Bhubaneswar: In a significant move, the state government has submitted a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to the High Court, detailing how police should interact with army officers visiting police stations. According to the SOP, army officers, whether on duty or off duty, are to be treated with due respect by police personnel. If an officer have any complaints, the police will take prompt action and offer necessary legal assistance. Under no circumstances should a visiting army officer face assault, mistreatment, or be placed in handcuffs.
The SOP, prepared in accordance with High Court directives, was submitted during a hearing concerning the Bharatpur police station. The Advocate General Pitambar Acharya presented the guidelines to the court, which were approved by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The SOP highlights two critical areas: respectful interactions with army officers at police stations and regulations regarding arrest procedures.
According to the new SOP, police officers cannot arrest an on-duty military officer from the Army, Navy, or Air Force without prior permission from the central government. If an arrest is deemed necessary, the nearest army station commander must be informed, and the arrest must receive approval from a Major General or a higher-ranking officer. If permission is denied, the detained officer will be transferred to a local army station. Only in cases of severe offences—such as rape, murder, or abduction—are police allowed to proceed with an arrest without prior authorisation.
In cases of minor infractions, police must obtain approval from the military superior of the concerned officer before taking any action. If an arrest is made under any other circumstances, the police must immediately notify the local military station headquarters, providing details of the reasons, location, and date of the arrest. The SOP also mandates that any complaint against an army officer will prompt immediate action from the police, with information shared promptly with the relevant military camp. The military camp will also be informed of any measures taken against the officer to ensure full transparency.
The SOP explicitly states that military personnel should not be subjected to harsh treatment, assault, or physical harm during detention and should not be handcuffed under any circumstances. It emphasises the importance of adhering to legal guidelines in such situations and specifies that any violation of these procedures will be taken seriously.
This SOP aims to enhance coordination between police and military personnel, ensuring that army officers are treated with dignity while maintaining protocol in legal matters.
The SOP was issued following outrage over the alleged assault of an army officer and his fiancée on September 15 after they approached the Bharatpur police station to complain about road rage. The army officer was reportedly kept in the lock-up, and his fiancée was brutally assaulted after she protested.
4 per cent of police stations still lack CCTV cameras
Of the state’s 645 police stations, 96 per cent are now equipped with fully operational CCTV cameras, while the remaining 4% lack these installations, primarily in areas affected by Cyclone ‘Dana’. Additional Director General (ADG) Dayal Gangwar provided this update in a compliance report to the High Court, assuring that CCTV coverage in the remaining police stations will be completed by the end of this month. The High Court expressed satisfaction with the report and scheduled the next hearing for the 19th.
The case arose from allegations of mistreatment by police personnel against a military officer and his companion at the Bharatpur police station, part of the Bhubaneswar Commissionerate Police, prompting the High Court to initiate a suo moto case. During the hearing, the court inquired about the status of CCTV installations in police stations across the state. A division bench, led by Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice Savitri Ratho, instructed the state to provide an update on camera installations in the remaining 295 outposts, for which the government has recently granted approval.
Appearing virtually, ADG Gangwar detailed the state’s efforts to install CCTV cameras across 295 outposts within 36 police districts, for which tenders have been invited. The aim is to complete these installations by March 2025. Currently, 85% of the state’s police stations are connected to a Central Monitoring System (CMS), with the remaining 15% expected to be linked by November 15.
Notably, on September 15, a military officer and his companion reported alleged mistreatment by police personnel while attempting to file an FIR at the Bharatpur police station. It was reported that the companion was harassed and even jailed. In response, the High Court took up the case suo moto, with the state’s counsel, Pitambar Acharya, now overseeing the matter on behalf of the government.
