West Bengal has unique distinction to have hills, jungles, oceans and the plains within its geographical area – a feature not available in most other states. Of the districts in the state South 24 Parganas is distinctly different from others. It has famous Sundarbans Jungle, which is known for its Royal Bengal Tiger, other wild animals and reptiles, largely because of its proximity to the Bay of Bengal. The Sundarbans area is also very close to Bangladesh border. The human habitation has been increasing in this region with the changing time and the sprawling district was accordingly divided into three police districts for the administrative convenience following the state government’s decision.
Three police districts- Baruipur, Diamond Harbour and Sundarbans have headquarters at Baruipur, Maheshtala and Kakdwip Lot 8 respectively. Senior Superintendent of Police Sunil Choudhury said, “The decision to form these police districts is to provide better services to the people. Bifurcation of such big district was a need over the years. This will help in quick police movement from one place to another within bifurcated shorter jurisdiction. This will also be a great help for the people who use to go to headquarters for various purposes. SPs of newly formed districts will function independently but I will coordinate overall.”
Police lines and headquarters of Sundarbans police district will be set up in and around Kakdwip and the authorities are now in search of a piece of land around 12 acres. Tathagata Basu, Superintendent of Police, Sundarbans said, the lone traffic guard at Kulpi is functioning in the district and there is a plan to have another at Kakdwip. He said there is need to have more manpower to manage 14 important junctions, which are heavily congested. Radio Transmission(RT) and District Control Room will also function under one roof. Certain areas including Kulpi, Mandirbazar and Dholahat are communally sensitive and a core team would be set up for easy access to information. The team comprised with a constable or two and five civic police will be headed by an officer. Civic police while receiving any information will immediately pass on to the officer of the team and the said officer will inform the same to superior officers for further action. SP Sundarbans said, police force will be deputed at Mandir bazar under the supervision of DSP (Mandirbazar) as to mobilize it quickly to take control of law and order in case of any untoward situation. Some areas like Raidighi, Mathurapur, Mandirbazar are far flung from the district headquarters and it is easier to reach those places from Mandirbazar. However, the post of DSP (Falta) has been renamed as DSP (Mandirbazar), he added.
The area has a stretch of 74-km long national highway. There are some encroachments on roads due to fish and betel wholesale markets. Traders and local people have to be sensitised for curbing encroachment as well as creating road safety awareness. Mandirbazar, Raidighi are crime prone areas with cases like human trafficking and brewing of illicit liquor production. Police raids continuously to maintain normalcy in the area and 36 cases had been registered within last one month. As part of their community policing work they are going ahead with the ‘Safe Drive Save Life’ programme along with the Swayangsigdha project involving senior girl students to carryout the mass awareness campaign against the human trafficking.
Newly formed Diamond Harbour police district is comprised with 12 police stations and one woman police stations and population of the area is around 26.5 lakh, informed Koteswar Rao Nalavat, Superintendent of Police, Diamond Harbour. According to him, unemployment leads to a serious problem that sometimes crop up crime and law and order issue. A large number of people are associated with the illegal distilleries and distribution of ID liquor. Police, however frequently raid at such distilleries, destroy huge quantity of hooch and register specific cases but the situation remains minimally changed. The menace of hooch can be completely stopped if alternative employment can be provided. ‘We will take up the issue with the civil administration to sort out the menace of hooch and problem of local unemployment’ said SP Diamond Harbour. Despite huge shortage of manpower, almost every unit has been set up in this district. The headquarters and police lines of Diamond Harbour police district is at Sarengabad. Control room, computer section, District Crime Record Bureau (DCRB), District Intelligence Branch (DIB) has already been set up and arrangements are being made for parade and manpower training at police lines.
SP, Diamond Harbour said, ‘We have taken up the issue of traffic infrastructures with the appropriate authorities. PWD has been requested to widen and improve condition of roads and Maheshtala Municipality has been requested for proper illumination of roads. ‘Dostipur, Amtala and Sirakol are heavily congested and accident prone areas. Adequate measures have been taken to reduce road accidents particularly in these three black spots. Besides creating awareness on road safety, checking, surveillance and prosecution are done under supervision of Deputy Superintendent of Police(Traffic). Besides, installation of guard rails, incandescent cones, speed breakers extensive checking are carried by traffic personnel at different traffic posts. Speed cameras are used to record moments of signal and speed violation. Breathe analyzers are used to ascertain drunken driving and 185 prosecutions have been made for drunken driving within a few months. Some areas are vulnerable and communally sensitive in the district. It has been emphasized to increase the visibility of the police through regular patrolling, interception (Naka) and surprise visits. Civic volunteers have been deputed for collecting information from vulnerable areas and police take immediate control over the situation before any untoward incident crop up. Koteswar Rao Nalavat, SP Diamond Harbour said that they were utilizing social media modern mode of communication including whatsapp , facebook to spread awareness about the menace of human trafficking in the area. Sampriti Cup Football Tournament and cricket tournament are also organized to promote better relationships with the locals.
Altogether 13 police stations and two women police stations have been brought under the newly formed Baruipur police district where more than 38 lakh people reside. Kultali and Joynagar are historically crime prone areas. Besides, crimes against body and property, human trafficking Baruipur police have also to face challenges of piracy. Pirates from neighbouring country use to loot money and fish from Indian fishing boats and trawlers. The police arrested eight pirates.
Superintendent of Police Arijit Sinha said they had received 25 acres land for setting up a permanent police lines in Tangtala area. He said the area is developing very fast with the development of Basanti Highway and the areas proximity to the state capital town. He said Sonarpur Traffic Guard is maintaining the ever increasing traffic through the area keeping pace with the steady development. He said the cases of violation of traffic had gone up several times in recent days. CCTV Cameras have been installed at many points to keep tab on the traffic movement in the area.
The SP said they lay emphasis on the community participation for better relationship among the local people and carry on the Swayangsiddha project with the involvement of girls high schools to prevent human trafficking which is rampant in the area. They also organize rehabilitation programme to help the process of improvement in the society. They promote community policing by involving younger people in various programmes including sports meet.
By Our Special Correspondent
