Law and order is everyone’s responsibility: IGP
An AK-47 bullet is still stuck in the back of his neck as a trophy of his bravery. IG Ashok Gupta, President’s Medal winner, has had a humble beginning and toiled day and night to reach this high position. Son of a postman, Ashok Gupta and his five other brothers and two sisters have set an example of how to utilise whatever resources you have to excel in life.
“Law and order is everyone’s responsibility. We cannot turn our back to eve teasing happening before us, arguing it is only the job of cops,” he said while interacting with The Tribune team. He believes that about 180 militants are active in Jammu division, but the new recruits are just one or two.
Special invitees, Sonali Abrol and Priya Sharma from Tiny Tots Higher Secondary School also joined the interaction.
Here are the excerpts:
Jupinderjit Singh (JJS): You have an illustrious career. You worked with honour in the valley when militancy and anti-India sentiments were at their peak. What are your most proud moments and your sad moments as well?
Ashok Gupta (AG): My saddest moment was when while serving as SSP Doda, I and my bodyguard, constable Ashok, were hit in an encounter with militants. We could be evacuated after many hours. When the helicopter landed, I wanted him to be rushed to the hospital first as he was bleeding badly. Unfortunately, he died on the way. That left permanent sadness in me.
The bullet I suffered is still stuck in my neck. It could not be taken out, but now I may have to get it operated. With the growing age, one has to undergo many tests like MRI, which are not possible with this piece of iron causing magnetic troubles. Moreover, it constantly reminds me of the tragic death of my bodyguard,
My proud moments have been many. When I started my career and was posted as SP Samba, I got arrested a most wanted proclaimed offender, who had managed to hoodwink the police for 33 years. Also, while serving as SSP Doda, a century-old idol of a goddess was stolen. We recovered it in no time and avoided a communal problem.
I was also happy when I got President’s Medal as well as Sher-e-Kashmir Medal for meritorious service.
Ravi Krishnan Khajuria (RKK): Women militants have always been a problem, particularly in the erstwhile Doda district. How is the police wooing them back?
AG: Branding them as militants would not be appropriate. We call them over ground workers (OGWs). They are usually forced to help militants. Their number is dwindling constantly because of our efforts in the form of strict surveillance and legal action, besides involving their parents and village elders in bringing them back in the mainstream. There might be five to six OGWs operating in the Doda region, out of which two are the wives of ultras.
RKK: Recently, security forces claimed that they succeeded in completely wiping out HuJI and JeM from Kishtwar. How many militants of other organisations are active in the region?
AG: Latest inputs say there are about 180 ultras active in Jammu region but their number keeps on changing depending upon intrusions.
Recently, we eliminated top commanders of various outfits. The killing of Abu Ans and Abu Maaz of Lashkar on May 17 was again a big success for us. Another great achievement of ours is that there is no fresh recruitment of locals in the militant cadre across Jammu in the past five months.
Archit Watts (AW): Special police officers (SPOs) are upset that they have not been absorbed in the police department. Have you planned some relaxations for them?
AKG: Anyone who joined the police force as an SPO was aware of the future position. Still the state government is trying its best to provide them jobs in the police. Their salary has been doubled from Rs 1,500 to 3,000 per month. An age relaxation of seven years has also been given to them as they can apply till the age of 37.
There is another scheme by which they get points every year, maximum up to 7, for their working efficiency and it is considered during the constable recruitment test. Those who have performed extremely well in curbing militancy can be directly recruited as constable (without giving any test), but in rare cases.
The government has also announced to give Rs 2 lakh compensation to the family if an SPO loses his life while doing his duty.
Ashutosh Sharma (AS): Like SPOs, many VDC members are also suffering. Are VDC members entitled to any compensation if they get injured or die while assisting security forces in counter insurgency operations?
AKG: VDC committees were created with an aim of self-defence, so if a VDC volunteer dies fighting militancy he would be treated just like any other civilian.
AW: You had started an SMS alert system through which people can complain to you directly. What is the response of your message complaint service?
AKG: It has worked well and I am satisfied with it. We receive a number of complaints on 9469300300 and most of the complaints are related to eve teasing. Women have benefited immensely from the service. Around 90 per cent of the complaints are actionable and we have constituted special teams to deal with complaints received through SMS. Most of the times, we receive thanks messages after the disposal of complaints.
Sonali Abrol (student): You say the police is for the people, yet people are scared of approaching you.
AKG: It is not just about the police. In today’s world, people, especially the younger generation, hate anyone questioning them or stopping them. Even parents who do so are hated. Like in any household, a mother is approachable and loved as she does not stop children much, but the father has to enforce discipline. As a result, he is always loved less.
Priya Sharma (student): Then why Army officers are loved and respected?
AKG: The Army doesn’t work with civilians. They are traditional heroes. They have a perceived enemy, which is nation’s enemy. But this is not the case with the police. We live in society. If 10 people take up the case of an alleged victim, 10 others support the accused. Whosoever is held guilty projects police in bad light.
Tell me one thing, how many of you object to eve teasing or any other offence happening before your eyes. People now say it is the job of the police, but we cannot work without public cooperation. We all talk about our rights but none about our duties as a citizen.
Priya: What steps are you taking to improve the police image?
AKG: We have taken a decision that the police will have no role in land dispute cases. It is for the courts to decide. Similarly, any sphere where police intrusion is not required, we stay away. Also, to have better understanding with the masses, we organise police-public meetings and visit schools and colleges. We are planning to invite schoolchildren to police stations to see our working.
Sonali: Are there any plans to install traffic lights since traffic situation is in a mess.
AKG: I am not sure if putting up traffic lights would solve the problem. We had tried that earlier. We even had no-vehicle zones in old city, but then public objected to it. We put traffic cops on roads who work under scorching sun and if he catches a person, the offender immediately calls up an influential person to complain against the cop. I must say that if we all have good civic sense and follow the rules, than any system can work. Otherwise, nothing can improve.
AW: There was some controversy over the recent transfers. Are you satisfied with the working of the SSP Jammu, Basant Rath?
AKG: See, everyone has his own style of functioning. He is different from others, but he has brought down the crime rate. As a senior officer, it is my duty to point out what I feel was right and what wrong. And this is not for one official only. It is for all. My seniors do it with me and it helps all of us in improving the working.
Dinesh Manhotra (DM): Don’t you think that personal security officers (PSOs) have been allotted to some undeserving people? Getting PSOs has becoming a status symbol for politicians.
AKG: When militancy was at its peak, security was provided to politicians so that they can interact with common people. The experiment proved fruitful especially in reviving political activities in the militancy-plagued areas. Since the situation has improved, we are taking feedback from different government agencies, especially the CID, to reassess threat perception to the person to whom security cover has been provided. The security of some people has been withdrawn. During my tenure as IGP Jammu, not even a single person has been given PSO in the past 11 months.
AS: Various states have started police reforms. How J&K has performed so far?
AKG: We uphold the directive of the Supreme Court. If the recommendations of reforming the police get implemented, all problems faced by the overburdened police department will get solved in no time.
AS: Three is a culture of police highhandedness. Reports of torture, custodial deaths and extra-judicial killings keep hogging headlines in the media. Your comments?
AKG: The department takes strict disciplinary action against the erring officials. Such incidents do occur but very rarely. Honestly, the police has softened its image over the years and in my opinion, it should not happen (laughs). I must say that fear of cops is a must. If there is no fear, who will manage law and order.
AW: Do you have any plan to join politics after retirement?
AKG: Do you think I am a politician (laughingly)? I will simply take my retirement and take rest. I will never get into politics.
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