Soon after assuming charge as the Inspector-In-Charge (IIC) of Bharatpur Police station – which is presently in the eye of a storm following the alleged custodial assault of a woman and her male friend from the Indian Army – Monday, Inspector Deepak Kumar Khandayatray said that his first priority would be to install CCTV cameras at all sensitive locations of the police station as per the Supreme Court guidelines. When asked why the police station didn’t have CCTV camera set up earlier, Khandayatray said, “The cameras installed in the old building (of the police station) will now be fixed at the new building.” Khandayatray replaced Dinakrushna Mishra who had been suspended, along with four more cops of the police station, on an order of the Director General of Police (DGP) pending the Crime Branch (CB) investigation against them in connection with the allegations made by the woman.
Meanwhile, before taking charge, Khandayatray conducted a ‘special puja’, and some other religious rituals at the police station. The puja was performed by a priest for around two hours in the presence of other officials. The new IIC said the rituals were his personal preference to ensure peace and calmness (at the police station) before assuming charge.