Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, July 19: A list of mobile phone numbers of all inspectors-in-charge (IICs) in the twin cities, released by the Commissionerate Police (CP) in order to encourage people to call the IIC of their nearest police station in case of an emergency, is proving to be of little help as most calls go unanswered.
The initiative was taken by CP in order to build better relations with the public.
The mobile phone numbers are supposed to be active round-the-clock, with express instructions from top police brass that all calls be answered and complaints looked into. However, the reality is different, say police sources.
Several inspectors are apparently reluctant to answer any calls from unknown numbers. “Some IICs in the capital city are known to not answer even a single call from an unknown number. What is the purpose of having such a system if it doesn’t work?” asked a police official on condition of anonymity.
The list of mobile phone numbers of IICs has been put up on the CP website to encourage people living in the twin cities to call their nearest police station in case of any eventuality. The mobile phone numbers will remain the same even if the IIC using it is transferred to another station.
When an OP correspondent attempted to contact Mancheswar inspector-in-charge Himanshu Bhusan Swain on his designated phone number, a police staffer answered the phone and said Swain was out in the city busy overseeing security arrangements for Rath Yatra, and had left his phone behind.
“Several inspectors in the city are not receiving phone calls if we call from unknown numbers. But they promptly answer if we call from our phones,” a journalist in the city said.
Meanwhile, twin city police commissioner RP Sharma said he has instructed officials to ensure that all phone calls are answered and are looked into.
“Initially the inspectors might not have answered a lot of calls, but now I have taken note of it. The closed user group will prove to be quite beneficial in the long run,” the commissioner said.
Earlier this year, CP provided permanent contact numbers to each police station in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.
Specific numbers were allotted to senior police officials, including the commissioner of police, deputy police commissioner of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar and IICs.
Under the new plan, the number is related to the post rather than the person using it, and stays the same even if the person is transferred.