AMBALA: The Haryana Government will seek the reduction of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the state to fight militancy.

The Director General of Police Haryana Kalyan Rudra, said here that he Center would be requested to send three battalions of the CRPF to launch combing of the districts bordering Punjab so that. The hideouts of militants could be raided in the areas.

He claimed that the police had identified the militants involved in militant crimes in the state in most of the cases the accused had either been apprehended or killed in encounters with the Punjab police. One militant involved in the Phagu incident in which three constables were killed committed suicide.

Two persons responsible for firing on a goods rain near Jakhal last month were arrested.

Special task groups had been setup in Ambala, Kaithal, Hisar and Sirsa districts to deal with the militants. These groups would ‘work under the supervision of the. D.I.G, s of the Ambala and Hisar ranges. He denied that the militants had infiltrated into the ranks of the Haryana police. The Center ‘would be requested to give 1,000 more SLRs to the state besides a number of AK-47 assault rifles, Rudra said that indiscipline in the police would not be tolerated and firm action would be taken against the trouble-makers. He dismissed the lice Sangha than as “a bunch of frustrated elements being backed by vested interests for political reasons”. He said the so called Sangha than leaders did not ‘enjoy mass support among the constabulary.

Rudra, however, said there were certain genuine problems of the policemen, which needed to be solved. The government was aware of these problems and tackling these on “war footing”,

‘Urgent steps were being taken to solve the constabulary’s problems regarding housing clothing and certain allowances, Impartiality ‘would be restored in the matters of postings, promotions and transfers.

The D.G.P. admitted that in the past irregularities were committed in the recruitment and promotion of the policemen, He said he had come to the stale to achieve a certain purpose and would go back only after achieving it.

Rudra said steps would be taken to discipline the officers also. They must develop a rapport with the force. The SPs had been asked to hold weekly durbars in the police line sand grant personal interviews to each constable and head constable at least once in a year

He said he had received reports that a controversial police inspector was behind the sudden spurting the police union activities in Ambala is district. An exemplary action would be taken against the erring official if the reports were found to be tried. He also agreed to suggestion that an inquiry be held to find out the means by ‘which the controversial inspector had made assets disproportionate to the known sources of his income.

Earlier Rudra addressed the jawans of Ambala, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar and Kaithal districts in the police lines here, He assured them that while every fort would be made to solve their genuine problems, indiscipline would not be tolerated.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 4, 1991