IG orders report-based assessment before SHO appointments after Rajpur incident

PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun

The inspector general of police of Garhwal range Rajeev Swaroop has directed that reports will be prepared before assigning responsibility to any police station or outpost in-charge. The station house officers (SHO), station officers (SO) and circle officers (CO) will have to submit reports to the IG and future postings will be made based on their conduct and functioning.

The IG issued the order after Rajpur SHO Shanky Kumar reportedly hit three vehicles while driving under the influence late on October 1. Eyewitnesses stopped him when he tried to leave the spot and a video of the incident was circulated on social media that soon went viral. The Dehradun senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh suspended him the same day and ordered a medical examination and registered a case against him at Rajpur police station.

Following the incident, SSP Singh called an urgent meeting of all SHOs and COs. Swaroop also instructed that the reports of all SHOs, SOs and COs must be prepared and submitted to his office. He also directed to ensure proper medical examination and handed over the inquiry to the SP Traffic.

The IG also said that officers not responding to calls had been a recurring complaint. He ordered strict action against officials who fail to respond to calls. Late on Thursday, the SSP said that the Police department observed that some police personnel had reacted to the case on social media, commenting on the decisions of senior officers. Considering this, Singh instructed all police station in-charges and officials concerned to inform their subordinates that any such reactions or comments by government employees violate the conduct rules and the police headquarters’ social media policy.

He made it clear that disciplinary action can be taken against personnel who breach these directives. All units have been directed to ensure strict compliance with these orders.