Police shouldn’t check citizens’ phones: Police Chief

Following increasing complaints of policemen forcefully snatching mobile phones from the public on the pretext of verifying antecedents, police commissioner Kamal Pant clarified that no police personnel should check any electronic gadgets belonging to citizens.
“We strictly prohibit any policeman from checking the mobile phone of any citizen under any pretext. If there is any such incident, please intimate 112 (police control room) or inform the commissioner of police at 080-22942215,” Pant tweeted.
The issue came to the fore when a youth raised objection on social media, saying recently two police constables on night beat in HSR Layout snatched his mobile phone and searched for key words like ‘weed’ and ‘pot’. The post was shared widely and others noted that traffic police, while scanning digital documents stored in mobile phones, unnecessarily check WhatsApp.
A senior police officer said they have warned the station staff against such acts.