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This is an archive article published on August 24, 2024
Loudspeaker in hand, Ferozepur SHO seeks info on drug suppliers
The station house officer said that he was not aware that people were making his video but now when the clip went viral, he is getting calls from people offering to give information.
Station house officer Harinder Singh Chameli said that after he got posted in Ferozepur city about 10 days ago, Ferozepur SSP Saumya Mishra told him to take novel steps to control drug menace.
Just a week after joining the Ferozepur police force, station house officer Harinder Singh Chameli, 50, took matters into his own hands and started a drive of his own to keep the drug menace at bay.
Driving through the notorious Basti Shekhan Wali area in a police vehicle, with a loudspeaker in hand, he made announcements warning drug sellers and urging people to provide him with information on people selling drugs. Though he took rounds of the area on Wednesday, a video of the incident went viral on social media only on Friday.
Chameli said that after he got posted in Ferozepur city about 10 days ago, Ferozepur SSP Saumya Mishra told him to take novel steps to control drug menace. “That’s when I thought of this idea. I gave my phone number to the people for them to reach out to me whenever they find anything suspicious,” said the SHO, who was posted in Ferozepur police lines for about 6 months before getting transferred to Ferozepur city and earlier he was in Tarn Taran area.
“Even in 2019 when I was posted in Tarn Taran as SHO Goindwal Sahib, I used to interact with villagers and make them aware of drug suppliers and addicts. I used to meet people in gurdwaras, community centres etc. Maintaining public contact is very important. But officers usually shy away from sharing their mobile number. But that gives the people a feeling that we are easily available and are their friend,” he said, adding that he was also posted as SHO Lambi and SHO Sadar police station in Ludhiana earlier.
He added that the Basti Shekhan Wali area comprises of around 3000 people of the low income group. “Though the recovery from this area is very small, it also has a very low population. Because of some people, the entire area gets defamed,” he said, adding that through his announcement, he also warned drug dealers to refrain from their activities.
He added that he was not aware that people were making his video but now when the clip went viral, he is getting calls from people offering to give information. “People are calling me from Sangrur, Tarn Taran and different areas of Ferozepur district apart from Ferozepur city,” he said.
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