Who moved my police station?

About two weeks ago, City Commissioner of Police AK Viswanathan suspended an Inspector for refusing to accept a complaint from a chain snatching victim, highlighting the jurisdictional issues. 

In doing so, the Commissioner has sent a strong and clear message that his prime objective is citizen-friendly policing and no police official who refuses to entertain complaints citing jurisdictional issues would be spared. 

Meanwhile, a hotline established by the former City Commissioner of Police S George to help people register complaints against erring officials, receives an average of 10 calls every day. Speaking to DTNext, officials at the intelligence control who attend calls to this hotline (044 25615086) say it has not been publicised much, and that people who search online for helpline details call on this number to complain about police inspectors who refuse to accept complaints claiming it was beyond their jurisdictional limit. 

When someone falls victim to a crime, the first thing he/she must know is the police limit under which the crime had taken place. “When we have an issue, we will run to the nearest police station, only to be told by the police there that the area does not fall under their jurisdiction. What we learn from this experience is that the prime objective of the police is not to accept the complaint but to escape from the trouble of investigating it,” Jude Sebastian, a resident of KK Nagar, said. 

If the new Commissioner sticks to what he has announced while assuming office, things could change for the better. “I take this issue very seriously and we are not going to spare any official who refuses to entertain complainants citing jurisdiction limits. Any person can walk into any police station and lodge a complaint, irrespective of where the crime had taken place,” Viswanathan told this newspaper. 

“Most of the complainants approach the station house officers (SHO) with simple issues that could be addressed without any delay. So, this plan is to make SHOs available at the stations to directly attend to the issues of the public. I will be monitoring the availability of the inspectors during these hours at the stations personally,” Viswanathan said. 

However, police officials say they have difficulties in entertaining complaints from other jurisdictions. “It is as though we are intruding into the jurisdiction of other inspectors. A non-jurisdictional station can only accept the complaint and give the Community Service Register (CSR). But the First Information Report (FIR) must be registered by the appropriate jurisdictional police station and investigation must be taken up only by that station,” an inspector said, speaking on condition of anonymity. 

According to Superintendent of police, S Jayakumar, such responses are given by Inspectors, who are either interested in making money or just to remain lazy. 

“There are no difficulties for any inspector to receive any complaint. He can definitely give a CSR and even register the FIR. If the crime is committed in another police station limit, he can easily transfer the case to that police station with a covering letter later,” Jayakumar said. 

Sources said that more than 50 percent of the complaints that come to the police stations are settled without registering a case. 

“Settling of cases is the most preferred option as it could end up as an avenue for illegal revenue for some Inspectors. So, when a complainant is made to run from pillar to post, he will be forced to settle it as per the wish of the police Inspectors. This is also one reason why police inspectors refuse to receive complaints citing jurisdictional issues,” another senior police official said.

An average of 10 calls a day is made to 044-25615086, the City police hotline to lodge complaints regarding jurisdictional issues.

Over 50 per cent of complaints in the 132 police stations in the city are settled out of court.

CoP has made it mandatory for inspectors to be present at stations from 11.30 am to 12.30 pm and 8 pm to 9 pm to receive complaints from public.

As per various circulars issued by the City Commissioner of Police, any person can lodge a complaint at any police station, without worrying about the jurisdictional limits.

On May 11, a couple, who were waylaid and robbed at Kallikuppam, Korattur, first approached the Korattur police and were directed to Puzhal police station citing jurisdiction. At Puzhal, the couple was directed back to Korattur police station, as Puzhal police claimed that the crime was committed in Korattur police limits.

On May 11, a woman flower seller and her autorickshaw driver husband were attacked and robbed in Indira Nagar by chain-snatchers. The couple first approached the Tiruvanmiyur police but were told to file a complaint at Adyar police station. When they went to Adyar, they were asked to go back to Tiruvanmiyur police station. Jurisdiction limit was once again the excuse.

A woman who was robbed on May 17, approached the Tiruverkadu police station but the inspector sent her away saying the crime did not occur in his jurisdiction. Unlike other victims, Halin Christy took up the matter with top cops and the Tiruverkadu crime inspector Jayachandran was suspended by  the CoP.

As per the existing rules, a complainant need not worry about the jurisdiction and can lodge his complaint at any police station. 

The complainant should insist on getting a CSR as an acknowledgment of receiving the complaint. 

In cases of grave crimes, a complainant can also insist on getting the FIR registered at the police station where the complaint is given. 

Aggrieved complainants can lodge complaints regarding inspectors who refuse to accept complaints by calling 044 25615086 or 100. 

They can also register such complaints at the CoP grievance meeting held everyday at City Commissioner of Police office, Vepery.