Baripada: A video purportedly showing police personnel engaged in maintenance work at the official residence of a reserve inspector in Mayurbhanj district has gone viral on social media, triggering criticism and raising questions over the alleged use of jawans for personal work.
In the video, four police personnel and a home guard are seen sweeping the premises, clearing vegetation and garbage, transporting sand in a trolley, carrying out minor concrete work and maintaining the garden at the government quarters.
Local residents alleged that the personnel have been assigned such duties regularly out of fear of their superior officers. Many have questioned whether police personnel meant for public service can be deployed for work at an officer’s residence.
Retired SP Brahmananda Dandapat said deployment of police personnel in personal work of an officer is against the established norms.
He said such staff may be assigned duties at government offices or public places, but using them for maintenance of a private residential compound is inappropriate.
When contacted, Alok Kumar Kanungo, the inspector, denied calling the personnel for personal work.
He said the activity was part of their daily workout routine and that the personnel voluntarily participated in planting trees and maintaining the government quarters.
He added that the upkeep of official residences is a collective responsibility.
The personnel seen in the video were reportedly recruited as Special Police Officers (SPOs) in 2010 for deployment in Maoist-affected areas and were later absorbed into the Odisha Auxiliary Police Force (OAPF).