Sitting amid the blackened remains of his home, 32-year-old Nikesh Gawali carefully broke open a half-melted plastic box with a screwdriver. His hands shook slightly, not out of fear, but out of hope. “I’m trying to find my daughter Aarti’s gold earrings,” he said quietly, still focused on the box. “She’s just five. I got them made recently after months of labour work.” The plastic box, warped and blackened by heat, was one of the few things left from his two-room house on the outskirts of Dhamangaon village . All around him lay ash, broken tin sheets and charred wooden beams. The walls had cracked under the heat and the front room’s tin roof had caved in completely. What remained was a blackened debris all around - almost nothing to suggest a home once stood there. Nikesh earns his living as an agricultural labourer, like many in the village. Work is uncertain and depends on the season. Those earrings weren’t just jewellery - they were a small dream, a reward for his hard work,...
- Wake-up call for City Police Force, 92 dead in last four years
By Dheeraj Fartode
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| Death of police personnel in Nagpur City |
For example in Nagpur City alone, 28 policemen have lost their lives in 2014 and notable reasons were suicide, road accidents and not the least, health problems. More shocking fact is that 50 % of deaths in current year were reported from the jurisdiction of Nagpur Police Commissionerate as compared to figure of year 2011 when there were in total 18 such cases.
Suicidal tendency increasing
Police personnel who are trained to take care of law and order in city have a tough time handling their personal problems. As per the information available with ‘The Hitavada’ suicidal tendency among the police personnel is a cause of utmost concern. Four policemen have committed suicide in 2014. In years 2011 and 2012, only one suicide each was reported respectively. The figure then doubled in year 2013 and further increased in 2014.
Fatalities rise in mishaps, cops averse to safety measures
On an average three police personnel have lost their lives in road accidents every year and yet city police have not issued any standard operating procedures for its personnel. As per the information, two policemen were killed in 2011, two more in 2012, five in 2013 and three in 2014. In each of the case none of the cop was wearing helmet and senior police officers are not willing to direct the constabulary to follow rules to hilt.
73 policemen succumb to illness
Tremendous work load and distressing work culture is having its effect on health of policemen. Every year more than 20 policemen are dying due to health hazards and the graph is moving upwards as it has recorded a jump of 22% in last four years. About of 73 policemen died due to health issues despite regular free health check-up camp organised by city police. A senior police officer said, ogranising health check-up camp for a day is not solution for the issue. “They should get good atmosphere and good work culture,” he said.
Long duty hours affecting health
After interacting with several senior police officers and constabulary, the ‘The Hitavada’ find that basic problem of force is 12 hours duty, which is often liable to get extended without any warning. Except police department, no other government department have 12-hour work culture. The police have no pre- decided assignments as every cop has to respond to every happening at any time and at any cost.
As the cops are working beyond their capacity it is resulting in fatigue among the policemen. This fatigue diminishes cop's mental and physical health and it also damaging their ability to handle stressful situations.
For ex. a constable of traffic control branch posted on a busy intersection has to be on duty for a stretch of 12 hours. If the policeman is noticed missing from the square even for 10 minutes, he or she is bound to face music from bosses.
In Nagpur Police Commissionerate, no police station have retiring room for its constabulary. Even basic hygienic conditions are not found at any of police station, except chamber of Police Inspectors and senior officials. The maximum police station has is concrete benches for constabulary to relax for few minutes.
Suicides due to personal reasons : Joint CP
Joint Commissioner of Police (Jt CP) Anup Kumar Singh said their investigations into suicides by cops reveal that it has little to do with work and more a personal causes. On the issue of accidents, Singh said its for individuals to decide what is best for him and even making it compulsory won't change the ground situation. Every cop is expected to religiously followed the fitness schedule as the job is very demanding in nature.
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