LUCKNOW: The action initiated on Friday against police officers in Uttar Pradesh protesting in support of constable Prashant Chaudhary, who was accused of shooting dead Apple executive Vivek Tiwari in Lucknow’s Gomti Nagar on September 29, seems to have borne fruit.
The move has come as a deterrent, as there were no traces of the proposed protest on Saturday at police stations.
Several former police officers in the state has termed the call for stir as gross indiscipline and insubordination by the uniformed force and said that it should be dealt with the strictest action against protestors, though the opinion stood divided. The stir was just a reaction to an isolated case, or an outburst of a force under stress and poor working conditions, said those who disagreed.
Ever since the state police department initiated legal action against Chaudhary, the main accused in the murder case, a section of constables had been running a social media campaign and gave a call to observe Friday as ‘Black Day’ in his support. They had been mobilising support and funds for Chaudhary’s legal battle.
Taking strict action against the protestors, the department has removed three police station house officers. Four constables in all were suspended till Friday evening for leading the ‘Black Day’ protest at three separate police stations in Lucknow. Meanwhile, two dismissed policemen - Avinash Pathak and Brajendra Yadav - were arrested in Mirzapur and Varanasi respectively on Friday for inciting policemen and garnering support for constable Chaudhary.
The constables against whom action was initiated had asked fellow policemen to sport black bands on arms over their uniform and upload the images on social media.
Meanwhile, state DGP OP Singh said he considers these protests as isolated incidents, as they do not represent the common opinion of the force. “I see it as gross indiscipline and those indulging in it will be dealt with iron fist. We are keeping a close watch on all such rogue elements operating through social media to ignite stir. We are taking action, besides being alert,” he said.
“This protest is the handiwork of those who were dismissed and arrested,” Singh said. The DGP said he felt there is a need for systemic reforms through behavioural training of the lower rung staff, especially 2015-16 batch, which was inducted without a proper training. “We aim to give a more humane face to the force through police reforms,” he said.
Meanwhile, former DGP Vikram Singh refused to accept the protest as discontentment in the force. He called it nothing but gross indiscipline. “Certain mischievous and misguided elements trying to foment discontent. There is no reason for any resentment as everyone in police force is so well paid,” he said. To buttress his point, the ex-DGP said that now the constables get over `35,000 per month as salary and they enjoy enormous promotion avenues under much better working conditions. “They can rise up to the level of additional superintendent of police (ASP),” he said.
However, the ex-DGP apportioned blame to the banned karmachari parishad and the disgruntled elements. “No doubt, the junior staff has certain rights, but certainly not to indulge in insubordination and indiscipline. If they do so, they should be taken to task. These black bands will have far reaching consequences in their lives and career,” Vikram Singh said.
The constables’ stir is inappropriate as prima facie, Chaudhary is at fault, said Atul, another former officer who headed the UP Police. He did not rule out frustration brewing among the lower rungs owing to immense work pressure. “They might be venting their ire this way,” Atul said, adding that the constables should not indulge in such activities and wait for the law to take its course.
Former IPS officer SR Darapuri puts the entire blame for wayward behaviour of junior cops on the dispensation of the day. “Initially, the seniors tried to hush up the case by defending the constable. But later, he was dismissed and arrested. This might have angered him and his colleagues,” he said. The former IPS officer attributed this brazenness to mishandling of police force by the present day government. “The Yogi government’s attitude has made the cops trigger-happy and they don’t think twice in killing anyone,” he said.