2018, year that was: 4 months since opening, PCMC police still do not have control room
The introduction of this much-needed police commissionerate was one of the biggest highlights of the year on the law and order front. Other than that, the Pune police had their hands full with the Elgar Parishad, Bhima Koregaon violence and the resultant riots
The introduction of this much-needed police commissionerate was one of the biggest highlights of the year on the law and order front. Other than that, the Pune police had their hands full with the Elgar Parishad, Bhima Koregaon violence and the resultant riots.
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police made a mark by making changes for easier flow of traffic, solving cases like the kidnapping of a child from Chinchwad and taking action against illegal gun owners.
They were also handed the Chakan Maratha violence case in which over 4,000 people were booked by Chakan police when it was under the Pune rural police jurisdiction. A special investigation team (SIT) led by Smartana Patil, Zone-1 deputy commissioner of police, Pimpri-Chinchwad, was formed to investigate the matter. The SIT had to begin with crowdsourcing footage of the violence as it had taken place when the PCMC commissionerate had not yet been formed..
Earlier, the police jurisdiction was distributed into four zones including one dedicated to Pimpri-Chinchwad. After August 15, when the Pimpri-Chinchwad police front was launched, the three remaining zones in the city were turned into five zones.
The police authorities and officials also underwent a major reshuffle in the past year around the same time that the Pimpri-Chinchwad commissionerate was formed. Former commissioner Rashmi Shukla was first promoted as the state traffic Additional Director General of Police( ADG ) and later to the post of Maharashtra State Intelligence Commissioner.
During the year, a large number of people were externed from the city as a part of preventive action and the number of cases in which Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Acivities (MPDA) Act and Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) were invoked also increased.
Pimpri-Chinchwad police are also in the process of filing the first two cases under the stringent MCOCA, according to commissioner RK Padmanabhan. With a skeletal strength of officials, the Pimpri-Chinchwad police have managed to foil operations of 5 gangs, control activities of two juvenile gangs and are on the lookout for seven other gangs.
“ The number of crimes must reduce on paper for it to become a reality. We take even small cases very seriously,” said Padmanabhan. “My policemen are present on the streets, even if they are in small numbers, and therefore reach the spot when they are called. The aim is and will be swift public service delivery,” he added when asked about his plans for the coming months.
On the departmental front, the Pune police shed five sub-units of the crime branch in the second week of December. The decision was taken by Pune police Commissioner K Venkatesham. While formation of Pimpri Chinchwad police was a reduction of manpower as well as responsibility, the cutting short of crime branch units led to distribution of their members into other departments.
What happened in 2018?
Even though four months have passed since the opening of the Pimpri Chinchwad police commissionerate, it still does not have a functional control room or a dedicated space for operations. The entire operation is done from a space in the auto cluster.
Positives
Long-standing demand to form a police commissionerate in PCMC fulfilled
Pune Police Commissioner launches drive to enforce helmet use by 2-wheeler riders
Cyber Crime Lab at Shiajivajinagar turned into Cyber Police Station
17 body cameras given to traffic police on roads; additional 85 cameras ordered.
Negatives
Newly-established Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissionerate needs control room, other infra
Police force of 2000 in Pimpri-Chinchwad needs to be augmented with another 7,000
Cases of misconduct and assault on traffic police personnel increased by 10 in 2018 compared to 2017
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2019
Action against helmet rule violators in Pune
A full-fledged office for Pimpri-Chinchwad police
Increased investigation against gun possession and violence in Pimpri-Chinchwad
Intensified traffic woes in Hinjewadi due to metro-3 construction