VELLORE: Police personnel serving the armed reserve (AR) in the Vellore district have been deprived of weekly-offs ever since the district's trifurcation (to Vellore, Ranipet, and Tirupattur districts) in 2019, said AR police sources. The personnel add that they are crumbling under work pressure, also resulting in suicidal thoughts among a handful.
Lakshmi (name changed), who has served in the AR wing for over a decade, has hardly had a day off in three years. This, she said, is the story of almost every AR personnel in Vellore. "I come from Vellore, and I have been posted to Tiruchy and Coimbatore for VIP events. There's no provision of medical leave, no weekends, and getting permission for emergencies is a rare occurrence. Personally, I had to wait for three years before I could take any leave," said a police officer.
According to sources, Vellore district alone housed around 800 AR police personnel prior to the trifurcation. After 2019, the strength was divided among Vellore, Ranipet, and Tirupattur districts. Consequently, the count of AR personnel in Vellore dropped to 200 to 250, against the minimum requirement of 400 to 500. "In neighbouring districts, AR personnel enjoy weekly offs and medical leave," revealed an inside source.
Absence of emergency leaves, even in personal situations, has emerged as a glaring issue, insiders said. "My mother underwent an emergency surgery and I requested leave. But my superior declined my request, citing short staff during Independence Day," said personnel.
Some were even denied leave in cases of a parent's demise. "We are granted only one or two days leave every two or three months if absolutely necessary. This gives us suicidal thoughts sometimes," said another personnel.
The situation has proved to be worse for female AR personnel, who have opted to quit due to the consistent denial of weekly offs. "One of my female colleagues sought leave because her children were ill. Her request was denied on the grounds of insufficient manpower. Months later, she resigned from the job," said a source. There are reports indicating certain personnel being granted leaves based on their caste affiliations, as revealed by a police officer.
The impacted AR personnel have expressed their resentment verbally but to no avail. "We seek a resolution to this issue. Our superiors often attribute the lack of personnel as the root problem, but sometimes our appeals don't reach higher authorities."
When contacted, Vellore Superintendent of Police N Manivannan told TNIE, "We are consistently providing weekly offs to our AR police personnel. There might be an instance or two where personnel are left out. I will investigate the matter and take appropriate action."
(If in distress or having suicidal thoughts, call 104 for health department’s helpline that offers counselling or 044- 24640050 for Sneha suicide helpline.)