Bicycle beat patrolling to bolster vigilance in East Midnapore

Kolkata: For the first time in Bengal, bicycle beat patrolling has been introduced in East Midnapore district. The district police have decided to introduce bicycle beat patrolling in Haldia Municipality. Initially, it will be carried out in 20 out of 29 wards of the municipality and later with its success, the same would be implemented in all the wards.

According to a senior police officer of the district, there will be two constables at a time to patrol each ward of the municipality. The patrolling will be carried out round-the-clock. There will be two constables in each of the three shifts.

The constables will be patrolling the area on bicycles, maintaining vigil. Explaining the need for bicycle beat patrolling in the urban part of the district, the senior police officer said: "There are certain lanes and by-lanes where vigilance needs to be intensified. Moreover, it will also establish better communication between the common people and police."

Since the patrolling will be round-the-clock, residents of the area can easily approach the constables in day time to inform if they are facing any problem and need assistance of the police. The constables will report it to concerned police officers in the local police station and necessary steps will be taken to provide help to the person as early as possible.

It may be recalled that bicycle beat patrolling was introduced for the first time in Kolkata in 2006. But it had to be discontinued then for two basic reasons. First of all, bicycles of the patrolling party used to get stolen and the concerned constable had to compensate the loss. Secondly, the patrolling party didn't carry any firearms. As a result, there were many cases in which miscreants had managed to overpower the constables to take away their bicycles, mainly after midnight.

The reason behind introducing bicycle beat patrolling was to ensure proper vigil in lanes and by-lanes where it was not possible for police jeeps to enter for patrolling. But investigations had revealed that miscreants used to assemble in lanes and by-lanes, where it was difficult for police to reach without car.

However, later, bicycle patrolling has become immensely effective for ensuring safety and security of people, mainly at night. Now the same has been introduced in Haldia Municipality in East Midnapore, after going through the crime record of the area. V Solomon Nesakumar, superintendent of police, said: "The step to introduce bicycle beat patrolling has been taken to strengthen vigil in the area."