“Force should not be used.. I repeat not be used” : Police chief orders

DGP Maharashtra Subodh Jaiswal

By Dheeraj Fartode

Director General of Police (DGP) Subhodh Jaiswal has directed police personnel not to use force against civilians in a bid to enforce total lockdown in Maharashtra. Asking cops in the field to observe restraint, DGP said it is not advisable to punish people just for stepping out of the houses. “Force should not be used.. I repeat not be used against civilians for implementing government orders,” said DGP Jaiswal in a wireless message to all police units. 

A senior police officer informed that DGP Jaiswal issued the orders in the wake of videos circulated on social media in which police personnel were seen using force against civilians for implementation of lockdown. Mixed signals from the political brass had confused the police personnel and they have used force against civilians which disrupted movement of essential goods for citizens in many districts. 

An angry CM Uddhav Thackeray called up the state DGP Jaiswal and ordered him to ask the force to refrain from beating the people who are out on the roads for getting essential commodities. Soon after the wireless message arrived at police units on Wednesday. As a result, heads of all police units held meetings with senior police officers and ordered them to follow the order in letter and spirit, the officer said. 

DGP Jaiswal asked the police force to ensure unhindered movement of medical supplies and health staff including doctors, nurses, par-medicos, employees of banks, those working in telecom sector, supply of LPG and petroleum. Police should ensure that persons working in essential services should not face trouble at check points and vehicles carrying supplies of essential goods to should have unhindered movement.

E-retailers such as Amazon, Flipkart, Big Basket had suspended deliveries after delivery persons faced problem from police force who were strictly enforcing lockdown. Now DGP on directions from State Government asked police to allow relaxation to movements deliveries from e-platform. Home delivery of cooked products such as Zomato, Swiggy etc should also not face any problems, the DGP said and added that grocery stores, medical shops, vegetable, fruit vendors should be allowed to function normally.

Further DGP Jaiswal frowned on police personnel deployed on duty in plain clothes and directed unit heads to ensure that cops are in uniform only. The DGP also took cognizance of goods vehicles being stopped across the State by the police which resulted in shortage of essential commodities in the market.

For Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMC), the top cop ordered to deploy police personnel there so that they function normally and cautioned that the workers be advised to maintain social distance.

“Residents should be asked to stay indoors except for permitted activities by using loudspeakers on mobile vehicles. Public Announcement (PA) system should be used continuously to give instructions to public,” he stated.  He also asked officer/policemen on-duty to keep distance from people and amongst themselves and continuously wear masks.