Pune CP Reprimands Four Police Station In-Charges After Dummy Complaint Test Exposes Lapses
Pune, 4th September 2026: Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar has reprimanded the in-charges of four police stations after a dummy-complainant exercise exposed lapses in the way citizens’ complaints were being handled.
The action was taken after senior police officers conducted an inspection to assess whether citizens approaching police stations with complaints were receiving prompt responses, whether their complaints were being properly registered and whether police were taking necessary action at the scene.
As part of the exercise, dummy complainants were sent to various police stations across Pune on June 6 to test the functioning of the grievance-redressal mechanism. The exercise exposed lapses at Market Yard, Alankar, Swargate and Deccan police stations, where complainants were allegedly given evasive responses instead of their complaints being promptly addressed. Taking serious note of the findings, Commissioner Kumar reprimanded the officers in charge of all four police stations.
At Market Yard police station, a dummy complainant approached police after his mobile phone was allegedly snatched. Instead of registering his complaint, police advised him to file an online FIR and submit a copy. At Alankar police station, another dummy complainant reported a similar mobile-snatching incident, but a woman police employee reportedly did not show readiness to register the FIR.
At Swargate police station, a dummy complainant who approached police with a vehicle-theft complaint was allegedly told to “come tomorrow”, indicating that immediate cognisance was not taken of the complaint. At Deccan police station, police did visit the scene after receiving a vehicle-theft complaint. However, the complainant was asked to bring the vehicle documents and register the complaint the following day at Balgandharva police chowki.
The exercise has raised concerns over the basic response expected from police stations when citizens approach them with complaints. The findings showed lapses in prompt complaint registration, responsiveness and follow-up action, prompting the Police Commissioner to hold the four station in-charges accountable.
