Decorated cop shunted out after his banter on austerity drive goes viral

Nagpur: A senior police inspector with 400 rewards, 25 appreciation letters and nine years spent battling Maoists at the peak of insurgency in Gadchiroli, faced action after a video captured in his Pachpaoli police station chamber went viral. He was heard sharing a banter about the austerity drive to save fuel. The cop, who put 25 years in police service, was swiftly shunted to the control room late Wednesday.At a time when police are conducting online meetings to save fuel, senior inspector Baburao Raut's alleged banter about his vehicle running out of diesel to express inability to launch a search for a 21-year-old nursing student boomeranged on him.With police having definitive intelligence about the woman being safe with a male friend, Raut wanted to bring her back with the help of another district police unit rather than driving down to rescue her. In a video recorded inside his chamber in the presence of 15-20 people four days ago, his remark on diesel paucity was interpreted as reluctance. Sources, however say that posting the video clip was a pressure tactic to bring the woman back and lodge a case against the friend.As per investigators, the nursing student's phone was switched off, while the suspect's phone was active, allowing location tracking. Teams from Wardha police were mobilised, but repeated location changes complicated the operation.The woman later returned home after learning that police were on her trail. Her statement was recorded and though her family sought her medical examination and arrest of the male friend, she refused the test before a doctor. The missing case was closed, and the family thanked police. Sources privy to the case said the family was aware of details yet mounted pressure on police. And this turned into a crisis for Raut when his banter on video was picked up by the Opposition to corner the govt. Raut had a reputation for dedication and earlier helped a woman officer this week to secure permission to travel to Jabalpur to rescue a minor girl. Senior officers also pointed to a severe shortage of vehicles with even inspectors having no dedicated vehicle. "There are almost no funds available for probes that require extensive travelling and logistics support. Cops perform most of the investigation by spending from their pockets. This is frustrating," said an officer. The episode has triggered debate within the force about resource constraints versus public expectations.While Raut's candid remarks on operational challenges earned him action, many colleagues view it as highlighting ground realities faced by police personnel who have otherwise served with distinction in high-risk Maoist zones.