Terror, Naxals biggest challenge for police: DGP

Maharashtra’s new director general of police Sanjeev Dayal has flagged terrorism and Naxal violence as the two biggest challenges faced by the state police. A 1977-batch state cadre IPS officer, Dayal took over from K Subramanyam on Tuesday.

Maharashtra’s new director general of police Sanjeev Dayal has flagged terrorism and Naxal violence as the two biggest challenges faced by the state police. A 1977-batch state cadre IPS officer, Dayal took over from K Subramanyam on Tuesday.

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The new DGP added that though the challenges were being met with ‘assets’ put on the field by the administration, “more needs to be done”. He said he would soon meet the various unit heads, including the anti-terrorism squad (ATS) chief, state intelligence chief, chief of special operations and the additional director general (law and order) to take stock of the situation and devise newer ways to counter threats.

Dayal said the basic job of the police is to protect and secure the common man.

“That is why improving service delivery and enforcing the rule of law will be the prime focus,” Dayal said. He also listed improving the conviction rate and the law and order situation as priority tasks.

Dayal said the initiatives taken by the police are fraught with difficulties and may not reap results in short term. “But that will not deter the force and the results will show in the long run,” he added.

Earlier, the outgoing DGP K Subramanyam said that training the constabulary in public relations holds key to improving the police-public equation. He said new subjects to this effect have been incorporated in the syllabus at constabulary training schools during his tenure.

Subramanyam said “bringing objectivity and transparency to the system were given priority” during his tenure. He said steps were taken to strengthen and streamline postings in the Naxal-infested districts of the state to fix accountability for misgivings. “With the establishment of a linear structure, the accountability can also be fixed,” Subramanyam added.