DSP’s red hair earns criticism, Odisha Police asks him to maintain decorum

BHubaneswar, Odisha law has found itself in a tell apart after some of its personnel, including senior officers, were criticised on societal media for sporting coloured and unconventional hairstyles.The a la mode(p) incident was reported from Jagatsinghpur dominion, where a DSP-rank officer was trolled online for his red-coloured hair, putting the police administration in an awkward position, a senior officer said.The officer, identified as Rashmi Ranjan Das, saw his hairstyle go viral on social media, drawing criticism from several quarters.Some users termed the look "unprofessional", while others questioned whether such an appearance befitted a uniformed officer, alleging it undermined the authority and seriousness associated with the khaki."After finding the DSP being trolled on social media, I have instructed the Jagatsinghpur SP to tell the officer to maintain decorum and keep his hairstyle decent, befitting a man in uniform," Inspector General of Police Satyajit Naik told PTI.Naik, however, said the police department has not yet issued any circular or order in this regard."We have told the officer to maintain decency. Everything cannot go by written orders. From constables to senior officers, everyone in the police service should respect the uniform and give utmost priority to decency," he said.Another senior police officer said women police personnel across the country, including Odisha, are also seen colouring their hair in shades such as coffee, chocolate, ash, auburn, caramel and golden."One cannot issue an order to keep hair black always. There are people who have natural brown hair. This apart, greying is also a natural phenomenon. What can be done in these cases? Therefore, no order can be issued with regard to hair colour," the officer said, adding that it depends on individual police officers.A woman police officer in the city, who has coloured her hair ash, said no law or rule prohibits such choices."We are in the police and perform our duties responsibly. People should not comment on a person’s hairstyle. We welcome criticism if we commit mistakes, but colouring hair is not a crime," she said.A retired IPS officer said that while the police manual does not explicitly prescribe hairstyles, personnel are expected to maintain the image of a security force."Creating a controversy over a non-issue serves no purpose," another serving officer remarked.This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.