BHUBANESWAR: The state police authorities on Thursday asked the revenue divisional commissioners (RDCs) to set up district-level oversight committees (DLOCs) to supply, install and carry out maintenance of surveillance systems in all police stations across Odisha.
The direction comes in wake of the alleged assault on an army officer and sexual harassment of his fiancee in Bhubaneswar’s Bharatpur police station which did not have any CCTV camera. Subsequently, the police headquarters conducted an inquiry and found out that no DLOC was constituted in any district since 2021.
In a letter to RDCs, ADG (modernisation) Dayal Gangwar said in 2020, the Supreme Court had directed all states and union territories to constitute DLOCs to oversee the functioning of CCTV cameras in police stations.
As per the direction, the DLOC should comprise an RDC, district magistrate, SP and mayor/head of panchayat in rural areas as its members for supervision, upkeeping and maintenance of CCTV cameras and its equipment in police stations. DLOCs are also required to interact with the IICs to ensure smooth functioning and maintenance of the cameras and send monthly reports to the state-level oversight committee.
The oversight committees are also tasked with reviewing CCTV footage of police stations to check the occurrence of any human rights violation and if it was reported or not.
After concerns were raised over absence of surveillance system in Bharatpur police station, the Orissa High Court recently directed the state government to install CCTV cameras in all police stations and ensure that the devices were functional.
“It is requested to adhere to the Supreme Court’s instructions in this regard immediately, to convene a DLOC meeting and share its details by October 2. Details of the meeting should also be submitted to the high court in compliance to its order,” read the letter of Gangwar.