Another cop attacked in city, 24 killed in last 7 yrs

Mumbai: For most, the weekend spells respite from the rigours of work; not for police personnel though. An SUV driver knocked down a constable on Friday night when she tried to flag down the overcrowded vehicle in Kalamboli on Sion-Panvel highway. Constable Anita Rahane (27) sustained injuries in her right leg, underscoring the perils of laying down the law.
In all, a total of 24 police personnel have died on duty, including in attacks by criminals, in the city since 2012.A 2016 report of the state investigation agency, CID, shows 392 on-duty cops were killed and 2,306 others were injured in Maharashtra from 2012 to 2016.
In Friday’s attack, the driver sped away after his vehicle hit the constable, said an officer. While a case was registered, police were unable to track down the SUV as they do not have the registration number. “We’ll identify it from CCTV footage,” said senior inspector Kondiram Popere.
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Recently, head constable Sunil Kadam (52) of Gamdevi police station succumbed to injuries he sustained on May 11 after being thrown off a two-wheeler as an errant biker he was taking to police station tried to flee.
On August 23, 2016, traffic head constable Vilas Shinde (51) was attacked by a juvenile and his elder brother at a petrol pump on SV Road in Khar (West) when the minor was asked to show his vehicle’s documents and licence. Shinde’s son Deepesh told TOI: “The government should take this matter seriously as the police personnel who are tasked with saving and protecting the public are being attacked by people caught violating the law.”
The vulnerability of police personnel is mirrored by statistics. The maximum number of police deaths and injuries in the state was reported in 2013, the CID report showed, adding that a police personnel’s life has become vulnerable to several factors—operations against terrorists, extremists, naxals, dacoits, rioting mobs and other eventualities like attacks by criminals, on-border duties and in accidents. There were no attacks on cops reported in Mumbai in 2017.
Experts felt that proper barricading at nakabandis is necessary and so is training policemen to tackle situations where violators get aggressive. IPS officer-turned-lawyer YP Singh said it is not that criminals do not fear the police. “Barring exceptions, a seasoned criminal would always fear the police. Nevertheless, the perception of police being corrupt cannot be ignored. This has led to some turning arrogant towards the police. If citizens perceives the police as bribe and hafta taking officers, it is natural that they will not have much respect for the,” said Singh.
The Supreme Court has recommended some structural changes to the force to protect cops but they are yet to be implemented. Psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty said, “Even politicians do not spare them—cops are slapped on streets and legislative assemblies. This makes them vulnerable. In March 2013, an assistant inspector, Sachin Suryawanshi, was beaten by a group of MLAs inside the legislative assembly. He was later suspended. The politicians who beat up Suryawanshi should have been punished swiftly. But the IPS cadre did not stand with the force, it rather sided with the masters,” he said.
Thane police commissioner SPS Yadav said there are two reasons for attacks on cops: Overconfidence on the part of policemen and the force’s powers being diluted due to interference by politicians.
Former state DGP Pravin Dixit said: “There was no fear earlier or now. Maybe when courts take stringent view against law-breakers and not let hundreds criminals go scot free will there be some fear.”
However, if a former cop is to be believed a maximum number of police personnel deaths are due to illnesses like depression and suicides. Former Mumbai police commissioner and state DGP D Sivanandan said long working hours, poor working conditions, VIP protection duty, festival duty and lack of structural reforms has increased stress levels. Long-term stress causes depression, he explained.