17 SRPF staff booked for not reporting to duty, deserting force

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State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) on Thursday had lodged a first information report (FIR) against 17 of its personnel under section 14 (deserting force) of the SRPF Act, 1951, and other relevant Acts for allegedly not reporting to duty despite several warnings.

The personnel, who were suspended earlier, had been called for an inquiry. However, after they continued to remain incommunicado, SRPF filed a complaint against them. Inspector RL Puri of Vanrai police station at Goregaon (East) confirmed the development.

While three personnel have been absent since February, four have been absent from March, eight from April and two since May. According to Vanrai police, the FIR, a copy of which is with HT, was registered by 57-year-old Laxman Atkari, a personnel from SRPF’S unit 8 and head of the 17 suspended men. His complaint stated Maharashtra is facing an outbreak, owing to which the Disaster Management Act is being implemented in the state and SRPF is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining law and order. But the 17 personnel from SRPF constabulary have remained absent for a long duration and have been served with notices several times. Atkari has also made phone calls to them but did not receive any response.