Deoghar to introduce tourist police

RANCHI, India – Horror stories of visitors and even local people at Deoghar, the world famous Shiva temple, are well known. Devotees often feel frustrated after being heckled and harassed by taxi drivers, autorickshaw drivers and touts on reaching this town which attracts almost 20 lakh visitors every year.

To end the woe, soon there will be helping hands for the tourists in distress. Deoghar police have planned to raise a special force to help tourists. The force, known as tourist police, will provide security and also help tourists in getting local transport, lodging at appropriate rate and even guide to the railway station and bus stand.

Deoghar SP Subodh Prasad said that there are around 600 registered home guard jawans in the district. Of this, around 150 jawans get regular duty and the rest 450 have to wait for some special occasions like election or festivals. “I have sent a proposal to the state home and tourism departments to support the initiative so that we start tourist police by engaging these jawans,” said the SP.

These jawans will be deputed at all tourist spots, including Baidyanath Dham temple, Nandan Pahar, Satsang Ashram, Naulakha Mandir, Rama Krishna Mission, Trikut Parvat and Rikhia Ashram.

The primary duty of these jawans, who will be on duty round the clock, is to ensure safety to the tourist and provide security against cheats, bag lifters, pick pockets, eve-teasers among others.

Apart from their primary duty, these jawans will ensure that no peddler, jeweller, shopkeeper, tout, cheat and beggar harass the tourist.

They will also help tourists in solving their problems and guide them to local emporia, book stalls, banks. “The jawans will help in sorting out matters of exigency like sickness, loss of theft of belonging assault or involvement in criminal cases,” said Prasad.