FEAR OF LAW & POLICING

Bikash Choudhury




While the innocent girl battles for her dear life; it would be unfortunate to discuss about the pros and cons of our legal system and weakness in our policing. However, the debate must continue to find a reasonable solution in a reasonable time frame. Many people believe Pipili gang rape case would not have hit the National headline and cost the job of cabinet minister, had it not been election time in Odisha; most important grass root politics leading to election of three tier Panchayata system. Salman Rushdei was also prevented from attending the Jaipur literary festival and stopped from even having a video presence/chat due to our divisive and competitive politics being played on the eve of election in North India. Two days back another gruesome incident of lifting a girl in broad day light and molestation was in the news; all these above events have a common theme and that is complete absence of fear for the law and policing from the minds of people who are criminally inclined. When, over millions of cases plug our legal system; getting justice and punishing the culprits of crimes in time to instill fear for the law of the land has been driven to the level of absurdness. However, at the same time it does not take rocket science to understand that if our judicial system can make few exceptions and take the cases of heinous crimes on fast track and convict the culprits with exemplary punishment before the incident vanish from the public consciousness; that would actually help create fear for law over a period of time. This will require an especially skilled investigative and legal team at the services police stations as and when the require. Another simple technique also could considerably reduce the incidence of crime on our streets; that is the ability of our general public to protest at the crime scene. Protest can be raising of voice and fist collectively against the criminal which could drive a fear in the minds of hardest of criminals and resulting in crime prevention. This will require counseling of public and enhancing the level of awareness which could work as an effective preventive shield against crime & criminals for the innocent and reduce that much amount of work load on Police.

While Judicial and Police reforms hanging fire for long time; a few minor changes in Police administration could bring about a sea change in effective policing. Our policing system is based on the bottom of pyramid-Constable and by empowering them with knowledge and skill on policing, law and human rights would prevent their misuse and help better law enforcement. They should be encouraged to apply their mind while upholding the discipline in the Police force; which may not have any conflict if a collective mindset were allowed to develop in the services. Many times ordinary people remain in awe of uniformed police men and fear of approaching them in time of need; which can be corrected by deploying competent and empowered women as interface between public and police in each police station as public relation officer. With population and economic growth the complexity of policing is also growing thick and fast; therefore, to have a better grip over policies on policing and law & order Govt. should have a top police officer with knowledge and competence as an advisor in the department of home affairs in the state; which should also bury the long standing demand of Indian Police Service cadres related to position and postings which is in larger interest of Policing.
Biggest fear is if our laws and policing could not instill fear; then more gentle men would be inclined to come out of their trousers putting the dignity and safety of women into further risk on our streets which our society can ill afford.