Know your police station: This one is actually a ‘welcome’ sight

In June 2015, senior police officers of the Eastern Range, comprising East and North-east districts, wrote to Welcome police station SHO Prashant Kumar, applauding him for the spick-and-span maintenance.

Considered as one of the well-maintained police stations in the North-east district, the police station paints a pretty picture against the dingy lanes inundated with one-room sets, overflowing drains and hordes of cycle-rickshaws clogging the streets.

The Welcome police station, which was set up in 1988, earlier operated from a police post. The station covers a population of three lakh, approximately, covering areas such as Janta Colony, Kavi Nagar, Baburpur, West Gorakhpur and Chajhupur.

Welcome is one of the most sensitive areas in terms of law and order in the North-east district. The cops of this police station claim to have tied up with the Aman Committee, consisting of 45 members, and the Nagrik Suraksha Samiti which are groups led by localites to ensure that minor issues are dealt with promptly. Apart from this, four CCTV cameras keep an eye on the station premises.

Manned by two inspectors, nine sub-inspectors, six assistant sub-inspectors, 20 head constables and 69 constables, this police station is also said to be reeling under acute staff cruch, said a police official, requesting anonymity. “The area is inhabited by a mixed population. With some help from the Aman Committee, we ensure that peace is maintained in the area. As far as street crimes are concerned, cases of snatching and theft keep us busy,” said SHO Prashant Kumar.

He was posted at Welcome police station in 2015. Prior to this, he has served as the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Jama Masjid police station for three years.

Describing the people who inhabit the Welcome area, another police inspector said the area is mostly inhabited by families from the low income group. Most of these inhabitants are into manufacturing jeans.