THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major move, the City Police have redeployed the members of the city shadow police wing to various local stations jeopardising the centralised structure that it hitherto enjoyed.
As many as 26 cops, who were working under Crime Detachment Assistant Commissioner, will now be functioning under the inspectors of respective stations.
An order transferring the cops to local stations was issued by City Commissioner A R Ajith Kumar on Friday. Justifying the move, a senior officer said the decision to attach the cops with individual stations was a technical one and would not affect the functioning of the wing.
“The shadow police officers were earlier part of the District Head Quarters (DHQ), which comes under the commissioner. However, a decision was taken to keep only those cops who are doing skilled jobs like the band and mounted police with the DHQ. The rest were attached to various stations as it was the only way they could draw their salaries. However, they will continue to work as before. They are even posted at the Greenfield Stadium here where the West Indies-India T20 match took place. If the wing was called off on Friday, then how could they be on duty on Sunday?” said an officer.
However, insiders said the decision has got a lot more reasons than what is being dished out officially. A source said apprehension regarding the proximity of certain cops with criminal elements and the recent activities, including the raid in the University College Hostel in connection with the attack on KSU state chief K M Abhijith, precipitated the move.
“Hitherto, they used to work from the Police Control Room. But now that’s unlikely to happen. If the centralised structure of the wing is done away with, that will bring down curtains on its effective functioning,” said a source.
Cops with criminal connections
Apprehension regarding the proximity of certain cops with criminal elements and the recent activities, including the raid in the University College Hostel, precipitated the move