NAGPUR CP SAYS, CHALLENGES GIVE YOU COMPANY..!
A no nonsense officer, the Nagpur CP Amitesh Kumar is known for Busting major scandals, prohibiting illegalities & ensuring public good by rule of law. That's policing for him.
The Nagpur CP Amitesh Kumar is known for his professional work ethics and no nonsense approach. IndiaInput.com spoke to him on his experiences about policing during his career so far.
By Sanjay Ramakant Tiwari
An IPS officer from Maharashtra, credited for unmasking the unbelievable intrusion of scandalous match fixing elements in the gentlman’s game. He is also known to have miraculously changed the public behavior to ensure regular use of helmets by two wheel riders, in a city where there was none. He is the one to have prohibited a complex conundrum involving an age old continuation of immoral trafficking along with thriving illegal practices, in another city, to save women, minor girls, the society from the rot and for the sake of public health.
For Amitesh Kumar, an IPS of 1995 batch, also LLB, LLM and PG Dip in Cyber Law and as an Additional Director General of Police Maharashtra, it is just an everyday life for him, ensuring that the rule of law prevails. Also, for taking the challenges head-on and emerging victorious for the causes of public good, everytime.
Lets go back for a while. A big breaking news that had stormed the world of Cricket in 2007. The venue was Police Gymkhana, in Civil Lines, Nagpur. Amitesh Kumar, a DCP then with the Nagpur Police, had put the taped conversations between an international Cricketer and a Cricket bookie as evidence before a stunned special security team of the ICC. It was for the first time, that the extent of the dangerous intrusion by the match fixing menace was so meticulously brought to the fore. The storm that ensued, left the Cricket loving world, badly shaken. It also led to a subsequent ban on the West Indies all rounder Marlon Samuels from international Cricket for a couple of years, under the match fixing charges.
Fourteen years later, at the same venue, he, now as the Commissioner of Nagpur Police, while preparing to address a meeting of his team of officers, says a matter of factly, -‘What is a challenge..it stays with us giving company.. Challenge is there every day, every moment.’
I spoke to him on encounters with some more recent challenges. Excerpts :
Q : Take for example, prohibiting the practice of prostitution in ‘Ganga Jamuna’, a red light area of old Nagpur, where it was going on since years..wasn’t it a huge challenge? While the local residents have heaved a big sigh of relief, because they had to put up with a lot many illegalities, on a daily basis. Yet, there has been criticism in a section.. the talk of rights, talk of high handedness. How do you deal with it..
AK : It was a difficult decision. The prostitution was happening there since quite some time, paving way to a range of illegal activities. It was getting more and more complex by the passage of time. What is prohibited in the law is prostitution in public places, soliciting in public places, engaging minors and women against their will..
For the purpose of prostitution. On all these counts, there were open illegalities going on in the said Ganga Jamuna area. It was becoming a hub for criminal activities and all sorts of other illicit and immoral activities. There were issues of public health and safety arising due to these illegalities in the said area. Based on discussions with various stake holders, it was decided that instead of remaining a mute spectator, we should go and shut down these illegal activities. We took various steps as per the provisions of law, like sealing of eight brothel houses, issuing notifications declaring certain areas as public places, besides issuing orders for prohibition of prostitution in these areas which were public places. As expected, there were some agitations by a group of people, especially the brothel house owners, who were the main instigators and some other small group of people. However, we have been able to stick to our stand and though I am convinced about the legality of our action, we are still open to whatever decisions, the honorable courts give, since certain matters are subjudice.
Q. : It must have been a huge challenge.. owing to the fact that, despite the larger public thanking the Police, there are a few voices being raised or instigated..
AK : Yeah.. this has been a very challenging task. One school of thought has been that the police has unnecessarily taken a burden on itself. But, my point of view is very very clear. That, only because this place continues to be in existence since a long time, we can not allow such illegalities that impact on the issues of public health, child safety and on issues involving the dignity of women. It is a shameful fact that women have been forced to enter into prostitution. It is a matter of shame on society. And.. though there have been criticism directed towards the Nagpur Police in general and me individually on a personal basis, we stand firmly on our ground. Inspite and despite of provocations by certain individuals with vested interests, we have not fallen prey to any provocation. Within the mandated provisions of the law, we have sought to take the issue to its logical end. This is one of the challenges and I could cite it because, its a live issue. Every day is a fresh challenge, to ensure that, the duties entrusted upon us are fulfilled in a fair and impartial manner.
Making Aurangabad Helmet friendly !
Q. : I have been visiting Aurangabad quite frequently since almost three decades. The city, to me, never appeared to be comfortable with the idea of personal and social safety. For example, there was almost no use of helmets by two wheeler riders or similarly, there seemed no practice prevalent then, of using seat belts by four wheeler drivers and fellow travellers. But after 2017, the picture has become strikingly different. And, while you were trying everything possible, to induce a positive change in behaviour, there was so much hue and cry. There were protests and criticism. Today however, the picture there is assuringly positive. How does it feel today to find that using helmets and safety belts is the new normal in Aurangabad. Especially in the background of all that early resistence..
AK : Yes, the city had never ever witnessed any of the two wheeler riders using helmets. Making people understand the need to use helmets and enforcing it, was a tough task. Yes, though its meant for their own safety. But, we did it and ensured that people wore it. It is a major achievement indeed to find that, the change in behaviour continues to persist even today.. Great that, the people there are using helmets on a large scale even today.
Q. : Yeah, I remember, the general mood was like- ‘not wearing a helmet was some kind of an act of bravery.’ However, to put the safety point across, you probably used all possible options at hand. Even the social media to influence the users and especially the youths. There was this iconic picture in the newspapers that delievered the message softly yet subtly in one go. And much more effectively, than a thousand word article. It showed you, the city’s commissioner of police, in uniform, clicking a selfie while holding a helmet in the other hand. It somehow changed perceptions, thereby making wearing a helmet, suddenly the ‘in thing’.
AK : Yes, our directive to use helmets was initially regarded as a ‘fatwa’. People said that,-‘Yeh CP ne ‘Fatwa’ issue kiya hai..ki helmet pahanana chahiye.’ The initial response from probably all political parties was that of opposition. I mean, they were not sure whether we would be able to take it ahead to its logical end. But, the confidence of the general public on the Police, ensured that they started wearing helmets. There were voluntary compliances in large numbers. We interacted with colleges, which in turn ensured that parking within their premises was allowed only if the rider was wearing a helmet. So, the cooperation and support from the stakeholders also played a big role. Once we began getting good positive response, the political parties also started helping the Police to implement the move. It is not about enforcing with a heavy hand, but also about convincing people that it was in the interest of the society and if they join, the implementation would be quite smoother and faster. Inculcating that faith about the Police and the administration among the masses, that it is in public good and as per the law, is very crucial. It is the biggest challenge. It is not a one time effort. It is a daily effort. Every decision that we take, has to be measured on that scale.
Q. : You have been the Police Commissioner at Aurangabad and also at Amravati. Both these cities are known for their communally sensitive pockets. Wasn’t it a big challenge to ensure peace prevailed..
AK : There were incidences but, we ensured that appropriate communal harmony was maintained, that there is aggressive positive interaction with the communities and also there is enough deterrence for anti socials not to take law in their hands. Primarily we used this dual approach of interacting with community leaders and all those who matter to convince them on what is right and what is wrong. And also to send a message across, that the Police is well equipped to handle any situation seeking to threaten an impact on the city.
Summing it all up, I wish to know what’s the daily agenda for him. And the reply is,-‘To ensure that legal action is taken in each matter, effective redressal follows every grievance, the force stays disciplined, motivated and follows due protocols of integrity. To ensure that the force is with all those on the right side of the law and each and every decision is taken in a transparent, legal manner after accessing all the Pros and Cons. And most importantly, to maintain a sense of confidence among the general public. That, however high and mighty an offender may be, he or she will be dealt in accordance with the provisions of law. Thats the daily agenda. And offcourse, the challenges give us company!’
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