Cuttack: Although the government has provided PCR vans to police personnel for controlling crime and ensuring safety and security of people, these vehicles have virtually become money machines for the cops here.
Contrary to the general perception that PCR van personnel perform their duty till late at the night, many citizens here allege that they (the cops) do so only to fill their pockets. “Night patrolling is nothing but an eyewash, it is only meant for collecting extortion money,” said a senior citizen.
According to some people in the know of the goings-on, PCR van personnel have been extorting money from cattle smugglers and trucks carrying fishing nets, coal and iron scraps. They allegedly pocket a cool Rs 10,000 from each cattle-laden truck and Rs 2,000 from vehicles carrying fishing nets and other stuff. The collected cash is equally shared by the patrolling team members and there is virtually a competition among police personnel for patrolling duty.
There are 21 police stations under the Commissionerate Police. Barring Mahila police, Electricity police and Traffic police, one PCR van each has been allotted to 16 police stations while Sadar police and Chauliaganj police have two PCR vans each.
Some truck drivers allege that PCR personnel of Barang, Sadar, Madhupatna, Chauliaganj, Jagatpur and Choudwar openly engage in extortion activities. Each official earns about Rs 10,000 per night. Each PCR van has five personnel, including the driver. While the higher official of the PCR van takes a lion’s share, the remaining amount is equitably distributed among the rest according to their ranks.
In July 2016, a PCR van personnel was escorting a cattle-laden truck in CDA Phase-II area when some Hindu Sena activists noticed it and lodged a complaint with DCP Sanjeev Arora. Acting on the complaint, Arora had transferred all the PCR van personnel. However, little has changed since then.
“PCR van babus demand money. If we do not stop the vehicle, they abuse us. They do not let our vehicles go unless they are paid. Not only PCR vans, some police vans are also extorting money on the road,” said M Ramarao, a driver from Uttar Pradesh. State president of Biswa Go Surakhya Bahini and advocate Suresh Panda said, “Night patrolling has become a source of income for the police. The men in khaki, in nexus with smugglers, help those transporting cattle to places outside Orissa, openly violating laws meant to curb cattle smuggling.”
Ambedkar Smruti Parishad president Sukant Kumar Sethi said, “Instead of patrolling at night, policemen remain busy extorting money from prospective victims. The nexus will be exposed if a probe is conducted.”
When contacted, DCP Arora said, “We have directed our officials to carry out night patrolling on highways. As far as allegations of extortion are concerned, I haven’t got any complaint so far. Action will be taken if a complaint is lodged.”
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