, MPs, MLAs, judges, and bureaucrats. In Andhra Pradesh, 508 VIPs were given police protection in 2018.

Commenting on this, the former DGP, Andhra, Swaranjeet Sen told NewsMeter, "Nearly 50 percent of MPs in the new Lok Sabha have criminal cases against them. So in India, a third rate politician is given a first-rate constable. This affects the psychology of the police force. If a politician has personal enmity with someone, let them hire private security. When police forces are deployed more than the sanctioned number, it certainly is an unhealthy practice and needs to be attended to."

An earlier report published by the BPRD also states that while the national average is one cop for 518 people, Telangana has just one cop for every 760 people. Interestingly, 14 cops are deployed for a VIP in Telangana. Also, the state police are operating with just slightly more than half of the sanctioned number of officers, while more than 28,000 vacancies remain in the police force.

Telangana transferred 67 DySPs in less than a year in 2018

Telangana had transferred 67 officials from the ranks of deputy superintendent of police (DySPs) or assistant commissioner of police (ACP) in a span of less than a year in 2018, the report said. In the case of station house officers (SHOs), the number is even higher, with 301 SHOs getting transferred in less than a year in 2018.

The Bureau of Policy Research and Development Report has been published annually since 1986.