Asking policemen to be more disciplined, Governor Ram Naik on Thursday endorsed the `encounter policy’ of the state government.
Addressing police officers after taking guard of honour in a police parade on the occasion of `Police Week’ at Reserve Police Lines in Lucknow, the Governor in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hailed the job of policemen in improving law and order situation but advised them to maintain more discipline.
Comparing the state government’s `Operation Clean’ with the battle between Lord Rama and Ravana, Naik said that just like Lord Rama eliminated demons, the UP Police was doing the same by eliminating criminals.
The Governor said that many police officers were getting their President’s medal for individual achievement after many years and directed the government to ensure that the award winners were felicitated the same year or at least the next year.
Naik said that the role of people was very important in maintaining law and order and so the cops must improve their relation with the common man as only through police-public partnership, the desired result could be achieved.
Showing concern over shortage of manpower in UP Police, Naik asked the Chief Minister to fill up all vacancies in the department at the earliest and also to create new vacancies. Interestingly, the Governor did not forget to raise the issue of traffic chaos in Lucknow and said that the problem needed urgent attention as people in Lucknow were now facing regular traffic snarls.
In the police parade, the main attraction amongst the 18 groups that participated, the team of newly-formed State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
Meanwhile, Naik also honoured police officers who won President’s Medal for Gallantry on the occasion.
IG, SK Bhagat, DIG, Vijay Bhushan and constable Satyendra Singh were feted with gallantry medal for their bravery shown during encounter in Madiaon in Lucknow that left two wanted criminals dead on May 20. 2006.
SSP/SP Rajesh Kumar Pandey and Umesh Kumar Singh received the Presidents Medal for gallantry for an encounter wherein they eliminated four criminals and arrested two others in Kolkata on December 12, 1998.
Addl SP, Ram Nayan Singh was feted with the Gallantry medal for freeing a kidnapped boy and killing a criminal in process in Thakurganj area of Lucknow on December 28, 2006.
IG, GK Goswami and Deputy SPs Praveen Kumar Singh and Preetam Pal Singh were given President’s Medal for Gallantry for eliminating two criminals carryinhg reward in Moradabad on June 25, 2005.
Besides the Governor and the Chief Minister, several ministers, and senior officers were present during the ceremony.