The Delhi police is all set to seriously assess the problem of alcohol addiction among its personnel. The force has directed senior officers to make a list of all alcohol addicts in the force and has urged them to deal with the personnel with addiction issues with empathy and sensitivity and also ensure their rehabilitation with counselling and therapy.
In a recent circular issued by special commissioner of police (welfare) S. Vasudeva Rao, all districts and units have been asked to prepare a blueprint of all alcoholics in their jurisdiction so that corrective steps could be taken to rehabilitate them.
The police decision comes in view of consecutive suicides by two sons of a Delhi police constable, who was a liquor addict.
The circular, called “Addiction to Liquor,” reads: “In a recent instance, two grown-up children of a constable posted in one of our units have committed suicide in succession. Their mother had passed away a few years ago. It is reported that their father was addicted to liquor for a long time.”
The circular, which was sent to the DCPs of all districts and units, added: “In the light of these instances, you may kindly check up if any member in your unit or district is given to drinking and if so, address his problem with empathy and sensitivity. Counselling, therapy and rehabilitation require continuous follow up action in such cases.”
“A list of such persons may be prepared and shared with this office for appropriate interactions in future.”
Last week, younger son of a Delhi police constable had committed suicide by hanging from the ceiling fan in outer Delhi’s Narela police colony, just days after his elder brother killed himself. In the suicide note, he had mentioned that he was really upset with his “brother’s death.”
A senior Delhi police officer said it was learnt during investigations that not only the constable’s wife, but his two sons too had committed suicide because of their father’s dreadful drinking habits.
“During investigations in both the suicide cases of his sons, which took place within a week, it was learnt that they were completely exhausted with their father’s drinking habits and took the extreme step one after the other,” said a source, adding, “Taking seriously such shocking cause of suicides of two young boys, we decided to identify such police officials in all department and help them overcome their addictions.”
