The Sunday’s incident of a police constable shooting at sub-inspector in Rajanakunte police station over a spat, points at the mental agony the constables go through every day.
Not only constables, even senior police officers accept the fact that acute crunch of staff and 'ill-treatment' of policemen by their seniors are the causes for the tiff between constables and senior officers.
Bad working and living conditions
A 28-year-old constable working in Basaveshwaranagar police station said that he regretted his decision of joining the department.
“During our training days, we are prepared to work under any situations. After we start working, most of us realise that the training programme is nothing like the present working conditions, as we work in horrible conditions. The list of problems start with basics like toilets. There are no good toilets in most of the stations in the city. The condition of houses in police quarters is miserable. They are built some decades ago and are not even repaired. Most of them are not even provided quarters. Though they are provided, it will be very far from the stations we work. For instance, if a constable is working in a police station in south division, he will be given a house in north or north-east division. It will take at least an hour to reach the station and two hours a day is wasted on travelling, besides working for a minimum of 12 hours,” he said.
No promotions after many years of service
A head constable working in Yelahanka police station said, “A sub-inspector will be promoted as inspector just after 5-6 years of service. But I had to wait for 20 years for a promotion from constable to head constable rank. My case is better as there are so many who have retired as constables. I don’t have any hope that I will retire as an assistant sub-inspector.”
No day offs, no leaves
A constable in Wilson Garden station said, “Some of the senior officials react as if we are committing a ‘crime’ if we ask for leave. If some of the family members or close relatives pass away, we will be granted leave, that too on suspicion. People will be in celebration mood during festive seasons, but we are not supposed to take leave for festivals. We are paid a meagre amount for working on holidays. Some officers use us for their personal works. When this is the situation, how can we get rejuvenated in regular intervals.”
Expert take
Retired DGP D V Guruprasad, who had done a survey— A profile of Junior ranks of Karnataka Police: A survey of their Attitudes, Behaviour, Mental makeup and Stress levels—in 2007 said, “Unhygienic working and living conditions are the basic reasons for stress among policemen. They are overworked and are deprived of spending time with their family members. There are no recreation activities at work place. Shortage of staff is another major reason for the stress the policemen are going through.”