Stress among cops figures in CM’s speech

LUCKNOW : Stress factor among police force due to immense work pressure, unavailability of leave and failure in attending to their families found mention in the speech of chief minister Yogi Adityanath here on Sunday.

This mention of the stress factor came in the wake of recent resentment among constabulary and multiple incidents suicide of police personnel across the state in the past one year.

The CM said at least 1.25 lakh new constables would be recruited by the end of 2019 after which the shortage of constables would completely end.

He said the fresh recruitments would help ease stress among constables due to work pressure and enable them to easily get leave to visit their families.

It would also help in regularising timely promotion of constables and head constables.

While paying homage to police martyrs, UP director general of police (DGP) OP Singh said that 414 police officers and personnel of different central and state police forces had sacrificed their lives in the line of duty between September 01, 2016 and August 31, 2017. Out of this 67 policemen, including five sub-inspectors and one assistant subinspector, sacrificed their lives in the line of duty in UP itself, he added.

Earlier, Singh had also mentioned the stress factor in his write-up showing concern over police personnel who committed suicide due to stressful nature of the work.

He had mentioned that many police personnel died without visible physical wounds and many succumbed to medical conditions, which may have been aggravated by the work stress.

He said many police officers had to stay away from their families and almost always work on festivals. Working hours were often long and it was very difficult to settle into a sleep or diet pattern, he added.