Solan, May 10: In a bid to step up police preparedness in the wake of the killing of a Town and Country Planning officer on May 1 during a demolition drive in Kasauli area, the DGP has issued a list of security precautions to be adopted by the police accompanying such teams.
With the apex court taking note of the lapses in security in the Kasauli demolition case, the DGP issued these directions soon after the gruesome killing of a woman officer on May 2.
According to these directions, all police personnel deployed for such duties are supposed to carry their personal weapons. It was noted that except the two Quick Reaction Team (QRT) sleuths, none of the 12 policemen on duty, including DSP and SHOs, were carrying their designated weapons. Worst, the QRT sleuths had failed to open fire even after the killing to stop the hotelier from fleeing.
Taking serious note of the absence of the SP, Solan, on the fateful day, the DGP has strictly directed that during all such operations, the SP and the Additional SP (ASP) should be available in the district headquarters to monitor the situation. Since the ASP was away on a court case on May 1, the SP instead of monitoring the situation had left the district unattended by going out of station.
The SPs have been directed to gather intelligence on the probability of mischief during such demolition drives to ensure that adequate force can be stationed at such sites. The security personnel should also inquire about the possible exit routes in such cases which can be used by the criminals to escape after committing crimes.
The directions also lay stress on sanitising the area by directing the people concerned to deposit their licensed arms 48 hours prior to such demolition operations. Since this key aspect had been blatantly ignored in the Kasauli demolition drive, the DGP has now directed the officials to ensure that people involved in illegal constructions and encroachments along with their associates were physically searched and disarmed during the demolition operations.
The senior most police officer should ensure videography of the entire operation and all police officers associated with such operations should be made aware of the relevant provisions of the law for speedier action.
Provisions of walkie-talkie sets and mega phones for effective communication have also been enlisted as the other measures to be adopted. In case of an eventuality, the senior police offices of the hierarchy should be informed immediately.
