The Sampadak Express News Desk
The Telangana government will fill all existing vacancies in the Police Department by 2028 and has begun steps to recruit 5,000 additional personnel, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced on Wednesday at the Police Commemoration Day parade in Hyderabad, The Hindu reported.
Addressing the ceremony, also observed as Police Martyrs’ Day, at the Police Martyrs’ Memorial in Goshamahal Police Stadium, Mr. Reddy said maintaining law and order is essential for the State’s development and that his government has accorded the highest priority to policing.
He said the government has already appointed 112 Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), describing the intake as unprecedented, and initiated steps to recruit 5,000 more personnel as part of a broader plan to strengthen the force.
Paying tributes to police personnel who died in the line of duty, the Chief Minister said 154 officers had lost their lives across the country during the year. He named Telangana Assistant Sub-Inspector D. Devi Singh, constables Empalli Pramod Kumar and Seelam Kamalakar, and Gajula Soumya of the Excise Department among those who died on duty, and assured continued government support to their families.
Mr. Reddy announced a series of enhancements to ex-gratia benefits for personnel who die while on duty. For Home Guards, the compensation will be doubled from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh, a change for which he directed Director General of Police C.V. Anand to take necessary steps. For police personnel, ex-gratia for constables will rise from ₹40 lakh to ₹1 crore, and for Head Constables and Assistant Sub-Inspectors from ₹45 lakh to ₹1 crore. Sub-Inspectors’ compensation will increase from ₹45 lakh to ₹1.25 crore, and Inspectors’ from ₹50 lakh to ₹1.25 crore. Families of DSPs and Additional SPs will receive ₹1.50 crore, up from ₹50 lakh, while compensation for SPs and IPS officers will double from ₹1 crore to ₹2 crore.
Highlighting evolving threats, the Chief Minister said the government is working to modernise the Police Department and equip personnel with advanced technology to tackle emerging challenges. He cautioned, however, that technological progress should not come at the expense of the humane approach expected of officers.
Mr. Reddy also pointed to the appointment of transgender persons as traffic assistants, saying the initiative has supported their dignity and self-respect. He added that ensuring women’s safety is not solely the responsibility of the police and called for a broader societal role in preventing crimes against women.
Speaking at the programme, DGP C.V. Anand said the sacrifices of personnel who fought terrorism, Naxalism, Maoism and other threats had contributed significantly to peace and development in Telangana. He flagged cybercrime, narcotics trafficking, food adulteration, road accidents and organised crime as emerging challenges, and said the force must continuously upgrade its skills to counter criminals’ increasingly sophisticated methods while maintaining a strong presence on the ground.
As part of the welfare measures announced, the Chief Minister directed the DGP to implement the revised ex-gratia for Home Guards.
