Jodhpur police accused of inaction, bribery

JODHPUR: While efforts are on to make the police more public-friendly and responsive, people continue to face difficulty not only in getting their reports filed but also in knowing about the progress of investigation.

Ravi, a mason worker, filed a report in online mode to the police that he was assaulted by 3-4 persons near his house on December 12 last year.

The assailants, his neighbours, snatched his phone and fled from the spot, he alleged. The report was referred to Shastri Nagar police station mentioning the names of the accused. Since then, Ravi has been making rounds of the police station in the hope of some action on his report. Initially, the investigation officer (IO), a head constable, told him that he was on leave. Then, he stopped responding to Ravi's calls.

TOI tried to talk to the Shasti Nagar staion house officer (SHO) Om Karan, but in vain. Karan, however, called back when the matter was referred to the DCP (West). "I was out so I could not receive the phone. I will talk to the IO for action," said the SHO after being told about the matter.

This conversation happened on Thursday. The situation was the same when TOI inquired from the complainant on Monday. "The IO is not responding to my calls," Ravi said. When TOI brought the matter back to the notice of the DCP (West), Ravi received a call from the SHO.

In an even more shocking incident, a policeman, instead of filing a report, allegedly took Rs 15,000 from the father of a minor girl who had allegedly been kidnapped, on the assurance of bringing back the daughter.

When nothing happened in the case, the complainant approached the police commissioner and a case was filed in Mata Ka Than police station on Saturday.

Police commissioner Ravi Dutt could not be contacted, but a senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that it would be difficult to verify the allegation of the policeman taking Rs 15,000 from the complainant.

In yet another example, a report by a rape survivor of being threatened to withdraw her case was filed on Friday only when she took along her advocate to the police station after cops allegedly refused to file her report.