One policeman guards 551 people in the country at present, according to latest Home Ministry data on police forces released today.
'Data on Police Organisations in India' said the percentage wise growth in the sanctioned police strength in India has shown increase of 50.40 per cent whereas the growth in population was 15.38 per cent during the last seven years.
"As a result thereof, it is seen that 718 were being looked after by one constable in 2002, which has decreased to 551 people required to be looked after by one constable in 2012 despite manifold increase in challenges faced by police forces in the country and significant increase in the incidents of terror, communal violence, Naxalism and security threats," the data released by Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami said.
The actual availability of policemen gets further reduced owing to vacancies running up to 24.82 per cent as on January 1, 2013. During this 11-year period, the state armed police forces have shown an increase of 27.26 per cent from 3.48 lakh in 2002 to 4.62 lakh in 2012.
The area of supervision, according to the data prepared by the Bureau for Police Research and Development (BPRD), has seen an increase in the presence of the personnel in 'khaki' from 46.39 policemen per 100 sq km in 2002 to 69.76 policemen in 2012.
Police area ratio (number of policemen per 100 sq km) went up by 50.38 per cent during 11 years period of 2002 to 2012. "At national level, as on January 1, 2013, we have an average of one constable for every 1.43 sq km of our geographical area," the report said.
In the less populous states like Arunachal Pradesh, for the sanctioned strength this ratio was highest at 1:6.56 sq km followed by Rajasthan with 1:3.56 sq km and in the densely populated states/UTs it was lowest in Chandigarh at 1:0.01 sq km followed by Delhi at 1:0.02 sq km.
