State disbands special squads

Though Tuteja said he had requested the DGP to wind up the squads because of the paucity of personnel for urgent and routine work, sources said the IGP had been provoked by complaints that squad members were abusing the facilities and taking to corrupt practices.

According to sources, squad members used vehicles for personal purposes, which sent the departmental fuel bills shooting up. Senior police authorities had also received complaints of 8220;money collection8221; against some of the squad members, they said.

Tuteja, when asked about the corruption charges, admitted that they had received 8220;some complaints8221;, but refused to divulge further details. According to sources, squad members had opposed the step. A few district superintendents of police also told Express Newsline on condition of anonymity that they had asked the director-general of police to review his decision in view of the spate of robberies and inter-state smuggling of liquor. The squads had been effective in such cases.