BANGALORE: A visit to the Vidhana Soudha police station gives a glimpse of the callous attitude of the police department towards its own people.
The lack of basic facilities at the station, which protects government offices situated in the vicinity, has forced police personnel to stay away from the station. The police station functions from a cellar of a multistoried building, which puts several constraints on security issues.
"Although there is a wireless system, it does not receive messages or sends out any signals. We cannot use our mobile phones inside the station,'' said a police inspector.
There are three police inspectors, seven assistant subinspectors, 18 head constables, 24 policemen, including nine women constables. But there are no toilets for women constables. "The toilet in the station is only meant for men and the women usually use the toilet on the first floor,'' said an assistant subinspector.
The place is so crammed that three police subinspectors share a dingy room and there is no space to even put up chairs for the visitors.
"The whole station looks like a railway coach, overcrowded with passengers and it has become very difficult for us to work here but we have no option,'' said a police inspector on condition of anonymity.
While policemen stationed at other stations get to enjoy, at least, basic facilities, the policemen deputed here have no place to even change uniforms. The policemen have to keep the steel trunks containing their belonging in the verandah due to the lack of space.
"Fortunately, no thief has been able to lay his hands on these trunks. Sometimes, it becomes embarrassing for us to change our uniforms in a verandah. While, there are many facilities at other police stations in the city, our station is worse than a police station in rural areas,'' said a constable.
Securing files, books and telephone cables for rodents has become a task for these personnel. "We have to always keep the record room locked to prevent rodents from damaging files and books,'' said another constable.