Cops’ kin protest over poor working conditions

Family members of policemen demonstrated in front of the Secretariat raising various demands, like maximum 12-hour duty a day and approval for police association. For some days, the social media has been abuzz with policemen and family complaining about poor working conditions and salary, with some even threatening to conduct a ‘Chalo Fort St George’ protest to raise their demands. 

The city police personnel on security duty at the Secretariat had a tough time in handling a protester, J Karikalan, brother of a policeman hailing from Thanjavur district. He raised slogans and distributed a charter of demands, when the debate on police demands was progressing inside the Assembly. 

“Only if the charter of demands is implemented, the suicides in police force and the untimely deaths and health issues will come down,” Karikalan felt. He alleged that though the Tamil Nadu Police Association was formed in 2001, till date approval has not been given for its functioning. 

He demanded the government to allow it to function. He also urged the government to provide employment to the wards of policemen, who died while in service and has been waiting to get appointments under compassionate grounds for several years. 

Many policemen, though without revealing their identity, were supporting the protest by the family members, who wanted the government to let policemen work in their native place or in the nearby districts. 

The protesters also demanded a full day wage for policemen, who have been asked to work during their weekly offs and two days’ wages for those working on government holidays. They also demanded the government to put an end to the orderly system, which has been driving many policemen to depression and sometimes to suicides. 

Karikalan alleged that many policemen end their life as they could not cope with the work pressure. He also demanded to create more posts corresponding to the increase in population. “We also demand that the solatium awarded after the death of a police personnel while on duty should be increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 10 lakh,” he demanded.