Rule of law is the foundation stone upon which a civilized society is built. In a country of large dimensions like India, with one-sixth of humanity inside it, the importance of upholding law at any cost and protecting the rights of individuals, groups and the whole society need not be over-emphasised. It is rule of law which holds us together as a nation and ensures peace, progress and prosperity. But the attitude of the police and other agencies raises the question whether they are above law or a law unto themselves. We come across countless events which bring into focus this fundamental question.
Take a look at a recent event on May 2 in Kalyan, Maharashtra. One Bilal Abdul Qadir Shaikh jumped a traffic signal by mistake when following other motorcyclists. Realising his error, he offered to pay fine but was abused and beaten so mercilessly by three policemen, in full public view that he got seriously injured. Other people who tried to mediate were sternly warned to keep off. Thereafter he was thrown in the police van and severely beaten by the rod of the jack, resulting in his broken humerus bone. The hapless person had to be admitted to intensive care unit of a private hospital, where he underwent a complicated surgery. The policeman who initially accompanied him to the hospital abandoned him when he realised the seriousness of the fracture. Initially he was booked for use of criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty. The latest news is that after undergoing complicated surgery he has been arrested for assaulting the policeman who thrashed him. This is the story repeated everywhere in India.
Another incident. The international NGO, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) has submitted a written complaint to our Prime Minister about the shocking behaviour of police in Satara, Maharashtra about beating of a pregnant woman, alleged to be a sex worker, which resulted in her suffering a miscarriage. The woman was falsely accused of soliciting customers for illicit sex at a public place. HRW has sought personal intervention of the Prime Minister.
The NGO has cited yet another case of sexual assault and torture of a tribal woman-teacher Soni Sori in Chhattisgarh. Arundhati Roy also quoted this incident in her lengthy article.
And if you want to prepare an encyclopaedia of police atrocities and human rights violations better visit Kashmir or North-East States.
It is high time we humanised our police force and made accountable our law-enforcing agencies. A high-powered task force should be entrusted with this urgent task before we fall in the abyss of a brutalised society caught in the complicated web of atrocities and violent reaction.