Gandhinagar, Sep 28 (IANS) The Gujarat DGP Office’s Public Relations Centre has facilitated the registration of 28 FIRs in serious cases after receiving 310 representations from citizens across the state in the eight months since it became operational, according to the police.
The centre, which started functioning at Police Bhavan in Gandhinagar on February 4 this year, has been taking up grievances directly with the police authorities concerned and monitoring their progress.
The initiative has also led to progress reports being sought in around 67 cases to ensure follow-up after the representations were forwarded.
The centre functions under the supervision of State Police Chief Gyanendra Singh Malik and Law and Order DGP Rajkumar Pandian. Its team includes Police Inspector Palak Patel, Police Sub-Inspectors N.G. Barad and M.J. Patel, Head Constable Manilal Vangai and Police Constable Kishanbhai Rathod.
According to the standard operating procedure, each representation received at the centre is registered, and the concerned senior police officers in the city or district are contacted immediately over the phone.
The cases are then examined on the basis of facts and available evidence rather than being merely forwarded to the concerned police station.
The police said 28 cases were found to be serious and supported by facts, following which FIRs were registered immediately through the concerned police stations under the supervision of senior officers.
The centre has also received representations from people travelling to Gandhinagar from remote parts of Kutch and Saurashtra, as well as tribal areas of South Gujarat.
The police said applicants are heard by the staff, and their grievances are processed as part of the centre’s mechanism for direct interaction with citizens.
At the same time, police action has also been initiated against eight applicants whose representations were found during the investigation to be false or malicious.
The action, the police said, was taken in accordance with the applicable rules. The centre also obtains feedback from every applicant through a feedback form covering the conduct of police personnel, the manner in which grievances were heard, action taken and guidance provided.
According to the police, applicants have rated the functioning of the centre as “excellent”.
The Public Relations Centre is intended to provide a direct channel for citizens to approach senior police authorities and for the police to monitor the disposal of grievances, with the department stating that its focus is on sensitivity, transparency and accountability in dealing with public complaints.
–IANS
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