VALPOI: Police instructors at the Nanoda camp of the Police Training School at Valpoi are allegedly taking bribes from new recruits to make their stay comfortable. Herald found this during the course of a week-long under cover investigation, speaking to scores of trainees. Sources from among those undergoing training (a batch of 160 driver/police constable) allege that the instructor (master in their language) actually collects money for not harassing the trainees while they are under training.
The sordid tale of corruption begins from the moment the constable is inducted into the force and undergoes training. This training, his baptism into the force, is riddled with corruption.
The Police Training School (PTS) is where the trainers, who are supposed to teach the new recruits to be policemen, teach them that the way to survive and thrive is to bribe.
“When we were moved to Nanoda IRB camp from PTS Valpoi due to overload at PTS Valpoi, the instructor had some very tough training on the first day. Because of this some of the recruits fell sick and a few of them even vomited blood,” a recruit, on the condition of anonymity said. After that a message was sent to all through the squad leaders that you ‘have to make him (instructor) happy by giving him some incentive’, preferably money, the recruit said.
Most of the trainees were not able to bear the harsh and tough training in the initial stages, so the squad leader collected money in three instalments in 30 days and gave it to the instructor, recruits told Herald.
“After that the instructor was quite soft and supportive, and didn’t even bother us. Some of the recruits did not even attend the morning PT, including the morning runs,” another recruit who is presently working as driver at one of the police stations in North, said.
The total collection of the cash goes into lakhs of rupees, and in 30 days an instructor at Nanoda has allegedly collected Rs 1.60 lakh from a batch of 160 recruits. Senior officials at PTS Valpoi said they have not received any complaint from the recruits but admitted that he had also heard that one of the instructors has taken cash, adding that the recruits were not willing to complain given that their careers were on the line.
Surprisingly, the top police brass admits that they are aware of the problem.
DIG Goa Police, V Ranganathan told Herald that he had visited the school a few days ago after getting wind of the same and asked recruits to complain.
“I have visited the PTS Valpoi 10 days ago and even given my mobile contact number to every recruit and asked them to complain to me directly if they come across any malpractices,” he said. “I have asked these recruits about the said issue but nobody has come forward and complained. Recruits are free to come to my office and complain,” he added.
Insiders say that this is a routine practice at the PTS and instructors collect cash from recruits every month through the squad leaders.
However, insiders and former police officers, point out that it is impossible for the recruits to complain against somebody who can ruin their careers and if the police top brass refuses to crack down on this malpractice, but just pay lip service to it, then nothing will happen.
PTS Valpoi is spread across 35 acres of land. This is the place where almost all of the State’s cops have seen training. There have been complaints made officially and unofficially. But everything is still the same.
