CHENNAI: When a huge number of party cadre were waiting at the hospital and constantly checking an update on the DMK chief Karunanidhi’s health, a department was silently and strenuously working round the clock to ensure no untoward incidents were reported. The men in khaki sweated it out day and night since Karunanidhi’s hospitalization. They were posted at different places including Gopalapuram, CIT Colony, Rajaji Hall and the Marina, apart keeping track of usual petitions overflowing in their jurisdiction.
“It was a crisis and we had no other option but to obey the orders given to us. For instance, most of the days, I returned from work only by 1 am and reached home an hour after that. And again I would have to report at 4 am for which I should wake by at least 3 am. For the last 10 days, this has been the routine,” said a constable attached to the city police. “We never really got a chance to get home. We were deployed continuously on shifts to manage the party cadre from breaking into the hospital,” an armed reserve constable, who in his rest time took a nap inside the hospital premises or at some police stations nearby along with his fellow cops.
While the lower-level police personnel struggled day and night at different premises to control the crowd, senior police officers were under pressure to maintain the law and order in the city, at the same time, tracking the events at Alwarpet, where Karunanidhi was admitted for treatment. “With leaders and celebrities flooding the hospital to visit the former Chief Minister, a small intelligence failure would turn vigorous. We had to keep an eye on history-sheeters, who would intentionally cause hurt.
Moreover, taking this as an opportunity many criminal offenders would act free,” said a senior police officer. On Wednesday also, the cops had a tight day, given that several VIP politicians were flocking to the city to pay homage to the departed leader. From planning the traffic diversion to acting on the day-to-day complaints, the inspectors and sub-inspectors did a great job, sacrificing their sleep and time with the family, said a senior police officer attached to law and order.
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