Director General of Police B. Prasada Rao said that the agitations on account of Statehood issue in the past few years have increased the pressure of work on police.
The pressure was so much that the three-shift system was pruned to two shifts at police stations and holidays for personnel cancelled, Mr. Rao told a press conference to announce the Police Commemoration Day programmes on Monday. Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy will participate in the State-level event at Goshamahal stadium here and similar programmes will be held in districts that day.
Mr. Rao said 576 police personnel were killed during discharge of their duties in the country in the last one year. An inspector of Andhra Pradesh Special Police K.L.V.S.S.H.N.V. Prasad Babu was among them as he was killed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh in April.
He explained the welfare measures for families of policemen and steps taken to improve their health care. The department had proposed to the government to increase the budget for construction and maintenance of police quarters.
Referring to low remuneration of home guards, he said it was supposed to be a voluntary service though people who were enrolled worked hard. A proposal to enhance their allowance from Rs. 200 to Rs. 300 a day was pending with the government. The ‘open house’ will be held as usual at the police stations to give the premises access to school children as part of the commemoration day, he added.
CP’s call to youth
“Like a soldier who fights at the border, a policeman fights the enemy within the society. They put a step forward knowing that there is a life threat,” said City Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma here on Saturday.
Participating in an open session held at the Parade Grounds in Secunderabad, he said a policeman’s job is not simple. “He has his share of stress. It’s not like any other job with fixed hours of work. We have to be alert each moment.”
He called upon youth to come forward to join the department for serving society. A display of weapons and equipment used by the policemen was organised on the occasion. Personnel of Rapid Action Force, paramilitary and other wings conducted a drill explaining how they deal with trouble-mongers and how swiftly they react during clashes.
