Bengaluru: Senior police officials, who ensured the constabulary turns up for work, were more cautious about their family members. As there were chances that family member of constables may take to the streets, there was a heavy deployment of policemen at all police residential quarters.
As some TV crew had visited police quarters to speak to policemen’s family members on Saturday morning, senior officers took serious note of it and ordered deployment of policemen at all the police quarters. They restricted entry of journalists inside the quarters. They ensured that they did not leave the premises in large numbers at any given time.
However, when Deccan Chronicle spoke to some policemen, they expressed displeasure over the invoking of ESMA by the government, instead of listening to their woes. “We are working according to the police manual. We are sincere and honest to the department. We don't have the intention of going against the government, but in return the government is not properly responding,” said a constable, who lives in Sheshadripuram police quarters.
A head constable, who is a diabetic, said that the government was not taking care of basic requirements of constables. “For instance, the policemen who have above 50 years will be suffering from various health issues, but the government is not providing them proper medical allowance. Moreover, the pay package is very low and needs to be revised.”
A constable’s wife alleged that her husband, like many other constables, was forced to sign an undertaking that he would not take part in any protest. “We are married for 16 years and only twice my husband has taken a long leave for seven days. He did not have leave when I gave birth to our first child. When the situation is so bad, how anyone can expect the police not to protest,” she questioned.
