BENGALURU, Jan. 30 -- Karnataka director general of police MA Salim on Thursday ordered that officers across the state be granted mandatory casual leave to mark personal milestones such as birthdays and wedding anniversaries, framing the move as a step toward improving morale in a force that routinely works under pressure.

In a circular, the state police chief said that recognising such occasions was essential for personnel tasked with maintaining public safety and law enforcement under demanding conditions. "Celebrating personal events like birthdays and wedding anniversaries is very important for police personnel who work under difficult conditions to ensure public safety and law enforcement," Salim wrote.

The directive emphasizes the...