The Hindu

• Non-utility cited as reason; personnel repatriated to police stations
• The squads were instrumental in solving several sensational cases
• ‘Personnel serving in such squads tend to develop vested interests’

Mangalore, Sep 20: The district police authorities have disbanded two squads — the Highway Patrol Squad and the District Anti-Rowdy Squad. The squads had been formed by drawing 18 police personnel from various police stations in Dakshina Kannada district. They have now been repatriated to their respective stations for regular duties. The police top brass here are non-committal on the future of these squads.

The squads had been disbanded in view of their non-utility, as the tasks assigned to them could be handled by the respective police stations, senior officials felt.

The Anti-Rowdy Squad, in particular, had played a major role in solving some sensational cases. The squad’s exit marks the end of an era of specialised policing, meant to deal with such cases, particularly in the light of the yet-to-be-cracked murder of businessman Subba Rao.

Formation

It was Inspector-General of Police (Western Range) A M Prasad, who, during his tenure as Superintendent of Police of the then undivided Dakshina Kannada district, set up the Anti-Rowdy Squad in January 1995. This had followed increasing incidence of murderous clashes among anti-social elements, especially following the murder of Polali Kamalaksha and the stabbing of his associate Arjun by members of a rival gang.

Prasad, during a recent meeting on law and order issues in Dakshina Kannada, organised by the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry, clearly stated that there was no need for such squads, and that policemen in stations could carry out similar tasks.

Accordingly, the axe fell on the squad followed by the Highway Squad. The former additional- director general of police K S Suresh Babu, who had worked in the district and the range in various capacities, said personnel deputed to these squads often lost professional competence over a period of time.

A senior police official said, “It is a question of getting things done and the presence or absence of such squads should not matter. From experience, we have found that personnel who have been on such squads for long tend to develop vested interests which have proved to be counterproductive in major law and order situations, the official said.

When contacted, superintendent of police N  Sathish Kumar said, “These squads should be able to do a specific job.”

Mangalore Rural Circle Police Inspector Jayanth Shetty, who had served in the squad, pointed out that the squad had arrested underworld element Baba Hans Gabriel, who was wanted in more than 10 murder cases in Udupi, after he had escaped from custody.

The team ensured that local anti-social elements such as Yekkur Baba gave up their criminal activities, he said.