Kolkata Police Commissioner bans personnel from carrying mobile phones and bags on duty.
While on duty Kolkata police personnel are now barred from carrying bags and cellphones. A circular to this effect has been issued by police commissioner Vineet Goyal and has been sent to all respective heads of the department in the city.The order says, “It has been observed that a good number of police personnel carry bags and baggage while performing law and order duty or field duties and report for such duty without lathi and helmet, thereby failing to deliver in their respective duties.”
No one would be allowed to carry bags or cellphones while on duty, these should be kept in their respective units or vehicles. The Kolkata police chief has said that stringent action will be taken against police personnel who are not following this order.Sources in the force said that often it is seen that some police personnel have this bad habit of carrying their baggage with them while in action.They added that recently in certain incidents it had been observed that the personnel had their bags and not lathis with them.
“If police take bags with them then their flexibility will be reduced and without lathis how will they combat criminals? Police who are in the field have to be active and alert always. Therefore this is essential. Not only bags, but mobile phones are a liability, that too will distract them and that will essentially have an effect on the law and order situation. This is absolutely unprofessional”, senior officer said.
This order was much-needed, feel many inside the force. Police personnel on the field need to be equipped with various accoutrements like lathi, tear gas shells, shields, etc, they said.
