BHUBANESWAR: The triple murder at Khandagiri that shook the city on Tuesday has put the Commissionerate Police on its toes. The police have decided to revamp and streamline patrolling units in the city.
The decision, which was pending for quite sometime now, will be implemented at the earliest, said Police Commissioner RP Sharma at a review meet at the Commissionerate Police headquarters.
It was decided that around 100 policemen will patrol the city’s streets during day and night in an effort to prevent crime. They will be patrolling in addition to the number of policemen and officers already on duty.
Officers from the rank of Additional DCP to Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) will be deputed on rotation basis to supervise the PCRs patrolling during night regularly. Each PCR van will be equipped with an armed guard, a head constable and at least two home guards.
The cops on duty would remain in touch with Modern Control Room (MCR) every 15 minutes. The IICs and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) have been directed to report on crime and ask for reinforcements, if necessary, said Sharma.
Barricades have been installed at important junctions on the city which are being manned by three to four police personnel.
A fresh proposal will soon be floated to buy alcohol breath analysers, public address systems, speed laser guns and speed interceptors, the Commissioner said.
During day, for easy movement of pedestrians as well as vehicles in the upmarket areas, police will be deployed in plain clothes equipped with a dossier of habitual criminals.
Watchtowers would be erected at vulnerable locations in addition to installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras around the city. The CCTV cameras will also be installed at shopping hubs and monitored by MCR at the Commisionerate Police headquarters.
Sharma said, he will soon be notifying the Motor Transport Department of Odisha Police about the deteriorating condition of many PCR vans which are deprived of maintenance from a long time.