853 VVIP Visits In 2024 – Did It Take A Toll On City Policing?

While we keep complaining about the rise in crime in the city, incidents of rowdyism, vehicle vandalism, and traffic congestion, we often forget the side of policing that involves managing VVIP visits in Pune.

VIP security is a big issue for any police force. However, it becomes troublesome when a significant percentage of the city’s total police force is busy protecting the so-called VIPs day in and day out, leaving the security of the public at large to lesser strength at the police stations, which, at times, hampers both the prevention and investigation of crime.

Huge jump in 2024

2024 saw a huge jump in VVIP visits compared to 393 in 2023. In 2024, a whopping 853 VIPs visited the city, making it an average of two VIP visits per day throughout the year.

Depending on the category designated as Y, Y+, Z, or Z+, security cover is provided to a protected person.

Punekars raised voices on social media

This year Punekars also raised their voices on social media this year because of the troubles they faced due to VVIP visits. Roadblocks caused by VIPs passing through Pune’s arterial and sometimes congested downtown roads have left commuters stranded for many long minutes.

In 2023, Pune saw notable VIP visits, including the President of India and the Prime Minister of India, along with Z+ and Y+ category dignitaries. The total count of VIP visits for that year was 1 for the President, 1 for the Prime Minister, 191 for Z+ category, 17 for Y+ category, 171 for other notable figures, and 12 for additional dignitaries. In 2024, however, the number of visits surged significantly. The visits from the President and Prime Minister remained the same at 1 each, but the visits from the Z+ category rose dramatically to 322, and those from the Y+ category increased to 28. In total, there were 439 VIP visits in 2024, accounting for 61 additional visits compared to the previous year, highlighting a rise in the number of high-profile individuals visiting the city.

Did It Take A Toll On City Policing?

This is vital when considering the conviction rates for crimes in the city. The conviction rate for Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) cases is just 18 percent in 2024, while in sessions court it is 13 percent. The percentages for JMFC cases in the years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 were 51%, 5%, 27%, 10%, and 4% respectively.

The state at present does not have separate police forces for law and order duties and investigation.

Law and order duties refer to the police actions taken to maintain peace and prevent disturbances, such as patrolling, managing public events, and controlling traffic. On the other hand, investigations involve looking into crimes that have already occurred, gathering evidence, questioning suspects, and working to solve the crime. The main difference is that law and order duties focus on preventing issues, while investigations are about solving crimes after they happen.

In 2006, the Supreme Court, in a petition filed by retired IPS officer Prakash Singh, issued a series of directions in which the separation of investigation and law and order was mandated. Even after that, the apex court has highlighted that it is core to police reforms.