This police station exists only on paper

Top police officials confirm that Kohkameta police station in Narayanpur district has never existed for the past 23 years. All the policemen officially attached to it are in fact reporting to other police stations. But all this is only on paper. Ejaz Kaiser reports.

It is a police station with a full strength of 65 personnel — one town inspector, two sub-inspectors, four assistant sub-inspectors, eight head constables and 50 constables. All 65 are regularly paid their salaries. It is mentioned in all relevant government notifications and official files.

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But all this is only on paper.

Top police officials confirm that Kohkameta police station in Narayanpur district has never existed for the past 23 years. All the policemen officially attached to it are in fact reporting to other police stations in the district.

Kohkameta lies in the heart of the Maoists’ “liberated zone” in the state. In mid-1984, Kohkameta police outpost was converted into a full-scale police station under an upgradation plan in the then undivided Madhya Pradesh.

But as Maoist activity in the region increased, the entire staff at the thana abandoned it within a few months. With Maoist influence in the area steadily growing since then, all attempts to reopen the police station have ended in failure.

“The area is hilly and heavily forested,” said a senior police official. “We have tried three times recently to make it a functioning thana again, but we failed. The last attempt was in June this year.”

“I have visited the place and found that Maoists have completely destroyed the structure,” said Ajay Yadav, SP, Narayanpur. “We don’t have enough back-up force there to take on the Naxalites should they attack.”