Nagpur: A report on “Bomb Defuse and Disposal Squad (BDDS), responsible for VVIP security, is bogged down by deployment of aged, unhealthy, and lazy police personnel instead of fit and healthy under-35 cops” flashed in Nagpur Today has been taken seriously by Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). Now, the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) in Home Department K P Bakshi has been directed to go through the matter and submit report soon.
The report further said that the “useless” police personnel deployed in BDDS frequently indulge in dilly-dallying and thus overburden the other personnel mainly the young. Since deployment in BDDS fetches 50 percent more salary and perks, the ‘incapable’ police personnel ensure that they are stuck in the Squad by hook or crook. After finding the chink in the armour, the then Joint Police Commissioner Sanjay Saxena had opposed deployment of any police personnel in BDDS for more than two years. Saxena had even issued an order in this direction but the order has not been followed in letter and spirit till date. The BDDS will not gain strength and importance unless the young cops are given national-level training.
The BDDS comes under the authority of Nagpur City Police Headquarters. The Bomb Defuse and Disposal Squad inspects and scans the routes, programme spots and staying places of VVIP personalities accorded Z-Plus security. The Squad consists of a total of 23 personnel including one Police Inspector, one Police Sub Inspector, six Sniffer Dog Handlers, eleven Technicians and four Drivers. But a disturbing aspect got revealed that the technicians and drivers deployed in BDDS were earlier in the service of top officials and on the recommendations of the same top officials they were deployed in BDDS. The main of getting deployed in BDDS is fetching of 50 percent more salary and perks than other departments. According to rules, the police personnel attached to BDDS should be under-35 years of age but the maximum technicians, dog handlers and drivers do not fit the bill, disgustingly.
Moreover, in the present hot situation, the State Intelligence Department (SID) insists deployment of only young and energetic police personnel in BDDS. That too trained at national level. The expert-level training is given at Manesar and Mussoorie. At present, only one jawan in BDDS is an expert while remaining personnel are basic trained. And if any red-hot situation arises in future, the wait would be for NIA or Army Bomb Squad to defuse the situation as BDDS is bogged down “useless” personnel.
