The Hindu
- At least two Deputy Commissioners will assist the Police Commissioner
- Area under commissionerate will be much more than the present jurisdiction of the city district
BANGALORE, Oct 18: The State Government has decided to upgrade the Mangalore police district and accord it the status of a Police Commissionerate. Then Mangalore will have an officer of the rank of Inspector-General of Police as Police Commissioner.
The recent communal riots in Mangalore and the consequent looting and damage to property apart from the curfew have hastened the pace for the Government to upgrade the police district. The Union Government was keeping a close watch over the prevailing law and order situation in Karnataka. This has given room to the suspicion that the authorities in the Centre would not hesitate to clamp Central rule in the State.
Minister for Home and Parliamentary Affairs M.P. Prakash told The Hindu here that the decision would be implemented shortly and a formal proposal from the State police had been received. This was irrespective of the fact that the demand for a Police Commissionerate for Mangalore was under consideration for over a decade.
At least two Deputy Commissioners would assist the Police Commissioner of Mangalore. The area under the Police Commissionerate would be much more than the present jurisdiction of the city district.
The other districts that required upgradation were Belgaum, Gulbarga and Davangere. Belgaum was next in the list as it has been identified as the next important urban agglomeration of the State after Bangalore.
As per the recommendations of the National Police Commission, every city with a population of 10 lakh should be upgraded to the status of a Police Commissionerate that would obviously ensure a higher degree of policing. A Police Commissioner is also a District Magistrate and can opt for clamping prohibitory and shoot-at-sight orders among other powers. Meanwhile, Mr. Prakash left for New Delhi to call on Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and submit a report on the Mangalore riots.
Interestingly, Union Minister of State for Home Prakash Jaiswal was in Mangalore on Monday to visit the areas affected by riots.
The Home Minister said the State Government had ordered another inquiry into the Mangalore riots to look into the genesis of the Mangalore riots. It would be conducted by Additional Chief Secretary to the State Government A.K. Agarwal. He has been asked to submit his report in a fortnight.