Where Did Our Conscience Go? The Police Too?

There is no justification when unarmed students are beaten or when a pregnant lady is kicked.

I mean, for six years, an FIR was not filed by the police for a woman who was declared dead in an unexplainable situation, who happened to be the manager of deceased actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The latter was found dead in mysterious circumstances six days later. I mean, is there no one accountable? After six years, the Bombay High Court asks the police why not even an FIR was filed. This is beyond what I can digest as a citizen.

The police should be held accountable and made to answer. We, the citizens of this country, deserve to be answered.

There are incidents that leave you angry, and then there are incidents that leave you unable to comprehend how things could have reached that point.

It was not just me, but people across the country who were surprised to see police officers take away a six-year-old Gen Alpha boy who was at a student protest in Patna. Videos showed the police taking him away from the protest site. The police later said that the boy was not detained and had been moved to safety and handed back to his parents. The boy later approached the Bihar DGP and sought an inquiry into the police action.

Even more horrifying was the news of a police officer allegedly kicking a pregnant woman while her husband was being taken away. The woman later died after giving birth. Her family alleged that she was kicked or shoved, while the police said a preliminary inquiry found no evidence that an officer had pushed or misbehaved with her. Six police personnel were suspended for negligence, and the matter is being investigated.

I cannot comprehend a situation where a police officer could even think of kicking a woman, let alone a pregnant woman.

Who lost in the end?

The family.

Imagine the level to which the police, who are supposed to be public servants, can stoop.

It is not a secret that there are concerns about police being influenced by politicians. But how long will they be seen as servants of politicians instead of servants of the people who voted those politicians into power?

There Has to Be Some Sort of Accountability

It is high time the police were brought under tighter scrutiny and made answerable for every such lackluster attitude.

If wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face appropriate punishment. There has to be accountability, not just to set an example for other officers, but also to give some hope to the common masses.

Who can forget the allegations of police brutality during protests, including claims involving nail-studded batons being used against protesters? Those allegations have been disputed, which is precisely why such incidents need proper investigation rather than being forgotten.

Had They Shown This Unruly Attitude With Rapists?

When innocent people are tear-gassed and beaten, while criminals sometimes receive public displays of support, it raises a difficult question about where our priorities lie.

That is the current scenario as many ordinary people see it.

No one knows who is giving the orders. Because in the end, when questions are asked, nobody seems to turn up to give answers, except a few newcomers or low-profile politicians who are willing to speak.

There has to be someone who answers.

We Are Citizens of This Country

What police officers should remember is that neither are they above us nor are we above them.

Having a post or wearing a uniform gives them authority. That authority is meant to discipline criminals and enforce the law based on what the judiciary directs. The judiciary, in turn, is expected to be unbiased and sensible.

However, the way citizens are sometimes treated gives the impression that common people should fear the police and simply abide by whatever they say.

That should not be how a healthy relationship between citizens and the police works.

We All Deserve Respect

If a pregnant woman was kicked or pushed during a police operation and that contributed to her death, the entire system needs to be questioned about how such conduct could happen. The investigation should establish what actually happened and who was responsible.

Police officers are trained to deal with difficult situations. But alongside that training, there should also be constant emphasis on the values they are expected to uphold while serving the country.

Respect women.
Respect pregnant women.
Respect children.
Respect the poor.
Respect the needy.
Discipline criminals.
Wait for the verdict before you judge.
Accept your faults.

The police are supposed to protect citizens.

They should not become another reason for citizens to feel unprotected.

A position of authority should come with greater responsibility, greater restraint, and greater accountability.

When the innocent are beaten in the name of law and order, we often, in fact, the police, treat them as if they are noncitizens.
It is Indians versus Indians.

Where is humanity? Where has the conscience gone? Can those responsible sleep peacefully at night knowing that innocent people have suffered at their hands? When authority is exercised without compassion, we have to ask not just whether the law was followed, but whether humanity was forgotten.