The Assam police have decided to conduct a fitness survey of cops and to ask those found ‘unfit’ to take voluntary retirement from service, state police chief GP Singh said on Tuesday.

Singh, the director general of police (DGP), said that the move was in line with directions from chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio. He mentioned that there will be “professional recording” of BMI of all police personnel including those from the Indian Police Service (IPS). 

“We plan to give three months’ time to all Assam police personnel including IPS and Assam Police Service (APS) officers till August 15 and then start BMI assessment in the next 15 days,” Singh said on Twitter. 

“All those who are in obese (BMI 30+) category would be offered another three months’ time to reduce weight (till November end) and after that VRS (voluntary retirement scheme) option, except those who have genuine medical ground like thyroidism etc.,” he added.

Singh said that he would be the first to take the BMI recording on August 16. 

On April 30, the chief minister announced that those in the police force who are habitual drinkers, obese and have corruption cases against them would be given the option of VRS or compulsory retirement scheme (CRS). 

“Three hundred officers and jawans (in the state police) are habitual drinkers and excess consumption of alcohol has damaged their bodies. We have the provision of VRS for them,” Sarma had said. 

A few days prior to that announcement, the CM in a meeting with senior police officers had instructed them to “remove deadwood from the force” to make the state police a fitter organisation.