No petrol, no patrol: Pathetic state of police in Kerala's Kochi
12 Police Control Room vehicles that are supposed to patrol the city round the clock lie idle as unpaid fuel bills add up to lakhs
FollowKochi is placed third in the country in terms of the number of crime as per official records, but that has not led to increased vigilance on the part of the police department. For Kochi police, there is a reason behind the lack of action -- no funds to pay fuel bills.
Currently, 12 vehicles of the Police Control Room that are supposed to patrol the city 24/7 are lying idle on the office premises. Reportedly, the police department owes lakhs of rupees to petrol bunks and workshops, and the amount has been pending for a long time.
The Kochi City Police Control Room has 24 vehicles, of which only 12 are being used. The rest of the vehicles need refuelling and maintenance but no action has been taken in this regard so far. The AR Camp in Ernakulam too has five patrolling vehicles lying idle.
While the government is paying crores of rupees to provide ministers and even the heads of corporations with luxury vehicles, the basic needs of the police department are not met.
A police vehicle requires an average of 200 litres of diesel a month, and the cost will come to around Rs 20,000 per vehicle. That means a total expense of Rs 5 lakh every month for the Police Control Room.
Also Read:Â Football frenzy turns violent in Kerala; fans clash with police during roadshow
In Kochi, the police personnel at the Control Room have been depending on three petrol bunks on MG Road for fuelling. But, the outlets refused to supply fuel when the bills became long overdue.
The same is the situation at workshops. The necessary maintenance was stopped after the unpaid bills piled up. But the department has not initiated any solid steps to solve this crucial problem. Police personnel have been reportedly asked not to reveal the pathetic condition of the force.
The lack of patrolling by police in the city came to light when a security lapse occurred, and a youth blocked the official vehicle of the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court on Sunday. A few days ago, a model was gang-raped in a moving car. This incident, too, indicated the near-absence of police patrolling in the city.Â
Also Read:Â Shashi Tharoor's outreach giving jitters to Congressmen in Kerala?
