Video Producer: Pratyusha Roychowdhury
Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam
A senior police officer is posted at a district and within a month’s time, he/she is transferred. An international programme is planned in a certain district. But just before that, the SSP is transferred.
Not just one or two, Uttar Pradesh saw an enormous number of officer transfers, especially in the last few months. Just recently, the UP government issued transfer orders for 15 IPS officers on 25 July. Only the government knows why.
Some of the officers transferred are Dr Preetinder Singh (DIG, Aligarh), Khyati Garg (SSP, Amethi), Ashish Tiwari (SSP, Ayodhya), Pradeep Kumar (DIG, Chitrakoot), Anil Rai (IG, Lucknow PSE Headquarters).
Is Uttar Pradesh Becoming ‘Transfer Pradesh’?
Uttar Pradesh is now being called ‘Transfer Pradesh’. But why is that? Let us count first.
- Till 7 July, 13 police officers were transferred in the state
- On the night of 24 June, 1 IAS, 15 IPS and 69 PPS officers were transferred all together
- On 15 June, 14 IPS officers were transferred, includings SPs from 9 districts
- Before this, on 24 May, 10 IPS of the state were transferred
- On 9 January, 14 IPS officers were transferred, including the SSP of Lucknow, who was shifted to Ghaziabad
Transfers in Other Departments Too
On 20 July, six IAS officers received their transfer orders. In July, when the case of an inmate flashing a gun in an Unnao prison came up, the UP government transferred 21 prison officers and 15 IAS officers. On 14 June, 11 IAS officers were transferred.
SSP Satyarth Anirudh, who took strict action in the alleged scam of recruiting 69,000 government primary school teachers, was also transferred in June. It is the same scam in which Prayagraj’s BJP politician, Chandrama Singh Yadav, was also allegedly involved.
Let us look at some more transfer cases.
Kanpur, also known as ‘Kidnapping-pur’ witnessed the transfer of SSP Dinesh Kumar P, who was posted there just recently, in June. Gangster Vikas Dubey hailed from Kanpur, whose notoriety brought the police-criminal nexus to the forefront.
Kanpur police has been making headlines for various controversies, starting from the news of criminal Vikas Dubey to the news of laxity of police officers in the abduction case of a young lab technician on 22 June.
Serious allegations have been made on the police over the alleged botch-up. The family alleged that the police made them pay Rs 30 lakh as ransom to the kidnappers. And, even after one month, the police failed to save the abducted man. The victim was later murdered.
Similarly, Amethi’s Khyati Garg’s transfer is in relation to a mother-daughter duo trying to immolate themselves in front of the Vidhan Sabha in Lucknow. The mother died later. In this case too, the two alleged that Amethi police failed to give them justice.
In spite of the numerous transfers and encounters in Uttar Pradesh, the criminals live fearlessly.
A journalist in Ghaziabad lodged a complaint with the police about his niece’s harassment.
The police took no action but the miscreants shot the journalist in the middle of the road. Were the goons aiming just at the journalist, or was this an open challenge to the police?
Are transfers just a way to cover the negative headlines made by the UP police every passing day?
On 25 July, the SSP of Ayodhya was also transferred. That too, at a time when Ram Mandir’s bhoomi pujan is scheduled on 5 August. The prime minister might attend the event too.
On 25 July, CM Yogi Adityanath himself went to Ayodhya to review the preparations for the bhoomipujan. Ashish Tiwari had been Ayodhya’s SSP for a long time. However, presently, he has been sidelined. He is now posted as SP, Railway in Jhansi.
This rapid rate of transfers today is in stark contrast to the complete stop on all transfers in May due to the pandemic. It was decided that only in unprecedented circumstances and with the chief minister’s approval would transfers be sanctioned.
It is obvious that the ban has been removed. But the COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet. So, why these hurried transfers?
It is said that transfers happen for two reasons. One, when the officers fail to manage crime. Or else, when the government fails.
How effective these transfers will be in response to the increasing crimes in UP, only news headlines will reveal.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)