Police misbehavior with public - Udaipur Media take up a long outstanding issue with District SP Rajeev Pachar

While there have been regular complaints of police personnel misbehaving with public especially during the 2021 lockdown period, it was this week that the Udaipur Media took a stand and reported the matter officially to the District Superintendent of Police, who assured action.

By UdaipurTimes Team Updated: Jun 1, 2021, 21:50 IST

Misbehavior by a few police personnel puts the entire force in a bad light. Hence imparting communication skills, empathy and behaviorial skills among Police cadre at each level is important

Lake City Press Club, Udaipur; Association of Indian Journalists, Udaipur and Journalists Association of Udaipur have taken up the case of adhoc incidents of misbehavior of police personnel on the check points in the district.

After nearly 18 months of indiscriminant ad hoc cases of police personnel on some check points in Udaipur misbehaving with in transit public, the media of Udaipur joined hands in taking up the matter with the senior authorities.

Members representing all the three associations in Udaipur presented individual memorandums to the District Commissioner of Police on 31 May, highlighting a few cases and suggesting that the senior authorities should take up the matter.

Udaipur SP Rajeev Pachar, after hearing the matter assured that the department will ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future.

The memorandums, strongly worded and elaborating a few cases, specially of people (even Media personnel) being stopped at check points even when they are on the way to attend funerals has prompted the SP to give the assurance.

Recently, a member of the Udaipur media was stopped by constables at Krishi Mandi checkpoint. Initially, the police was told by him that he was going to the Shamshan Ghat for performing the final rites of his paternal uncle. The police refused to let him proceed. He was forced to explain that he was Media personnel and even then, he was not allowed to proceed. He then called the local SHO and explained the matter, subsequent to which, he was allowed to proceed.

The Memorandums presented to the District SP mentions that during the last lockdown in 2020, the police had earned a lot of respect in the efforts that were put in towards managing the lockdown. Their presence during the tough times then was pacifying and the 24x7 effort has been appreciated time and again. However, during this lockdown, there have been more incidents of commuters being harrassed on checkpoints even when they are outside for conducting their purchase of grovcery, medicine, milkk, vegetables, fruits, etc. More of such incidents have been reported from the southern part of town, especially those falling under Pratapnagar, Hiran Magri and Savina Police station. The personnel on the check points have been rowdy and uncouith in their behavior.

This and many other cases of police misbehaving with the public specially during the lockdown prompted the media fraternity to also suggest in writing, that personnel dealing with the general public, being given some training in communication and empathy. A decent conversation even when stopping people from commuting or checking credentials goes a long way in establishing the trust of the public in the police department.