14 policemen suspended for Assembly security lapse

BHOPAL: As many as 14 policemen, including two officers, were suspended on Tuesday for negligence during security duty at the assembly.
DIG Dharmendra Choudhary punished them after he went on a surprise inspection to the Patrakar Bhawan trisection barricades, and found the cops lounging in the shade of tree, reading newspapers or busy on WhatsApp.
They were part of the outer protection ring of the state assembly.
Those suspended include inspector Pradeep Khanna from Alirajpur, ASI Karan Singh of Nishatpura, two head constables, six constables of Bhopal Police and four from 14 Battalion.
Sources say the cops had been warned repeatedly earlier not to leave their designated points and sit under the tree. On Tuesday, a DSP-level officer was passing by, when he warned them and briefed them about their duty.

‘Got complaints about staff’
DIG Choudhary passed the spot in his car around 9.45am, and found the policemen sitting under the tree. Furious at the negligence, he suspended them on the spot.
DIG Choudhary told TOI that the assembly has multi-tier security when the House is in sessions. Cops from other districts as well as Bhopal Police and SAF are roped in.
The perimeter barricades are crucial because they are the first wall against unwanted elements entering the restricted zone. “I was getting complaints regarding the staff deployed at Patrakar Bhawan point. Senior officers had warned them, but they continued to be negligent. I suspended them to ensure that security personnel at various checking points get the message that they will be held accountable for any negligence. The suspended staff may be reinstated soon, but their suspension will be marked on their service record and they will have to face an enquiry,” said DIG Choudhary.