May

26

Police brutality in India

May 26, 2007 posted by indiatime |

Several times during the last few months, I have seen live or taped pictures of the Indian police beating Indians up. Whether it is farmers protesting against Special Economic Zones (SEZs), vegetable vendors agitating against retail juggernauts, thirsty public taking to the streets to protest water shortages, art students demanding freedom of expression, or people at their prayer places, the police in India, seem to be taking a sadistic pleasure in viciously and barbarically attacking old people, women, teenagers, pedestrians, onlookers, whoever they can get their hands and sticks and guns on.

And I’m just talking about what’s happening on the streets, in plain view of the watchful eyes of the TV cameras and millions of us. I shudder to even imagine what must be happening behind the closed doors of the police custodies all over this country. Every few days, there is a report of an accused being held for a few days committing suicide in police custody. Every now and then, there are reports of mysterious deaths under police supervision. Every now and then, there are unexplained encounters and shootouts that end up with a few people dead. Every month, there are reports of a policemen kidnapping and raping young women.

Incidences of police brutality and abuse aren’t new to India. But what is alarming is the changeover of what was once perceived as an aberration, to something that has become a customary practice, a beaten path, if you will.

I used to treat the reports of police brutality in Kashmir as something that happened in another country, another state, another place. But watching this gross and libidinous abuse of power by our police, I have started feeling that maybe the Jammu & Kashmir state police is reponsible for a whole lot of mayhem in that region.

India’s police is out of control. They need to learn how to police a democracy. Democracies are just not policed with uncivil savagery. Because when they are, they are not called democracies anymore.


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4 Comments so far

  1. Dr.Rao on July 28, 2007 7:43 pm

    @Present political environment in India is a threat for democracy and our nations unity.Police in india are nothing but part of political goondas ,to share ,loot,prosper at the expense the most miserable poor on the planet.If Sadam was criminal, most indian politicians fall in to the same .We dont have a society to ,stand for poor, and oppressed.The rich, so called educated cowards, ips, ias nonsence, all is part of national disintegration,.
    Fundamental ,human rights, as freedom of speach,expression, media freedoms, oormans rights are instutionally oppressed.Recent political brutality in Andhrapradesh ,police breaking heads of poorest in khammam district speaks, how inhuman society we live,.
    Andhra pradesh became most violent, cast oriented oppressive govt in INDIA, ruthlesley throtling, media, opposition parties. poor WITH POLICE PROTECTION
    Police force shoyld revolt, to protect people not political goondas,.
    Police force should be independent of politicians, they are to defend common man, they should be servants of people, should be under COURT system.
    SHAME,.
    we call Democracy,.

  2. Men in khaki and men in white : It’s Indiatime on August 29, 2007 3:14 am

    [...] Police brutality in India [...]

  3. SM on June 11, 2008 11:18 pm

    The Yerwara Jail administration is pathetic and the policemen there are extremely corrupt and forces people to pay bribes.
    As an example, if you are in yerwara jail and your bail is granted, the policeman who guide you till the gate will force you and your group to run like maniacs.

    The policeman at the gate will send you back to the jail on the grounds that you are running and misbehaving, you have suspicious behaviour so you are guilty under section 110. Give the policeman at the gate 200 to 500 Rupees so that they do not trap you once again.

    In case the Kalewadi Police catches you based on someone’s complain, they will torture you at the slightest excuse and will make totally false F.I.R just to prove their point. It does not matter to them even if the person who had complained says that you are someone else and not the guilty person kalewadi police will continue to physically assault and torture you to the extent that you almost lose your mental balance.

    They will take away all your belongings and will not mention those in the seizure list.
    If you are somehow able to get bail you will not get your belongings. If you ask for them they will again send you back to jail under section 110.

    The pune police lacks intelligence and common sense and is brutal.

  4. Suraj on July 9, 2009 2:24 am

    This is nothing new in India. They have been as exasperating as since the British rule in India. Its more than just DISGUSTING. They should be fired for that. Sometimes it is the true reason to decide of ‘brain drain’ and ‘migration’.
    Has someone watched the movie “Desh Hoya Parder”. If not, I think you should which would give you fair idea of the happenings in Punjab during riots. Its an excerpt of the reality!!!

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