Uttar Pradesh: Varanasi Police Under Scrutiny For Failing To Address Public Grievances

Varanasi: In a shocking revelation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency, the Varanasi Police has come under serious scrutiny for its failure to address public grievances.

Details Revealed

A damning internal review has exposed the systemic apathy of inspectors and sub-inspectors, with 100% of sub-inspectors failing to act on public complaints received through the CM Window — Uttar Pradesh’s Integrated Grievance Redressal System (IGRS). The policing performance audit, conducted for the first time since the implementation of the police commissionerate system in the state, paints a bleak picture.

Out of 589 sub-inspectors assessed, not a single one showed initiative in disposing of citizen complaints. All of them scored zero in the crucial IGRS disposal metric, indicating they ignored complaints uploaded on the Chief Minister's dashboard. Even more alarming is the fact that none of the inspectors managed to pass with first division marks in the 100-point review.

The so-called ‘star performers’ — once showcased for their effectiveness — couldn’t even cross the 60% threshold. Of the 589 sub-inspectors reviewed, 107 scored zero across all criteria, and 345 could not even manage double digits. Some scored as low as 1, 2, or 5 marks. Police Commissioner Mohit Agarwal, who conducted the review, was left visibly concerned. He confirmed that over 50 inspectors were not even capable of drafting an FIR. The evaluation revealed glaring deficiencies not just in complaint redressal, but also in professionalism.

At least 100 sub-inspectors were found lacking in punctuality, discipline, organizational skills, and adherence to official rules and orders. What adds to the embarrassment is the swift demotion of a star performer. Just 24 hours after being felicitated for topping among female subinspectors with 34.5 marks, Inspector Meenu Singh of Teliyabagh was stripped of her position by DCP Kashi and transferred to Kotwali police station without explanation. Other high scorers included Rajdarpan Tiwari and Amarjeet Kumar of Manduadih, and Vikas Kumar Maurya of Rohania, while Shyama Prasad stood at the bottom with a mere 0.5 marks.

The performance review also revealed that over 400 inspectors had no notable achievements during their tenure — no major cases cracked, no awards or commendations, and no visible public service efforts. More than 300 inspectors failed to make a single arrest under non-bailable warrants (NBW), and 350 did not take action on even one illegal loudspeaker in their jurisdiction. A staggering 550 were flagged for negligence in urgent policing actions, and over 200 did not close a single pending investigation.

Police authorities have now drawn up a list of the underperforming officers. Many of them are likely to be sent to police lines for retraining, and future postings will be based on month-long performance evaluations. Disciplinary action is also being considered against the 107 sub-inspectors who received zero marks. The report has raised serious questions about the state of policing in one of the country’s most high-profile constituencies. With the spotlight now on Varanasi, a city expected to set governance benchmarks, the glaring failures in law enforcement have triggered public concern — and are bound to attract political attention at highest level.