Himachal govt initiates proposal to make Dehra a police district

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, July 21

The state government has formally started the process of bringing up Dehra police district in Kangra. A proposal in this regard has been sent from the SP office Kangra to the police headquarters. Sources said that as per the proposal, Dehra police district would have boundaries across three Assembly constituencies of Dehra, Jwalamukhi and Jaswan Pragpur.

The sources said that the Chief Minister may dedicate SP office to Dehra at the state level Independence Day function to be organised in the subdivision on August 15.

The government in its Cabinet meeting held on June 18 had decided to bring up police district in Dehra. However, the decision was not notified due to model code of conduct enforced in Dehra subdivision of Kangra due to the byelections. The Chief Minister, during his election campaign, had announced that Dehra would have an SP office and an SE PWD office.

Once the Dehra police district is formed, Kangra would have the third police district. The previous BJP government had formed police district in Nurpur area. The Nurpur police district has jurisdiction over Nurpur, Indora, Jawali and Fatehpur Assembly constituencies.

The Kangra SP office, which at one time was the biggest police district of the state having jurisdiction over 15 Assembly constituencies, would now have jurisdiction of just eight Assembly constituencies. The Dehra police district would now be the 15th police district of the state.

The move of the state government to create a new police district in Dehra is likely to attract criticism from political opponents. The present Congress government, after coming to power, had closed down 900 institutions, including SDM offices, a hospital and police stations opened by the previous BJP government across the state. The Congress government had alleged that opening up of the institutions was a waste of funds at a time when the state was facing financial crisis. The BJP carried out agitations across the state to protest against the closure of institutions.

Now opening up of third police district in Kangra, even when the crime rate in Dehra area is low, is likely to invite criticism.

Many political observers are viewing a giving Dehra police district a move to provide district status to the region. However, in case district status is given to Dehra, demands for district status to other regions of Kangra is likely to emerge. In Kangra district, the residents of Palampur are already demanding a district status.

There is demand for carving out smaller districts in Mandi also.

Decision not notified due to poll code

• The government in Cabinet meeting held on June 18 had decided to bring up police district in Dehra.
• However, the decision was not notified due to model code of conduct enforced in subdivision of Kangra due to Dehra byelections.
• Once the Dehra police district is formed, Kangra would have the third police district.
• Move is likely to attract criticism from political opponents. The Congress government had closed down 900 institutions opened by the BJP government citing financial crisis.