In a major development aimed at maintaining discipline within the state’s law enforcement, a formal request has been made to completely ban police personnel from creating social media reels, pre-wedding shoots, and uploading photos showcasing weapons in their official uniforms.
Mohan Kumar Danappa, a member of the Karnataka State Police Complaints Authority, has officially written to the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP), demanding a strict crackdown on the growing trend of “Khaki Swag” on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
-
The Dignity of the Uniform: The letter emphasizes that the police uniform is not just an attire but a symbol of discipline, integrity, public trust, and law and order. The growing craze for social media fame is seen as a direct threat to this institutional dignity.
-
Rise of ‘Social Media Addicts’ in the Force: It has been pointed out that several officers, including high-ranking district-level officials, are employing dedicated personnel to shoot stylized videos of their daily duties, bandobast, and crime scene visits. They edit these videos with heroic background music (BGM) to boost personal fan pages, acting akin to movie stars or politicians.
-
Security and Fraud Risks: The letter warns that photos uploaded by police personnel are being heavily misused by cyber fraudsters. Multiple cases have emerged where scammers created fake profiles using pictures of senior Karnataka police officers to extort money from the public. Furthermore, filming inside police premises and showcasing official weapons directly violates the Official Secrets Act of 1923.
-
Violation of Service Rules: Using the official uniform for personal promotion and entertainment violates the Indian Police Service (Uniform) Rules, 1954, and the Karnataka State Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 2021.
1. Strict Ban & Content Removal: All ranks of police personnel must be banned from posting reels, videos, or photos in uniform. They must also remove uniform photos from their WhatsApp DPs and statuses. Existing pre-wedding shoots, reels, and photos on personal handles and fan pages must be self-deleted immediately.
2. Continuous Monitoring: The Police Department’s Social Media Media Cell must strictly monitor the personal accounts of all personnel and report violations immediately to senior officials.
3. Training Academy Restrictions: All police academies and training centers must enforce a strict ban on probationary officers posting uniform or weapon photos during their training period.
4. Departmental Action: All unit heads, Police Commissioners, and District Superintendents of Police (SPs) must be directed to initiate swift disciplinary action and departmental inquiries against violators.
While a vast majority of the police force silently upholds discipline without seeking online fame, this letter highlights how a few “social media-driven” officers are causing embarrassment to honest personnel. With states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, and even the Indian Army already implementing strict restrictions on social media usage, Karnataka is now being urged to enforce a blanket ban to restore the sanctity of the Khaki uniform.
