Grappling with rising crime, Mohali SSP seeks more cops

The Mohali police currently has around 2,300 cops, of which only 1,600 are on field duty; several cops are also attached with officials in Chandigarh

Amid the rise in crime in Mohali, SSP Sandeep Garg has written to the Punjab DGP, requesting to increase the sanctioned police strength in the district.

There are 28 Police Control Room vehicles in Mohali, while only 50 cops have been deployed for traffic management. (HT File Photo)

The Mohali police currently has around 2,300 cops, of which only 1,600 are on field duty. Several cops are attached with officials in Chandigarh, while many posts left vacant by retiring cops have not been filled.

There are 28 Police Control Room (PCR) vehicles, while only 50 cops have been deployed for traffic management.

The thinning number of cops has adversely affected the investigation process. A police official requesting anonymity said investigation in around 7,500 cases was still pending. Then, frequent movement of VVIPs to this Chandigarh-adjoining district also keeps the available police force on toes, leaving routine policing neglected.

“During the 2011 population census, Mohali district had a population of around 10 lakh that has now increased to over 18 lakh. But there has been no increase in the number of cops,” said another police official.

“When it comes to law and order, a comparison is always drawn between Mohali and Chandigarh. Firstly, Chandigarh has over 6,500 cops, while Mohali, which has expanded both in terms of area and population, has only one-third of that number,” the official added.

As per a reply submitted in the Rajya Sabha in 2020 by the state government, in Punjab, the sanctioned police strength for per lakh population is 321, but the actual cops deployed are 268 per lakh population.

Speaking to HT, SSP Sandeep Garg said, “The issue has been brought to the notice of seniors and we are hopeful of an early resolution.”

New police station for Aerocity

The SSP has also communicated police’s plans to add another police station to intensify the security cover around Aerocity and surrounding areas.

The need of setting up the new police station was felt due to the increasing population in and around Aerocity.

With this the number of police stations in the district will reach 21. When carved out as a district in 2006, Mohali had eight police stations and two police posts. Nearly 17 years later, their number now stands at 20 and eight, respectively.