Suspension of the five policemen involved in the gruesome attack on a youth from Betul may send the right signal to many, but is that going to change the brutal ways of the men in uniform? Director General of Police (DGP) Muktesh Chander has accepted the fact that police erred in launching a savage attack on the Betul youth, and rightly so. There should be no hesitancy in reprimanding such arrogant and brash acts which bring the already tainted police force into further disrepute.
The DGP has put it bluntly and straight. A policeman on duty cannot assault someone even if he is criminal. But can the DGP explain what prompted him to give the benefit of doubt to the police in the FC Goa fan assault case and settle for a departmental inquiry instead? Why was the complainant’s FIR not registered? For the record, departmental inquiries are often used to wriggle out of tight situations, and allow the erring personnel enough scope to manoeuver. There was enough video footage to show how badly the FC Goa fan was beaten. There was a fracas and there were exchanges. But, were the police justified in such a brutal retaliation? Or do they get to go scot free only because they were not in uniform? Or was this an exception as the FC Goa fan attacked the police too? People need clarity in this case too. There cannot be silence in cases of police barbarity.
Arrogance, ruthlessness and hot-headed attitude are not new to the police. The gruesome custodial death of Cipriano Fernandes in 2011 is a grim reminder. Most of the police brutalities are going unreported for the fear of the ensuing harassment that is meted to helpless people. The DGP must be commended for being open on political pressure being used by police to wriggle out of situations and for talking tough on police behavior. It’s time he walks the talk and sets his force in order.
Suspensions will send the right message, but such case-to-case basis punitive measures are not enough to discipline an entire police force. Over 90 per cent of the times suspended personnel find themselves reinstated and are even promoted subsequently. Except for that black mark on the confidential report, suspensions have had no major effect on the police.
Fire-fighting police brutalities in isolation will only defuse public tension. The home ministry must urgently look into regular counseling and training of police force with focus on temperament, tolerance and man-management. Dos and don’ts need to be clearly defined.
