Mysuru:  The Police Flag Day, jointly organised by the Mysuru City Police, Karnataka Police Academy (KPA), Mysuru District Police, KSRP 5th Batallion and Police Training School (PTS), was celebrated at the CAR Parade Grounds here this morning.

Speaking on the occasion, Civil Rights Enforcement Directorate Superintendent of Police A.K. Suresh (Retd.) said that if there is a good relation between the higher officers, the Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors, then the law and order situation will be under control and there will be peace in society.

He had put in 38 years of service out of which more than eighteen-and-a-half-years was in Mysuru and he had risen in rank from Sub-Inspector to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), he said.

“I have witnessed 14 Dasaras in the city and been in charge of the security during the torch- light parades. Mysuru is a small city with 22 Police Stations. It is good to say that there is good understanding among all of them as they come to one another’s aid if there is trouble in any area,” Suresh said.

He reminisced that he had worked under eight Police Commissioners out of whom seven are still serving except for late Bipin Gopalkrishna. “There have been troubles and demonstrations during each one of their charge and I have the satisfaction of working under such circumstances to the best of my ability,” the retired Officer said.

“If even small issues are brought to the notice of the higher-ups then it will not be allowed to simmer and any problem can be solved,” he added.

City Police Commissioner Dr. A. Subrahmanyeswara Rao,  speaking earlier said, “Like every year in the light of the Flag Day being celebrated, some of the retired Police Officers are also honoured on the occasion. During the last Flag Day, I had promised for a separate building for the Retired Officers Association. However, due to some problems I have not been able to fulfil their demand as yet.”

Once the Police Commissioner’s Office is shifted to the new building that has come up in the premises, a portion of the old building will be given to them for the Association Office, he assured. He regretted that the Retired Police Welfare Fund did not have sufficient money. “If there is only Rs.2 lakh in the fund we end up spending Rs.4 lakh. Hence, I request the retired Police Officers to come for a discussion with me so that we can generate new ideas to augment the fund,” he said.

Thirteen retired Police Officers including S.J. Nanjundaiah, Puttamada Nayaka, C.M. Linganna, Ranganath, Shylajamma, Linganna, Syed Sirajuddin, N. Basavaraju, John Vincent, T.M. Shankar, K.P. Parashiva, Thammanna Ramegowda and S. Basappa. Police Flag was released on the occasion. IGP (Southern Range) Soumendu Mukherjee, KPA Director Vipul Kumar, SP Amit Singh, DCP Dr. N. Vishnuvardhana and others were present.