Amid lockdown, govt officers in Kashmir accuse police of beating them, hampering supply of essentials

Srinagar: Amid a nationwide lockdown enforced to contain the transmission of the novel coronavirus, government officials in south Kashmir have accused the police of dishonouring curfew passes allotted to them and beating officials and officers, who have been assigned emergency duties.

While several officers have shot complaint letters to their seniors, many of them have raised the issue with the district administration but in vain. The officials, which include officers on magisterial duty, have raised police behaviour in an official WhatsApp group saying it is becoming difficult for them to perform their duties.

“Magistracy, or for that matter any other COVID related duty is as important as policing in this hour of crisis. A food department official sent to fetch food items for migrant labourer camp Pampore and carrying a valid pass was beaten up near Circle Road Pulwama even after I spoke to PCR Pulwama,” an official posted in the WhatsApp group of the officials.

“Even after letting a policeman know that I am Tehsildar Pampore and proceeding to attend meeting at Pulwama, I was warned not to move without pass at Circle Road by policemen. I strongly feel there is an urgent need to counsel and impart necessary instructions to the policemen on ground”.

In a complaint written to Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, an Executive Magistrate has complained he was stopped by police and his driver beaten at the place where he was posted for Magisterial duty with the police. “My vehicle was forcibly stopped in presence of some police officer, who was there in BP (bullet proof) vehicle with flag. My driver was ruthlessly beaten. I pleaded with police that I am on duty in this very chowk (square) and he is my driver but they didn’t listen,” the Magistrate has written in his compliant.

Reacting to the complaints in the official group, Superintendent of Police (SP) Pulwama Amit Misar, who is part of the WhatsApp group termed the complaints as “exaggerated versions” that won’t help anyone. But when one officer narrated his personal example where he was stopped and asked to turn back despite “having a (curfew) pass and disclosing my identity”, the SP Misra replied: “CrPC has provisions”.

Talking to The Indian Express, a senior official said that SP Misra himself dishonoured the curfew passes issued to the officials. “He (SP) himself tore down valid passes and in a reply justified beating common people and officials citing the CrPC, which reveals his knowledge and wisdom,” he said.

In his complaint, an official said that the police behaviour has seriously impacted the supply of essential services in the district.

“Yesterday, at 7.45 PM the driver of official vehicle allotted to Naib Tehsildar Rajpora was beaten by police at Tahab chowk while going back from Awantipora. Sir it is extremely difficult for us to perform our duties in this hour of crisis given the fear psychosis that has engulfed our officers/officials,” the official said.

“Police is doing a great job and is one of the most important organisation in our administrative set-up but they can’t do everything themselves. Magistrates, doctors, other essential service employees have to reach their place of work to manage the crisis due to pandemic”.

Another official called for change in the police behaviour towards the officials assigned the special duties. “Time to differentiate between the idea of lockdown in a pandemic and that of a law and order situation,” the official said. “Restrictions are reasonable, (but) the muscle power shouldn’t demoralise the clan working in precarious situations. Complaints are pouring in from all across the district”.

In another complaint an official said that because of the police behaviour the employees posted at the quarantine centre couldn’t reach there. “I was entrusted with the job of establishing and providing all the logistics to quarantine centres. Accordingly the staff of Tehsil office Pulwama was put on the job and they remained available 24×7,” the official said. “But unfortunately from last two days some of them weren’t allowed to reach their places of deployment and one of them was beaten up yesterday”.

When contacted, SP Misra termed the complaints “frivolous”. “There is nothing as such. All these are false and frivolous,” Misra said. “Are they super humans? It is their imagination. There is nobody with a curfew pass issued by DC who is not allowed to move”.

IE