The Police department in Cuddalore district has organised a four-day training programme for the constabulary and Special Sub-Inspectors to improve their skills, right from registering the First Information Reports (FIR) to conducting investigation and filing of charge sheets, said Ashwin Kotnis, Superintendent of Police.
The training sessions are being handled by high-level police officers, senior lawyers and Motor Vehicle Inspectors in two phases — two days each for accident cases and injury cases.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Mr. Kotnis said Deputy Inspector-General of Police Pon.Manickavel had issued instructions that in all cases relating to cognisable offences (falling under Section 154 of the Criminal Procedure Code), FIRs must be filed without any delay.
Police personnel were being trained in drafting investigation reports after verification of facts and witnesses. Such a measure would increase the number of “writers” in 46 police stations in the district, besides lessening the burden on Sub-Inspectors and Inspectors of Police, who would otherwise have to take care of the responsibility, besides their bandobust duty.
After training the constabulary could take care of the investigation of simple offences, while SIs and Inspectors could probe major offences such as kidnappings and murders. Mr. Kotnis noted that the usual practice adopted at the accident site was to take photographs of victims and vehicles without giving a clue about any landmark such as the milestone, signboard, door numbers of houses in the vicinity and near the place of occurrence.
Initially, a batch of 46 personnel had been selected for the programme and more personnel would be involved in due course, Mr. Kotnis added.
Senior lawyer S.Arunachalam told The Hindu that from preparing FIR to the filing of charge sheet there were well-laid out procedures to be followed, including preparation of observation map, drawing rough sketches of the scene of occurrences, recording statements of the witnesses (called 161 statements as it refers to Section 161 of Cr.P.C), recovery of weapons used in the crime, tracking the accused and filing of charge sheets.
