`Protocol violation': Retired IPS officer VK Singh urges CM Revanth to revoke suspension of two constables

Hyderabad: Telangana Citizen Forum president VK Singh, who is a retired IPS officer, has appealed to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to revoke the suspension of two constables for violation of protocol.

In his letter, VK Singh said, “I have served combined AP and thereafter Telangana for almost 34 years. But unfortunately, I have been seeing that the times are getting tough for conscientious police officers.”

Referring to the reports published in the vernacular media, the retired IPS officer said that two policemen while taking care of the security of Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy at a program in Bhuvanagiri stopped the Nakrekal MLA Vemula Veerasham since they could not identify him.

Later, the policemen also apologized to him. Surprisingly, the policemen were placed under suspension. Veerasham has also written to the Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar seeking action against senior police officers, he said.

VK Singh recalled that Veerasham complained against the politicization and inefficiency of Telangana police when he was arrested during the previous BRS regime.

“How can a policeman work if they are punished for their rightful duties? Telangana government has taken many commendable steps under your leadership. The police department is looking forward to you for better days and responsive administration. The police department is so demoralized and scared that the district police immediately suspended the police constables instead of rewarding them for doing their duties correctly,” the retired IPS said.

VK Singh also said that police were not able to register FIRs, investigate cases, pursue trials in the court, and attend to public grievances due to the system breakdown.

“I request the transfers, postings, rewards, and punishments of a policeman should be decided on his merit, efficiency, and integrity. I hope that the old and deep malaise of the earlier ruling party is eradicated. I request the Chief minister who is also the Home Minister to arrest the decline in police and start a new era,” he said.

The retired IPS officer said the government should punish people for corruption, inefficiency, negligence of duty, brutality, etc and reward the duty-minded police officers. The chief minister should revoke the suspension of the constables, reward them for their rightful duties, and improve the morale of the police department in Telangana, he added.