11 hours ago
TO PROTECT AND SERVE... AND SOMETIMES PAY THE PRICE
A bitter lesson cops in India learn early in their career is that they may face the consequences of not only their actions but also be held responsible for circumstances beyond their control.
The latest, and perhaps worst, example is the suspension of five police officers, including the Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru, following the tragic loss of 11 lives and injuries to more than 50 people in a stampede caused during IPL champions RCB's 'victory celebrations'.
After the victory in Ahmedabad on June 3, the winning team extended the celebrations to Bengaluru. Not to be left behind in exploiting this moment of regional pride, top political functionaries in Karnataka also joined the bandwagon.
That this was a commercial event did not seem to matter at all. This all happened despite Bengaluru police conveying their concerns repeatedly to the govt as well as to sponsors about the lack of time and resources to manage a large crowd at such short notice, that too at multiple sites.
In any case, what choice would the police commissioner have when the team was to be felicitated at the highest levels of the govt?
Multiple announcements were made on social media by the sponsors to boost the sale of stadium tickets, without consulting the police.
Nearly three lakh people turned up against the 35,000 capacity of Chinnaswamy Stadium. Those who have handled crowds would know that a huge crowd gathers its own momentum. What followed was a disaster; so many people died for the glory of a few.
Police had a tough time, and many were injured. The media carried a poignant image of a police officer carrying an injured child to safety. If not for the efforts of the police, there would have been many more casualties.
Therefore, it is but natural that the action against the police officers has led to anger among the community across the country. The Indian Police Federation has asked the Karnataka govt to reinstate the officers. Many people have also blamed the politicians for making the police a scapegoat for their wrong decisions. As expected, a judicial inquiry has also been ordered. Hopefully, this will be completed soon and the report made public.
This leads us to certain larger issues which emerge in the aftermath of such 'man-made disasters'. These unique issues do not fall under the exclusive domain of the police; the people also need to step in and set things right for their own good, particularly with regard to the diversion of manpower and other resources of the police from their core duties.
Such mega functions require the deployment of resources on a mammoth scale.
For these victory celebrations, nearly 1,600 police personnel were deployed and several vehicles diverted, including three fire tenders and two ambulances. It is the right of the people to know, as the expenditure would be incurred from the taxpayers' money.
These police personnel and other resources would have been diverted from police units and govt departments, having a direct impact on core policing duties.
This happens in other parts of the country too, diluting the police response to their mandated duties such as handling crimes, maintenance of law and order, and redressal of public grievances. Such a high level of diversion of resources is justified only in the case of a serious internal security situation or a natural disaster.
The situation is made worse by police having large vacancies; according to a report of the Bureau of Police Research and Development, the vacancy rate at the all-India level was 21.35% as of January 1, 2023.
Globally, India figures among the most under-policed nations.
Political rallies and commercial events occupying roads and other public spaces violate the rights of the common people. Recently, while hearing a petition, the Madras High Court asked why political parties should not be directed to pay rent for using public space for rallies and meetings, besides paying costs to the police department for deploying its personnel for security duties when they can incur considerable expenditure towards the events per se.
This argument applies equally to super-rich sports bodies, especially in cricket; they should be asked to foot the bill.
What emboldens politicians to punish the police to defuse tension is their awareness that there will not be a backlash, police being a disciplined service. They cannot ill-treat other govt employees, as shown by a recent protest by doctors in Goa, demanding an apology from the health minister for his rude behaviour with one of their colleagues.
The strike was called off only after the personal assurance of the chief minister.
A police officer, on the other hand, would have suffered this humiliation silently. This trend has to be reversed because a demoralised and demotivated police force has no incentive to serve the people with enthusiasm and efficiency. It is, therefore, in the interest of people to protect and support their police against any vindictive action.
Public involvement is crucial for enhanced focus on these issues. It's time people acted as the third umpire to ensure a fair and effective police force.
(The writer is the former Director General of the Sashastra Seema Bal or Armed Border Force)
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