IPS officers unhappy

AHMEDABAD, Sept 27: IPS officers in Gujarat are up in arms against the suspension of Surat DCP Manoj Agarwal and Additional Commissioner ...

AHMEDABAD, Sept 27: IPS officers in Gujarat are up in arms against the suspension of Surat DCP Manoj Agarwal and Additional Commissioner of Police Vipul Vijoy for Friday’s firing during the Ganeshotsav procession in which seven persons were killed.

A delegation of IPS officers on Monday called on Minister of State for Home Haren Pandya and Chief Secretary L N S Mukundan to convey its unhappiness. The delegation also called on Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel late in the evening and sought revocation of the suspension orders.

In their memorandum to Pandya and the Chief Minister, the IPS officers said that the suspended officers had ordered firing when they found that the situation threatened to go out of control. The memorandum pointed out that both officers had an excellent track record and Vipul Vijoy was even selected for the President’s Police Medal on Republic Day.

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Later, Chairman of the IPS Officers’ Association A K Chakravarti said the government was sympathetic to their demand. “We are waiting for a communique from the government”, he said.

The memorandum stated that since the government had ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident, it should have waited for the report. Besides, the two officers were not given a chance to explain their conduct, it was pointed out.

About Vijoy, an IPS officer said the government had, in one stroke, spoilt the career of an officer who had an excellent service record of 16 years. He alleged that the government had bowed to political pressures from within the party and other BJP outfits.

Another officer said that the suspensions, if not revoked, would demoralise officers.