Jamshedpur, July 16: As crimes like chain-snatching, bike-lifting, thefts and eve-teasing continue unabated in the steel city, about 600 policemen including 40 officers have been deputed at Deoghar for maintaining the law and order during the month-long Shravani Mela which begins there from July 20.
Sources informed that for next one month policing in steel city is likely to suffer due to less cops on the streets.
Superintendent of police (City) Prashant Anand said that the decision has been taken following orders from the state police headquarters asking the East Singhbhum district police to send 550 policemen, including havaldars (head constables) and 40 officers to be deputed at the Shravani Mela.
“We have no choice but to comply with the instruction of the headquarters and have already started sending policemen to Deoghar. By July 18, all the 550 policemen and 40 officers will reach Deoghar for maintaining law and order situation at the grand Shravani Mela,” said Anand.
The SP (City), when questioned, admitted that due absence of cops from the city it will have impact in carrying out patrolling at the city and also maintaining the traffic system. But he prompted to add that they would make sure to better post existing forces to ensure strict vigil and security.
“Though we will have to face problems in carrying out the strict patrolling the streets. But we will make the optimum utilisation of the existing police force after about 600 of them are deputed away in Deoghar,” said Anand.
He, however, declined to give out the figure of the total number of police force in the Jamshedpur police, claiming security reason.
However, sources at the Police Line revealed that the number of cops to be deputed at Shravani Mela in Deoghar is about 20 percent of the total strength in the East Singhbhum district .
A senior police officer on condition of anonymity admitted that the law and order situation will suffer as a sizeable number of policemen and officers are being deputed at Deoghar.
A crime wave has gripped the city in recent months with figures showing a substantial increase in the number of attacks, thefts and loot taking place across the city. While the deteriorating law and order situation in the city remains major concern, the city has witnessed steep rise in suicides too.
�The city had been free from crimes, but now the `knife culture’ has taken roots. The police should act with utmost vigil and nab the accused. The increase in crimes is a matter of concern. Thefts were a common but recent rise of cases of murders is serious,� said a district official.