Cop focus on 5 big medical college campuses across city

Kolkata: In a sweeping directive aimed at securing the five medical colleges, along with MR Bangur Hospital and Vidyasagar Hospital located across the city, Kolkata Police commissioner Ajay Nand on Wednesday issued a strict SOP to restructure hospital safety, upgrade communication infrastructure and dismantle deeply entrenched tout networks.The decisions were taken after a conference that was attended by senior top brass, with Lalbazar adopting a zero-tolerance policy for security lapses. The brass stated that the SOP is a result of extensive factual assessments from officers-in-charge of various city hospitals.Crucially,Nand has ordered an aggressive, systematic crackdown on criminal tout rings operating within medical campuses. Hospital OCs have been instructed to register criminal cases against those involved and create a specialised database featuring photographs and profiles of known touts.In a stern warning, the top cop stated that stringent departmental action will be initiated against any police personnel found colluding with these networks. Furthermore, a five-year retrospective Action Taken Report on active tout cases must be submitted to the top office immediately.To ensure sustained vigilance, assistant commissioners of police will now directly supervise hospital-related security and submit monthly inspection briefs.Additionally, OCs must hold review meetings with medical superintendents (MSVPs) and health authorities at least once every three months, ensuring that panic buttons, traffic-prosecution apps for illegal parking and heavily guarded night patrols for lady doctors' hostels remain fully operational.To address physical security gaps, divisional deputy commissioners (DCPs) have been ordered to inspect all healthcare facilities under their jurisdiction and deliver a comprehensive security blueprint within 15 days.Acknowledging a city-wide shortage of surveillance equipment, the leadership mandated the immediate installation of new CCTV cameras and directed that at least four body cameras be supplied to every hospital OC.A major structural shift will see the immediate withdrawal of standard VHF radio sets from hospitals, replacing them with advanced long-term (LT) wireless communication devices.Police personnel will undergo rigorous operational training to handle these sets, with hourly situation reports streamed directly to the divisional offices and the central Police Control Room over a newly dedicated frequency channel.The directive also focuses heavily on personnel accountability and preventive measures. OCs have also been tasked with creating a robust databank detailing all private security guards, ambulance service providers and staff. Crucially, mandatory police verification for all private security personnel must be completed without delay.