GAURIPUR, April 9 - Rupshi police outpost, under BTAD and situated on the border of Dhubri and Kokrajhar districts, covering an area of about 30 square kilometres has failed to control crimes due to shortage of staff.
While visiting the police outpost this correspondent found only one sub-inspector cum in-charge of the outpost, one nayak, one body constable and a home guard. It is very surprising for the common people as to how the Home department is functioning without proper and required number of police personnel in such an outpost.
Once the area was a hotbed of the extremists and, therefore, to restore confidence, peace and harmony among the people of the area, the outpost was established in 2009 and the administrative building was constructed in a plot of land measuring two bighas purchased from the relatives of the Rupshi Zaminder family. Except the administrative building, there is not a single quarter for the staff members and they are now living in makeshift quarters.
It is general opinion of people of the area that the police outpost should be manned by at least two sub-inspectors, two assistant sub-inspectors, 4 to 8 male constables, 4 female constables and a dozen of home guards. It is also surprising that there is not a single government vehicle to carry the staff to the place of occurrence and the in-charge is compelled to hire vehicles for their use. The outpost is also not safe. There is no pucca fencing around the entire plot causing entry of undesirable and anti-national elements. As for arms and ammunition, the government has provided a few arms to the outpost which seems to be insufficient.
People of the area including the local activists of the ruling party urged upon the government to man the outpost with sufficient staffs, cover the entire area with pucca walls, construct quarters and provide vehicles to deal with the problems of anti-social elements, which is causing great concern due to shortage of staffs.
The people lamented that in spite of several representations, the authority has not paid any attention to their genuine demands.
