One-day poll: Police stare at severe manpower shortage

A senior officer from Pune city police said: “At the time of Lok Sabha polls, we had brought in over 2,000 home guard personnel and 500 to 800 police personnel from other districts, apart from the reserved police and paramilitary forces. This time, additional forces from other districts and home guard personnel will not be there. To add to the problem, we may have to send out over 500 of our men to police jurisdictions having even more serious shortage. The rural police jurisdictions in the state have very acute shortage situation. The policy is to give them strength from city jurisdictions.”

The officer, however, said there would be no reduction in the specialised forces like Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), Quick Response Team (QRT), riot control forces and striking forces. “A decision has been taken to cut down on deployment like guards with senior officers. For example, where there are two guards on duty with one senior officer, it will be reduced to one. The staff from the police stations will also be put on elections duties, leaving the essential strength required to run a police station. Staff from the crime branch and other units will also be roped in,” he said.

DCP (Special Branch) Shrikant Pathak said: “The possible shortage is going to put a strain… but we will definitely manage the security arrangements without making any compromises.”

The Pune rural police seem to have more severe shortage and have asked for additional force. Of the 3,236 booths under their jurisdiction, some are categorised as ‘sensitive’. An officer from the Pune rural police said: “The problem with rural areas is that these booths are located far from each other and the police stations are already understaffed. We will have to cut down over 70 per cent of the staff from each police station to be deployed for elections duties. A requisition for additional force has been made but looking at the shortage, we will have to heavily depend upon forces from outside. Personnel may be roped in from other states, railway police and paramilitary forces.”

DSP (Home) Bhaskar Thorat said: “I am sure we will get additional strength and will manage the security arrangements.”