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Get fit in 3 months or get fired, Assam Police warns cops

Assam DGP GP Singh said that the move was in line with directions from chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarm

Updated on: May 16, 2023, 15:40:16 IST
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The Assam police have decided to conduct a fitness survey of cops and to ask those found ‘unfit’ to take voluntary retirement from service, state police chief GP Singh said on Tuesday.

Assam director general of police, GP Singh. (File Photo)
Assam director general of police, GP Singh. (File Photo)

Singh, the director general of police (DGP), said that the move was in line with directions from chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio. He mentioned that there will be “professional recording” of BMI of all police personnel including those from the Indian Police Service (IPS).

“We plan to give three months’ time to all Assam police personnel including IPS and Assam Police Service (APS) officers till August 15 and then start BMI assessment in the next 15 days,” Singh said on Twitter.

“All those who are in obese (BMI 30+) category would be offered another three months’ time to reduce weight (till November end) and after that VRS (voluntary retirement scheme) option, except those who have genuine medical ground like thyroidism etc.,” he added.

Singh said that he would be the first to take the BMI recording on August 16.

On April 30, the chief minister announced that those in the police force who are habitual drinkers, obese and have corruption cases against them would be given the option of VRS or compulsory retirement scheme (CRS).

“Three hundred officers and jawans (in the state police) are habitual drinkers and excess consumption of alcohol has damaged their bodies. We have the provision of VRS for them,” Sarma had said.

A few days prior to that announcement, the CM in a meeting with senior police officers had instructed them to “remove deadwood from the force” to make the state police a fitter organisation.

  • Utpal Parashar
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Utpal Parashar

    A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More