LAW, ORDER AND JUSTICE

POLICE DEPARTMENT

Functions.— THE PRIMARY FUNCTIONS OF THE POLICE are the prevention and detection of crime, the maintenance of law and order, the apprehension of offenders, escorting and guarding of prisoners, treasure, private or public property of which they may be placed in charge, and the prosecution of criminals. They have, however, various other duties to perform such as control and regulation of traffic, service of summonses and execution of warrants in criminal case, inspection of explosives and poison shops, extinguishing fires, giving aid to displaced person's and pilgrims, verification of character, passport and naturalisation inquiries, etc.

Organisation.—Under section 17 of the Bombay Police Act, (XXII of 1951) the District Magistrate of the district has full control over the District Police Force. In exercising this authority, the District Magistrate is subject to the rules and orders made by the State Government and to the lawful orders of the Revenue Commissioner. Under Section 6 (1) of the Bombay Police Act, 1951, the direction and supervision of the whole Police Force in the State vests in the Inspector-General of Police who is assisted by one or more Assistant Inspectors-General of Police of the rank of the District Superintendent of Police. It is the province of the Inspector-General of Police to advise the Government on all problems, specially those connected with Police personnel, their training and equipment, supplies and stores, financial provision for the functioning of the force, other powers and duties of various grades of officers, and to make rules and orders for the guidance of the officers on all such matters. He has to keep in touch, by frequent inspections with the requirements of the police force so as to maintain its efficiency and has also to keep due watch over all matters relating to the maintenance of law and order and prevention and detection of crime.

For the purpose of administration, the State is divided into 4 Police Ranges, besides the 3 Commissionerates in Greater Bombay, Pune and Nagpur. In Greater Bombay, the Commissioner of Police, who is second in the Police hierarchy, is in charge of the Greater Bombay police force. The Commissioners of Police in charge of Pune and Nagpur are of the rank of Deputy Inspector-General of Police. Below these officers are the District Superintendents of Police in charge of districts and Superintendents of Police in charge of the Railways.

Subject to the control of the Inspector-General of Police and the District Magistrate in their respective spheres of authority, the direction and regulation of the Police throughout the district are vested in the Superintendent of Police, who as the executive head of the Police Force, has full control over the internal economy and discipline of the force under him.

There are 16 police stations and 5 out-posts, of which four are town police stations, viz., Bhandara, Gondia, Tiroda and Tumsar, one is a taluka police station and the rest are rural police stations. Bhandara sub-division comprises 8 police stations viz., Bhandara, Tumsar, Mohadi, Adar, Paoni, Andhargaon, Arjuni and Lakhandur and 3 out-posts, viz., Kardi, Jawaharnagar and Dighori. Gondia sub-division has 8 police stations, viz., Gondia, Tiroda, Amgaon, Dawniwada, Salekasa, Sakoli, Duggipar and Chichgarh and 2 out-posts viz., Lakhani and Deori.

Strength.—On December 31, 1968 there were 49 officers and 877 men in the district police force. The composition of the Police Force is as under: —

District Superintendent of Police, 1; Deputy Superintendent of Police, 2; Police Inspectors, 4; 42 sub-Inspectors including one armed Police sub-Inspector; 186 Head Constables including 55 armed and 691 Constables including 279 armed. The ratio of police to area and population worked out at 1 policeman to 10.13 square kilometres and 1370 persons, respectively.

As the head of the force, the primary duties of the District Superintendent of Police are to keep the force under his control properly trained, efficient and contented and to ensure by constant supervision that prevention, investigation and detection of crime in the district are properly and efficiently dealt with. For this purpose he has to associate with the public to ascertain their needs generally and to be constantly in touch with his subordinates. He also has to carry out inspections of the police stations and other branches of work annually. Assistant Superintendent of Police or Deputy Superintendents of Police are responsible for all crimes, in their charge and visitation of serious offences. Under the general orders of the Deputy Superintendent of Police, they are responsible for the efficiency and discipline of officers and men under them and for holding detailed inspections of police stations and outposts at regular intervals. Bhandara district which has its headquarters at Bhandara, is divided into two sub-divisions, viz., Bhandara and Gondia with their headquarters at Bhandara and Gondia. respectively. Each sub-division is in the charge of a Sub-Divisional Police Officer. He is responsible for all the crime work in his charge and visits all scenes of serious offences as laid down in the standing orders. He is also responsible for the efficiency and discipline of the officers and men in his division.

At the district headquarters, the Superintendent of Police is assisted by Inspector of Police, who is designated as Home Police Inspector. He works as a Personal Assistant to the Superintendent of Police and supervises the work of the whole office which consists of the establishment, accounts, crime and confidential branches, disposing of routine correspondence and various other miscellaneous items of work. He also supervises the work at the district Police headquarters.

A Sub-Inspector of Police is ordinarily the officer in charge of the Police Station. A Police Station Officer exercises all the powers as defined in the Criminal Procedure Code. The Sub-Inspector is responsible for the prevention and detection of crime in his charge and for the implementation of the orders and instructions issued by his superior officers. He is also responsible for the proper maintenance of the discipline of the Police force under his control. He is provided with the required strength of the head constables and constables for attending to the various duties in his charge.

Head constables are subject to the orders of the Sub-Inspector placed over them and of the superior officers of the police force. They are to report to the Sub-Inspector about all crimes committed in their beats, investigate less important cases and also to assist the Sub-Inspector in the investigation and detection of crime. When in charge of a particular out-post or beats of villages, the Head Constables act in all police matters in concern with the heads of the village police. When attached to the police station they hold charge in the absence of the Sub-Inspector and look to all routine work including investigation of crime.

The constables perform such police duties as they are ordered by the Head Constables and other superior officers for the prevention and detection of crime, maintenance of law and order, apprehension of offenders, escorting and guarding of prisoners, patrolling beats, controlling traffic, etc.

The control and administration of the Railway Police which comprises two separate charges are vested in the Superintendent of Police, Central, South-Eastern and Western Railways, Nagpur and the Superintendent of Police, Central, Southern and Western Railways, Pune, each of whom has a separate force under him, organised on the lines of the district police. He functions under the supervision and control of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Crime and Railways, Criminal Investigation Department, Maharashtra State, Pune, and the Inspector-General of Police, Maharashtra State, Bombay.

Appointments of Superintendents of Police are made by promotion of Assistant Superintendents of Police and Deputy Superintendents of Police in accordance with the regulations made in this behalf by the Central Government in consultation with the Union Public Service Commission.

Recruitment to the cadre of Assistant Superintendent of Police, who belongs to the Indian Police Service, is made by the Government of India on the recommendation of the Union Public Service Commission. On appointment, an Assistant Superintendent of Police is attached to the National Police Academy, Abu, for training for a period of one year. After successful completion of the training, he is sent to the State to which he is allotted for further training. On arrival in this State Indian Police Service Probationers are attached to the Police Training College, Nasik, for 3 months' training and then to the districts for practical training for 9 months before they are appointed to hold independent charge as Sub-Divisional Police Officers. Assistant Superintendents of Police are considered eligible for promotion to senior posts in the Indian Police Service Cadre after their confirmation in the Indian Police Service in vacancies in the direct recruitment quota.

Seventy per cent of the total number of appointments on the sanctioned cadre of Deputy Superintendents of Police are filled in by promotion from the lower ranks of the District Police Force and the remaining thirty per cent by direct recruitment, which is made by the State Government from candidates recommended by the Maharashtra Public Service Commission. Candidates appointed by direct recruitment are attached to the Police Training College, Nasik for training and are kept on probation for a period of two years and three months. During the first two years of their probationary period, they are required to pass the departmental examination prescribed by Government.

After a training at the Police Training College, they are required to undergo military training for 5 week's and thereafter practical training in the district for the remaining period of probation. They are considered for promotion to the Indian Police Service Cadre after they have put in eight years' service as Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Appointments of Inspectors of Police are made by the Inspector-General of Police by promotion of Police Sub-Inspectors who are found fit for promotion by the Selection Board comprising the Inspector-General of Police as Chairman and the Commissioners of Police and Deputy Inspectors-General of Police, as members. No direct recruitment is ordinarily made.

Recruitment of Sub-Inspectors is made by the Inspector-General of Police both by promotion of officers from the lower ranks of the District Police Force and by direct recruitment. 50 per cent of the vacancies are filled in by direct recruitment. Of the remaining 50 per cent, 25 per cent of the vacancies are filled in by departmental candidates passing through the Police Sub-Inspector's course at the Central Police Training College, Nasik, and the remaining 25 per cent by promotion of officers from the lower ranks. Candidates for direct recruitment may be selected either from outside as well as from within the Police Department. On recruitment, they are required to undergo training in the Police Training College, Nasik, as Police Sub-Inspectors. The selection is made by the Inspector-General of Police, assisted by a Committee comprising the Commissioner of Police, Bombay, a Deputy Inspector-General of Police and the Principal, Police Training College, Nasik.

Recruitment to the posts of Police Constables is done directly, As for Head Constables, it is generally done from the rank of Constables by promotion. However, to attract better-educated men, recruitment to the post of Head Constables is made directly from qualified candidates to the extent of 33 per cent of the vacancies that may occur. Appointments of constables are made by the Deputy Superintendent of Police. Men from the district are preferred as they are more likely to have local knowledge and could better understand the language and manner of life of the people. A fair number of men from the scheduled castes and tribes are now coming up for recruitment.

A tear-gas squad of 1 Reserve Sub-Inspector and 10 Policemen is formed in the district.

Arms Inspection Branch.— There is an Arms Inspection Branch under the charge of a Deputy Superintendent of Police, whose headquarters is at Bombay. He is assisted by 2 Police Inspectors, 1 Police Sub-Inspector, 3 Head Constables and 4 Police Constables. The main function of the branch is to inspect the arms and bicycles held on charge in the various Police Units regularly and to ensure proper maintenance. The branch is under the control of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Armed Forces.

Women Police Branch.—Women Police Branches exist in almost all the districts of the State. The main functions of this branch are to help in the: recovery of abducted women, to attend to the convenience and complaints of female passengers at important railway stations, to apprehend and search female offenders, to help in the administration of the Bombay Children Act and the Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Girls Act, to man the Police Telephone Exchanges, to keep vigilance at places of worship or public entertainment, etc. They also help the Executive Police Officers at the time of holding inquests on dead bodies of women, whenever required.

Motor Transport.— A Motor Transport Section for the whole State under the control of a Superintendent of Police, designated as Superintendent of Police, Motor Transport, is organised for maintaining a fleet of motor vehicles and water-craft for Police duties. It consists of (i) a District Motor Transport Section at the headquarters of each district and each State Reserve Police Force Group, (ii) Central Motor Transport Workshop together with mobile units at Pune, Aurangabad and Nagpur and (iii) the Mobile Repair Unit for Police Water-craft with headquarters at Thane. The District and State Reserve Police Force Motor Transport Sections which consist of motor vehicles and in some districts water-crafts as well, are under the administrative control of Police of the district or the Commandants of the Group concerned as the case may be and, for technical supervision under the Superintendent of Police, Motor Transport.

The Bhandara district has a fleet of 8 motor vehicles.

Wireless Grid.— In order to facilitate speedy communications pertaining to law and order between the various Police units in the State and with other States, a Police Wireless Grid has been established and it is under the control of a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, who is designated as Director of Police Wireless, Maharashtra State, who has his headquarters at Pune. The grid comprises wireless telegraphy circuits of high frequency and very high frequency with static and mobile stations and broadcast service stations. There are wireless stations at the headquarters of each District and State Reserve Police Force Group and in the three Commissionerates of Greater Bombay, Pune and Nagpur cities. The wireless personnel in Bombay and those attached to the Districts and the State Reserve Police Force Groups are under the control of the Commissioners of Police, Superintendents of Police and the Commandants of the State Reserve Police Force Groups, respectively.

The Bhandara district has a net work of high frequency system of communications. There are 2 static high frequency stations in this district and 1 high frequency mobile station.

C. I. D. Unit.— The State Criminal Investigation Department is divided into two branches, viz., (1) Intelligence and (2) Crime and Railways, each under a Deputy Inspector-General. Both the Deputy Inspectors-General of Police are assisted by one or more Assistants of the rank of Superintendent of Police and have a number of Deputy Superintendent of Police, Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors and Head Constables working under them. There are Criminal Investigation Department units at important places in the State, each under a Deputy Superintendent of Police assisted by the necessary subordinate staff.

Anti-Corruption and Prohibition Intelligence Bureau.— With a view to eradicating the evil of corruption and ensuring a more effective implementation of the Prohibition policy of the Government, the Anti-Corruption and Prohibition Intelligence Bureau has been created under the control of a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, who is designated as Director, Anti-Corruption and Prohibition Intelligence Bureau, Maharashtra State, with his headquarters at Bombay. He has been declared as a head of department under the administrative control and supervision of the Home Department of the State Government. He is assisted by an officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police (who is ex-officio Deputy Commissioner of Police) and six other officers of the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police and Deputy Superintendent of Police. The Bureau has its officers in all districts and has four regional units with headquarters at Bombay, Pune, Aurangabad and Nagpur, each in the charge of a Deputy Superintendent of Police. The unit for Greater Bombay is in the charge of the Deputy Commissioner of Police.

The Anti-Corruption Unit at Bhandara consists of 1 Police Sub-Inspector and 2 Constables.

State Reserve Police Force.— With a view to providing the Armed Force which may be required at any place in the State to deal with any serious disturbances or other similar emergencies, the State Reserve Police Force, trained more or less on military lines and equipped with modern weapons, has been organised under the Bombay State Reserve Police Force Act, 1951 (Bombay Act No. XXXVIII of 1951), and stationed in groups at important centres in the State. Each group is under the control of a Commandant (who is an officer of the rank of a Superintendent of Police) assisted by the necessary staff of officers of different ranks. The groups are provided with wireless and motor transport sections.

Crime.— The following statement shows the crimes reported to the Police during the year 1968 and the preceding four years: —

The important crime reported during the year 1968 and the preceding four years was as under: —

The incidence of the reported cognizable crimes (Class I to V) per thousand population of the district during the year 1968 and the preceding four years was as under: —

TOP