Kochi: Motor Vehicle Department officials need to secure themselves from irate drivers who are pulled up for checks as they should not expect police protection.
The recent instruction of Director General of Police, Kerala, to ensure police protection to MVD officials during vehicle inspections is reportedly against regulations.
Even Excise officials, who handle those with stronger criminal instincts, are not given such security by police during the raids.
Except for the armed forces, all the enforcement agencies need to work and secure its personnel all by themselves.
But government employees and public can seek police protection through the court, which has the power to order the same, just like executive magistrates with similar powers.
A few days ago the district police chiefs in Kerala got instructions from the police headquarters to provide security to MVD personnel on duty.
This instruction to back up specially trained MVD officials reportedly upset Station House Officers as they have to put up with extra work load especially when they are short of personnel even for station duty.
As per recent statistics 90% of Kerala's police stations are short of five to 10 civil police officers on an average.
IPC Section 353
Police can register a case as per this section if government officials (including MVD staff) are deterred from discharging their duties, and the culprit can be awarded two years of jail along with a fine.
The case would be a lot more serious if the official gets injured. As per IPC 332 the assailant may get three years of jail and fine. As per the nature of the injury, the case's seriousness would also go up.
