Offbeat (22): Are we into Police Goondagiri Raj?

By John Monteiro
Bellevision Media Network

When constabulary duty’s to be done
A policeman’s lot is not a happy one.
-  William G. Gilbert, English dramatist (1836-1911)

19 November 2012: Contrast this with the latter-day anonymous epigram that defines policeman as “Never-present help in time of trouble. Even more recently police have carved out a role for themselves – a parallel government of their own, popularly dubbed police goondagiri raj, adding up to a law unto themselves.

 

This aspect is not new, as I came upon this passage as I was correcting the page proofs of my revised edition o f Corruption- Control of Maladministration – sent by my American publisher. These are strictures passed by Justice A N Mulla of the Allahabad High Court in 1961:”If I had felt that with my lone efforts I could have cleared this Augean stable which is the police force, I would not have hesitated to wage this war single handed … there is no single lawless group in the whole country whose record of crimes comes anywhere near the record of that single organized unit,   which is known as the Indian Police Force.”
Even with a more citizens educated and more conscious of their rights under law, the police ride roughshod over the citizen’s rights. Here are two representative cases reflecting on the prevailing situation – one from Mumbai and another from Bangalore.
The first report is from  Mumbai Mirror (13-11-12). A 34-year-old advertising and marketing professional was allegedly assaulted by a group of traffic policemen at Worli on Tuesday, after he parked his car in a no-parking zone for 15minutes. Vikram Vora underwent a medical examination at KEM Hospital, which revealed that his left eardrum had been displaced  and he had sustained bruises to his cheeks and forehead.

 

On Tuesday, Vora was on his way from Bandra to Haji Ali, and took a detour to buy medicines at Rakhangi Medical Stores next to Flora restaurant at Worli Sea Face.Vora parked his car in an empty slot. “I was careful to check that the area did not have a no-parking sign. I frequent that area and know for a fact that cars owners use that spot to park for a few minutes.I also kept my blinkers on to signal that the car would be moved soon.There are no signs to show that this is a no-parking zone, said Vora.

 

Vora says that it was around 6:30 pm when he returned from the medical store and noticed that the wheel of his car has been locked and a mobile number left behind on his windshield. I called the number. Within 45 minutes a traffic cop - Suresh Prabhu, according to his badge - arrived at the spot. I requested him to remove the lock. I hold him that the reason I had parked there was that there were no signs whatsoever, and that cars often parked there, but he refused to listen. There were other cops in the towing van. I went to them and requested him to release my car. I said I was willing to pay the fine, whatever it was”, said Vora.

 

When he realised that his pleas weren’t working, Vora muttered in disgust,**** kahan phas gaya. That’s when things got out of hand. Enraged, the cops began to assault him, Vora alleged.

 

Three of them beat me up and started smashing my face. As they were in uniform, there was little I could do. I did not even touch them, I only protected myself in whatever way I could. This continued for around10 to 15 minutes, till a crowd gathered and a good samaritan -  a senior citizen -requested the cops to stop, said Vora.

 

Vora’s plight did not end here. He alleges that the cops then threatened him, telling him to state that he had been beaten up by the public and not the police. Not wanting to get into further trouble, I agreed. I paid Rs 1,250 at the police station including the Rs 200 towing charges, he said.

 

A day later, Vora’s parents went to Worli police station to lodge a complaint, but the police refused to register it. In the second report   filed by Sharat Sherma Kalagaru from Bangalore,  and also published in Mumbai Mirror.

 

A 16-year-old boy landed in hospital after he was brutally tortured by a policeman. The boy was taken into custody by Kamakshipalya police in Bangalore on November 13, 2012 evening on the suspicion of having stolen valuables from his landlord’s house.  The police allegedly beat him up in the hope of making him talk. The 16-year-old was admitted to a private hospital and is now in the ICU. While there is no danger to his life, with severe injuries to his genitals, he could have been rendered sterile, doctors say.

 

When the news of the incident spread, a huge crowd gathered outside the police station, demanding the dismissal of those responsible for his injuries.  The crowd dispersed only after senior officials promised to suspend Assistant Sub-Inspector Thimmegowda, the alleged tormentor, and order an internal probe.

 

According to police, the boy and his uncle live in rented house on the ground floor of a building in Kamakshipalya area, while the owner lives on the first floor. On Wednesday, the owner lodged a complaint, saying the boy had stolen about 750 gms of silverware from his house. Kamakshipalya police then detained the boy and allegedly tortured him to extract the truth.

 

The boy, an orphan, dropped out of primary school two years ago and began working at a shoe showroom.  According to this uncle, ASI Thimmegowda and his men picked up the minor from his workplace on Wednesday and took him to the police station. 
He was tortured by Thimmegowda and sustained injuries across his body, including his genitals. Later that evening, police dropped him near his house, said his uncle. “Initially, he didn’t tell me anything. But around 11 pm, I saw him trying to commit suicide. I stopped him and asked what the matter was.

 

He said the cops handcuffed him and tied a thread to his penis. They banged his head against the wall and kept telling him to accept the crime. When his penis began bleeding, the police released him,” alleged the teenager’s uncle.

 

On Thursday, the minor was admitted to Panacea Hospital on Basaveshwaranagar Main Road after he complained of unbearable pain in the genitals. “He might be discharged in three or four days,” Srivatsan, the chief operating officer of Panacea Hospital said.
“However, we cannot say for sure whether he can ever achieve an erection. He may need to undergo special treatment and an operation for that.”

Against this background, we have the Mangalore police commencing Children Se dosti Week on November 17 with Suraksha Bandan, a novel initiative of tying bands on the wrists of police.
The subject is open to many views. What are yours? chew on this!

 

 

 

John B. Monteiro, journalist and author, is Editor of his website, www.welcometoreason.com (Interactive Cerebral Challenger) – with provision for instant response. Try responding!