Street spectacle: Raj police's public parade of accused raises eyebrows

Time of India

a day ago

Jaipur: In the town of Merta in Nagaur district, a scene unfolded Friday that felt more like street theatre than police procedure.
Three men—heads shaved, dressed in women's salwar suits, and chanting admissions of guilt—were paraded through the town streets by police.
Their hands were folded in front of them as they repeated, "We made a mistake," while locals watched and filmed.
The trio allegedly swindled an elderly man out of Rs 2 lakh with a familiar scam: a fake lottery win. Police said the men, wearing female attire to disguise themselves, convinced the victim he won Rs 4.5 lakh. The elderly man borrowed money to claim his supposed reward, only to see the conmen vanish on a motorcycle moments after receiving the cash.
When the police tracked them down, the men were still wearing the salwar suits they used for the scam. Police officers decided to march them through town exactly as they were caught. The parade stretched from the local bus stand to the local court.
The message wasn't just for the three men. It was for everyone watching—on the street, on social media, and across the state. Police in Rajasthan are increasingly using public shaming as a tool in their crackdown on organised and financial crimes.
According to police sources, these parades are designed to rattle confidence—both of the accused and those who might consider following their path. They are also meant to comfort the public, who may otherwise feel powerless in the face of rising organised crimes.
In other parts of Rajasthan also, people accused of extortion or affiliated with organised crime groups have been paraded. For example, the men accused of firing at a house in Jhunjhunu's Gudhagorji were paraded in identical underwear in Jan.
Videos of such scenes spread rapidly online, earning praise.
Police officers, when asked about the spectacle, denied that these walks are intended as public shaming. They maintained that the accused are simply being taken to court for legal production or to the crime scene for physical verification and, in some cases, this is done on foot due to logistical reasons.
While many on social media cheer the police for taking bold steps, legal experts and human rights advocates are less enthusiastic. They argue that public punishment before a court conviction undermines due process and puts the justice system on a slippery slope. "Sensationalising crime this way may do little to prevent it and may, in fact, cause more harm," said Naresh Kumar, a lawyer.
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