‘Only 7 vehicles per 100 cops in Rajasthan’

JAIPUR: Much is said on police reforms and modernization. However, the datas given by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) tells a different story on how Rajasthan police works.
As per the data, a policeman in Rajasthan oversees 3.82 square km area which is second highest area covered by a policeman in the country after Arunachal Pradesh where one policemen covers an area of nearly 7.21 km. The misery does not end here as every 100 policemen in the state have got nearly six vehicles to reach crime scene.
Various retired DGPs have also been advocating on the need of police reforms to ease the pressure of policemen working at grass root level. Even Supreme Court has been directing the state government on the issue.
As per the BPR&D datas complied up to January 1, 2017 in Rajasthan, one policeman has to look after an area of 3.82 square km against the sanctioned area of 3.28 square metre. This is highest second highest area covered by single policeman in any state after Arunachal Pradesh. Likewise, per 100 policemen there are only 6.89 vehicles.
Senior officers of the Rajasthan police headquarters thought attributed it to the fact that Rajasthan is the largest state in the country having an area of 3,42,239 square km. However, they said that there has been continuous recruitments and increase of police station areas in the state in past three years.
“We are aiming at adding 5,500 more to our sanctioned strength of 1,04,451 policemen. It is a gradual process. The strength needs to be increased,” said director general of police Ajit Singh.