November 21, 2024

Tamil Nadu: Police Excesses Cannot Be Tolerated

By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2020-07-01 08:38:48

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Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.

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In a deplorable incident at the Sathankulam police station near Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, P Jeyaraj, 62, a shopkeeper, and his son, Bennix, 32, detained by the police on June 19 for allegedly violating lockdown restrictions, died in judicial custody three days later, allegedly due to injuries suffered during their detention. The state government initially denied the role of police in their death but was forced to act after a huge public outcry in the state as well as on social media. Three inspectors attached to the Santhankulam police station have been suspended and an inquiry has been instituted against two head constables. The state government now wants the CBI to probe the case.

What is more disturbing is that the police in Santhankulam, allegedly the same set of officials, was involved in brutally beating up some persons leading to the death of one of them just two weeks ago. Such rogue policemen are instrumental in eroding the faith the common man has in the keepers of the law. The pandemic has become an excuse for them to harass and assault migrant workers, hawkers and shopkeepers in the guise of enforcing lockdown rules. Police excesses have been reported from all corners of the country and even the Supreme Court took cognizance of the fact. It is one thing to book citizens for violating the rules and completely another to assault them. Assault cannot be a tool available to the police.

In the instant case, the CBI must conduct a thorough investigation and book all policemen involved in the incident. Simultaneously, not only the Tamil Nadu government but the Centre and all state governments must make it known to the police top brass that excesses by their men will not be tolerated under any circumstances. The police force all over India must first act as a facilitator and guide citizens so that they do not break laws. It can act as an enforcer only when it is clear that law is being broken. Even then, assault can never be an option and custodial deaths must be a strict no-no, inviting immediate punitive action against those involved. If the police do not follow due process, who will?