ADILABAD: In a plot that looks to be borrowed straight out of a thriller film, political pressure and patronage have led to disbanding of a police task force in Kumarambheem district.
The team, which was formed in March 2018, had earned praise from citizens and looked to be a great success. However, surprisingly it was announced last month that the team would be discontinued. The police department was also cryptic when asked as to why they were discontinuing the initiative.
DSP Kamaleshwar Singenawar, in March, had appointed a task force in the district, to be led by CI A Rambabu. Over the next five months, the team proved to be highly successful, seizing 2 crores worth of gutkha, liquor and other contraband.
During this period, they had filed over 160 cases and arrested more than 100 persons. The police’s initiatives were going great when the orders of discontinuing the team came.
Why the closure?
It is reported that some of these arrested persons had political benefactors - some were elected representatives. A source in the police department, on condition of anonymity, said some of these political bigwigs asked SP Singenawar to disband the task force, to which he refused.
Not willing to back down, the benefactors pleaded higher officials in the State police and finally the task force was disbanded in June this year