Home Minister pulls up top brass over shortcomings in policing, intelligence

BENGALURU: Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Friday took senior police officers to task over rampant illegal pubs, casinos, women’s bars, spas and drug peddling thriving in the city.

The minister, who came armed with documents to the meeting at the city police commissioner’s office, which was attended by DG&IGP Praveen Sood, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Pratap Reddy, Special Traffic Commissioner M A Saleem and other officers, said rowdy activities have increased and officers are not receiving complaints properly.

“The Deputy Commissioners of Police are not visiting police stations and Assistant Commissioners of Police are working like constables. Because you are not receiving complaints, people are coming to me”, he thundered.

Jnanendra also said policing and the intelligence wing are not working properly and even took the names of some officers, warning that action will be taken. The meeting also took stock of the preparations to ensure safety of women during New Year’s Eve celebrations and peddling of drugs.

He also praised the police force for the good work done in recovering Rs 78 crore worth of drugs and said 68 foreign nationals have been deported. Two new law and order police stations and two traffic police stations have been opened and 4,000 cameras have been installed under the Safe City project, which the Union Home Minister will inaugurate. Mobile and digital forensic labs, and ITMS have been implemented. There may have been some lapses, but the Bengaluru police is ranked among the best in the country, he noted.

Referring to the PSI recruitment scam and the Chilume Trust case, he said no effort will be spared to bring the guilty to book, the Home Minister said.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Pratap Reddy held a meeting with owners of pubs, clubs and hotels.

Following this meeting, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Pratap Reddy held another meeting with owners of pubs, clubs and hotels to discuss preparations for the New Year Eve celebrations.

Briefing media persons after the meeting, Suhail Yousuf, president of the Brigade Road Stores and Establishments Association, said there will be restrictions on pubs and clubs, but people can gather on the road. “The police have asked us to ensure proper lighting, to which we have agreed. We have given some suggestions and they have also shared some suggestions to make the celebrations safer”, he added.

Police Commissioner Pratap Reddy said the police will ensure no untoward incident during the celebrations and the focus will be on the safety of women and children. Clubs and pubs have been instructed to enhance lighting. Detailed guidelines will be released later, he added.