No plan to arm SPOs in Bihar: DGP

Patna, July 9: Though the Special Police Officers (SPOs) in Bihar are proving fruitful in operations against organised gangs and banned ultra-left outfits, there is no plan to arm them, Director General of Police Neelmani said today (Jul 9).

Talking to PTI, Neelmani said the SPOs are being appointed under the Security Related Expenditure Plan launched by the Union Home Ministry and "we have around 6000 SPOs available in Bihar at present."

The practice of appointing the SPOs began in 2009 and their help was being taken in the interior villages as they know the topography and are present in almost every district in Bihar, IGP (Operation) K S Dwivedi said.

Their appointment was also made in the case of Maoist-affected areas, Dwivedi said.

"We have no plan to provide arms from police armoury and also no uniform to the SPOs in Bihar," Neelmani said.

Referring to the mandate given to these Special Police officers, Dwivedi said the SPOs who are paid Rs 3000 per month did not have any specific power.

They are a temporary appointee and rarely has any educational qualification, Dwivedi said adding the appointment had really helped in fighting the problem they have been appointed for.

Dwivedi said physically fit person with the age upto 50 years are appointed as Special Police Officers and their role has come in handy in instilling the confidence among villagers.

The SPOs are familiar with the Maoist tactics and many having been with the naxalites before and they help bolster the police operations at very little cost, officials confided.

Asked why did the SPOs failed to react at Kareili village in Munger district when the Maoists attacked the village and killed six villagers on July 2, Dwivedi replied in negative.

"In fact, they have been targeted during the attack and two of them were killed in Kareili attack," he said.

PTI