Covid-19 has challenged all those people who were front runners, 91 more Maharashtra cops test positive in 24 hours on Sunday, taking tally in state police department to 2,416. The total tally includes 183 police officers and 1,238 policemen. Total 26 cops have died due to coronavirus in the Maharashtra police department. There was no adequate safety, long working hours, constant public contact and no facilities on patrolling booths most vulnerable were Mumbai police.
Amid this threat many SRPF jawans refused to resume on duty. The Vanrai police have registered a FIR against 17 jawans of Maharashtra State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) posted in the city for not turning up for duty in the city during the lockdown.
All of them have been already put under suspension by the SRPF for remaining absent. According to the complaint filed by SRPF official attached with group 8, owing to the lockdown due to the outbreak of a COVID-19 virus, the disaster management act has been imposed in the state.
When Afternoon Voice managed to speak to SRPF Jawan, he told under the condition of anonymity, “No one is scared of termination or action taken against them, rather we were very much scared when deployed at various risky zones without safety guards. All those who skipped their duties, have reason to do so. We are also human and government should treat us like human.”
The SRPF is a disciplined force and is working for maintaining law and order in the state. The 17 jawans attached with group 8 of the SRPF have been absent without permission of the senior officials in written and few have not resumed duty even after their leave got over. The complainant states that even after issuing the jawans notice to join the duty repeatedly, they did not do so.
Hence, 17 jawans were suspended as per the protocol. The orders of their suspension have been sent to the concerned jawan via WhatsApp.
However, even after suspension, they did not present themselves at the SRPF group’s headquarters for inquiry as per the protocol. Hence, the orders of registering a FIR have been given.
“The jawans have remained absent on duty and did not join the duty even after the notices were issued to them and hence the officials were suspended and as per the protocol. After the suspension, the jawans were supposed to be present at the SRPF headquarters. However, the jawans did not present themselves at the headquarters and hence action is being taken against them, “said an SRPF official.
The FIR has been registered against them under section 14 (deserting the force) of Maharashtra SRPF Act, section 145 (failure to return to duty after leave) of Maharashtra Police Act and Section 56 in the Disaster Management Act (Failure of an officer in duty or his connivance at the contravention of the provisions of this Act).
