Riot control units to come up in all Bihar districts

The Bihar police headquarters (PHQ) decided to set up riot control unit (RCU) in every district to effectively deal with law and order situations, communal tensions, violent protests, roads blockade, attacks on government property and other emergencies, official said on Wednesday

The Bihar police headquarters (PHQ) decided to set up riot control unit (RCU) in every district to effectively deal with law and order situations, communal tensions, violent protests, roads blockade, attacks on government property and other emergencies, official said on Wednesday. The PHQ has planned to form a total of 49 RCUs by dividing all the 38 districts and two police districts into A, B and C categories.

The RCUs will be constituted at the district and sub-divisional levels, comprising trained men, women police personnel, lathis team, medical, ambulance teams, video documentation teams, communication and reserve forces.

According to a statement by the PHQ, “Each RCU will comprise three platoons with each having 47 trained police personnel, including an in-charge officer. Each platoon will also have two vehicles -- one bus and one truck.”

Patna will have three companies and 18 vehicles, while Gayaji, Rohtas, Muzaffarpur, Saran, Motihari, Bettiah, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Samastipur, Bhagalpur and Begusarai will have two companies and 12 vehicles each.

Twenty-one districts in Category B including Nalanda, Aurangabad, Nawada, Bhojpur, Jehanabad, Vaishali, Sitamarhi, Siwan, Gopalganj, Saharsa, Supaul, Madhepura, Purnea, Katihar, Araria, Kishanganj, Banka, Munger, Jamui, Khagaraia and Kaimur will have one company and six vehicles each, while six districts in Category C including Arwal, Sheohar, Bagaha, Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura and Naugachhia will have one platoon and two vehicles each.

The PHQ said in any information related to riots and violent situations, the district control rooms would ensure that the RCU reaches the designated location within 20 minutes. The RCU will coordinate with senior police officers at the spot and continuously assess the situation to ensure appropriate action. Personnel selected for the RCU will undergo one month of specialised training at their respective district police lines.

A PHQ official, familiar with the matter said the selected trainers would receive training at the Rapid Action Force Academy for Public Order (RAPO) in Meerut, after which they will train personnel in their respective districts. A one-week rotational refresher course will also be organised for each platoon every three months under the supervision of the DSP (Reserve) at the police lines.

Senior SPs and SPs of the districts will ensure adequate arrangements for training, equipment and accommodation, while range-level IGs and DIGs will monitor the implementation.