by Police - Bureau of Police Research and Development

The Indian Police JournalI shall revert to the question I raised earlier: Is the Police of Free Indiaanyway different from the Police of the British Raj? The answer is anunambiguous 'No'. The same practices, methods and attitudes continue.of the Daroga of the East India Company days - corrupt, tyrannicaland nobody dare enter its precincts without the company of a touton payment of a price. Crimes are not often reported as the victimsdo not expect any relief and, on the contrary, fear further harassment.Most of the property offences reported from the remote areas are notregistered and investigated in order to keep the crime statistics down.The only method employed for investigation is “third degree” to whichsuspects are subjected and, in nine out of ten cases, the suspects areinnocent. Death in Police custody is a common occurrence in everypart of the country. Some years back, a study of cases of murderreported in Orissa during a period of ten years revealed that 5% of thewere members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Therehave been cases of molestation and rape of women in Police custodyoccurring not infrequently. The practice of killing so-called criminalsa strong underworld, has now spread to every nook and corner. It isconsidered a legitimate process for eliminating criminals.And, all this is happening under the very nose of a dedicated band of abominable practices would not have continued so long. Shouldnot the leaders of the police service now realize that neither reformsnor modernisation would yield any result unless these deep-rootedmaladies are cured? There is no need of resources of any kind - manor material - for exorcising these cankers from the metabolism of theorganization. All that is needed is missionary zeal fostered by theunited will of the leaders of the organization at the highest level allover the country. . Let charity begin athome.10 January - March, 2013