Batote traders rue frequent transfer of SHOs

RK Kichlu

Batote, August 9

Inspector Samir Jilani became the eight Station House Officer (SHO) to be transferred from the Batote police station in 15 months since May 21, 2015. On Monday, Gilani was transferred to restive Kishtwar in the ‘interest of the administration’. He was posted at Batote six months ago from Kishtwar, where he was posted for two years and six months.

Following the transfer of Inspector Mohammad Iqbal Choudhary on May 21, 2015, after putting in one year and two months at the Batote police station, Inspectors Ravinder S Parihar (four months), Verinder Singh and Vinod K Kundal (both 11 months), Rajesh Jasrotia (one month), Arun Kotwal (eight months), Pradeep K Sharma (six days) and now Samir Jilani were transferred in quick succession.

Beopar Mandal president Sanjay Gupta said: “The frequent transfers of SHOs from the police stations have been badly hampering the fight against crime, especially thefts and drug menace, as no SHO is given enough time to execute his plans meticulously.”

On Monday, Gupta led a delegation of the civil society, including leaders of all political parties and religions, to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban Range, Nisar Ahmed to request him to revoke his decision to transfer Inspector Samir Gilani.

“Since Samir is acceptable to all sections of society there (Kishtwar), so he has again been transferred there to tide over the prevailing volatile situation in the interest of the administration,” said the DIG.

Meanwhile, the frequent change of guard has also been reported at other police stations, especially situated along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Ramban district.

Reportedly, the police stations at Ramsu, Chanderkot and Gool have seen 10 SHOs each, Batote has seen nine, Banihal seven and Ramban six in the past about four years.

At Gool, once a hotbed of militancy, no officer has stayed for more than one and a half year except Inspector Sunil Arya. Since December 18, 2011, Sub-Inspector Rakesh Jamwal and Deputy Sub-Inspector of Police (Probation) Majeed A Wani had a four-month tenure each.

Inspector Sukhdev Singh, Sub-Inspector Mushtaq A Jeral, Inspector Surjit Kumar and Inspector Rouf A Khan had a three-month tenure each while Sub-Inspector Afzal Wani was posted only for five days. At the Ramsu police station, no SHO has stayed for a year since July 23, 2011.

Inspector Satvir S Jamwal and Ajay S Chib have stayed for 11 and 10 months, respectively. Inspectors Ashwani Kumar, Raghubir Singh and Barkat Qureshi have stayed for four months each. Inspectors Nazir A Dar and Abdul Momin have stayed for five and seven months, respectively. Inspectors Barkat Hussain and Vinit Kumar for only 10 and six days, respectively.

At Chanderkot, except Inspectors Sukhdev Singh (one year) and Rakesh Jasrotia (one year and six months), no officer has stayed for a year since March 10, 2011.

Sub-Inspector Shamim Ahmed had a one-month tenure, Sub-Inspector Mohammad Hussain (one month), Inspector Rakesh Jasrotia (eight days), Sub-Inspector Mohammad Hussain (second tenure of two months), Deputy Sub-Inspector (Probation) Rameez Raja (four months), Inspector Ajay S Chib (five months) and Inspector Rajinder K Sharma (five months).

In Banihal, Inspectors Mohammad Showkat Choudhary, Sajad Haider and Tariq Hussain Naik stayed for one year and seven months, one year and three months and one year, respectively.