Karnataka: With Intel collecting info on Bhagyas', no wonder government was blind
Mangaluru: A number of vacant posts, including that of the Superintendent of Police, and lone officer drafted for intelligence gathering in Bantwal taluk best sum up a sloppy intelligence which failed to spot the first signal of communal tension and thwart the murder of BJP worker and subsequent clashes in the coastal distrcts.
Ironically, officers of the state intelligence wing were preoccupied with visits to government offices like Tahsildar office or PWD office for collecting the performances of various projects and 'bhagyas' of the state government! Therefore Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was not off the mark when he gave an earful to the top brass of intelligence wing following an escalation in tension in Bantwal and neighbouring areas.
The intelligence wing plays a crucial role especially in a districts like Dakshina Kannada where communal, terror, naxal and mafias are actively present. Though primary duty of the intelligence wing is the gather intelligence by being among the people, most of their time is spent collecting details about the government projects and political developments.
"With the available small strength intelligence officials have to collect details like the success rate of various government projects like Anna Bhagya, other Bhagyas and projects. For example they have to keep a record of total number of beneficiaries of Anna Bhagya. How many have been left out and the reason. They have to collect the total number of roads developed in Naxal affected area. For these officials have to regularly visit Tahsildar office, AC office, PWD office and other offices to collect data. Intelligence comes directly under the Chief Minister and thus every data has to be ready. At times some details are asked to be provided within few hours. Thus intelligence officials have to keep all the details ready," police sources said adding
"Maintaining records of all the government projects takes most of the time of an intelligence officer. More the 'Bhagyas,' more the 'Daurbhagya,' (Misfortune) for the intelligence officials as they need to maintain all the details. In the remaining time he has to collect details about the political development, protests, jathas, meetings, press meets and regular intelligence gathering."
What is more concerning is the shortage of staff. Mangaluru region of intelligence has to be headed by a SP grade officer who is incharge of distircts like Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Chikkamagalur and Shivamogga. But this post is vacant since over one and half years! DySP of Shivamogga is incharge SP for Mangaluru! The DySP post of Mangaluru is vacant and also all the five posts of Sub Inspectors! Though all the five posts of Head Constable are filled, of the 12 constable posts nine are vacant! Thus the intelligence wing of Dakshina Kannada is a nine member team comprising an Inspector, five HCs and three constables!! As many as 15 posts are vacant in the district.
