Thiruvananthapuram: Custodial deaths and various instances of police highhandedness had been subjects of heated debate in the Assembly over the years. But for the first time ever, the atrocities suffered by policemen in Kerala, the inverse notion of police as victims, was discussed in the House on Monday.
It was Congress MLA PC Vishnunath who raised the issue as an adjournment motion. He called it "state-sponsored atrocity", and said that 88 policemen had committed suicide in the past seven years of Pinarayi rule. "What's more, five policemen had taken their lives within the first six days of this Assembly session," Vishnunath said.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is also the home minister, said the suicides were mostly the result of family and financial troubles, and also health issues. "Work-related mental stress has also caused death in some cases," the Chief Minister said.
Vishnunath: No policeman in Kerala can ever dream of eight-hour duty. This was one of the recommendations of the M K Joseph committee in 1991.
Chief Minister: Given the circumstances, it is difficult to implement the eight-hour duty time for policemen. But we are working towards it. At the moment, we have implemented eight-hour duty time in 52 police stations. This will be increased.
Read Onmanorama series Cop'ing with stress on suicides among Kerala police.
Part 1: How many more lives to ease police's workload?
Part 2: The VRS escape route: Retired hurt by senior cops
Part 3: From POCSO cases to tea duty, no gender bias in workload for Kerala's women cops
Part 4: Increasing staff strength the only way to uplift Kerala police force
Vishnunath: Policemen on duty find it hard to attend even close family functions, leading to strains within families.
Chief Minister: The DGP has issued a directive insisting that weekly offs should be mandatorily given. Conditions are being created for policemen to attend close family functions. However, considering the peculiar nature of the jobs, this will not be possible at times. Also, under the HATS (Help Assistance to Tackle Stress), we also provide counselling and yoga training to cops.
Vishnunath: How is a policeman who is forced to work for 18, and even at times 24, hours a day supposed to find time for yoga.
Chief Minister: The member seems to have a misunderstanding of yoga. Yoga is something you can do even during work. The member himself can do as he is seated here (in the Assembly). Policemen can do yoga even during duty hours.
Vishnunath: Police stations are so woefully understaffed that they are not given leave even to take their ailing mother or pregnant wives to hospitals. Here are some of the responsibilities that come under an average police station. Case investigation, general duty, station security, jeep patrol, bike patrol, writer, assistant writer, computer operator, court duty, postal duty, convict escort, VIP escort, pocket duty, vehicle checking, traffic control, petty cases, chargesheet preparation - the last two have targets - nabbing of the accused and warrant implementation. It is in addition to all these jobs these policemen have to perform duties under Jana Maitri police, pink police, old age helpdesk, and child-friendly helpdesk.
To carry out all this work 59 policemen are needed in a police station. And these 59 policemen should perform these tasks for 18 hours a day for a station's efficient functioning. So for the next day, another set of 59 policemen are required to continue the work. In effect, a station can satisfactorily discharge its duties only if it has 118 policemen. Now, on an average, 44 is the average strength of a police station. In other words, 44 policemen are made to do the work of 118 policemen. It is this work pressure that has pushed out policemen into depression.
Chief Minister: We have created 5,670 posts in the last seven years. The recruitment is now being done keeping in mind future requirements.
Opposition Leader V D Satheesan: On the contrary, the posts reported to the PSC under your watch have shrunk. In one case, for instance, there were 32 vacancies but the reported vacancies were just 20. I have forwarded this complaint to you. When candidates in the PSC rank list held an agitation recently, they had done so after securing information through RTI on the list of unreported vacancies in all the 20 police districts.
Chief Minister: As I said earlier, it is the vacant posts that are reported to the PSC. And during this LDF rule, the reported vacancies are based not on vacancies alone but also the manpower needs of the future.
Opposition Leader: We have RTI information to show that even existing vacancies are not reported to the PSC. There are hundreds of such vacancies.
Vishnunath: There is rampant political interference in police stations. Police officials are beholden to CPM district and area secretaries.
Chief Minister: We do not tolerate any outside influence in police stations. There is no political interference.
Opposition Leader: Who controls SPs? The CPM district committees. And the SHOs (station house officers)? The CPM area committees. In Chalakkudy a party leader climbed up a police vehicle and broke the windshield. And when he was arrested, who had gone to the station and got him released? The area secretary. Was this area secretary arrested for standing in the way of law enforcement? And another leader declared openly that the Chalakkudy SI would be beaten up publicly like a rabid dog. Was any action taken? And now you come here and claim that there is no political interference in police stations.
