On the first day of the new year on Monday, while most of Telangana’s officials took the day off as the State government declared a holiday, the police top brass was busy launching TSCOP, a mobile application meant for improving their internal functioning.
Just when unit officers — Superintendents and Commissioners — in the State were heaving a sigh of relief as the new year’s celebrations on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday passed off peacefully, they got a message from their chief’s office to be ready by 4 p.m. for a video conference for launching the app. They had no option but to attend. Interestingly, when the DGP in-charge M. Mahender Reddy announced three days ago during a media interaction that TSCOP would be launched “soon”, many of them thought it would take at least a few weeks. But it was done much quicker than they anticipated. With this, the State police chief made it clear that he is not a man of words, but of action and means business. When he assumed charge seven weeks ago, the DGP said adopting Information Technology in every sphere of policing in Telangana was inevitable.
Not just that. His team of officers got a clear message that holidays matter little and they have to pitch in when required. While he was Hyderabad Police Commissioner it was an unwritten rule that his team members have to work hard and do more. He was one of the few Hyderabad Kotwals who came to office even on Sundays. Rarely, he left for home before 10 p.m. During 2017 Ganesh idol final immersion, he was up in his office till 4 a.m. Only after shaking hands with every one in the command control room on peaceful completion of the event, he went home.
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“We thought all that would change if he becomes DGP and we can work in a relaxed manner. As the State police boss, he is working equally hard now as well,” a police officer observed.
In less than two months of tenure as DGP, he was in the office till midnight holding meetings and reviewing future plans at least four to five times. It had become a norm for his team to stay put in office at least till 10 p.m.
Recently, when clashes broke out between Lambadas and Adivasis, some officials came under criticism for “their inaction”. He convinced some officers to immediately rush to those troubled areas and take care of the situation. “Personally, we were reluctant the go there. But having seen his commitment and worked with him, we couldn’t say no,” said some police officers.
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