In an interview with Malayala Manorama, Loknath Behera, DGP of Police, talks about his plans to revamp the police force. If the Left does not have a change of mind, he could also become the longest serving police chief in the state: five years and one month to be precise.
When asked what Loknath Behera is, the head of the police force replied: “I am a god-fearing, common man. I have been entrusted with constitutional duties to help the people of the state-especially the poor. I am approachable and have a passion for modern technologies. Above all, I have no ego.”
Q: Is this why the former police chief said that he can never be Behera?
A: What Senkumar said is right. All people are different. He can't be me as much as I can't be him.
Q: What about security to women?
A: A special programme aimed at safety for women would be designed. It would not be on the lines of the Nirbhaya programme, which started and had an untimely death. An independent agency would be entrusted to find out the problems that women face in the five corporations of the state where the pilot programme would be rolled out. A special questionnaire would be prepared for this as was done in Delhi.
Q: What about woman empowerment in the police force?
A: A special recruitment drive would be made for women officers. Even in Odisha 30 per cent of the police force are women. Here women do not make up even 10 per cent of the police force.
Q: Is not Jisha's murder a disgrace on community policing?
A: That system has to be reviewed. There is no point in policemen walking around and then signing a register. The people have to be taken into confidence and made aware of security issues. For example, if a person has to be summoned to the police station, rather than sending the police to pick up the person in question, selected individuals among the locals would be sent. This is the system in Singapore.
Q: Is it not queer that the police has just one cyber station even as cyber crimes are increasing in the nation?
A: A total revamp is long overdue. New technology with private and public participation has to be implemented. Talks with IBM have been completed in this regard. The current situation is such that a crimes that happen in Kasargod have to be investigated by officers from Thiruvananthapuram. There would be at least one cyber cell in each district. About four to five officers would be IT-trained in each such station. More cells would be started in the capital and Kochi.
Q: How would you control corruption in the police department?
A: The people believe that the police force is corrupt from top to bottom. Recently an actress had called to tell that she had to bribe a policeman with Rs 500. I have taken up the issue with the Vigilance Director. If found corrupt, policemen would be punished.
Q: Corrupt officials occupy prime posts whichever party comes to power in the state.
A: A database of officers would be made to isolate corrupt officers. Officers from SI to DGP would be listed on a scale of 0 to 10 in terms of corruption. That list would be passed on to the government and it would be updated regularly.
Q: What is the CBI model in the police?
A: The CBI has not changed its style of operation after being launched in 1962. That is supposed to be the best style of operation. In five years, legal and forensic experts would be involved more in all cases attracting more than five years of detention. If needed, the help of retired hands would also be taken. The aim is to ensure punishment in at least 96 per cent of offenses.
The programme would be first implemented in the Crime branch. All murder cases that have not been solved in the past five years would be re-investigated as per the CBI model.
Q: What is your main agenda in the next five years?
A: A police technology centre, as in Bhopal, could be started here. All divisions of the police, including research, would be brought under one umbrella.
For 12 years in his 30-year service, Behera was with the CBI and he has already proved his mettle in many sensational cases. However, his immediate focus is on the words that the CM had for him just before he took charge. Pinarayi Vijayan wants him to rid the force of corruption and ensure justice for the poor. He would get all support from the government for that, Pinarayi assured.
Behera, who took upon himself the challenge of the Jisha murder case, is being closely watched by the people of the state-to see if everything will be alright.