Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: Jharkhand is witnessing a rise in population, but the number of police stations in the state has remained stagnant for years. As a result, each police station in Jharkhand is now responsible for safeguarding over one lakh residents on average, a figure significantly higher than the national average.
High Population Load Per Station
According to official data, in urban areas of Jharkhand, there is one police station for every 1.07 lakh people, while in rural areas, the ratio stands at 87,750 people per police station. The state currently has a total of 606 police stations, compared to the national average of one police station per 75,000 people.
Comparison with Bihar
When compared with neighbouring Bihar, Jharkhand fares slightly better. Bihar has one police station for every 76,290 people in urban areas and one for every 1.64 lakh in rural regions—a situation worse than Jharkhand but still reflective of overall systemic strain.
Manpower Shortage in Jharkhand Police
The situation becomes more concerning when viewed in terms of police personnel availability. In Jharkhand, one police officer is responsible for the security of 908 people, underlining the pressure on the existing force and the urgent need for more recruitment.
Vacancies and Sanctioned Posts
The total sanctioned strength of the police force in Jharkhand stands at 79,950, but 18,931 positions remain vacant. At present, only 61,019 police personnel are actively serving across the state.
A National Challenge
This shortage is not unique to Jharkhand. Almost all Indian states are struggling with a mismatch between growing population needs and available police force, leading to increased strain on law enforcement and impacting the effectiveness of crime prevention and public safety.
